Microbiology: Principles of Disease and Epidemiology Flashcards

Study of disease

Study of the cause of disease

Development of disease

Colonization of the body by pathogens

An abnormal state in which body is not functioning normally

Microorganisms that inhabit us but do not cause disease in or on an organism under normal conditions

Competition between microbes

• Occupying niches that pathogens might occupy
• Producing acids
• Producing bacteriocins

Live microbes applied to or ingested into the body

Intended to exert a beneficial effect

The relationship between normal microbiota and the host

• Commensalism
• Mutualism
• Parasitism

One organism benefits, one organism unaffected

Both organisms benefit

One organism benefits at expense of another

• Certain organisms cause certain diseases
• Same microorganism must be present in every case of the disease
• Must isolate the microorganism from the diseased host and grow in pure culture
• The microorganism must produce the same disease when inoculated into susceptible host
• The microorganism must be recovered from the inoculated host again in pure culture

Change in body function that is felt by a patient

Change in a body that can be measured or observed as a result of a disease

A specific group of signs and symptoms that accompany a disease

Spread from one host to another

Easily spread from one host to another

Is not transmitted from one host to another

Fraction of a population that contracts a disease during a specific time

Fraction of a population having a specific disease at a given time

Disease that occurs occasionally in a population

Disease that is constant in a population

Disease that is acquired by many hosts in a short amount of time

Worldwide epidemic

Symptoms develop rapidly

Disease develops slowly

Symptoms between acute and chronic

Disease with period of no symptoms when patient is inactive

Immunity in most of a population

Pathogens limited to a small area of the body

An infection throughout the body

System infection that began as a local infection

Bacteria in the blood

Growth of bacteria in the blood

Toxins in the blood

Viruses in the blood

Acute infection that causes initial illness

Opportunist infection after a primary infection

No noticeable sign or symptom

• Climate and weather
• Chemotherapy
• Inherited traits
• Fatigue
• Age
• Lifestyle

Microorganism is present but host is not showing any sign of disease

Short period of mild symptoms

Acute disease process

Signs and symptoms subside

Person regains strength and body returns to the pre-diseased state

Continual sources of infection

• Contact
• Vehicle
• Vector

• Direct: requires close association between infected and susceptible host
• Indirect: spread by formites
• Droplet: airborne

• Transmission via an inanimate object:
• Food
• Water
• Air

• Arthropods: fleas, ticks, mosquitos
• Mechanical: arthropod carries disease on feet
• Biological: pathogen reproduces in vector

• Acquired as result of hospital stay
• MO in environment
• Compromised status of host
• Chain of transmission in hospital

• Cleanliness
• Hand washing
• Disinfection

Study of when and where diseases occur and how they are transmitted

Incidence of a specific, notifiable disease

Deaths from notifiable disease