Infection Module Flashcards
Infectious diseases
diseases caused by the invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in a hosts living cells
pathogens
microorganisms that have the ability to cause disease
adhesion factors
hair like or spike like structures that help microorganism attach to host cells
Invasive factors
assist the microorganism in penetrating anatomic barriers and host tissues
evasive factors
capsules, slime or mucous layers that protect the microorganisms against the hosts immune defences
antigenic drifts
minor alterations to the microorganisms appearance by changing surface antigens so they are not recognized by hosts immune system
antigenic shifts
major antigenic changes (occur less frequently in viruses)
Congenital infection
microorganisms transmitted to the fetus through the placental circulation of at the time of birth
endogenous infection
when an organism that normally colonizes a certain body system enters another body system
Exogenous infection
organisms from the outside environment infect the host
Nosocomial infections
infections transmitted in a hospital setting
incubation stage
infectious agent is actively replicating but host has no symptoms. Person can unknowingly spread the disease
