Host-Microbes: Normal Flora of the Human Body

Vocabulary flashcards focusing on key concepts related to the human microbiome, infection, disease, and epidemiology.

Human Microbiome

The sum total of all microbes found on and in a normal human, crucial for health and functioning.

Infection

Microbes that breach host defenses, enter tissues, and multiply.

Disease

Deviation from health resulting from the cumulative effects of infection damaging tissues and organs.

Polymicrobial Infection

An infection involving multiple microbial species.

Virulence

The relative severity of a disease caused by a microbe, often determined by its pathogenicity.

Exotoxin

A toxic substance secreted by bacteria, usually with localized effects.

Endotoxin

A toxic component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, leading to systemic effects like fever.

Portal of Entry

The route that a microbe takes to enter host tissues to initiate an infection.

Carrier

A person who inconspicuously shelters a pathogen and spreads it without showing symptoms.

Herd Immunity

When a significant portion of a population becomes immune to an infectious disease, limiting its spread.

Asymptomatic Infection

An infection that does not produce noticeable symptoms but is actively occurring in the host.

Reservoir

The primary habitat from which a pathogen originates, commonly humans or animals.