Public Health & Infectious-Disease Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of 100 vocabulary flashcards covering key pathogens, diseases, and public-health terms discussed in the lecture notes.

Streptococcus pyogenes

Gram-positive coccus responsible for strep throat, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, and necrotizing fasciitis.

Rheumatic Fever

Post-streptococcal inflammatory disease that damages heart valves and muscle.

Strep Throat (Streptococcal Pharyngitis)

Inflammation of the pharynx caused by S. pyogenes; sore throat with red tonsils and possible white patches.

Scarlet Fever

Illness in which S. pyogenes releases erythrogenic toxin, producing fever, diffuse rash, and strawberry tongue.

Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Gram-positive rod that produces diphtheria toxin forming a pseudomembrane in throat or infecting skin.

Diphtheria

Respiratory or cutaneous infection by C. diphtheriae; prevented by DTP/DTaP vaccine.

Sinusitis

Inflammation of paranasal sinuses, often due to Streptococcus pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae; common in adults.

Otitis Media

Painful middle-ear infection (earache) frequent in childhood; can impair hearing.

Common Cold

Self-limiting viral rhinitis caused by >200 serotypes (rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, etc.).

Pneumococcal Pneumonia

Acute bacterial pneumonia by Streptococcus pneumoniae; fever, productive cough, chest pain.

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Encapsulated diplococcus causing pneumonia, sinusitis, otitis media, and meningitis.

Atypical (Walking) Pneumonia

Milder pneumonia with dry cough and malaise caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Cell-wall-less bacterium producing gradual-onset walking pneumonia.

Klebsiella pneumoniae

Enteric Gram-negative rod that can cause destructive, bloody pneumonia and other infections.

Legionnaires’ Disease

Severe pneumonia from inhaling aerosolized Legionella pneumophila from water sources.

Legionella pneumophila

Aquatic Gram-negative bacillus responsible for Legionnaires’ disease.

Tuberculosis (TB)

Chronic lung disease by Mycobacterium tuberculosis; cough ≥2 weeks, weight loss, hemoptysis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Acid-fast bacillus forming caseating granulomas in lungs; treated with isoniazid-based regimens.

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Highly contagious childhood cough illness by Bordetella pertussis; prevented with DTaP/DTP vaccine.

Bordetella pertussis

Gram-negative coccobacillus producing pertussis toxin and paroxysmal cough.

Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever)

Respiratory mycosis by Coccidioides immitis; inhalation of soil arthroconidia.

Coccidioides immitis

Dimorphic soil fungus causing Valley fever, mimicking TB or pneumonia.

Blastomycosis

Fungal lung infection by Blastomyces dermatitidis from inhaled spores in organic-rich soil.

Blastomyces dermatitidis

Dimorphic fungus producing pulmonary and cutaneous lesions in blastomycosis.

Histoplasmosis

Common systemic mycosis by Histoplasma capsulatum inhaled from nitrogen-rich moist soil.

Histoplasma capsulatum

Dimorphic fungus whose microconidia cause usually asymptomatic histoplasmosis.

Impetigo (Pyoderma)

Superficial blisters around mouth/nose due to Staphylococcus aureus or S. pyogenes.

Necrotizing Fasciitis

“Flesh-eating” fasciitis by S. pyogenes causing rapid tissue destruction.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Tick-borne rickettsial disease (Rickettsia rickettsii) with spotted rash on palms/soles.

Rickettsia rickettsii

Obligate intracellular bacterium causing RMSF via Dermacentor tick bite.

Anthrax

Zoonotic infection by Bacillus anthracis; cutaneous, inhalational, or gastrointestinal forms.

Bacillus anthracis

Spore-forming Gram-positive rod causing anthrax; associated with wool/hides.

Smallpox

Eradicated viral disease by Variola virus producing pustular rash; vaccine exists, no antiviral.

Variola virus

Orthopoxvirus responsible for smallpox, first disease eradicated in 1980.

Monkeypox

Orthopoxvirus infection acquired from animals or humans; smallpox-like but milder, endemic in Africa.

Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV)

Herpesvirus causing chickenpox upon primary infection and shingles upon reactivation.

Chickenpox (Varicella)

Acute VZV illness with vesicular rash; vaccine prevents; acyclovir eases symptoms.

Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

Painful dermatomal rash from reactivated latent VZV in sensory ganglia.

Measles (Rubeola)

Highly contagious Morbillivirus infection with Koplik spots, fever, maculopapular rash; prevented by MMR.

Measles virus

Morbillivirus causing severe childhood measles; no antiviral therapy.

German Measles (Rubella)

Mild rash/lymphadenopathy from Rubella virus; congenital infection causes birth defects; MMR vaccine.

Rubella virus

Rubivirus producing rubella and congenital rubella syndrome.

Leishmaniasis

Protozoan disease (Leishmania spp.) transmitted by sandflies; cutaneous, mucosal, or visceral forms.

Dermatophytoses (Ringworm, Tinea)

Fungal infections of keratinized tissues by Microsporum, Epidermophyton, or Trichophyton species.

Meningitis

Inflammation of meninges; viral common & mild; bacterial severe (S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, etc.).

Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease)

Chronic infection by Mycobacterium leprae damaging skin and peripheral nerves.

Mycobacterium leprae

Acid-fast bacillus causing tuberculoid or lepromatous leprosy; spreads person-to-person.

