Investigate the causes and effects of non-infectious diseases in humans

Investigate the causes and effects of non-infectious diseases in humans, including but not limited to:

  • Genetic diseases
  • Diseases caused by environmental exposure
  • Nutritional diseases
  • Cancer
Genetic Diseases:
  • Caused due to abnormalities in genome.
  • Are usually rare and can be hereditary.

Causes:

  • Mutation is one of the major causes of genetic diseases. Different physical and chemical entities cause deviation in the normal functioning of genes resulting in variant genetic diseases.
  • Changes in number and structure of chromosomes may result to genetic diseases.
  • Genetic Recombination can also be a cause of genetic diseases.
  • They are transmitted by reproduction.
  • They can be minor disorders, such as myopia or serious such as haemophilia.
  • E.g. Down Syndrome is an inherited disease that is caused by the inheritance of once extra chromosome (trisomy 21).

Effects:

  • Normal development and growth of people who are diagnosed with genetic diseases are hampered.
  • Makes a person more prone to non-genetic diseases.
Diseases caused by Environmental Exposure:
  • Caused due to a variety of environmental factors such as air, radiation, different toxic materials and even our lifestyle.

Causes:

  • Stress
  • Physical and Mental Abuse
  • Type of intake or diet plan
  • Exposure to toxins
  • Pathogens
  • Different types of radiations
  • Overexposure to chemicals used in personal healthcare products

Effects:

  • Evokes adverse immune reactions.
  • Can lead to different water borne diseases which can be fatal for humans such as diarrhoea and cholera.
  • Leads to respiratory disorder and diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and in extreme cases, tuberculosis.
  • At times, toxic substances get mixed with agricultural produce which can slowly cause harm to human health when taken in dietary form.
  • Radiations can induce mutation that may result in genetic diseases.
  • Both radiations and chemicals in personal healthcare products can cause skin diseases such as eczema, rashes, skin lesions and sometimes, skin cancer.
Nutritional Diseases:
  • Occurs due to poor diet or excesses in diet.
  • In take of specific diet elements in excess can also result in nutritional diseases.

Causes:

  • Body not getting adequate amount of nutrients from dietary intake.
  • Inability to absorb nutrients from the dietary intake due to some other form of health disorder.
  • Body unable to eliminate unnecessary components of the dietary intake.

Effects:

  • Can result to a number of diseases in different parts of the body such as:
    • Cardiovascular Disease: Excessive fat intake can cause blockage in arteries causing heart diseases.
    • Obesity: Eating beyond one’s moderate level of nutrition intake and then not burning it down by exercises can cause fat accumulation resulting into overweight and in severe cases, obesity.
    • Diabetes mellitus: Caused to due excessive intake of glucose. Lack of insulin to convert this excess amount of glucose into glycogen causes the glucose to accumulate in the bloodstream causing high levels of blood sugar.
    • Scurvy – This disease is caused by the lack of vitamin C in the diet. It causes swelling of body parts and teeth start to fall out.
Cancer:
  • Group of diseases due to abnormal cell growth that have the potential to spread in other parts of the body.

Causes:

  • Exposure to chemical or toxic compound such as benzene, asbestos, nickel, cadmium, vinyl chloride, benzidine, N-nitrosamines, tobacco or cigarette smoke (contains at least 66 known potential carcinogenic chemicals and toxins.
  • Exposure to ionizing radiations such as uranium, radon, ultraviolet rays from sunlight, radiation from alpha, beta, gamma, and X-ray-emitting sources.
  • Invasion of pathogens such as Human papillomavirus (HPV), EBV or Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis viruses B and C, Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV), Merkel cell polyomavirus, Schistosoma spp., and Helicobacter pylori; other bacteria are being researched as possible agents.
  • A number of specific cancers have been linked to human genes and are as follows: breast, ovarian, colorectal, prostate, skin and melanoma.

Effects:

  • Hair loss
  • Scars from surgery
  • Fatigue
  • Skin changes, including rashes and burns
  • Swelling of the face, arms, or legs
  • Decreased physical skills, including athletic abilities, balance, and agility
  • Weakness or loss of stamina
  • Loss of a body part
  • Weight loss
  • Weight gain
  • Infertility, or the inability to conceive a child

Extract from HSC Biology Stage 6 Syllabus. © 2017 Board of Studies NSW.

