pathogen
a disease-causing agent
epidemic
disease outbreak that affects many people in a community or region at the same time
pandemic
global epidemic of a disease
virulent
strong enough to overcome host resistance and cause disease
immunicompromised
having an immune system that is impaired
autoinoculate
transmit a pathogen from one part of your body to another part
routes of disease transmission
contact, foodborne or waterborne, airborne, vectorborne, and perinatal
drug resistance
occurs when microbes such as bacteria viruses or other pathogens grow and proliferate in the presence of chemicals that would normally kill them or slow their growth
hard to control risk factors
hereditary, age, environmental conditions, organism virulence
body defenses against infection
tears, specific immune response, blood and lymph, tears, saliva, respiratory tract, stomach, large intestine, urinary tract
immunity
a condition of being able to resist a particular disease by counteracting the substance that produces the disease
antige
substance capable of triggering an immune response
antibodies
substances produced by the body that are individually matched to specific antigens
humoral immunity
aspect of immunity that is mediated by antibodies secreted by white blood cells
toxins
poisonous substances produced by certain microorganisms that cause various diseases
cell-mediated immunity
aspect of immunity that is mediated by specialized white blood cells that attack pathogens and antigens directly
lymphocyte
a type of white blood cell involved in the immune response
macrophage
a type of white blood cell that ingests the foreign material
autoimmune disease
disease caused by an overactive immune response against the body's own cells
vaccination
inoculation with killed or weakened pathogens or similar, less dangerous antigens, in order to prevent or lessen the effects of some disease, artificially acquired active immunity
recommended vaccines for teens
tetanus, pitheria, meningococcal vaccine, HPV vaccine series, Hep B vaccine series, measles-mumps=rubella, varicella (chickenpox) influenza, PPV, Hep A
bacteria
simple, single celled microscopic organisms; about 100 known species of bacteria cause disease in humans
antibiotics
medicines used to kill microorganisms, such as bacteria
antibiotic resistance
the ability of bacteria or other microbes to withstand the effects of an antibiotic
staphlococci
a group of round bacteria, usually found in clusters that cause a variety of diseases in humans and other animals
colonization
the process of bacteria or some other infectious organisms establishing themselves in a host without causing infections
infection
the state of pathogens being established in or on a host and causing disease
methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
highly resistant form of staph infection that is growing in international prevelance
strepococcus
a round bacteria found in chain formation
meningitis
an infection that membranes surround the brain and spinal cord
pneumonia
inflammatory disease of the lungs characterized by chronic cough, chest pain, chills, high fever, and fluid accumulation; may be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, chemicals, or other substances
tuberculosis
a disease caused by bacterial infiltration of the repsritory system
multidrug resistant TB
form of TB that is resistant to at least two of the best antibiotics available
extensively drug resistant TB
form of TB that is resistant to nearly all existing antibiotics
rickettsia
a small form of bacteria that live inside other living cells
viruses
minute microbes consisting of DNA or RNA that invade a host cell and use the cell's resources to reproduce themselves
incubation period
the time between exposure to a disease and the appearance of symptoms
endemic
describing a disease that is always present to some degree
influenza
a common viral disease of the respritory tract
hepatitis
a viral disease in which the liver become inflamed producing symptoms such as fever, headache and possibly jaundice
fungi
a group of multicellular and unicellular organisms that obtain their food by infiltrating the bodies of other organisms both living and dead several microscopic varieties are pathogenic
protozoans
microscopic single celled organisms that can be pathogenic
parasitic worms
the largest of the pathogens most of which are more a nuisance than they are a threat
prion
a recently identified self replicating protein based pathogen
mumps
a once common viral disease that is controllable by vaccination
measles
a viral disease that produces symptoms such as an itchy rash and high fever
sexually transmitted infection
infections transmitted through some form of intimate usually sexual contact
how many people in the us are living with sti's
110 million
how many americans live with chronic lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis
35 million
dyspnea
shortness of breath, usually associated with disease of the heart or lungs
chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases
a collection of chronic lung diseases including emphysema and chronic bronchitis
chronic bronchitis
an inflammation and eventual scarring of the lining of the bronchial tubes
emphysema
lung disease involving the gradual, irreversible destruction of the alveoli of the lungs and difficulty in breathing
extrinsic asthma
triggered by allergies run in families and develops in childhood
intrinsic asthma
triggered by anything other than allergies
allergy
hypersensitive reaction to a specific antigen in which the body produces antibodies to a normally harmless substance in the environment
allergen
an antigen that induces a hypersensitive immune response
histamine
chemical substance that dilates blood vessels, increases mucous secretions and produces other symptoms of allergies
immunotherapy
treatment strategies based on the concept of regulating the immune system by administering antibodies or desensitizing shots of allergies
allergist
medical doc specially focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of allergies
irritable bowel syndrome
disorder of the intestines characterized by abdominal pain and abnormal bowel movements, possibly due to issues with the ability of intestines to move food through them in a normal fashion; 1 in 5 people
Crohn's disease
type of inflammatory bowel disease that can affect several parts of the GI tract as well has have sig affects on other body organs and systems