acquired immunity

gaining antibodies that we are not born with, involves vaccinations, immunizations, as well as when bodies mounts immune response against food antigens or common viruses (colds, etc.)

acute disease

any disease that develops rapidly but lasts only a short time, whether it involves convalescence or death

adherence

process by which phagocytes attach to microorganisms through the binding of complementary chemicals on the cytoplasmic membranes

aerobe

an organism that uses oxygen for metabolic reactions

aerotolerant

prefers anaerobic conditions but can tolerate exposure to low levels of oxygen

anaerobe

an organism that cannot tolerate oxygen

anamnestic response

renewed rapid production of an antibody on the second or subsequent encounter with the same antigen

anaphylaxis

acute systemic and severe type of allergic reaction in humans and other mammals, anaphylactic shock most severe form

antibiotic

antimicrobial agent that is produced naturally by and organism

antibiotic resistance

ability of a microorganism to withstand the effects of antibiotics

antibody

proteinaceous antigen-binding molecule secreted by plasma cells, immunoglobulin

antigen

molecule that triggers a specific immune response

antiserum

in serology, blood fluid containing the antibodies which bind to the antigens that triggerend their production

antitoxin

antibodies formed by the host that bind to and protect against toxins

autoimmunity

phenomenon in which immune system does occassionally produce antibodies and cytotoxic T cells that target normal cells

B-lymphocyte

lymphocyte which arises in the red bone marrow in adults and is found primarily in the spleen, lymph nodes, red bone marrow, and Peyer's patches of intesetines amd which secrete antibodies

bacteremia

presence of bacteria in the blood; often caused by infection with staphylococcus aureus or streptococcus pneumoniae

carrier

in human pathology, continuous asymptomatic human source of infection

cell-mediated immunity

immune response used by T cells to fight intracellular pathogens and abnormal body cells

chronic disease

any disease that develops slowly, usually with less severe symptoms, and is continual or recurrent

clonal selection

in humoral immunity, recognition and activation only of B lymphocytes with BCRs complementary to a specfici antigenic determinant

coagulase

enzyme produced by staphylococcus aureus that converts fibrogen to fibren

collagenase

enzymes that digest collagen

communicable disease

any infectious disease that comes either directly or indirectly from another host, can be spread from person-to-person

complement

protein triggered by some antibodies/antigens that breaks down nearby tissue, part of innate immunity

contact dermititis

skin reaction resulting from exposure to allergens or irritants, rash in appearance

contact transmission

conveyance of a disease from one person to another

contagious disease

a communicable disease that is easily transmitted from a reservoir or patient

cytotoxins

chemical, sometimes produced by bacteria or viruses, that has a direct toxic or destructive effect on certain cells of the body; ex: neurotoxins, nephrotoxins

delayed hypersensitivity

T cell-mediated inflammatory reaction that takes 24-72 hours to reach maximal intensity

dermonecrotic toxin

a poison produced by a bacteria that can cause damage to the skin

disease

any adverse internal condition severe enough to interfere with normal body functioning

droplet transmission

spread of pathogens from one host to another via aerosols, which exit the body during exhaling, coughing, and sneezing and travel less than 1 meter

edema

abnormal accumulation of fluid between the skin, or in one or more cavities

endemic disease

a disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree in people of a certain class or in people living in a particular location

endotoxin

potentially fatal toxin released from the cell wall of dead and dying Gram-negative bacteria

enterotoxins

a toxin that arises in the intestine

epidemic disease

disease that presents a large nuber of cases in a short period of time

epidemiology

study of the occurrence, distribution, and spread of disease in humans

epitope

the three-dimensional shape of a region of an antigen that is recognized by the immune system

erythema

redness of the skin due to congestion of the capillaries

etiology

the study of the causation of disease

exfoliatin

toxins of certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus that break down desmosomes in the skin, causing the outer layers of the skin to slough off

exoenzyme

an enzyme that acts outside the cell that secretes it

exotoxins

toxin secreted by a pathogenic microorganism into its environment

fever

body temperature above 37C

fibrinolysin

an enzyme that dissolves the fibrins of blood clots

focal infection

a bacterial infection localized in a specific part of the body, may spread to another part of the body

fomite

objects inadvertently used to transfer pathogens to new hosts, e.g. glass, towel

germicide

an agent that kills germs (pathogenic microorganisms), a disinfectant

hemolysins

an agent or substance that causes the destruction of red blood cells, therefore liberating hemoglobin

heterophile antigens

a substance that occurs in unrelated species of animals but has similar serologic properties among them

heterotroph

an organism that cannot synthesize its own food and is dependent upon complex organic substances for nutrition

histamine

inflammatory chemical released from damaged cells that causes vasodilation of capillaries

humoral immunity

antibody immune response used by B cells to fight exogenous antigens

hyaluronidase

an enzyme that hydrolyzes hyaluronic acid, a component of the extracellular matrix

immunoglobilin A (IgA)

secretory antibody found in tears, saliva, and breast milk that prevents attachment to the mucosa

immunoglobulin D (IgD)

surface receptor for B lymphocytes

immunoglobulin E (IgE)

exaggerated response, associated with allergies, binds to mast cells and basophils thus releasing histamines

immunoglobulin G (IgG)

makes up 80% of serum antibodies, crosses walls of blood vessels and placenta, protects against bacteria, viruses and toxins, and enhances phagocytosis

immunoglobulin M (IgM)

