Infectious Diseases: Key Concepts and Terminology

This set of flashcards covers fundamental vocabulary and definitions related to infectious diseases, including terminology on pathogens, epidemiology, immunity, and various types of microorganisms.

Host

Human or animal colonized by a pathogen.

Pathogen

Microorganisms capable of causing infectious disease.

Colonization

Pathogen living in a host.

Infection

Invasion, colonization, and multiplication of pathogens.

Virulence

Ability of a pathogen to produce disease.

Reservoir

The source of a pathogen, which can be a person or an inanimate object (fomite).

Vector

A living being that can carry a pathogen from reservoir to host, such as mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas.

Epidemiology

The study of disease distributions.

Incidence

Number of new infection cases.

Prevalence

Number of active ongoing infections.

Endemic

When incidence and prevalence of a disease are stable.

Epidemic

An abrupt increase in incidence in a specific location.

Pandemic

Global spread of a disease.

Microbial Flora

Organisms living in or on the human body that perform advantageous functions.

Immunocompetence

Ability to protect oneself from infection.

Immunosuppression

A defective immune system.

Opportunistic Infection

Infection occurring when the immune system is weakened.

Nosocomial Infection

Infection originating within a clinical environment.

Gram Stain

A common clinical microbiology stain that classifies bacteria based on cell wall structure.

Bactericidal

Antibiotics that kill bacteria directly.

Bacteriostatic

Antibiotics that inhibit bacterial growth, allowing the immune system to take control.

Beta-lactam Antibiotics

A group of antibiotics that disrupt bacterial cell wall synthesis.

NRTIs

Nucleoside/nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors used in HIV treatment.

Prion

Proteinaceous infectious agents that can cause brain diseases in humans and animals.

Antifungal

Medications used to treat infections caused by fungi.