PBS Unit 3.1.1 -3.1.7 Study Guide

Outbreak

A sudden increase in the occurrence of a disease in a localized area

Epidemiologist

Investigates the causes and patterns of disease and injury

Sporadic disease

Occurs infrequently and irregularly

Epidemic

A sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease in a population

Endemic disease

A disease perpetually present in a community or population within a specific geographical area

Pandemic

An epidemic that has spread across several countries or continents and affects a large number of people

Nosocomial infection

An infection acquired at the hospital

Agents of Disease

The types of organisms that cause diseases

Host

The organism which another organism uses to its advantage

Pathogens

Disease-causing organisms

Microbes

Microscopic agents

Normal flora (normal microbiota)

Bacteria that live inside our bodies

Antigen

Anything that stimulates an immune response

T-cells

White blood cells involved in immune response

B-cells

Lymphocytes that produce antibodies

Antibodies

Proteins produced by B cells to impair pathogens

Memory cells

T-cells that remember pathogens for future responses

Innate immunity

Immunity you are born with

Acquired immunity

Specific immune defense systems acquired over a lifetime

Vaccine

Stimulates an immune response to provide immunity to a specific infection

Herd immunity

Immunity in a population when most individuals are vaccinated

R0

A variable measuring how infectious an agent of disease is

Etiology

The cause of a disease or condition

Pure cultures

Generated from a single organism, essentially all clones of each other

Petri Plates

Plates used in microbiology where condensation can be controlled by placing them upside down.

Bacterial Colonies

Aggregations of bacteria growing on solid media, categorized by size and shape.

Gram Staining

A differential staining technique to classify bacteria into Gram-positive and Gram-negative based on cell wall properties.

Peptidoglycan Layer

A component of the bacterial cell wall made of sugars and amino acids.

Gram-positive Bacteria

Bacteria with a thick peptidoglycan layer that retains the crystal violet dye in Gram staining.

Gram-negative Bacteria

Bacteria with a thin peptidoglycan layer that lose the crystal violet dye in Gram staining.

Antibiotics

Drugs effective against bacterial infections by targeting specific bacterial structures or functions.

Decolorization

Process in Gram staining where gram-negative bacteria lose color while gram-positive bacteria retain the dye.

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

Academic articles reviewed by experts in the field before publication.

Morbidity

The presence of disease or symptoms within a population.

Mortality

The number of deaths within a specific group of people over a defined period.

Podcast

An audio program discussing various topics or stories for listeners.

Prions

damage proteins in the brain

Viruses

Infect cells and use them to create more viral cells

Bacteria

invade cells, cause tissue damage, and produce harmful toxins.

Protists

infect the digestive tract, blood, or organs of the body depriving a host of essential nutrients found in the food.  They can also cause tissue and organ damage

Fungi

cause tissue damage

Helminths

deprive their hosts of essential nutrients found in food and can cause tissue and organ damage.

Direct contact

involves physical touch with an infected individual.

Indirect Contact

includes inhaling infected particles

Infectious Dose

The number of organisms it takes to cause illness following exposure

Acquired active immunity

acquired following infection and recovery.  Your body makes antibodies

Acquired passive immunity

acquired from your mother

microbiologist

studies the growth, structure, and development of microorganism

Pure Cultures

generated from a single organism, they are essentially all clones of each other.

Binary Fission

a process that creates clones of the same bacteria.

Aseptic Techniques

prevent contamination by separating the contaminants and taking precautions such as wearing safety gear and disinfecting surfaces.