Topic: Stages of development of an infectious disease, source and way of spreading….

Author: Leokadia Stalewicz

Target group

7th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

General requirements

IV. Reasoning and applying the acquired knowledge to solving biological problems. Student:

1. interprets information and explains causal relationships between phenomena, formulates conclusions.

Specific requirements

IV. Homeostasis. Student:

2. presents health as a state of equilibrium of the internal environment of the organism and disease as disorders of homeostasis.

General aim of education

The student learns what infectious diseases are and how they spread.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• exchange examples of infectious diseases;

• describe the ways of spreading infectious diseases.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

• Volunteers prepare papers dedicated to issues included in the abstract.

Introduction

• The teacher gives the topic, the goals of the lesson in a language understandable for the student, and the criteria of success.

• Volunteers present their papers. If necessary, the teacher completes the student's statements.

Realization

• Students, working alone or in pairs, perform tasks indicated by the teacher.

• Participants familiarize themselves with the content presented in the interactive illustration. Then the teacher discusses the issues with the students.

• Students carry out the interactive exercises checking the level of knowledge learned during the lesson. The teacher initiates a discussion during which the correct solutions for all the exercises performed by the students are discussed.

Summary

• The teacher briefly presents the most important issues discussed in class. He answers the additional questions of the proteges and explains all their doubts. Students complete notes.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Stages of development of an infectious disease, source and way of spreading….

Transmission of pathogens into the human body is referred to as infection. After infection, the disease incubation period occurs, in which viruses or bacteria multiply intensely and attack various organs. During this time, the germ carrier generally does not feel any symptoms. The first symptoms usually appear after a few days and are of general character, such as headaches, muscles, joints, chills, weakness, increased body temperature. Then, characteristic symptoms for a specific disease are revealed.

A runny nose and a strong cough mean respiratory tract infections. Gastrointestinal infections are often associated with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The symptoms of diseases such as smallpox and rubella are rashes, pimples and spots on the skin. Upon development of the characteristic symptoms, the doctor is able to make a medical diagnosis and commission appropriate medications. The time and course of the disease depends on the efficiency of the immune system, treatment methods used and the psychological attitude of the patient. Rest and positive thinking usually facilitate recovery and a return to full fitness.

The most susceptible to infection are people whose body is weakened by previous infections, excessive physical exertion, stress or improper diet associated with e.g. slimming, and chronically ill people.

Pathogenic agents can penetrate into the body through body orifices, mucous membranes and wounds. The germs permeate into these places in different ways.

One can get infected with numerous diseases by inhalation through the air. Infections of this type are referred to as droplet infections. In this way the following diseases are spread: flu, tuberculosis, smallpox, measles, diphtheria. The possibility of becoming infected with these diseases grows with the increase in the density of human communities. That is why the outbreaks of droplet‑borne diseases very often occur in kindergartens and schools.

Another way to spread the disease is oral exposure. Food and water consumed by humans may contain viruses, pathogenic bacteria, protozoa or parasitic eggs. This is how the following diseases are spread: tuberculosis, typhoid, hepatitis A, ascariasis, food poisoning. These diseases are sometimes referred to as the diseases of dirty hands, because the reason for their spread is the lack of hygiene in the preparation and consumption of meals.

Infectious agents may also permeate into the body through injured skin. A non‑sterile syringe or tattoo tool may also cause a risk of transferring such serious diseases as hepatitis B and C or HIV infection. Together with the soil, tetanus bacteria may get into the wound. In some cases, pathogens penetrate even through intact skin. Shaking hands with a patient with scabies poses a risk of parasite infection.

As a result of sexual intercourse syphilis and gonorrhoea pass through the mucous membranes of the reproductive organs, and protozoa, the same as vaginal trichomoniasis, as well as hepatitis HBV and HCV, human papillomavirus HPV and HIV are spreading.

Animals play a big role in the spread of infectious diseases. Flies can carry germs of typhoid fever and tuberculosis, and whipworm eggs from contaminated areas. Some ticks carry a dangerous and difficult to cure disease – borreliosis. Being bitten by an animal suffering from rabies can be dangerous for humans.

An infected person or animal in which pathogens multiply becomes a source of infection. A special kind of a source of infection are reservoir hosts. These are people or animals in which, despite the presence of an infectious agent in the body, no symptoms of the disease are observed.

• Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic organisms and spread through direct contact with the sick person, they can also be airborne, foodborne or sexually transmitted.