Microbiology Final Lect Flashcards
Define : Microbiology
study of small life
Define : Pathogen
a disease causing organism
Define: Infection
the growth of microorganism in the body or: State where the host (such as human ) harbors microbes that survive and multiply in or on body tisssue
Define: Disease
an abnormal state in which part or all of the body is not properly adjusted or is incapable of performing normal functions; any change from a state of health
Define: Microbial infection
the damaging result of infection caused by microbes
Define: Pathogenicity
disease causing ability OR the ability of a pathogen to gain entry to host tissues and bring about disease
Define: Virulence
the degree of the pathogenicity or the degree to which a pathogen cause a disease
ex: Salmonella (200 million cases/yr in the US)
Define: Prebiotics
chemicals that promote growth of beneficial bacteria in the body
Define: Probiotics
microbes inoculated into a host to occupy a niche and prevent the growth of bacteria
Define: Sign
a change due to a disease that a person can observe and measure
Define: Symptom
a change in body function that is felt by a patient as a result of a disease
Define: Syndrome
a specific group of signs or symptoms that accompany a disease
Define: Incidence
the fraction of the population that contracts a disease during a particular period of time
Define : Prevalence
the fraction of the population having a specific disease at a given time
Define :Sporadic
a disease that occurs occasionally in a population
Define : Epidemic
a disease acquired by many host in a given area in a short time
Define :Endemic
a disease that is constantly present in a certain population
Define :Pandemic
an epidemic that occurs worldwide
Define : Acute
a diesease that last a short time
Define: Chronic
a disease that last a long time
Define: Latent disease
a disease characterized by a period of no symptoms when the pathogen is inactive
Define : Local infection
an infection in which pathogens are limited to a small are of the body
Define : Systemic(generalized) Infection
an infection throughout the body
Define : Focal Infection
a systemic infection that began as an infection in one place
Define : Bacterium
bacteria: domain of prokaryotic organism, characterized by peptidoglycan cell walls; (bacterium): singular when referring to a single organism
Define : Septicemia
the proliferation of pathogens in the blood, accompanied by fever; sometimes causes organ damage
Define : Toxemia
the presence of toxins in the body
Define: Viremia
the presence of viruses in the blood
Define: Primary Infection
an acute infection that causes initial illness
Define : Secondary Infection
an infection caused by an opportunistic microbe after after a primary infection has weakened the host’s defense
Stages or Course of Disease:
(INDENTATION)
1). Infection
pathogen enters host body, overcomes defenses ,and initiates parasitism
2). Incubation Period
the time interval between the actual infection and first appearance of signs or symptoms of disease
3). Prodromal Period
the time following the incubation period when the first symptoms of illness appear
4). Typical Disease Period
apperance of specific symptoms
5). Convalescence
period of recovery from illness
- some pathogens may remain alive in body
- possibility of relapse (return of symptoms
Different methods by which pathogens are transmitted:
(INDENTATION)
1). Direct Contact
ex: kissing ,sex, petting an animal
a method of spreading infection from one host to another through some kind of close association between host
2). Indirect Contact
ex: screw, nail
the spread of pathogen by fomites ,contaminated by inanimate objects
3).Droplet Infection
ex: sneeze in the face
the transmission of an infection by small liquid droplets carrying microorganisms
4). Vehicle
ex: food, water
transmission by an in animate reservoir
5). Airborne
ex: measles virus, fungus spores
refers to transmission of pathogen via air
6). Vectors: Arthropods
fleas, ticks, mosquitoes
- Mechanical or Biological
6a). Mechanical Vectors Transmission
touch outside an animal
mechanical - a fly touching your sandwich
6b). Biological vector
transmission
bite of vector( pathogen reproduces in vector
biological- plague malaria .yellow fever ,typhus ,fever ,Rocky mountain spotted fever
Nosocomial Infections
infection acquired as a result of a hospital stay
-5-15% of all hospital patients acquire nosocomial infections
