Infection Flashcards
Communicability
Ability to spread from one individual to others and cause disease
Vector
Agent that carries infectious microorganisms from an infected organism to uninfected ones
Mechanical: transmit infectious microorganisms passively example: house fly
Biologic: transmit infectious microorganisms through bites and stings
Virulence
Capacity of an organism to cause severe disease
Opportunistic
Normally not causing disease but able to do so when individuals immune system is suppressed
Emerging infections
Previously unknown infections
Tissue tropism
The types of cells that micro organisms can infect
Exile toxins
Released during bacterial growth
Endotoxins
Aka LPS. Released when bacteria die
Exist on the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria
Colonization
An organisms ability to adhere to host tissue
Antigenic variation
Helps the pathogen to avoid recognition by the host
Window period
Virus multiplies in the mucosa and lymphoid tissue and spread widely. The adaptive immune system eventually recognizes it begins to make antibodies against it ending the window period
Endemic
Diseases that have a stable infection rate in a particular population
Epidemic
Much greater infection rate than usual in a particular population
Pandemic
Much greater infection rate than usual on a large scale like a continent or the world
Pathogenicity
The ability for an organism to cause disease
Immunogenicity
The ability for an organism to elicit an immune response
Prodromal stage
Is the stage of infectious disease where the individual has the first symptoms which often include mile fatigue
Biofilms
Multicellular masses that bacteria can grow in to get protection from host immune responses and antibiotics
Antitoxins
Antibodies against exotoxins
Pyrogenic bacteria
Bacteria that produce exotoxins. They cause fever
Intestinal parasites
May cause anemia from malabsorption of vitamin B 12 or from blood loss
Invasion
Results in direct confrontation with the individuals primary defense mechanisms again spec to hear you which include the complement system antibodies and Phagocytes such as neutrophils and macrophages
Evasion
The body’s defense mechanism results in the micro organism transported in the blood to the organs
Aids
A viral disease caused by HIV. It infects and depletes the immune system. New cases are diagnosed initially by decreased cd4 T-cell numbers
