GCSE Biology - Communicable Disease | Protist & Fungal Disease (2026/27 exams)

Summary

This video explores fungi and protists, highlighting their unique characteristics and the diseases they cause. Fungi, such as yeast and mushrooms, can be unicellular or multicellular and can cause diseases like Rose Black Spot. Protists, mainly unicellular, include parasites like the malaria-causing protest, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. The video explains how these diseases spread and offers prevention methods like controlling vectors and using insecticides. Viewers are also encouraged to visit the Cognito website for more resources and to track their learning progress.

Takeaways

• 😀 Fungi are eukaryotic organisms, like plants and animals, but can be either unicellular (like yeast) or multicellular (like mushrooms).
• 😀 Multicellular fungi have thread-like structures called hyphae, which can spread through soil or even penetrate human skin, causing diseases.
• 😀 Fungi produce spores that can spread easily and grow into new fungi.
• 😀 Rose black spot is a fungal disease that affects roses, causing purple or black spots on leaves, which reduces the plant's ability to photosynthesize.
• 😀 To manage rose black spot, infected leaves can be removed, and fungicides can be used to kill the fungus, but infected leaves must be destroyed to prevent spreading.
• 😀 Protists are also eukaryotic and can be unicellular or multicellular, but most are unicellular. Some are parasitic, living on or inside other organisms.
• 😀 Protists are often spread by vectors (e.g., mosquitoes), which carry the protists between different host organisms without getting infected themselves.
• 😀 Malaria, caused by a parasitic protist, is transmitted by mosquitoes, which pick up the parasites when feeding on an infected animal and transfer them to a healthy host.
• 😀 Malaria symptoms include fevers, headaches, and recurring episodes, and in some cases, the disease can be fatal.
• 😀 Preventing diseases like malaria involves reducing mosquito populations (e.g., by eliminating breeding sites), using insecticides, and employing mosquito nets or repellents.

Q & A

What are fungi, and how are they classified?

Fungi are eukaryotic organisms, like plants and animals. However, unlike plants and animals, fungi can be either unicellular, like yeast, or multicellular, like mushrooms. The multicellular fungi have thread-like structures called hyphae.

How do fungi spread and cause diseases?

Fungi can spread through spores, which can travel easily through the air or water. These spores can infect plants, animals, or even humans. For example, fungal diseases like Rose black spot spread by wind or water and can damage plants.

What is Rose black spot, and how does it affect plants?

Rose black spot is a fungal disease that causes purple or black spots on the leaves of roses. As the fungus progresses, the leaves can turn yellow and fall off, reducing the plant's ability to photosynthesize and grow.

How can we treat fungal diseases like Rose black spot?

Fungal diseases like Rose black spot can be treated by either removing the infected leaves or using fungicides to kill the fungus. If leaves are removed, they should be destroyed to prevent further spread of the fungus.

What are protists, and how are they different from fungi?

Protists are eukaryotic organisms that can be either unicellular or multicellular, but most are unicellular. Unlike fungi, many protists are parasites that live off a host organism, often transmitted by vectors like insects.

What is malaria, and how is it transmitted?

Malaria is a disease caused by a parasitic protist. It is transmitted through mosquito bites. When a mosquito feeds on an infected animal, it can carry the malaria parasite to another host, like a human, when it feeds again.

What symptoms are associated with malaria?

Malaria causes symptoms like severe fevers, headaches, and a general feeling of being unwell. These symptoms can recur over time and, in some cases, can be fatal.

What strategies can be used to prevent the spread of diseases like malaria?

To prevent malaria, measures can be taken to reduce mosquito populations, such as eliminating breeding sites or using insecticides. Personal protection methods, like mosquito nets and repellent, can also prevent mosquitoes from feeding on humans.

What role do vectors play in the spread of protist diseases?

Vectors, like mosquitoes, play a key role in spreading protist diseases by carrying the parasites from one host to another. Vectors do not become sick themselves but facilitate the transmission of the disease.

What is the importance of using mosquito nets and insect repellents?

Mosquito nets and insect repellents are important tools in preventing the spread of diseases like malaria. They protect humans by preventing mosquitoes from biting and transmitting parasites.