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an artificially generated collection of particles suspended in air
aerosol
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microbial aerosol
suspension of particles in the air that consists partially or wholly of microorganisms; it may be capable of causing an infection
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diminished reactivity to specific antigens; inability to react to skin-test antigen (even if person is infected with the organism tested) because of immunosuppression.
anergy
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antibody
a soluble protein molecule produced and secreted by body cells in response to an antigen; it is capable of binding to that specific antigen
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a substance that is capable, under appropriate conditions, of inducing a specific immune response and of reacting with the products of that response, that is, with the specific antibody
antigen
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carrier
a person who harbors a specific infectious agent in the absence of discernible clinical disease and serves as a potential source of infection. The carrier state may be temporary, transient or chronic
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an individual who harbors pathogenic organisms without clinically recognizable symptoms; a carrier may infect those he/she contacts
asymptomatic carrier
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CDCP
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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the time during which an infectious agent may be transferred directly or indirectly from an infected person to another person; the communicable period my include or overlap the incubation period.
communicable period of disease
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droplet
diminutive drop, such as the particles of moisture expelled while coughing, sneezing or speaking that may carry infectious agents
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ELISA or EIA
an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; a loaboratory test to detect antibody in blood serum
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a laboratory test for antibody that is more specific than EIA and is used to validate seropositive reactions to the EIA
Western Blot (WB)
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Endemic
the constant presence of disease or infectious agent within a geographic area
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widespread occurrence of cases of an illness in a community or region; greater than the expected number of cases fro the particular population
epidemic
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fomite or fomes
an inanimate object or material on which disease-producing agents (microorganisms) may be conveyed
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HCP and DHCP
healthcare personnel and dental healthcare personnel
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an infection associated with or acquired during a medical or surgical intervention
healthcare-associated infection
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nosocomial
limited to an adverse infectious outcome occurring in a hospital
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the resistance that a person has against disease; it may be natural or acquired
immunity
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passive immunity
short-duration immunity either naturally attained by transplacental transfer from the mother or artificially acquired by inoculation of specific protective antibodies
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immunity either naturally attained by infection, with or without clinical manifestations, or artificially acquired by inoculation of the agent in a killed, modified or variant form; in response, the body produces its own antibodies; usually lasts for years.
active immunity
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incubation period
the time interval between the initial contact with an infectious agent and the appearance of the first clinical sign or symptom of the disease
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a state caused by the invasion, development or multiplication of an infectious agent into the body
infection
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primary infection
first time; no preexisting antibodies
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persistent infection following a primary infection in which the causative agent remains inactive within certain cells
latent infection
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recurrent infection
symptomatic reactivation of a latent infection
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organism capable of producing an infection
infectious agent
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jaundice
yellowness of skin, sclerae, mucous membranes, and excretions due to hyperbilirubinemia and deposition of bile pigments. also called icterus
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the microscopic living organisms of a region
microbiota
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pandemic
widespread epidemic usually affecting the population of an extensive region, several countries, or sometimes the entire globe
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injection by a route other than the alimentary tract, such as subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intravenous
parenteral
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parotitis
inflammation of the parotid gland
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a virus, microorganism or other substance that cause disease
pathogen
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opportunistic pathogen
capable of causing disease only when the host's resistance is lowered
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by way of or through the skin
percutaneous
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permucusal
by way of or through a mucous membrane
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protein particle lacking nucleic acid that has been implicated as the cause of certain neurodegenerative diseases, an example is Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
prion
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prodrome
early or premonitory symptom
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process by which viruses reproduce and multiply
replication
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retrovirus
virus with RNA as its core genetic material; requires the enzyme reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA into proviral DNA
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the identification of disease by serum markers of that specific condition
serologic diagnosis
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seroconversion
after exposure to the etiologic agent of a disease, the blood changes from negative to positive for the serum marker for that disease; the time interval for conversion is specific to each disease
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a specific fining (such as an antibody or antigen) by laboratory blood analysis that identifies an existing disease state
serum marker
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shedding
presence of virus in body secretions, in excretions, or in body surface lesions with potential for transmission
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an approach to infection control to protect DHCP and patients from pathogens that can be spread by blood or any other body fluid, secretion or excretion (except sweat) regardless of whether they contain blood.
standard precautions
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STD
Sexually transmitted diesase
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continuing scrutiny of all aspects of occurrence and spread of disease that are pertinent to effective control
surveillance of disease
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transmission (horizontal)
passage of infectious agent from one individual to another
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passage of an infectious agent from one generation to another by breast milk or across the placenta
vertical transmission
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universal precautions
an approach to infection control in which all human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV HBV and other blood-borne pathogens
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a carrier that transfers an infectious microorganism from on host to another
vector
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biologic vector
an arthropod, insect or other living carrier in whose body the infecting organism multiplies before becoming infective to the recipient
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a substance or object that serves as an intermediate means by which an infectious agent is transported and introduced into a susceptible host through a suitable portal of entry
vehicle
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virion
complete virus particle made up of the nucleoid and capsid
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the degree of pathogenicity or disease-evoking power of infectious agent
virulence
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virus
a subcellular genetic entity capable of gaining entrance into a limited range of living cells; a virus contains either DNA or RNA but not both
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the time between exposure resulting in infection and the presence of detectable serum antibody; antibody test is negative but infectious agent is transmissible during this time
window period
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AIDS
acquired immunodeficiency syndrom
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AZT (ZDV)
zidovudine, retrovir; drug used for the treatment of HIV infection and AIDS; first antiviral drug approved by the FDA
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CD4+
T helper lymphocyte; primary target cell for HIV infection; CD4+ count decrease with the severity of HIV related illness
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DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid; a nucleic acid found in a cell nucleus; a carrier of genetic information
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HAART
highly active antiretroviral therapy containing several antiretroviral medications the combination has been more effective than monotherapy in the treatment of HIV
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HIV
human immunodeficiency virus causes AIDS
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HIV-1 antiboyd
antibody to human immunodeficiency virus type 1; antibody can be detected in blood 6 to 8 weeks after infection
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KS
kaposi's sarcom; a malignant vascular tumor; an opportunistic neoplasm that may occur in people with HIV infection
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LAV
lymphadenopathy-associated virus; one of the former names of HIV
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MMWR
morbidity and mortality weekly report by CDCP
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PCP
pneumocystis pneumonia, caused by pneumocystis carinii an opportunistic infection that occurs in people with HIV infection
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PGL
persistent generalized lymphadenopathy
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RNA
ribonucleic acid a nucleic acid found in cytoplasn and in the nuclei of certain cells; RNA directs the synthesis of proteins and replaces DNA as a carrier of genetic codes in some viruses
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