Infections, Infestations, and Diseases

Infections, Infestations, and Diseases — page 1 — Chapter 1 HEALTH AND ILLNESS means being free of disease or pain Health can refer to the mind spirit and body A body that is healthy Health Health can function properly Muscles organs and other systems all work together to help a person live day-to-day life with relative ease Bodily health is sometimes taken for granted that is until someone gets sick What are the different ways a person can become sick Healthy bodies and minds help kids do well in school 4

Infections, Infestations, and Diseases — page 2 — One way a person can get sick is by getting an infection An infection is a growth of germs called pathogens that causes illness Signs that infection has entered the body include redness swelling warmth or pain Rashes swollen glands in the neck a high fever a cough and chills are also symptoms of infection Pathogens that cause infections are usually bacteria or viruses Bacteria are one-celled organisms that live almost everywhere They are too small to be seen without a microscope Many kinds of bacteria do not cause someone to get sick Some kinds of bacteria actually help people These good bacteria protect the body by fighting off harmful bacteria 5

Infections, Infestations, and Diseases — page 3 — Less than 1 percent of bacteria cause harm to the body They can invade the body through a cut or wound or enter in another way As these bacteria grow and multiply they release toxins or poisons that infect and break down human body cells This causes illness or infection Some bacteria have flagella that help them move around flagella 6

Infections, Infestations, and Diseases — page 4 — Coughing helps the body get rid of harmful substances in the lungs Common infections caused by bacteria include acne and strep throat To treat an infection caused by bacteria a doctor might prescribe antibiotics Antibiotics fight and kill infection-causing bacteria DID YOU KNOW Sometimes antibiotics can cause problems Overuse and incorrect use of antibiotics can actually encourage resistant bacteria to grow Not finishing all the prescribed antibiotics kills only the weak bacteria The stronger bacteria might still survive They can multiply and pass their resistance to other bacteria That is why it is important to take all the antibiotics a doctor prescribes 7

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