Microbe-Human Interactions

20 vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes on Microbe-Human Interactions. The flashcards cover key terms, definitions, and concepts related to microbial colonization, infection, transmission, virulence factors, and epidemiological principles.

Normal microbiota

Microbes that begin to develop in a fetus in utero and are massively exposed to the baby during birth, with composition being dynamic and influenced by host physiology.

Infection

A condition resulting from the multiplication of microbes, leading to host tissue damage.

Sterile body areas

Locations in the body that are normally free of microbes, such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid, bone, brain, heart, liver, spleen, pancreas, ovary, and kidney, where infections are typically more serious.

-emia

A suffix indicating the presence of microbes in the blood, which may not always imply a disease state or involve symptoms.

Sepsis (Septicemia)

A severe condition that occurs when organisms are actively multiplying in the blood, leading to symptoms like fever, shaking chills, and confusion.

Septic shock

A dramatic and potentially fatal drop in blood pressure caused by the uncontrolled inflammatory response associated with sepsis.

Reservoir

The primary natural habitat in which an agent normally lives, grows, and multiplies, categorized as human, animal, or nonliving.

Carrier

An infected individual who exhibits no symptoms of a disease but is capable of spreading it to others without being aware.

Zoonosis

An infection that primarily affects animals but can be transmitted to humans, who often serve as dead-end hosts for the microbe.

Fomite

An inanimate object or surface in the environment that is likely to transmit infection due to contamination.

Adherence

The process by which microbes achieve a more stable attachment or foothold on or within a host.

Virulence

The inherent ability of a pathogen to cause damage to a host, varying from being avirulent to highly virulent.

Virulence factor

Specific tools or properties associated with a pathogen that enable it to establish itself within a host and amplify its potential to cause damage.

Parenteral route

Any non-oral method of substance administration, often involving injection directly into the body with a needle, thereby bypassing the skin and mucus membranes.

Exotoxins

Bacterial virulence factors produced inside the bacterial cell and then secreted, capable of harming the host even in the absence of the living bacteria.

Infectious Dose (ID)

The minimum number of organisms required to successfully establish an infection, where a lower ID indicates easier spread of the disease.

Epidemiology

The scientific study of the frequency and distribution of disease within defined populations.

Koch's Postulates

A set of four criteria developed to definitively establish a causal relationship between a specific microbe and a specific disease.

Nosocomial infection

An infection acquired by a patient while receiving medical treatment or care within a healthcare facility.

BSL-4 (Biosafety Level 4)

The highest biosafety level for laboratories, designed for work with dangerous and exotic pathogens, requiring exhaust air to be filtered twice through HEPA filters.