What this topic is about
This topic starts by looking at how forensic pathologists use a wide variety of analytical techniques to determine the cause of death of organisms, including humans, and to establish the time which has elapsed since death occurred.
It then considers how bacteria and viruses use a variety of routes into their hosts and how hosts have evolved barriers and internal mechanisms to combat infections. These protections are not always successful and many people in the world still die from infectious diseases. This topic also investigates the evolutionary battles that take place between invading pathogens and their hosts.
Learning Outcomes

| Outcome |
Detail |
| 4.6.1 |
Describe how forensic pathologists determine the time of death (extent of decomposition, forensic entomology, body temperature, degree of muscle contraction)
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| 4.6.2 |
Describe how forensic pathologists determine the identity of a dead person (physical resemblance, DNA fingerprinting, dental records)
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| 4.6.3 |
Interpret data on the typical stages of succession on dead bodies
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| 4.6.4 |
Distinguish between the structure of bacteria and viruses
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4.6.5
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Describe the course of tuberculosis (TB) as an instance of a bacterial infection and of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) as an instance of viral infection
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| 4.6.6 |
Explain how infectious diseases, as exemplified by TB and HIV, have a sequence of symptoms which may result in death
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| 4.6.7 |
Describe the non-specific responses of the body to infection (inflammation, lysozyme action, interferon, phagocytosis)
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| 4.6.8 |
Explain the roles of antigens and antibodies in the body’s immune response including the involvement of plasma cells, macrophages, antigen-presenting cells and major histocompatibility complexes
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| 4.6.9 |
Distinguish between the roles of B cells (B memory and B effector cells) and T cells (T helper, T killer and T memory cells) in the body’s immune response
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| 4.6.10 |
Explain the role of negative feedback in maintaining systems within narrow limits
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| 4.6.11 |
Explain how an infectious disease, as exemplified by tuberculosis, can interfere with the body’s negative feedback mechanisms for thermoregulation
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| 4.6.12 |
Describe the major routes pathogens may take in entering the body and explain the role of barriers in protecting the body from infection (skin, stomach acid, gut and skin flora)
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| 4.6.13 |
Explain how individuals may develop immunity (natural, artificial, active, passive)
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| 4.6.14 |
Discuss how ‘the evolutionary race’ between pathogens and their hosts has resulted in sophisticated evasion mechanisms in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB)
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| 4.6.15 |
Distinguish between bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotics
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| 4.6.16 |
Describe how to investigate the effect of different antibiotics on bacteria
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| 4.6.17 |
Explain why antibiotic resistance in bacteria is an increasing problem
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| 4.6.17 |
Discuss how an ‘evolutionary race’ exists between pathogens and drug developers.
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