Pathology Basics

Question 1

What is the definition of “Pathology?”

Answer 1

the study of diseases; branch of medical science studying cause of disease, diagnoses, & effects on the body.

Question 2

What is the definition of “disease?”

Answer 2

any harmful deviation from the normal structural/functional state of an organism, generally associated with certain signs/symptoms and differing in nature from physical injury.

Question 3

What are the 2 main types of veterinary pathologist that exist?

Answer 3

• Anatomic (look at tissues/organs)
• Clinical (look at blood, urine, joint fluids)

Question 4

What does a microbiologist study?

Answer 4

infectious organisms (bacteria, virus, fungi)

Question 5

What does a parasitologist study?

Answer 5

parasites

Question 6

What does an immunologist study?

Answer 6

antibodies + antigens (proteins on surface of body)

Question 7

What does a toxicologist study?

Answer 7

toxins + poisons

Question 8

What does a hematologist study?

Answer 8

blood

Question 9

What are the 4 main things a veterinary nurse is responsible in the lab?

Answer 9

• types of analytic instruments available
• proper sample collection, handling, and +/- interpretation
• testing procedures (in-house vs. lab)
• knowing what “normal” is

Question 10

What is the definition of “Etiology?”

Answer 10

the study of the cause of disease

Question 11

What is pathogenesis?

Answer 11

the formation/beginning of a disease

Question 12

What is a pathogen?

Answer 12

an infectious agent capable of causing disease

Question 13

What are etiological agents?

Answer 13

factors capable of causing disease or tissue damage

Question 14

Knowledge of etiology remains the basis of the _____, ______, and ______ of a disease.

Answer 14

diagnosis, nature, and treatment

Question 15

What things are considered internal vs. external etiological factors?

Answer 15

• internal = genetic factors + immune response + aging
• external = physical trauma + chemical toxins + infectious agents + the environment

Question 16

In reference to the cause of disease, what is the difference between pathogens vs. non-pathogens?

Answer 16

• pathogens = infectious organisms that can cause disease
• non-pathogens = disease caused by trauma

Question 17

What are the 3 ways you can classify a disease? And how would you describe each?

Answer 17

• acquired (develop as a result of 1+ etiological agents)
• congenital (born with it)
• idiopathic (don’t know)

Question 18

What factors can influence the course of a disease?

Answer 18

age, immune system, drugs, genetics, environment, secondary diseases

Question 19

What is the difference between simple diseases vs. multifactorial disease?

Answer 19

• simple disease = uncomplicated (etiological factor + tissue)
• multifactorial = more complicated, course affected or modified by many other factors

Question 20

What is the general definition of a lesion?

Answer 20

any pathological change in a tissue or organ

Question 21

What are some abnormalities you can see at the cellular level?

Answer 21

change in tissue structure & function

Question 22

What is important to know about gross lesions?

Answer 22

if we can see the changes, we are way past cellular damage

Question 23

What are the differences between reversible cell injury vs. irreversible cell injury?

Answer 23

• reversible = cell can recover & regain structure/function if harmful stimulus removed
• irreversible = cell can NOT recover if harmful stimulus stops/is removed, leading to “cell death”

Question 24

What are the 3 cellular responses to harmful stimuli?

Answer 24

degeneration, necrosis, changes

Question 25

What is the definition of "degeneration" in reference to pathology?

Answer 25

a pathological condition that causes cells to change in structure & function

Question 26

What is important to know about necrosis?

Answer 26

it is cell death & irreversible

Question 27

What changes does a cell go through in response to harmful stimuli?

Answer 27

cell growth in size and numbers, can be reversible and irreversible

Question 28

What are the 5 main types of cellular degeneration, and how do each occur?

Answer 28

- accumulation of cellular components (old, non-functional organelles remain in cytoplasm) - hydroponic change (membrane breaks > swell with fluid) - fatty change (lipids accumulate, decreased fat metabolism) - pigment change (endogenous or exogenous) - proteins (accumulation of viral proteins)

Question 29

What is "necrosis?"

Answer 29

death of cells/tissues in a LIVING animal

Question 30

What are the possible causes of necrosis in an animal?

Answer 30

decreased blood supply, pressure, burns, trauma, poisons/toxins, infectious agents

Question 31

What are the 4 main types of necrosis? How would you briefly describe each?

Answer 31

- coagulative (retain outline, become pale) - liquefactive (become liquified) - caseation (cheesy texture) - fat (degrades fat cells, becomes hard/nodular)

Question 32

What causes gangrene necrosis? And what are the 4 types of gangrene?

Answer 32

- occurs due to loss of blood supply to an area, usually the extremities - types: dry, gas, moist, wet

Question 33

What are the body's 2 main responses to infection or injury?

Answer 33

fever + inflammation

Question 34

In regard to tissue repair, what are differences between regeneration vs. organization?

Answer 34

- regeneration = cells replaced by same type - organization = cells replaced by scar tissue

Question 35

What are the differences between first intention vs. second intention tissue healing?

Answer 35

- first intention = edges of wound closed together with suture/bandages/skin tape + little to no scarring - second intention = greater damage, longer process, granulation tissue arises, scar tissue present