Epidemiology, Vaccines, and Industrial Microbiology Study Guide

A collection of vocabulary terms and definitions derived from the Chapters 35-41 assignment study guide on epidemiology, public health, vaccines, and industrial biotechnology.

Epidemiologist

A disease detective who studies the occurrence, determinants, distribution, and control of health and disease.

Remote sensing

A technique that gathers digital images of Earth's surface and output from biological sensors to study microbial disease distribution.

Epidemiology

The study of the occurrence, determinants, distribution, and control of health and disease.

Disease incidence

The number of new cases during a defined time period as a proportion of the total population.

Disease prevalence

The number of previously existing cases during a defined time period compared with the total population.

Common-source epidemic

An epidemic caused by a single contaminated source, such as food or water, which rises rapidly and declines moderately rapidly.

Systematic epidemiology

A field focused on social and ecological factors that is often used to study emerging diseases.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A system used to organize, analyze, and display digital map information.

Nosocomial infections

Also called healthcare-associated infections, these are acquired by patients while in a hospital or clinical-care facility.

Vaccine

A preparation of microbial antigens that induces protective immunity.

Reverse vaccinology

The application of genomics and bioinformatics to vaccine development.

Adjuvants

Substances added to vaccines to enhance immune responses by assisting antigen processing by APCs and nonspecifically stimulating a response.

Vaccination

The use of a vaccine to induce active immunity.

Inactivated vaccine

Also known as a killed vaccine, it is less immunogenic, usually requires boosters, and typically does not stimulate secretory IgA.

Attenuated vaccine

A vaccine containing a living weakened organism that usually needs one dose and stimulates both cellular and humoral immunity.

Subunit vaccine

A vaccine containing only selected, purified pathogen macromolecules such as recombinant surface antigens, capsular polysaccharides, or toxoids.

Recombinant-vector vaccine

A vaccine that uses a harmless carrier organism, such as a nonvirulent bacterial or viral vector, engineered to express selected pathogen genes.

Whole-pathogen vaccines

Vaccines that contain entire microorganisms rather than just purified components.

Bioterrorism

The intentional or threatened use of viruses, bacteria, fungi, or toxins to cause disease or death.

Antibiotics

Compounds primarily produced by bacteria of the genus Streptomyces and filamentous fungi, which account for approximately $65\%$ of those currently in use.

Fermentation

In industrial microbiology, this refers to the mass culture of microorganisms, plant cells, or animal cells in bioreactors.

Hydrolases

Enzymes widely used in industry to break down starches and proteins.

Ti plasmid

A plasmid from Agrobacterium used to transfer T-DNA into a plant's chromosomes.

T-DNA

The specific region of a Ti plasmid that is transferred into a plant chromosome.

Biomineralization

The incorporation of mineral elements into biological structures.

Biosensors

Microbes engineered to combine microbial detection with an output that humans can interpret.

Diatoms

Microorganisms that build silica shells using specialized silicon transporters.

Cellulose-based biofuel

Biofuel produced from cellulose-rich materials like woody pulp byproducts or plants grown on land not fertile enough for food crops.

Claviceps purpurea

The fungal producer used for the industrial production of alkaloids.

Corynebacterium glutamicum

A major industrial producer of amino acids such as lysine.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A major producer of ethanol from glucose and a recombinant host for producing insulin, human growth hormone, and interferons.

Blakeslea and Eremothecium

Microorganisms used as major producers for the industrial manufacture of vitamins.