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Disease Classification Worksheet

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Disease Classification Worksheet

At a hardware store, Layla and Cooper are sorting health information for a community noticeboard. Use the clues and your science knowledge to classify diseases and explain how they affect people.

Read the evidence

The clues below describe several diseases. A disease caused by a pathogen may spread between hosts, directly or indirectly. A disease not caused by a pathogen spreading between hosts is classified differently. Some conditions have complex causes, so classify each disease by its usual cause.

Disease

Clue

Usual classification

Tuberculosis

Caused by bacteria; can spread through the air when an infected person coughs.

Infectious

Influenza

Caused by a virus; spreads mainly in respiratory droplets and aerosols.

Infectious

Type 1 diabetes

An autoimmune condition in which the immune system damages insulin-producing cells; it is not caught from another person.

Non-infectious

Asthma

A condition involving sensitive, inflamed airways; triggers can include smoke, exercise, or allergens.

Non-infectious

Classify and connect

1.According to the evidence table, which two diseases can spread between hosts?

2.Choose the pathogen that causes tuberculosis.

Virus
Bacterium
Fungus
Parasite

3.Match each pathogen group to its example.

Virus
Bacterium
Fungus
Parasite

Candidiasis (thrush)
Influenza
Tapeworm infection
Tuberculosis

4.Layla says, “If a disease caused by a pathogen can pass between hosts, it must spread whenever people are near each other.” Is her statement accurate? Explain using one example of how a disease caused by a pathogen spreads.

5.Complete the statement: A disease caused by a pathogen that can pass between hosts is usually described as .

6.Cooper has heard that asthma can be triggered by a cold virus. Does that mean asthma itself is caused by a pathogen that spreads between people? Explain the difference between a trigger and a cause.

Use the evidence

7.True or false: Type 1 diabetes does not spread from person to person, even though it involves the immune system.

TrueFalse

8.Someone at the hardware store asks how to reduce the risk of catching influenza. Give two practical prevention strategies and explain how one of them helps.

9.Why is identifying the type of pathogen useful when planning prevention or treatment? Give one example linked to a disease in the evidence table.

10.Layla claims, “A person’s lifestyle is the only cause of a disease that does not spread from person to person.” Do you agree? Give one reason and one example to support your answer.