Disease Flashcards

Flashcards about diseases and infections.

Nonsocomial Disease

Diseases acquired in a hospital setting. Examples include UTIs and other infections.

Zoonotic Disease

Diseases transmitted from animals to humans. Examples include Rabies, Salmonella, COVID, and Lyme Disease.

Incubation Period

The first of the five periods of disease.

Prodromal Period

The second of the five periods of disease.

Illness Period

The third of the five periods of disease.

Decline Period

The fourth of the five periods of disease.

Convalescence Period

The fifth of the five periods of disease.

Portals of Entry

Anatomic sites through which pathogens can pass into host tissue, such as skin, mucous membranes, wounds, and bites.

Adhesion

A phase of portal of entry involving proteins, carbohydrates, or ligands on the surface. Biofilms act as an adhesion factor.

Systemic Infection

An infection found throughout the body (high).

Primary Infection

The first time your body is infected by a specific pathogen (bacteria, virus, fungus), starting the illness and the immune response.

Exotoxins

Biologically active products secreted by pathogens (mostly Gram-positive bacteria) as part of their growth and metabolism. They are proteins.

Endotoxins

Part of the bacterial cell and not a metabolic product. The outer portion of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. They are lipids.

Helminths

Parasitic worms. Examples include pinworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and blood flukes.

Vectors

Mechanical or biological carriers that transmit disease from one host to another.

Emerging Disease

An infectious disease either new to the human population or shown to increase in prevalence in the previous 20 years.

Reemerging Disease

One that is increasing in frequency after a period of decline. Examples include TB, Malaria, and Pneumonia.

WHO (World Health Organization)

Monitors and reports infectious diseases, develops/implements strategies for control/prevention, and develops public health campaigns.

CDC (Center for Disease Control)

Implements quarantine and protects public health to prevent/control diseases.

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

Infections patients must have been admitted to the healthcare facility for a reason other than the infection.

Quarantining

Isolating a patient to prevent spreading disease, protect vulnerable populations, reduce outbreaks, and give healthcare systems time to respond.

Droplet Transmission

Occurs when an individual coughs/sneezes, ejecting small droplets of mucus that can transmit a pathogen to a new host within one meter.

Direct Transmission

Involves physical contact like touching, kissing, sex, or droplet spray. Can be vertical (mom to baby) or horizontal (skin to skin).

Indirect Transmission

Involves inanimate objects (fomites) that have been contaminated with pathogens, could be airborne/droplet.

Joseph Lister

A British surgeon who introduced antiseptic techniques in surgery and was a proponent of handwashing.

Florence Nightingale

A British nurse who helped improve hospital sanitation and is known as the founder of modern nursing.

Etiology

The study of the cause of a disease. It helps doctors diagnose accurately, choose the right treatment, and helps prevent the disease from spreading.