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Chapter 8

Diseases and First Aid

Class 8 - Concise Biology Selina



Objective Type Questions

Question 1(a)

A mosquito is a vector for :

  1. Typhoid
  2. Cholera
  3. Malaria
  4. Jaundice

Answer

Malaria

Reason — Malaria is caused by Plasmodium protozoan that is transmitted by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito.

Question 1(b)

Dengue is caused by a

  1. Protozoan
  2. Virus
  3. Worm
  4. Fungus

Answer

Virus

Reason — Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus.

Question 1(c)

The idea of vaccination was conceived by

  1. Charles Darwin
  2. Alexander Flemming
  3. Issac Newton
  4. Edward Jenner

Answer

Edward Jenner

Reason — The idea of vaccination was conceived by Edward Jenner (1749 - 1823).

Question 1(d)

Which one of the following is not a psychotropic drug?

  1. Morphine
  2. Cocaine
  3. Heroin
  4. Penicillin

Answer

Penicillin

Reason — Morphine, Cocaine, and Heroin are psychotropic drug. But, Penicillin is an antibiotic.

Question 1(e)

Which one of the following is a communicable disease?

  1. Measles
  2. Cancer
  3. Heart attack
  4. Allergy

Answer

Measles

Reason — Cancer, heart attack, and allergy are non-communicable diseases whereas measles is a communicable disease.

Question 2

Name:

(a) A viral disease caused due to sexual contact with an infected person.

(b) A disease caused due to Plasmodium.

(c) A disease caused by the bite of female Anopheles mosquito.

(d) Two viral diseases caused by mosquito bites.

(e) Any droplet — borne disease.

Answer

(a) AIDS

(b) Malaria

(c) Malaria

(d) Dengue fever, Chikungunya

(e) Tuberculosis

Question 3

Match the items in Column A with those in Column B

Column AColumn B
(a) Malaria(i) Aedes aegypti
(b) Chikungunya(ii) BCG
(c) Poliomyelitis(iii) TAB
(d) Tuberculosis(iv) Salk's vaccine
(e) Typhoid(v) Plasmodium

Answer

Column AColumn B
(a) Malaria(v) Plasmodium
(b) Chikungunya(i) Aedes aegypti
(c) Poliomyelitis(iv) Salk's vaccine
(d) Tuberculosis(ii) BCG
(e) Typhoid(iii) TAB

Question 4

Write full forms for each of the following abbreviations :

(a) AIDS

(b) HIV

(c) WBCs

(d) BCG

(e) TAB

Answer

(a) AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

(b) HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus

(c) WBCs - White Blood Cells

(d) BCG - Bacillus Calmette-Guerin

(e) TAB - Typhoid-paratyphoid A and B8

Short Answer Questions

Question 1(a)

Name the two types of diseases on the basis of whether they can be spread or not.

Answer

The two types of diseases on the basis of their spread are:

  1. Communicable Diseases
  2. Non-communicable Diseases

Question 1(b)

Name the four ways of indirect methods by which infectious diseases can spread.

Answer

Four ways of indirect methods by which infectious diseases can spread are:

  1. Touching and sharing items used by the infected person
  2. Contaminated food and water or drink
  3. Vectors
  4. Droplets

Question 1(c)

Name the three diseases caused by viruses

Answer

The three diseases caused by viruses are:

  1. Common Cold
  2. Influenza (The Flu)
  3. HIV/AIDS

Question 1(d)

Name the three diseases in which germs are carried by mosquitoes.

Answer

The three diseases in which germs are carried by mosquitoes are:

  1. Malaria
  2. Dengue Fever
  3. Chikungunya

Question 1(e)

Name the four methods by which vaccines can be prepared.

Answer

The four methods by which vaccines can be prepared are:

  1. Using killed germs.
  2. Using living weakened germs.
  3. Using fully virulent living germs.
  4. Using Toxoids

Question 2(a)

Define Health

Answer

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Question 2(b)

Define Public hygiene

Answer

Public hygiene refers to the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of a community. It involves proper disposal of human excreta and domestic wastes.

Question 2(c)

Define Vaccine

Answer

A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious or malignant disease.

Question 2(d)

Define Toxoids

Answer

Toxoids are extracts of toxins secreted by bacteria and these poisons are made harmless by the addition of formalin to retain the capacity to produce antibodies.

