Chap 14, Lymphatic and Immune Systems, Study Section Flashcards
allergen
Substance capable of causing a specific hypersensitivity reaction in the body; a type of antigen.
anaphylaxis
Exaggerated or unusual hypersensitivity to foreign protein or other substance.
atopy
Hypersensitive or allergic state involving an inherited predisposition.
CD4+ cells
Helper T cells that carry the CD4 protein antigen on their surface. HIV binds to CD4 and infects and kills T cells bearing this protein. AIDS patients have an inadequate number of CD4+ cells.
Hodgkin disease
Malignant tumor of lymphoid tissue in spleen and lymph nodes; Reed-Sternberg cell often is found on microscopic analysis.
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Virus (retrovirus) that causes AIDS.
Kaposi sarcoma
Malignant lesion associated with AIDS; arises from the lining of capillaries and appears as red, purple, brown, or black skin nodules.
non-Hodgkin lymphomas
Group of malignant tumors involving lymphoid tissue. Examples are follicular lymphoma and large cell lymphoma.
opportunistic infections
Infectious disease associated with AIDS; they occur because HIV infection lowers the body’s resistance and allows infection by bacteria and parasites that normally are easily contained.
protease inhibitor
Drug that treats AIDS by blocking the production of protease, a proteolytic enzyme that helps create new viral pieces for HIV.
reverse transcriptase inhibitor (RTI)
Drug that treats AIDS by blocking reverse transcriptase, an enzyme needed to make copies of HIV.
wasting syndrome
Weight loss, decrease in muscular strength, appetite, and mental activity; associated with AIDS.