Infectious Disease Flashcards
Patho
prefix meaning disease
Disease
disorder of structure or function
Pathogen
Microorganism that causes disease
Are disorders diseases?
No, disorders are not diseases
Can infection cause a disease
Yes!
Infectious Disease
Caused by microorganisms (pathogens) are communicable (spread from one person to the other)
Where is normal Microbial Flora found?
Skin, nose, throat, urinary tract, etc
What can normal Microbial flora do?
Cause disease if immune system is compromised (ie, colon fluid can cause infection if spilled into abdomen during surgery
How can you transmit infectious disease?
Direct contact, non-direct contact, food contamination, contaminated medical device, mother to child, contact with animals, carriers, etc.
Virulence
Degree to which a pathogen makes an organism ill (ability to cause damage to a host)
Etiology
study of cause of disease (development)
Pathogenesis
how disease begins and progresses
Disorder
lack of normal functioning of physical or mental process
Diseases are disorders
True
Infection
Microorganisms that infect body tissue
Noninfectious disease
Not caused by pathogenic agents, cannot be transferred from one person to another, factors include genetic, environment, nutrition, lifestyle patterns
Examples of Infectious Diseases
Viruses (influenza, AIDS, COVID-19), Bacteria (Strep throat, TB, UTI), Fungai (ringworm, fungal nail infections), Parasites (malaria)
Bacteria
Use fimbriae to stick to host cell, can develop resistance to antibiotics
Viruses
Use spike proteins to bind and enter host cells, may remain dormant inside host cells
Normal Microbial Flora
Microorganisms that live in/on your body and do not cause you harm (normally)
How can it be transmitted through bodily fluid
Sexual contact, blood transfusion, unclean needles, skin wounds, bites
What is pathogenesis?
Uncontrolled growth of pathogens destroy host tissues, leads to symptoms
What does infection trigger?
Inflammatory response
What is an inflammatory response?
Immune cells go to site to fight invader
Antibiotics
fight bacteria
Antivirals
fight virus
Antifungal
fight fungi
antiparasitics
fight parasites
Signs and symptoms
fever is the most common but there is upper respiratory, lower respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urinary
Upper respiratory symptoms
runny, nose sore throat, cough
Lower Respiratory Symptoms
difficulty breathing, wheezing
Gastrointestinal symptoms
diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
Urinary Symptoms
frequent urination, burning sensation, cloudy urine
System infection = ?
Body wide infection
Sepsis
Body’s extreme reaction to an infection: fever, weakness, sweating, rapid breathing, and heart rate
Septic Shock
hypotension, signs of organ damage, confusion, reduced urinary output
How are you diagnosed?
Based on symptoms of lab tests that indicate presence or identity of pathogens
Examples of diagnosis
Blood test, urine test, throat swab, stoop tests, spinal tap
How can it be prevented?
hygiene, hand washing, food safety, safe sex, vaccines, prophylactic antibiotics
