Human Health and Diseases: Summary

Summary

Health is a state of complete physical and psychological well being. Many other extended factors like microbes may cause illness to human body. Protozoans like Entamoeba, Plasmodium and Leishmania cause diseases such as amoebic dysentery, malaria and kala-azar repectively. Personal cleanliness and hygiene, proper disposal of waste, safe drinking water and immunization are very useful in preventing diseases. Drug and alcohol abuse of young and adolescent is another cause of concern. Addiction to drugs and alcohol is happening due to peer pressure, examination–related and competition–related stresses. The addicted person should receive proper counselling, education and professional medical help to liberate themselves from all forms of addiction.

Activities

Activity 1: Students examine the impact of microorganisms in our daily life and consider their applied potential. They can also conduct independent research and communicate their findings.

Activity 2: Students prepare wet mounts to observe the microbes found in curd.

Activity 3: The leader will blow bubbles at the group of students to demonstrate how some diseases can be air borne?

Activity 4: Which parasite acts as a transporter host for other parasites? Discuss

Activity 5: Your friends call you a “sissy boy” because you do not smoke or chew tobacco. What answer will you give? How will you prove your strength?

INTERESTING FACTS

1. Freezing does not kill bacteria; it only arrests their growth.

2. Antibiotics not only kill harmful bacteria, but also kill beneficial bacteria of our body.

3. UTI- Urinary Tract Infection is one of the most common bacterial infections affecting 150 million people each year worldwide.

4. World malaria day is on 25th April.

5. Iceland and the Faroe islands are the only countries in the world, where there are “No mosquitos” (Mosquito free countries).

6. VCRC- Vector Control Research Center is situated in Puduchery. WHO is collaborating with the Centre for Research and Training in Lymphatic Filariasis and Integrated Methods of Vector Control.

7. Sterile insect technique (SIT)

The  screw-worm fly  was the first  pest  successfully eliminated from an area through the sterile insect technique, by the use of an integrated area-wide approach.

8. Zika virus could become a surgical weapon against brain cancer.