Exam 2 Flashcards
Host
Individual infected with a disease-producing organism.
Protozoa
Simple one-celled animal parasites, such as the plasmodium causing malaria.
Metazoa
Complex multicelled animal parasites, such as worms and flukes.
Anthropod
an invertebrate animal of the large phylum Arthropoda, such as an insect, spider, or crustacean.
Toxoplasma gondii
A small intracellular parasite of birds, animals, and humans. Causes the disease toxoplasmosis.
Pinworm
A small parasitic worm infecting humans. Lives in lower bowel and causes perianal pruritus.
Crab louse
A parasite of the pubic area; causes intense itching.
Communicable disease
A disease transmitted from person to person.
Endemic disease
A communicable disease in which small numbers of cases are continually present in a population.
Epidemic disease
A communicable disease affecting concurrently large numbers of persons in a population.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
An infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. The virus attacks and destroys helper T lymphocytes, which compromises cell-mediated immunity, leading to increased susceptibility to infection and some tumors.
Treponema pallidum
The spiral organism causing syphilis.
Opportunistic infection
An infection in an immunocompromised person caused by an organism that is normally nonpathogenic or of limited pathogenicity.
Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
Drugs used to treat HIV infections that bind to reverse transcriptase, blocking DNA polymerase that converts RNA to DNA.
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
Nucleoside analogs (‘look alike compounds’) that resemble the normal nucleosides that a virus uses to construct DNA. Synthesis is disrupted when the analog substitutes for the required nucleoside.
Protease inhibitors
Drugs used to treat HIV infection that block the enzyme that cuts the viral protein into segments and assembles them around the viral RNA to form the infectious virus particle. As a result, the virus particle is improperly constructed and is not infectious.
Polyp
A descriptive term for a benign tumor projecting from an epithelial surface.
Papilloma
A descriptive term for a benign tumor projecting from an epithelial surface.
Sarcoma
A malignant tumor arising from connective and supporting tissues.
Melanoma
A malignant tumor of pigmentproducing cells.
Teratoma
A tumor of mixed cell components.
Dermoid cyst
A common type of benign cystic teratoma that commonly arises in the ovary.
Proto-oncogene
A normal gene that regulates some aspect of cell growth, maturation, or division.
Oncogene
An abnormally functioning gene that causes unrestrained cell growth leading to formation of a tumor. Results from mutation or translocation of a protooncogene.
Tyrosine kinase
A tyrosine kinase is an enzyme that can transfer a phosphate group from ATP to a protein in a cell. It functions as an “on” or “off” switch in many cellular functions. Tyrosine kinases are a subclass of protein kinase.
Carcinoembryonic antigen
A tumor-associated antigen that resembles the antigen secreted by the cells of the fetal gastrointestinal tract.
Petechia
A small pinpoint hemorrhage caused by decreased platelets, abnormal platelet function, or capillary defect.
Thromoboplastin
an enzyme released from damaged cells, esp. platelets, that converts prothrombin to thrombin during the early stages of blood coagulation.
Fibrin monomer
A derivative of fibrinogen that polymerizes to form the fibrin clot during blood coagulation.
Fibrinogen
A precursor in plasma converted into fibrin by thrombin during blood coagulation.
Thrombocytopenia
A deficiency of platelets.
Hematoma
a solid swelling of clotted blood within the tissues.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome
A disturbance of blood coagulation as a result of activation of the coagulation mechanism and simultaneous clot lysis.
Consumption coagulopathy
characterized by abnormally increased activation of procoagulant pathways. This results in intravascular fibrin deposition, and decreased levels of hemostatic components, including platelets, fibrinogen, and other clotting factors.
Prothrombin time test
A test that measures that phase of the coagulation mechanism after the formation of thromboplastin.
Thrombin time test
A laboratory test measurement that determines the concentration of fibrinogen in the blood by determining the clotting time of the blood plasma after addition of thrombin.
Thrombosis
A blood clot formed within the vascular system.
Embolism
A condition in which a plug composed of a detached clot, mass of bacteria, or other foreign material (embolus) occludes a blood vessel.
Infarct
Necrosis of tissue caused by interruption of its blood supply.
Gangrene
Refers to (1) infection caused by gas-forming anaerobic bacteria (gas gangrene) or (2) necrosis of an extremity caused by interruption of its blood supply (ischemic gangrene).
Clostridium
Anaerobic gram-positive sporeforming rod-shaped bacterium.
Edema
Accumulation of an excess of fluid in the interstitial tissues.
Hydrothorax
Accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity.
Ascites
Accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Shock
A general term for any condition leading to such a marked fall of blood pressure that body tissues do not receive an adequate amount of oxygen, most often caused by acute blood loss or severe infection (sepsis).
Semilunar valve
The cup-shaped valve located between the ventricles and the aorta or pulmonary artery.
Anastomosis
A communication between two blood vessels or other tubular structures. Also refers to a surgical connection of two hollow tubular structures, such as the divided ends of the intestine or a blood vessel (surgical anastomosis).
Ductus arteriosus
A fetal artery connecting the pulmonary artery with the aorta that permits pressure determined blood flow from pulmonary artery into the aorta, bypassing blood flow to the nonfunctional fetal lungs.
Foramen ovale
An opening in the atrial septum covered by a one-way flap valve regulated by pressure differences between the atria, permitting blood flow from right to left atrium but not in the opposite direction, thereby bypassing blood flow from right cardiac chambers to the nonfunctional fetal lungs.
Tilting disk valve
a heart valve prosthesis consisting of a sewing ring and a valve housing containing a suspended disk that swings between open and closed positions
Atheroma
degeneration of the walls of the arteries caused by accumulated fatty deposits and scar tissue, and leading to restriction of the circulation and a risk of thrombosis.
Atherosclerosis
a disease of the arteries characterized by the deposition of plaques of fatty material on their inner walls.
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
The fraction of cholesterol carried by low-density lipoproteins, which is correlated with atherosclerosis.
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol
The fraction of cholesterol carried by high-density lipoprotein, which is correlated with protection against atherosclerosis.
Arteriosclerosis
One type of arteriosclerosis characterized by thickening and degeneration of small arterioles.
