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3.6 identify data sources, gather process and analyse information from secondary sources to describe one named infectious disease in terms of its:

identify data sources, gather, process and analyse information from secondary sources to describe one named infectious disease in terms of its:

  • cause
  • transmission
  • host response
  • major symptoms
  • treatment
  • prevention
  • control

A good example of a named infectious disease is malaria. The following is a description of the disease.

Factors Description
Cause The parasitic protozoan, Plasmodium
Transmission Anopheles mosquito is the insect vector. Blood from a malaria victim contains Plasmodium sex cells. These form zygotes in cysts in the stomach wall of the mosquito and mature into sporozoites. When a cyst bursts, the sporozoites travel to the mosquito salivary glands, from where they are transferred to the victim of the mosquito bite. The sporozoites travel to the liver, multiply and then enter the red blood cells, where they also multiply. When the infected cells burst, they cause the malarial fever. Male and female gametes are produced from these sporozoites, which are then taken in the blood the next time a mosquito bites.
Host response When in the blood cells the host produces antibodies against Plasmodium
Major symptoms Chills, fever, sweating, delirium and headache
Treatment Anti-malarial drugs such as quinine and chloroquinine
Prevention Cover up after dark and use personal insecticide, mosquito nets
Control Draining swamps, spraying with insecticides.

Malaria: An Online Resource (external website) Royal Perth Hospital, Western Australia