Tetanus

Spastic paralysis from Clostridium tetani neurotoxin; prevented by DTP/DTaP immunization.

Clostridium tetani

Anaerobic spore-former producing tetanospasmin leading to lockjaw.

Poliomyelitis

Fecal-oral poliovirus infection potentially causing flaccid paralysis; Salk/Sabin vaccines protect.

Poliovirus

Picornavirus attacking motor neurons; causes infantile paralysis.

Rabies

Fatal encephalitis by Rabies virus via animal bite; prevented by HDCV vaccine.

Rabies virus

Rhabdovirus transmitted in saliva of infected mammals causing hydrophobia, paralysis.

African Trypanosomiasis

Sleeping sickness from Trypanosoma brucei transmitted by tsetse fly; causes coma and death if untreated.

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense

West-African subspecies causing chronic sleeping sickness.

American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease)

T. cruzi infection via kissing bug feces; chronic heart and GI damage.

Trypanosoma cruzi

Flagellate protozoan responsible for Chagas disease in Latin America.

Tularemia

“Rabbit fever” by Francisella tularensis; ulceroglandular, pneumonic, or other forms.

Francisella tularensis

Gram-negative coccobacillus transmitted by ticks, flies, or animal contact causing tularemia.

Plague

Yersinia pestis infection (bubonic, pneumonic, septicemic) spread by rat fleas.

Yersinia pestis

Gram-negative rod causing plague; maintained in rodent reservoirs.

Malaria

Paroxysmal febrile illness due to Plasmodium spp., transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Plasmodium falciparum

Most lethal malaria species causing cerebral and severe malaria.

Cholera

Profuse watery diarrhea (“rice-water stools”) from Vibrio cholerae; spreads via contaminated water/food.

Vibrio cholerae

Comma-shaped bacterium whose cholera toxin induces massive fluid loss.

Salmonellosis

Acute gastroenteritis from Salmonella enterica; contracted from contaminated food/water or animals.

Salmonella enterica

Gram-negative rod causing food-borne salmonellosis.

Typhoid Fever

Systemic infection by Salmonella typhi; sustained fever, abdominal pain; carriers can shed bacteria.

Shigellosis (Bacillary Dysentery)

Bloody diarrhea from Shigella species spread via fecal-oral route.

Entamoeba histolytica

Amebic protozoan causing amebiasis with dysentery and liver abscesses.

Giardia lamblia (G. duodenalis)

Flagellate protozoan causing giardiasis—watery diarrhea and malabsorption.

Mumps

Paramyxovirus infection with parotid gland swelling; vaccine prevents.

Mumps virus

Paramyxoviridae member transmitted via saliva; causes painful parotitis.

Hepatitis A

Self-limited liver infection by HAV spread fecal-orally; vaccine available.

Chlamydia (STI)

Bacterial STI by Chlamydia trachomatis; often asymptomatic, treatable with antibiotics.

Gonorrhea

Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection causing urethritis, cervicitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease.

Syphilis

Treponema pallidum infection progressing through primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary stages.

Treponema pallidum

Spirochete bacterium responsible for syphilis; transmitted sexually or congenitally.

Trichomoniasis

STI by Trichomonas vaginalis; frothy green discharge and itching in women.

Trichomonas vaginalis

Flagellated protozoan infecting urogenital tract causing trichomoniasis.

Hepatitis B

Chronic or acute liver disease by HBV; can lead to cirrhosis or cancer; prevented by vaccine.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)

Hepadnavirus transmitted via blood, sex, or perinatally; no cure but vaccination effective.

Genital Herpes

Recurrent genital vesicles caused mainly by HSV-2; managed with antivirals, no cure.

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2

Alphaherpesvirus causing most genital herpes infections.

Genital Warts

Anogenital growths from Human Papillomavirus; some strains oncogenic; vaccine available.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Group of >100 viruses; types 16/18 cause cervical cancer, 6/11 cause warts.

HIV/AIDS

Retroviral infection destroying CD4 T cells; progresses to AIDS; no cure but ART prolongs life.

Candida albicans

Yeast causing thrush and yeast vaginitis when normal flora balance is disrupted.

Yeast Vaginitis

C. albicans infection with itching, burning, thick white discharge.

Thrush

Oral candidiasis with white plaques on mucous membranes by C. albicans.

Pubic Lice (Crabs)

Pediculosis pubis infestation of hair by Pthirus pubis insects feeding on blood.

Scabies

Skin infestation by Sarcoptes scabiei mites that burrow and cause intense itching.

Trachoma

Chlamydia trachomatis eye infection leading to blindness; spreads via fomites or flies.

Avian Influenza (H5N1/H7N9)

Severe bird-origin flu in humans after contact with infected poultry.

2009 H1N1 Influenza

Swine-origin pandemic flu first detected in Mexico; spread worldwide in 2009.

SARS

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome by SARS-CoV; fever followed by dry cough and pneumonia.

MERS-CoV

Novel coronavirus causing Middle East Respiratory Syndrome with severe respiratory failure.

Ebola Virus Disease

Often fatal hemorrhagic fever spread human-to-human; supportive care only, no licensed vaccine yet.

Zika Virus Disease

Mosquito-borne flavivirus infection linked to microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

COVID-19

Respiratory illness by SARS-CoV-2 discovered 2019; spreads via respiratory droplets and aerosols.