Question 2(e)

Define First aid

Answer

First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person suffering from either a minor or serious illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery until full medical treatment is available

Question 3(a)

Give two examples of Communicable diseases

Answer

Influenza, Tuberculosis

Question 3(b)

Give two examples of Non communicable diseases

Answer

Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases

Question 3(c)

Give two examples of Viral diseases

Answer

AIDS, Chickenpox

Question 3(d)

Give two examples of Bacterial diseases

Answer

Cholera, Typhoid

Question 3(e)

Give two examples of Vectors

Answer

Mosquitoes, Houseflies

Question 4

What is a non-communicable disease? Answer in brief.

Answer

Non communicable diseases are those which are not caused by any germ, therefore these diseases cannot spread from an infected person to a healthy person (i.e., they are non transmissible). These may be caused due to improper functioning of the body organs. Example : diabetes, heart attack, etc.

Question 5

What are communicable diseases ?

Answer

Communicable diseases are those diseases which spread from an infected person to a healthy person by the entry of microorganisms or pathogens. These diseases are caused by the germs known as pathogens. Example: Chicken pox, Malaria, Typhoid, etc.

Question 6

How can we control spreading of diseases by mosquitoes and houseflies ?

Answer

We can control the spreading of diseases by mosquitoes and houseflies by using repellants, throwing garbage in covered bins, avoid stagnation of water and checking breeding of insects.

Question 7

Public hygiene is equally important as personal hygiene. Give reasons.

Answer

Public hygiene involves proper disposal of human excreta and domestic wastes. It is equally important as personal hygiene for the following reasons:

  1. Sewage should be chemically treated first before being released into the water bodies to avoid water-borne diseases. There should be proper sewage lines connected to sewage treatment plants.
  2. A healthy environment should be maintained by disposing garbage in covered bins to prevent breeding of flies, avoiding stagnation of water to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.
  3. Contamination of drinking water with faeces (animal or human excreta) should be prevented as it is a major cause of diseases.

Long Answer Questions

Question 1

What is Vaccination? Mention the four ways in which vaccines are prepared, giving the name of one disease for which each type of vaccine is used.

Answer

Vaccination is the practice of artificially introducing germs or germ substances into the body for developing resistance to particular diseases. The material introduced into the body is called the vaccine. Usually, the vaccine is introduced into the body by injection and sometimes orally.
A vaccine can be prepared by any one of the following four methods —

  1. Using killed germs — e.g. TAB vaccine for typhoid.
  2. Using living weakened germs — e.g. the vaccine for measles.
  3. Using fully virulent living germs — e.g. the vaccine for smallpox.
  4. Using Toxoids — e.g. the vaccines used for diphtheria and tetanus.

Question 2

Burns can be superficial burns, deep burns or chemical burns. What emergency care would you suggest in each case.

Answer

First aid for burns depends on the degree of burns.
In the case of superficial burns, pour cold water over the burnt area. Then dry that portion and cover with sterile dressing.
In the case of deep burns, never use water, and cover the injured part with dressing.
In the case of chemical burns, wash with running water for 10 minutes and then cover with dressing.

Question 3

Write short notes (2-3 sentences) on the following :

(a) Disease

(b) Immunisation

(c) Pathogen

(d) AIDS

(e) Vaccination

(f) Vector

Answer

(a) Disease — Disease is a departure from normal health through structural or functional disorder of the body. There are two major categories of diseases — Communicable or infectious diseases and Non-Communicable or non-infectious diseases.

(b) Immunization — Immunization is an artificial way of achieving protection from infections by the introduction of dead or weakened germs into one's body. Immunization is a process by which the body of an individual is made resistant to a specific disease by vaccination.

(c) Pathogen — Communicable diseases are caused due to microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, worms and protozoa. The disease causing germs are called pathogens. Pathogens spread from one person to other through air, water, food, physical contact, cuts, sexual contact and from insects like mosquitoes, flies, etc.

(d) AIDS — AIDS stands for Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. It is caused by the HIV virus. It weakens the immunity or self defence mechanism of the human body. AIDS makes the infected person prone to many other infectious diseases. It spreads through sexual contact, blood transfusion and infected syringes.

(e) Vaccination — Vaccination is the practice of artificially introducing germs or germ substances into the body for developing resistance to particular diseases. The material introduced into the body is called the vaccine. When exposed to vaccines, the body makes antibodies and more or less permanent protection from infection is achieved.

(f) Vector — Vectors are those organisms (eg. house flies, mosquitoes, etc.) which carry germs from a source of infection but themselves do not get the infection. For example, mosquitoes while feeding on the blood of a malaria patient, gain the germs in their bodies, and get them transferred in the blood stream of a healthy person whom they bite next.

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