305.1.1 - infection control Flashcards
Define a pathogen
Microorganism - a producer of disease (suffering)
Define Micro-organism
A very small form of life
Define zoonotic
A disease that can be passed from humans to animals and vice versa
Define infection
The invasion and multiplication of micro-organisms within the body that causes injury or disease
Define contagion
The spread of disease from one animal to another
Define contamination
The entry of organisms into a wound, water, milk, in the air, food or any external body surface e.g. bandages
Define colonisation
A single bacterium in a culture forms a cluster of bacteria
Define mycotic
An infection caused by a fungus
Define a parasite
An organism that lives in or on another living organism (the host)
Define an ectoparasite
A parasite that lives ON the host
Define an endoparasite
A parasite that lives IN the host
Define a direct lifestyle
Only one host involved. The parasite usually has a free living phase where larval development takes place. The parasite goes straight to the host (e.g. Worm infects cat)
Define an intermediate host
The host carries the parasite for a short transition period. Some development stage is usually completed. (E.g. Work in mouse, cat eats mouse)
Define a transport host
No development takes place. (e.g. worm, mouse, cat). It is simply transported through the different animals
Define a paratenic host
Doesn’t develop the parasite but it maintains the life cycle of the parasite (like a transport host)
Define incubation period
The time between exposure to pathogenic organism to when the symptoms and signs are first apparent
Define myiasis
The infestation of the living tissues with fly large causing direct damage to the skin
Define puritus
Various skin infestations caused by ectoparasites (parasites ON the body)
Define alopecia
Hair loss
What can infections be caused by?
Viruses - not a cell, uses host cell
Prions - not a cell, mutated protein
Bacteria - a prokaryotic cell
Fungi - a eukaryotic cell
Protozoa - prokaryotic
Endoparasite - a parasite that lives IN the host
Ectoparasite - a parasite that lives ON the host
