Gastrointestinal Infections 3 Lecture

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary related to gastrointestinal infections and their pathogens, used for exam preparation.

Gastroenteritis

An inflammation of the stomach and intestines, typically resulting in diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Campylobacter jejuni

A bacterium that causes Campylobacter infection, often leading to gastroenteritis.

Yersinia enterocolitica

A gram-negative bacillus that causes yersiniosis, primarily associated with contaminated food and water.

Shigella

A genus of bacteria that causes bacillary dysentery, characterized by bloody diarrhea.

Clostridium difficile

An anaerobic bacterium that causes pseudomembranous colitis, associated with antibiotic usage.

E. histolytica

The causative agent of amebiasis, causing a wide range of clinical manifestations from asymptomatic to severe colitis.

Giardia lamblia

A flagellar protozoan that causes intestinal infections characterized by diarrhea and malabsorption.

Incubation period

The time between exposure to an infection and the appearance of symptoms.

Bacteremia

The presence of bacteria in the bloodstream, which can lead to systemic infections.

Reactive polyarthritis

Joint inflammation that can occur as a reactive process following infections, seen in some cases of yersiniosis.

Sepsis

A life-threatening condition caused by the body's response to infection, leading to tissue damage and organ failure.

Pseudomembranous colitis

Inflammation of the colon due to Clostridium difficile, often characterized by the formation of a pseudomembrane.

Amebic liver abscess

A complication of amebiasis where abscesses form in the liver due to the invasion of Entamoeba histolytica.

Trophozoite

The active, motile feeding stage of a protozoan in its life cycle, crucial for disease manifestation.

Cyst

The dormant form of a protozoan, capable of surviving outside the host and facilitating transmission.