immunity Flashcards
(44 cards)
What is virulence?
Virulence is the degree or severity of pathogenicity of a microorganism, indicating how harmful or aggressive it is in causing disease.
What is spread through direct contact?
Spread through direct contact involves physical contact between an infected individual and a susceptible host, such as skin-to-skin contact, touching, kissing, or sexual intercourse.
What is spread through indirect contact?
Spread through indirect contact occurs when an infectious agent is spread from a reservoir to a host through an intermediary, rather than directly from person to person.
What is spread through droplet?
Spread through droplet occurs when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, releasing respiratory droplets that can travel short distances (less than 1 m).
What is spread through airborne?
Spread through airborne refers to the spread of pathogens through the air via tiny droplets or particles that can be inhaled (greater than 1 m).
What is spread through vehicle?
Spread through vehicle occurs when pathogens are spread through contaminated objects (fomites), food, water, or other vehicles.
What is spread through vector?
Spread through vector involves the transmission of pathogens by insects or other animals (vectors) that carry the pathogen and transmit it to a susceptible host.
What is a portal of entry?
The portal of entry is the route by which a pathogenic microorganism infects the host.
What is susceptibility?
Susceptibility is an increased vulnerability or tendency for an individual to develop a particular disease or condition.
What is an opportunistic infection?
Opportunistic infections are diseases that occur more frequently and severely in individuals with weakened immune systems.
What is a community acquired infection?
A community acquired infection is an infection contracted outside of a healthcare setting, meaning it’s not acquired within a hospital or other medical facility.
What is a nosocomial infection?
A nosocomial infection is an infection that occurs as a consequence of being in the hospital.
What does aerobic mean?
Aerobic refers to organisms that require oxygen to survive and thrive.
What does anaerobic mean?
Anaerobic refers to organisms that either cannot tolerate oxygen or thrive in its absence.
What are exotoxins?
Exotoxins are toxic peptides mostly secreted by Gram-positive bacteria; they are immunogenic and elicit the production of antibodies called antitoxins.
What are endotoxins?
Endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides (LPS) that are part of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria; they are released during growth, lysis, or destruction (death).
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is a serious medical condition caused by an overwhelming immune response to infection, which can lead to death.
What is a bacterial infection?
A bacterial infection occurs when harmful bacteria invade the body, multiply, and cause illness.
What is a viral infection?
A viral infection occurs when a virus invades a host cell and changes reproduction; these are self-limiting infections and cannot be treated with antibiotics.
What is the difference between viral infection and bacterial infection?
Bacterial infections are caused by bacteria, which are single-celled organisms that can reproduce on their own and can be treated with antibiotics. Viral infections are caused by viruses, which are non-living entities that need to infect a host cell to reproduce and cannot be treated with antibiotics.
What is a fungal infection?
A fungal infection involves large thick-walled organisms, often opportunistic, where decreased WBC promotes fungal infections. Candida albicans is the most common.
What is a parasitic infection?
A parasitic infection occurs when a parasite, an organism that lives on or inside a host, infects the host and causes harm. These infections are typically caused by protozoa (worms), vector transmission (mosquitoes), and vehicle transmission (soil, food).
What is innate immunity?
Innate immunity is the body’s initial, rapid, and general defense against pathogens and foreign substances, present at birth.
What is adaptive immunity?
Adaptive immunity is not present at birth; it is created in response to exposure to a foreign substance. Once activated against a specific type of antigen, the immunity remains throughout life.
