Ch.16+Disease+and+Epidemiology

Pathology

The study of disease.

Etiology

The cause of a disease.

Pathogenesis

The development of disease.

Infection

Invasion or colonization of the body by pathogens.

Disease

An abnormal state in which the body is not performing normal functions.

Microbiome

The collection of microorganisms living in a particular environment, like the human body.

Microbial Antagonism

Competition between microbes for nutrients and space, protecting the host from pathogens.

Commensalism

A relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit.

Parasitism

A relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of the other.

Koch's Postulates

A set of criteria to establish a causal relation between a microbe and a disease.

Incidence

The number of new cases of a disease during a specific time period.

Prevalence

The total number of cases of a disease at a given time.

Endemic disease

A disease that is constantly present in a specific population.

Epidemic disease

A disease acquired by many people in a given area in a short time.

Pandemic disease

A worldwide epidemic.

Acute disease

Symptoms that develop rapidly but are short-lived.

Chronic disease

Symptoms develop slowly, and the disease lasts for long periods.

Herd immunity

Immunity in most of a population.

Sepsis

A toxic inflammatory condition arising from the spread of microbes.

Bacteremia

The presence of bacteria in the blood.

Nosocomial infections

Infections acquired while receiving treatment in a healthcare facility.

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

Infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment for other conditions.

Universal precautions

Basic practices to prevent the spread of infections.

Epidemiology

The study of where and when diseases occur and how they are transmitted.

Morbidity

Incidence of a specific notifiable disease.

Mortality

Deaths from notifiable diseases.

Zoonoses

Diseases transmitted from animals to humans.

Vector transmission

Transmission of diseases by arthropods like fleas and mosquitoes.