Adenopathy: lymph
node enlargement
Antimicrobic:
a drug used to slow the growth or
kill microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, helminths, protozoa,
rickettsiae, and spirochetes
Arthropod-borne: an infectious disease
carried by insect vectors
Atropine: "An anticholinergic, with
diverse effects (tachycardia, mydriasis, cycloplegia, constipation, urinary
retention) attributable to reversible competitive blockade of acetylcholine
at muscarinic type cholinergic receptors; used in the treatment of poisoning
with organophosphate insecticides or nerve gases." [USAMRIID, p. A-2]
CBC: complete
blood count
CD4: antigen
of T-helper lymphocytes
CDC: Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
CNS: central
nervous system
CSF: cerebrospinal
fluid
CT: computerized tomography
DFA:
direct fluorescent antibody
DIC: disseminated
intravascular coagulation
EEG: electroencephalogram
EIA: enzyme
immunoassay
EKG: electrocardiogram
Electrochemiluminescence (ECL): "A method
used to identivy microorganisms. It is a relatively new technique for this
purpose and is similar in operation to ELISA, FA and sandwich antibody
assays. A capture antibody bound to a magnetic bead captures the target
microorganism. Another antibody labeled with a ruthenium tris-bipyridyl
compound (Ru(bpy)32+) is introduced. A magnet is used
to pull the beads to an electrode which is used to excite the ruthenium
compound which then emits light. The light is detected revealing the
presences of the target organism. The method is easily automated and is
generally faster than either ELISA or FA." [USAMRIID, p. A-5]
Enzyme Linked
Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA): "A
method used in microbiology to detect microoganisms such as bacteria or
viruses. It works by chemically linking an enzyme to an antibody that
recognizes and adheres to the desired microorganism. Any unbound
antibody-enzyme complex is removed and chemical which is converted by the
enzyme into a fluorescent compound is applied and allowed to react. The
fluorescence is then detected to reveal the presence or absence of the
microorganism." [USAMRIID, p. A-6]
EM: electron
microscopy
Endemic: "A
term denoting the habitual presence of a disease or infectious agent within
a given geographic area or a population group; may also refer to the usual
prevalence of a given disease within such area." [CCDM, p. 614]
Epidemiology: "A science concerned with the
occurrence and distribution of disease in populations." [NTP]
Epizootic: "An outbreak (epidemic) of
disease in an animal population; often with the implication that it may also
affect human populations." [USAMRIID, p. A-7]
Eschar: a
hard scab
Fluorescent
Antibody (FA): "A
method used in microbiology to detect microorganisms usually bacteria. An
antibody with an attached fluorescent molecule is applied to a slide
containing the bacteria and washed to remove unbound antibody. Under UV
light the bacteria to which antibodies are bound will fluoresce revealing
their presence." [USAMRIID, p. A-8]
Fomite: any
object that after becoming contaminated can transmit an infectious disease
GI: gastrointestinal
HA: hemagglutination
HAI/HI: hemagglutination
inhibition
Hemolytic
Uremic Syndrome: "Hemolytic anemia and thromobocytopenia occurring
with acute renal failure." [USAMRIID, p. A-9]
HIV: human
immunodeficiency disease
HRCT: high-resolution computerized
tomography
ICD:
International Classification of Diseases
IEM: immune
electron microscopy
IF:
immunofluorescent testing
IFA: indirect
fluorescent antibody
IgG:
immunglobulin class G
IgM:
immunoglobulin class M
Inhalation fever: an acute, flu-like
illness that begins a few hours after a heavy inhalation exposure to the
causative dust or mist, e.g., zinc oxide fumes (metal fume fever) or organic
dusts (organic dust toxic syndrome)
LFTs: liver
function tests
MRI: magnetic
resonance imaging
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): "An
in vitro method for enzymatically synthesizing and amplifying defined
sequences of DNA in molecular biology." [USAMRIID, p. A-15]
ppm: parts
per million
Prepatent
period: from the time of
infection by the parasite to the time when the agent (e.g., eggs or
microfilariae) can first be detected in blood or stool [CCDM, p. 616)
RBC: red
blood cell
Reservoir (of
infectious agents): "Any person, animal, arthropod, plant, soil or
substance (or combination of these) in which an infectious agent normally
lives and multiplies, on which it depends primarily for survival, and where
it reproduces itself in such manner that it can be transmitted to a
susceptible host." [CCDM, p. 622]
RIA: radioimmunoassay
RT-PCR: retrotranscriptase
PCR
Sapronoses: microscopic
organisms that can infect human beings, but ordinarily live in soil or
water, their natural reservoir
WBC: white
blood cell
WHO: World
Health Organization
Zoonoses: "An
infection or infectious agent transmissible under natural conditions from
vertebrate animals to humans." [CCDM, p. 624]
For other terms, look up in the medical dictionary at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mplusdictionary.html.
