Immunology Flashcards
immun/o
protection, immunity
adenoid/o
adenoid, tonsil
lymph/o, lymphaden/o
lymph, lymph node
lymphangi/o
lymph vessel
path/o
disease
phag/o
eat
splen/o
spleen
thym/o
thymus
tonsill/o
tonsil
cortic/o
cortex
system/o
system
cyt/o, -cyte
cell
-globulin
protein
-ar, -atic, -ic
pertaining to
-iasis, -osis
abnormal condition
AIDS-related complex (ARC)
early stage of HIV in which mild symptoms like fatigue, fever, lympadenopathy, and weight loss are present
AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
later stage of HIV in which the immune system is severely weakened or compromised as cells lose the ability to fight infection; patients are more likely to develop opportunistic infections
Opportunistic Infection
an infection is “opportunistic” when it occurs in someone who has a compromised immune system
Natural Immunity
- not specific to a pathogen
- does not require exposure to the pathogen
Acquired Immunity
- body’s response to a certain pathogen
Active: - develops following actual exposure (ex: vaccination)
Passive: - protective substances are produced (ex: antibodies)
allergist
a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies
anaphylactic shock or anaphylaxis
life-threatening allergic response to something that causes cardiovascular and respiratory problems
antibody
a molecule that combines with antigens (antigen-antibody complexes) to target and prevent pathogens from damaging healthy cells
antigen
a protein that’s foreign to the body, and which produces an immune response, ex: the proteins present on the cell membrane/surface of bacteria
autoimmune disease
disease in which the body attacks itself, ex: systemic lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis
antihistamine
medication taken to help allergies because it blocks the effects of histamine, a chemical compound produced during an allergic reaction
antinuclear antibody titer (ANA)
blood test that determines and compares the amount of antibodies to the amount of cell nuclei in the bloodstream; elevated in autoimmune conditions
cytotoxic cells
cells that are capable of attacking and killing pathogens / diseased cells
corticosteroids
hormones produced by the adrenal cortex; they’re used to treat autoimmune diseases because of their strong anti-inflammatory properties
elephantiasis
a condition resulting from blockage of lymphatic vessels, which results in swollen extremities (edema) as fluid collects in the area
hives
the common name for wheals that appear on the skin during an allergic reaction; wheals is the medical term
HIV antigen and/or antibody immunoassay
blood test for both the HIV antigen and antibodies
antigens: appear very shortly after infection
antibodies: appear 2-8 weeks later, and can be tested on their own in an individual test using saliva
Hodgkin’s disease or Hodgkin’s lymphoma
cancer of lymphatic cells found in lymph nodes (cancer of lymphatic tissue that’s not Hodgkin’s is called Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma)
immunodeficiency, immunocompromised
having an immune system that is unable to respond properly to pathogens
inflammation
tissue response to injury; characterized by swelling, redness, pain, feeling hot to the touch
immunosuppressants
medications that block certain actions of the immune system; often used to prevent rejection in an organ transplant patient
mononucleosis
acute viral infection of lymphoid tissue with large number of white blood cells circulating in the bloodstream
sarcoidosis
autoimmune disease with fibrous lesions forming in the lymph nodes, liver, skin, eyes, small bones in the hands and feet, and spleen
Kaposi’s sarcoma
type of skin cancer seen in AIDS patients that consists of brownish-purple spots that begin in the skin and spread to internal organs
pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP)
opportunistic infection of the lungs common in immunodeficient persons
scratch test
type of allergy testing in which the body is exposed to allergens through light scratches
urticaria
the medical term for the severe itching associated with allergic reactions and hives
vaccination
exposure to weakened pathogen in order to generate an immune response and antibody production to give future protection against that disease
systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks connective tissue throughout the body
severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)
genetic condition of children born with not functioning immune systems, and who are often condemned to isolated, sterile rooms
-toxic
poison
-therapy
therapy, treatment
