Asymptomatic Infection Flashcards

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What is an asymptomatic infection?

An asymptomatic infection is when a person has a pathogen in their body but does not show any symptoms of disease.

What is a symptom of a disease?

A symptom is a change you can feel or see, such as a sore throat, fever or rash, that shows you may be ill.

How is an asymptomatic infection different from a symptomatic infection?

In an asymptomatic infection you have the pathogen but no symptoms. In a symptomatic infection you have the pathogen and you do show symptoms.

Can a person with an asymptomatic infection still spread a disease?

Yes. A person with an asymptomatic infection can still pass the pathogen to other people even though they feel well.

Why do asymptomatic infections make it harder to control a disease in a population?

They make control harder because infected people feel healthy, so they may not get tested or stay at home and can spread the pathogen without knowing.

What is a carrier in terms of disease?

A carrier is a person who has a pathogen and can spread it to others but does not show symptoms themselves.

What is the incubation period of a disease?

The incubation period is the time between catching a pathogen and showing the first symptoms of the disease.

How is the incubation period linked to asymptomatic infection?

During the incubation period a person can have an asymptomatic infection because the pathogen is in their body but symptoms have not appeared yet.

Give one reason why health services use screening tests for some diseases.

They use screening tests to find people with asymptomatic infections, so they can be treated and avoid spreading the disease.

Why might public health advice ask everyone to wash hands often, even if they feel healthy?

Because some people may have asymptomatic infections, handwashing helps stop them passing pathogens to others without realising.