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allergy (hypersensivity) an acquired, abnormal immune response to a substance (allergies) that does not normally cause a reaction antagonism mutual opposition or contrary action. The inhibition of one microorganism by another antibody glycoprotein substance developed by the body in response to, and interacting specifically with, antigen. Also known as immunoglobulin antigen a foreign substance that stimulates the formation of antibodies that react specifically with it antisepsis the prevention or inhibiting of the growth of causative microorganisms attenuation dilution or weakening of virulence of a microorganism, reducing or abolishing pathogenicity autotrophic bacteria self nourishing bacteria bacillus (pl. bacilli) rod shaped bacteria bacteremia the presence of bacteria in the blood bacteria a prokaryotic one celled microorganism of the Kingdom Monera; existing as free living organisms or as parasites, multiplying by binary fusion and having a large range of biochemical properties bacterial colony a visible group of bacteria growing on a solid medium, presumably arising from a single microorganism bactericide an agent taht destroys bacteria but not necessarily their spores bacteriology science that studies bacteria binary fussion a method of asexual reproduction involoving halving of the nucleus and cytoplasm of the cell followed by the development of each half into a new individual biological vector an arthropod vector in which the disease causing organism multiplies or develops within the arthropod prior to becoming infective for a susceptible individual bleaches hypochlorites capsule the membrane that surrounds some bacterial cells; a loose gel-like structure that, in pathogenic bacteria, helps to protect against phogacytosis -outercoat that increase virulence of bacteria cells chlamydia a large group of nonmotile, gram negative intracellular parasites coccus (pl. cocci) the type of bacteria that is spherical or ovoid in form commensalism the symbolic relationship of two organisms of different species in which one gains some benefit such as protection or nourishment and the other is not harmed or benefited communicable a disease that may be transmitted directly or indirectly from one individual to another contamination the act of introducing disease germs or infectious material into an area or substance diplobacilli a double bacillus, two being linked end to end; Morax-Axenfeld bacillus a cause of conjunctivitis is typical of this form diplococcus a genus of bacteria that occur in pairs disinfectant a chemical or physical agent that kills disease causing micoorganisms by chemical or physical means drug-fast resistant, as in bacteria, to the action of drug or drugs endemic disease that occurs continously in a particular region, but has how mortality endogenous infection produced or arising from within a cell or organism endospores a thick-walled spore within a bacterium -ex: bacillus and clostridium endotoxin bacterial toxin confined within the cell wall of bacterium freed only when the bacterium is broken down, found only in gram negative bacteria epidemic appearance of an infectious disease or condition tha attacks many people at the same time in the same geographical area exogenous infections originating outside an organ or part exotoxin a toxin produced by a microorganism and excreted into its surrounding medium` facultative aerobe a microorganism that perfers an enviroment devoid of oxygen but has adapted so that it can live and grow in the presence of oxygen facultative anaerobe an organism that prefers an oxygen enviroment but is capable of living and growing in its absence facultative saprophyte prefers live organic matter as a source of nutrition but can adapt to the use of dead organic matter under certain conditions focal infection one in which the organisms are originally confined to one area but enter the blood or lymph vessel and spread to other parts of the body fomite any inanimate object to which infectious material adheres and can be transmitted fungicide a substance that kills fungi fungus (pl. fungi) a group of diverse and widespread unicellular and multicellular organisms, lacking chlorophyll, usually bearing spores and often filamentous general infection an infection that becomes systemic germicide a substance that destroys microorganisms heterotrophic bacteria (other than self nourishing) organisms that must obtain their nourishment from complex organic matter hypersensitivity allergy hypochlorites (bleaches) chlorine containing compounds indigenous flora synonymous with "normal flora" indicates the microbial population that lives with the host in a healthy condition infection the entry, establishment and multiplication of pathogenic organisms within a host insecticide a substance that kills insects iodophores a compound consisting of iodine combined with a carrier, such as polyvinylprryolidone, often used a preoperative skin disinfectant larvacide a substance that kills insect larva local infection infection caused by germs lodging and multiplying at one point in a tissue and remaining there maximum