14. Medical Overview Flashcards
A disease that can be spread from one person or species to another
communicable disease
occurs when new cases of a disease in a human population substantially exceed the number expected based on recent experience
epidemic
a common virus that is asymptomatic in 80% of people carrying it, but characterized by small blisters on the lips or genitals in symptomatic infections.
herpes simplex
awareness that unseen life-threatening injuries or illness may exist
index of suspicion
a medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small, harmful organisms within the body.
infectious disease
a virus that has crossed the animal/ human barrier and infected humans and that kills thousands of people every year.
influenza
emergencies that are not caused by an outside force; illnesses or conditions.
medical emergencies
an inflammation of the meningeal coverings of the brain and spinal cord; it is usually caused by a virus or a bacterium
meningitis
an inflammation of the meningeal coverings of the brain and spinal cord; can be highly contagious
meningococcal meningitis
a bacterium that can cause infections in different parts of the body and is often resistant to commonly used antibiotics; it is transmitted by different routes, including the respiratory route, and can be found on the skin, in surgical wounds, in the bloodstream, lungs, and urinary tract
methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
the general type of illness a patient is experiencing
nature of illness (NOI)
an outbreak that occurs on the global scale
pandemic
emergencies that are the result of physical forces applied to the body; injuries
trauma emergencies
a chronic bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, that usually affects the lungs but can also affect other organs such as brains and kidneys; it is spread by cough and can lie dormant in a person’s lungs for decades and then reactivate
tuberculosis
the strength or ability of a pathogen to produce disease.
virulence