EasyBio > Non-infectious Disease and Disorders > Causes and Effects > Investigate the causes and effects of non-infectious diseases in humans

Investigate the causes and effects of non-infectious diseases in humans, including but not limited to:

  • genetic diseases
  • diseases caused by environmental exposure
  • nutritional diseases
  • cancer

Genetic Diseases:

  • Caused due to abnormalities in genome.
  • Are usually rare and can be hereditary.

Causes:

  • Mutation is one of the major causes of genetic diseases. Different physical and chemical entities cause deviation in the normal functioning of genes resulting in variant genetic diseases.
  • Changes in number and structure of chromosomes may result to genetic diseases.
  • Genetic Recombination can also be a cause of genetic diseases.
  • They are transmitted by reproduction.
  • They can be minor disorders, such as myopia or serious such as haemophilia.
  • E.g. Down Syndrome is an inherited disease that is caused by the inheritance of once extra chromosome (trisomy 21).

Effects:

  • Normal development and growth of people who are diagnosed with genetic diseases are hampered.
  • Makes a person more prone to non-genetic diseases.

Diseases caused by Environmental Exposure:

  • Caused due to a variety of environmental factors such as air, radiation, different toxic materials and even our lifestyle.

Causes:

  • Stress
  • Physical and Mental Abuse
  • Type of intake or diet plan
  • Exposure to toxins
  • Pathogens
  • Different types of radiations
  • Overexposure to chemicals used in personal healthcare products

Effects:

  • Evokes adverse immune reactions.
  • Can lead to different water borne diseases which can be fatal for humans such as diarrhoea and cholera.
  • Leads to respiratory disorder and diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and in extreme cases, tuberculosis.
  • At times, toxic substances get mixed with agricultural produce which can slowly cause harm to human health when taken in dietary form.
  • Radiations can induce mutation that may result in genetic diseases.
  • Both radiations and chemicals in personal healthcare products can cause skin diseases such as eczema, rashes, skin lesions and sometimes, skin cancer.

Nutritional Diseases:

  • Occurs due to poor diet or excesses in diet.
  • In take of specific diet elements in excess can also result in nutritional diseases.

Causes:

  • Body not getting adequate amount of nutrients from dietary intake.
  • Inability to absorb nutrients from the dietary intake due to some other form of health disorder.
  • Body unable to eliminate unnecessary components of the dietary intake.

Effects:

  • Can result to a number of diseases in different parts of the body such as:
    • Cardiovascular Disease: Excessive fat intake can cause blockage in arteries causing heart diseases.
    • Obesity: Eating beyond one’s moderate level of nutrition intake and then not burning it down by exercises can cause fat accumulation resulting into overweight and in severe cases, obesity.
    • Diabetes mellitus: Caused to due excessive intake of glucose. Lack of insulin to convert this excess amount of glucose into glycogen causes the glucose to accumulate in the bloodstream causing high levels of blood sugar.
    • Scurvy – This disease is caused by the lack of vitamin C in the diet. It causes swelling of body parts and teeth start to fall out.

Cancer:

  • Group of diseases due to abnormal cell growth that have the potential to spread in other parts of the body.

Causes:

  • Exposure to chemical or toxic compound such as benzene, asbestos, nickel, cadmium, vinyl chloride, benzidine, N-nitrosamines, tobacco or cigarette smoke (contains at least 66 known potential carcinogenic chemicals and toxins.
  • Exposure to ionizing radiations such as uranium, radon, ultraviolet rays from sunlight, radiation from alpha, beta, gamma, and X-ray-emitting sources.
  • Invasion of pathogens such as Human papillomavirus (HPV), EBV or Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis viruses B and C, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV), Merkel cell polyomavirus, Schistosoma spp., and Helicobacter pylori; other bacteria are being researched as possible agents.
  • A number of specific cancers have been linked to human genes and are as follows: breast, ovarian, colorectal, prostate, skin and melanoma.

Effects:

  • Hair loss
  • Scars from surgery
  • Fatigue
  • Skin changes, including rashes and burns
  • Swelling of the face, arms, or legs
  • Decreased physical skills, including athletic abilities, balance, and agility
  • Weakness or loss of stamina
  • Loss of a body part
  • Weight loss
  • Weight gain
  • Infertility, or the inability to conceive a child

Extract from HSC Biology Stage 6 Syllabus. © 2017 Board of Studies NSW.