temperature temperature above which bacterial growth will not take place mechanical vector a living organism capable of transmitting infection by carrying the disease agent on its external body parts or surfaces mesophile bacteria that prefer moderate temperature and develope best at temperatures between 25C and 40C microaerophillic a microorganism that requires very little free oxygen microbiology scientific study of microorganisms and their effect on other loving organisms minimum temperature temperature below which bacterial growth will not take place mixed infection infection caused by two or more organisms mutualism a relationship in which organisms of two different species live in close association to the mutal benefit of each mycology the branch of science concerned with the study of fungi mycoplasms bacteria of the Mycoplasma genus that are found in humans and have no cell wall; the smallest free-living organisms presently known being intermediate in size between virsuses and bacteria non-symbiotic organisms that are free living and relationships are not required for survival opportunist an organism that exists as part fo the normal flora but may become pathogenic under certain conditions optimum temperature temperature at which organisms grow best osmotic pressure pressure that developes when two solutions of different concentrations are seperated by a semipermable membrane pandemic a disease affecting the majority of the population of a large region or one that is epidemic at the same time in many different parts of the world parasitism an interactive relationship between two organisms in which one is harmed and the other benefits pathogenicity the state of producing or being able to produce pathological changes and disease primary infection the "first" infection that a host has after a period of health prion small proteinaceous infectious agents (particles) which almost certainly do not have a nucleic acid genome and therefore resist inactivation by procedures that modify nucleic acids -are often called spongiform encephalopathies because of the post mortem appearance of the brain with large vacuoles in the cortex and cerebellum protozoa one celled organisms of the Kingdom Protisa--most are unicellular although some are colonist protozoology science that deals with the study of protozoa psychrophile bacteria that prefer cold, thriving at temperatures between 0 C and 25 C rickettsia a genus of gram-negative, pathogenic, intracellular parasitic bacteria Rickettsiology area of science that studies Rickettsia sarcinae a cube-like packet of eight spherical bacteria (sarcina is Latina for bundle) secondary infection infection caused by a different organism than the one causing the primary infection septicemia condition characterized by the multiplication of bacteria in blood spirillum (pl. Spirilla) a genus of spiral bacteria having a corkscrew shape with a rigid cell wall and hair-like projections called flagella that assist in movement spirochete a genus of bacteria having flexible cell wall but no flagella in the traditional sense. Movement in these organisms occurs by contractions (undulating) of long filaments (endoflagella) that run the length of the cell sporadic a disease which occurs occasionally or in scattered instances staphylococcus a genus of gram-positive, nonmotile, opportunistic bacteria which tend t aggregate in irregular, grape-like clusters sterilization a process of completely removing or destroying all life forms and/or their products on or in substance streptobacilli rod-shaped bacteria occuring in chains streptococci spherical shaped bacteria occuring in chains strict (obligate) aerobe a microbe that can only live in the presence of free oxygen strict (obligate) anaerobe a microbe that can only be survive in the absence of free oxygen strict (obligate) parasite an organism that is completely dependent on its living host for survival strict (obligate) saprophyte an organism that can only survive on dead or decaying organic matter symbiotic organisms live in close nutritional relationships; required by one or both members synergism the harmonious action of two or more micoorgansims producing on a effect that neither could produce alone tetracocci grouping of four spherical shaped cells thermophile bacteria that thrive best at high temperatures, between 40 C and 70 C toxemia the presence of toxins in the blood toxin a poisonous sustance of plant, animal, bacterial or fungi origin true pathogen an organism that due to its own virulence is able to produce disease vibrio (L. to move rapidly, vibrate) a genus of spiral bacteria which are curved or bent rods that resemble commas virucide (viricide) an agent destructive to viruses virology the study of viruses and viral diseases virulence relative power of an organism to produce disease virus one of a group of minute infectious agents, with certain exceptions not resolved in the light microscope, and characterized by a lack of independent metabolism and by the ability to replicate only within living host cells. Like living organims, they are able to reproduce with genetic continuity and the possibility of mutation