5-10% can be found in blood, it is the first antibody produced

incidence of disease

fraction of populatinon contracting a disease during a particular period

infection

successful invasion of the body by a pathogenic microorganism

inflammation

a localized productive reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection, characterized by pain, redness, swelling and sometimes loss of function

inflammatory response

complex biological reaction to harmful stimuli, such as a pathogen, highly integrated, non-specific, includes edema, pain, temp increase, erythema

innate immunity

all elements with which we are born, non-specific, includes body surfaces and their secretions, phagocytes, blood components, inflammatory response, and fever

interferon

protein molecules that inhibit the spread of viral infections

invasiveness

a tendency to spread, especially into healthy tissue

keratin

a tough, insoluble protein substance that is the chief component of hair and nails

latent disease

any disease in which a pathogen remains inactive for a long period of time before becoming active

leukocytes

white blood cells

local infection

invasion by and multiplaction of a pathogen after it enters a body, but occurs within one specific place in the body

lymphocytes

type of small granulocyte which originates and matures in the red bone marrow and has nuclei that nearly fill the cell

macrophages

mature form of monocyte, which is a phagocyte of bacteria, fungi, spores, and dust, as well as dead cells

memory cell

cells in the immune system that respond faster and more powerfully to subsequent exposure to an antigen

microaerophile

microorganism that requires low levels of oxygen

monocytes

large phagocytic white blood cells that circulate in the blood that are long lived and can divide

neurotoxins

a toxin that damages or destroys nerve tissue

neutrophil

most numerous phagocyte in blood, white blood cell, short-lived, granular, drawn where needed: chemotactic

non-communicable disease

a disease that can't be spread from person-to-person

normal flora

the bacteria living on the outside of the skin that are helpful to our bodies and normally don't cause any problems on the outside

nosocomial infection

a hospital acquired infection

obligate anaerobe

an organism that cannot grow in the presence of oxygen

obligate aerobe

an organism that must grow in the presence of oxygen

pandemic disease

a world-wide epidemic

parenteral infection

infection occurring in the deep tissues of the bodies,

such as puncture wounds and hypodermic infctions

pathogenesis

the development of a diseased or morbid condition

pathogenicity

the capacity of a microorganism to produce disease

pathology

the scientific study of the nature of disease and its casues, processes, developments, and consequences

phagocytosis

the englufing and ingestion of foreign bodies or bacteria through cells known as phagocytes, "cell eating", type of endocytosis

phenol coefficient

highest dilution of agent to kill in 10 min, not 5/highest dilution of phenol to kill in 10 min, not 5

phospholipase

enzymes that hydolyze specific esther bonds in phospholipids

plasma cell

B cells that are actively fighting against exogenous antigens and secreting antibodies

plasmid

a small, circular molecule of DNA that replicates independently of the chromosome, each carries genes for its own replication and often for one or more nonessential functions such as resistance to antibiotics

prevalence

in epidemiology, the total number of cases of a disease in a given area or population during a given period of time

primary infection

the original outbreak of an illness against which the body has no opportunity to build up antibodies

prostaglandin

a potent substance that acts like a hormone and is found in many bodily tissues (and especially in semen); produced in response to trauma and may affect blood pressure and metabolism and smooth muscle activity

protease

enzyme secreted by microorganisms that digests proteins into amino acids outside a microbe's cell wall; in inflammatory reactions, chemicals released by mast cells that activate the complement system; in viruses an internal viral enzyme that makes HIV virulent

reservoir of infection

living or nonliving continuous source of infectious disease

sanitization

the process of disinfecting surfaces and utensils used by the public

sebum

oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of the skin that lowers pH

secondary infection

an infection caused by an opportunistic pathogen, an infection that occurs following or as a result of the original infection

septicemia

the condition of pathogens being present in the blood and causing signs of illness

spleen

a large, highly vascular lymphoid organ, serving to store blood, disintegrate old blood cells, and produce lymphocytes

sterilization

the eradication of all organisms, including bacterial endospores and viruses, although not prions, in or on an object

superantigen

secreted proteins that exhibit highly potent lymphocyte-transforming activity directed towards T cells, capable of activating 20% of body's T cells, causes nonspecific massive immune response

superoxide dismutase

enzyme that catalyzes the dismutation of superoxygen into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide

surfactant

chemical that acts to reduce the surface tension of solvents such as water by decreasing the attraction among solvent molecules

symptoms of disease

subjective characteristics that can be felt by the patient alone

syndrome

a group of symptoms, signs, and diseases that collectively characterizes a particular abnormal condition

systemic infection

an infection that affect the entire body, spreads via blood and lymph

T-lymphocytes

lymphocyte that matures in the thymus and acts directly against endogenous antigens in cell-mediated immune responses

T helper

T lymphocytes that regulate B cells and antibody production

T killer cells

cytotoxic T lymphocytes that kill target cells

thymus

small glandular organ consisting mostly of lymphatic tissue and serves as site of T lymphocyte differentiation

tolerance

physiological resistance to a toxin

toxemia

presence in the blood of poisons called toxins

toxic shock syndrome

potentially fatal syndrome characterized by fever, vomiting, red rash, low BP, and loss of sheets of skin, usually caused by systemic inection with strains of Staphylococcus  that produce toxic shock syndrome

toxigenicity

the capacity of a microorganism to produce toxins

vectors

an animal that transmits disease from one host to another; nucleic acid molecule such as a viral genome, transposon, or plasmid that is used to deliver a gene into a cell

virulence

a measure of pathogenicity