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Inf Dis Physiology

Terms in this set (46)

epidemiology
The study of factors that determine the frequency, distribution, and patterns of disease in human populations.

Includes procedures/mechanisms to control and eradicate disease
pathology
The study of disease and disease process
infectious disease
Disease caused by a pathogen
communicable disease
Infectious disease which can be passed form human to human
contagious disease
Easily communicable disease
incidence
Number of new cases of a disease in a defined population for a specific time period
prevalence
Number of cases of disease in a given population during a specific time
morbidity
The state of being diseased
mortality
The number of deaths due to a disease in a population
sporadic
Disease that occurs infrequently and irregularly

Usually because the disease is well controlled through sanitation or vaccines

Ex: indv cases of salmonellosis, amebic meningoencephalitis
endemic
Disease always present in a population within a certain geographical area

No major fluctuations with respect to time or place

Often related to health conditions, environmental factor for organism, or a biological vector

Ex: Malaria
hyperendemic
Persistent, high levels of disease
epidemic
Greater than usual number of disease cases in a particular area over a short period of time

Can be related to rapid spread due to contamination of food or water source, international travel, etc. leading to exposure of additional susceptible persons
common-source outbreak
Group of persons who are all exposed to the same infectious agent or toxin
point-source outbreak
A type of common-source outbreak in which all are infected in one event or incubation period
propagated outbreak
Results from person to person transmission
pandemic
Disease in epidemic proportions more or less globally

Ex: 1918 flu, TB, HIV/AIDS, COVID
pathogen
Organism or particle capable of causing disease in an otherwise healthy individual
virulence
A measure of an organism's pathogenicity
virulence factor
Property of a microbe (particle) that creates disease by increasing ability to colonize, derive nutrients, and/or avoid host immunity

Ex: pili, capsule, coagulase, hyaluronidase, toxins
opportunistic pathogen
Organism able to cause disease in an immuno-compromised host

Usually lacks virulence factors

Often normal microbiota

Frequently nosocomial
transmission
Route of moving from host to host

Ex: host to host contact, inhalation of droplets, fecal-oral route, etc
reservoir
Site from which infectious disease is transmitted

Shows no sign of disease

Living or nonliving (fomite)
carrier
Diseased individuals who show no, or only mild (subclinical) symptoms

Continue to shed disease post recovery

Ex: Typhoid Mary
acute disease progression
Disease with rapid onset and/or short duration
calor (heat), dolor (pain), rubor (erythema), tumor (swelling)
What are the 4 cardinal signs of the inflammatory response?
septic shock
Uncontrolled systemic inflammation that can lead to serious illness and death

Uncontrolled fever

Blood vessel dilation can lead to massive efflux to tissue resulting in low blood pressure and edema
antigens
Antibody generating substances

Macromolecules which induce an immune response

Recognized as foreign

Usually protein in nature
antigenic determinant or epitope
The specific part of an antigen which an antibody recognizes and binds to
immunocompetence
The ability of immune cells to recognize and respond to foreign antigens
self tolerance
The ability of immune cells to recognize self
endogenous
Antigens synthesized within the cell (cancer) or from proteosomes (viral infection)
exogenous
Antigens from outside the cell
antibody-mediated immunity
Immunity that results from the presence of antibodies in blood and lymph

Particularly effective against viruses, bacteria, and soluble pathogens like toxins
primary response
The first time the immune system combats a particular foreign substance

May take several days
secondary response
Later interactions with the same foreign substance; faster and more effective due to "memory"

Involved memory B cells
neutralization, agglutination, precipitation, complement activation
Antibodies circulate and bind antigens leading to what 4 main mechanisms?
artificial immunity
Immunity that is achieved as a result of medical intervention
artificial active immunity
Immunity developed after intentional exposure of antigen

Ex: vaccination
artificial passive immunity
Immunity developed by infection of preformed antibodies
natural immunity
Immunity from infection due to contact with pathogen (active)

Immunity from antibodies transferred across placenta or in breast milk (passive)
inactivated
Vaccine using virus that is damaged and not capable of infection

Ex: Salk polio, rabies
attenuated
Vaccine including viable avirulent virus infection

Ex: varicella, measles, mumps, Sabin (oral)
mRNA
Vaccine using mRNA from the virus

Ex: spike protein mRNA (COVID)
killed
Vaccine using attenuated bacteria
toxoid
Vaccine using denatured toxin
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