Patho - Intro to Pathology and Microbes

degenerative changes

diseases that are the result of age

genetic

diseases that result from errors in the DNA

environmental hazards

traumatic injuries are included in this type of disease

diagnosis

determining the disease name

etiology

cause of disease

idiopathic

unknown cause

iatrogenic

diseases that occur as a result of medical treatment

nosocomial

hospital acquired infection

prognosis

probable outcome of a disease

prodromal period

vague, general symptoms

incubation period

interval between initial infection and first signs and symptoms

septicemia

infection in the blood

possible signs of localized infection

pain, redness, swelling, pus, drainage, heat

possible signs of systemic infection

fever

body aches/pains

chills

fatigue

headache

factors that reduce an immune response

pregnancy, being very young or very old, stress, coexisting illness, lack of sleep, malnutrition

atrophy

the wasting away of a body organ, tissue, or cell; reduction in size

possible reasons for atrophy

not enough oxygen/food, lack of use

hypertrophy

increase in cell size

metaplasia

Mature cell type is replaced by a different mature cell type

necrosis

cell/tissue death

ischemia

Lack of blood supply

prokaryotes

Cells that do not contain nuclei (bacteria)

capsid

Outer protein coat of a virus

bacterial capsule

Sticky layer on some bacteria that allows it to adhere to surfaces making it difficult to eradicate

slime layer

a glycocalyx that is unorganized and loosely attached to the cell wall; helps with bacterial adherence

pili

Appendages that allow bacteria to attach to each other and to transfer DNA

plasmids

small circular DNA molecules that replicate separately from the bacterial chromosome; easily transferred between bacteria; can contain extra useful genes (like antibiotic resistance)

Gram-positive bacteria

Bacteria that have simple cell walls, they are more easily killed by most antibiotics

Gram-negative bacteria

Bacteria that have complex cell walls, they are very toxic and hard to treat.

Bacterial spores

Bacteria capable of producing a protective coating that allows them to withstand very harsh environments, and shed the coating when conditions become more favorable.

coccus

round

bacillus

Rod shaped bacteria

strepto-

bacteria attach with other bacteria to form long chains

staphylo-

bacteria in clusters

pathogen

A disease causing agent

direct contact transmission

person to person transmission

lytic

viruses that immediately destroy cells

lysogenic

the viral genome replicates without destroying the host cell

diseases caused by viruses

Common cold, influenza, smallpox, warts, AIDS, chickenpox, measles, hepatitis, west nile, polio, ebola

viral specificity

refers to the specific kinds of cells a virus can infect

fungal diseases

Yeast infections ("candida"), ringworm, and athlete's foot

malaria

a disease caused by a protozoan (Plasmodium parasite)

helminths

parasitic worms such as pin worms and tapeworms

prions

infectious proteins that cause diseases such as "mad cow" and Creutzfeldt-Jacob