3.1 Flashcards
Epidemiologists
A branch of medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution, causes, and control of health problems in a population.
Epidemic
When there is a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease in a population,
Endemic
A disease perpetually present in a community or population within a specific geographic area.
Outbreak
A sudden increase in the occurrence of a disease in a localized area.
Pandemic
An epidemic that has spread across several countries or continents and affects a large number of people.
Nosocomial
An infection acquired in a hospital; also known as a hospital-acquired infection or HAI.
Infection
The establishment of a disease-causing microorganism within a host.
Host
An organism in which another organism lives.
Disease
A disorder of structure or function in an organism that results in specific signs or symptoms, may affect a specific location in the organism, and is not a direct result of physical injury.
Pathogens
A disease-causing organism.
Prions
Any of various infectious proteins that are abnormal forms of normal cellular proteins. Prions proliferate by inducing normal proteins to convert to the abnormal form that causes diseases
Viruses
Any of a large group of nonliving, submicroscopic infective agents that typically comprise an RNA or DNA core of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat
Bacteria
A single-celled, prokaryotic microorganism.
Protists
Any eukaryotic protist of the phylum or subkingdom Protozoa.
Fungi
Saprophytic and parasitic spore-producing eukaryotic organisms that lack chlorophyll, such as molds, rusts, mildews, smuts, mushrooms, and yeasts.
Helminths
A large, eukaryotic, multicellular, parasitic worm, such as a tapeworm, liver fluke, ascarid, or leech.
Direct contact
Disease transmission that occurs when a susceptible host touches an infected individual or is exposed to their body fluids.
Indirect contact
Disease transmission that occurs when a susceptible host touches an infected individual or is exposed to their body fluids.
Innate immunity
Non-specific immune defense mechanisms that we are born with. These mechanisms work to keep anything outside of us from coming in.
Acquired immunity
Specific immune defense mechanisms. This form of immunity is acquired over a lifetime and uses antibodies to respond to specific antigens.
Antigen
Anything that stimulates an immune response.
T-cells
A type of white blood cell (lymphocyte) produced by the thymus and involved in the immune response.
B-Cells
A type of lymphocyte (white blood cell) that matures in bone marrow and produces antibodies.
Antibodies
A protein produced by B cells in the blood; works to impair pathogens. Also called an immunoglobulin.
Antigens
Anything that stimulates an immune response.
Immunity
The ability to defend against a pathogen by preventing its entry and/or development or by neutralizing its pathogenic cellular products.
Vaccine
A substance used to stimulate an immune response with the goal of creating antibodies and providing immunity to specific infections.
Simulation
A representation that uses varying sets of values to reflect the changing state of a phenomenon
Etiology
The cause of a disease or condition.
Metabolize
The chemical reaction processes of breaking down molecules for energy and of using simple building blocks to build up more complex molecules needed for growth and repair.
Aseptic technique
The practice and/or process of preventing contamination.
Coccus
Any spherical, or generally round, bacterium; plural is cocci.
Bacillus
A rod-shaped (cylindrical) bacterium; plural is bacilli.
Spirillum
A spiral-shaped bacterium.
Gram stain
A differential staining technique, named after the physician Hans C. J. Gram, used to characterize the cellular structure of Gram positive bacteria
Morbidity
Refers to having a disease or a symptom of disease, or the rate of disease within a population.
Mortality
Refers to having a disease or a symptom of disease, or the rate of disease within a population.
