1.1 Pathogens summary questions

Question	Answer
What is a pathogen?	A pathogen is a micro-organism that causes disease
Why are the digestive and respiratory system often sites of entry for pathogens?	Diffusion takes place in these systems to they have a large surface area, are thin, moist and well supplied with blood vessels. This makes it easy for pathogens to attach and penetrate them.
In which two ways do pathogens cause disease?	By damaging host tissues and by producing toxins which inhibit the overall function of a cell
Suggest one reason why oral antibiotics are not normally used to treat gastroenteritis and other diarrhoel diseases	A person with gastroenteritis has both vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms mean that the antibiotic is not likely to stay in the body long enough to be absorbed

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	Created by Emma Mountain over 10 years ago