Basic Disease Terminology

Question 1

acute

Answer 1

a disease of rapid onset

Question 2

aetiology

Answer 2

study of cause (origin) of disease

Question 3

allergic

Answer 3

hypersensitivity to foreign antigen

Question 4

asymptomatic

Answer 4

currently without symptoms

Question 5

chronic

Answer 5

persisting for a long time or constantly recurring

Question 6

congenital

Answer 6

a condition present at birth

Question 7

contagious

Answer 7

transmitted by direct contact with any person

Question 8

debility

Answer 8

state of weakness after an illness

Question 9

diagnosis

Answer 9

determining the nature of a disorder by examining the signs and symptoms of the patient

Question 10

empirical

Answer 10

treatment without scientific basis although it works

Question 11

epidemic

Answer 11

a disease that affects a large number of people in an area at one time

Question 12

epidemiology

Answer 12

study of the spread of disease

Question 13

exacerbate

Answer 13

to make worse

Question 14

familial

Answer 14

disease occurring within a family

Question 15

hereditary

Answer 15

passed on through generations

Question 16

iatrogenic

Answer 16

caused by the activity of a physician or therapy

Question 17

idiopathic

Answer 17

unknown cause of disease

Question 18

malaise

Answer 18

general feeling of being unwell before an illness

Question 19

morbid

Answer 19

abnormal

Question 20

morbidity

Answer 20

condition of being diseased