AGRI 400 & 111: Animal Epidemics, Disease Concepts, and Poultry Science

Vocabulary flashcards covering disease definitions, the DAMNITV framework, categories of infectious agents, modes of disease transmission, and poultry production systems.

Endemic

A disease condition that belongs to, is common to a specific region, and is expected to occur there (e.g., Anaplasmosis in Kansas, Lyme Disease in the Northeast, Influenza in the U.S.).

Outbreak

An increase in the expected rate of an endemic disease within a population or region.

Epidemic

Actively spreading new cases of a disease within a specific region, community, or population rapidly.

Pandemic

Actively spreading new cases of a disease extending past a single region and crossing international borders.

Eradicated Disease

A disease that has been completely eliminated from a designated region (e.g., polio and smallpox).

DAMNITV

A diagnostic mnemonic acronym defining disease categories: Degenerative/Developmental, Anomalous, Metabolic/Mechanical, Neoplastic/Nutritional/Neurologic, Inflammatory/Infectious/Immune-based/Iatrogenic/Idiopathic/Inherited, Traumatic/Toxic, and Vascular.

Degenerative Disease

A disease process causing progressive breakdown or loss of function in tissues over time, such as osteoarthritis or degenerative myelopathy.

Developmental Disease

A disease or physical abnormality resulting from improper tissue growth or formation during development, such as cleft palate, umbilical hernia, or cerebellar hypoplasia.

Anomalous Disease

An abnormal structural or physiological deviation present from birth or uncommon abnormality, such as albinism.

Metabolic Disease

A condition resulting from disrupted biochemical processes or nutrient imbalances in the body, such as milk fever, Cushing's disease, or grass tetany.

Mechanical Disease

A pathological state caused by physical blockages, structural forces, or foreign objects, such as esophageal choke, mechanical laminitis, or traumatic reticuloperitonitis (hardware disease).

Neoplastic Disease

Conditions characterized by abnormal, autonomous, and uncontrolled cell proliferation forming tumors, such as Bovine Leukosis Virus, melanoma, or squamous cell carcinoma.

Nutritional Disease

Disorders resulting from dietary deficiencies, toxic excesses, or imbalances, such as white muscle disease, copper toxicosis, hypovitaminosis A, or mulberry heart disease.

Iatrogenic Disease

An adverse condition or illness induced unintentionally by medical treatment, injections, or human health interventions (e.g., injection site abscessation, acetaminophen toxicosis).

Idiopathic Disease

A disease or condition that arises spontaneously or for which the underlying cause is unknown, such as feline cystitis or vestibular disease.

Infectious Agent

A microorganism or pathogen that can cause disease upon entering a host organism.

Bacteria

Microscopic, single-celled organisms belonging to the domain Bacteria that are ubiquitous in nature and can act as pathogens (e.g., E. coli, Mannheimia sp.).

Shapes of Bacteria

Morphological classifications used to identify bacterial species, including cocci (spherical), bacilli (rods), and spirilla (spirals).

Virus

A microscopic infectious entity consisting of genetic information ($DNA$ or $RNA$) contained inside a protective protein shell called a capsid (e.g., Rotavirus, Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis).

Fungi and Yeast

Spore-producing eukaryotic organisms with nuclei that lack chlorophyll and obtain nutrients from organic matter, taking hypha or yeast forms (e.g., Ringworm, Candidiasis).

Protozoa

A diverse group of single-celled eukaryotic organisms ('first animals') exhibiting motility and feeding behaviors, grouped into amoebas, flagellates, ciliates, and apicomplexans.

Parasite

An organism that lives on (external, e.g., ticks) or in (internal, e.g., hookworms) a host organism to derive nutrients, causing harm or disease.

Prion

An infectious particle composed entirely of misfolded prion proteins ($PrP$) originally encoded by the cellular $PRNP$ gene.

Direct Transmission

Disease transfer occurring directly from an infected person or animal to another host through physical contact or fluid exchange.

Indirect Transmission

Disease spread occurring when a pathogen is passed from an infected individual to another without direct physical contact between them.

Vector Transmission

Transmission requiring another organism (such as an arthropod) to carry and pass a pathogen from person to person or animal to person.

Droplet Transmission

Spread occurring when coughing or sneezing releases respiratory droplets containing infectious agents onto nearby individuals.

Fecal-Oral Transmission

Pathogen transfer occurring when microscopic amounts of feces are transmitted from an infected host to another individual by mouth, often via contaminated hands or food.

Airborne Transmission

Spread occurring when infectious agents enter the air via sneezing, coughing, or breathing and remain suspended over extended periods before being inhaled.

Fomite

An inanimate object (such as doorknobs, handrails, or water fountains) that serves as a vehicle to transmit infectious pathogens to a new host.

Biological Vector

An organism, such as a mosquito or tick, in which a pathogen multiplies or develops before being transmitted to another host (e.g., mosquitoes spreading Zika or malaria).

Molting

A management-induced process using nutrient and light changes to halt egg production, cause hens to shed and regrow feathers, and reset their egg-laying system.

Conventional Cage System

Poultry housing where hens are kept in stacked wire cages ($6\text{--}7$ hens/cage, $67\text{--}86\text{ sq in/hen}$) in climate-controlled barns with sloped floors, automated feeding, manure belts, and egg collection belts.

Cage-Free System

Housing allowing hens to roam vertically and horizontally indoors in barns or multi-tier aviaries ($144\text{ sq in/hen}$) equipped with perches, scratch areas, and litter.

Enriched Colony Housing

Climate-controlled enclosure housing for smaller groups of hens ($60$ hens/cage, $116\text{ sq in/hen}$) equipped with perches, scratch pads, and privacy curtains for nesting.

Free-Range or Pasture-Raised Housing

Housing systems where hens have access to outdoors, allowing them to forage for wild plants and insects in addition to eating feed rations.

United Egg Producers (UEP)

A cooperative of U.S. egg farmers formed in $1968$ representing over $90\text{100}\text{\%}$ of U.S. egg production that sets industry standards for hen welfare, egg safety, and sustainability.

Pullet Farm

A poultry production facility where young female chickens (pullets) are raised from hatchlings up to approximately $16\text{--}18$ weeks of age before moving to laying hen farms.