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biology
chapters 12-14 glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| binary fission | the division of a cell into two cells without mitosis - a prokaryotic cell undergoes the process to form two identical daughter cells. a form of asexual reproduction |
| capsid | the protective protein coat of a virus |
| chitin | the polysaccharide that is the main component of fungal cell walls and the exoskeletons of insects and arthropods |
| contagious | able to be transferred by direct contact |
| endocytosis | a process by which material can pass into a cell; the cell membrane folds inwards to form a small sac around the incoming material |
| endospore | a tough, dormant structure formed by many species of bacteria to help them resist unfavourable conditions and disperse to new hosts |
| gall | a brown, roughened lump of undifferentiated tissue on the crown of a plant (where the roots meet the stem/branch meets the trunk). |
| germinate | grow and develop from a spore into hyphae, or a new mycelium for fungi, or from seed to first root and shoot in a plant. |
| host | an organism that is infected by a pathogen |
| hyphae | a network or branch of tiny filaments; a hypha is one of the filament threads |
| incubation period | the time between infection and the onset of symptoms |
| infection | the invasion of host by a pathogen, where it establishes itself and replicates |
| infectious | caused by an invading pathogen and able to be transmitted from one organism to another |
| infectious agent | a disease-causing agent that can be transmitted from one organism to another |
| lysis | the process of a cell bursting |
| lytic phase | part of the life cycle of a virus in which viral components are replicated and packaged to form new viruses that lyse the host cell |
| macrophage | a white blood cell that can perform phagocytosis on microbes such as pathogens by engulfing them and destroying them with the use of enzymes. |
| mycelium | an interwoven mass of hyphae; forms the body of a fungus |
| nucleic acid | the molecule that forms the genetic code in an organism. can be DNA or RNA. |
| obligate parasite | an organism that can only survive in another organism. |
| outbreak | a sudden, unexpected increase in the prevalence of a particular disease above the baseline level for that population: could be a single case of a contagious disease in a small community. |
| parasite | an organism that lives on or in its host for all or part of its life, causing harm to and gaining nutrition from the host. |
| pathogen | a disease-causing agent |
| pathogenicity | the capacity of a pathogen to cause disease in a host |
| peptidoglycan | protein-carbohydrate compound that forms in the cell wall of bacteria |
| phagocytosis | the process of engulfing and destroying a microbe |
| plasmid | a small, circular piece of DNA, found in bacteria, that is able to replicate independently of the cell's chromosomes; engineered plasmids can carry antibiotic-resistance markers |
| receptor | in cell biology, a site on a cell membrane that receives a signal, or the site on a host cell where a virus may attach prior to endocytosis |
| reservoir | an organism or habitat in which a pathogen can reside, and sometimes replicate, prior to entering a susceptible host; somewhere in which the pathogen does not go extinct |
| resistance | the ability to withstand any adverse effects; describes the extent to which an organism is or is not affected by an agent such as a pathogen or chemical toxin |
| spore | a reproductive cell that forms without fertilisation. can produce a mycelium after germination |
| sporozoite | the tiny, infectious cell form of a parasite; often the infective agent that enters the host: a relatively immature form of a pathogen |
| susceptibility | the likelihood of developing a disease; if an organism is high, its ability to resist the disease is low. |
| symptom | subjective experience felt by a patient, such as nausea and pain |
| toxin | waste product of bacteria and other microbes that is poisonous to a host |
| transmission | transport of a pathogen from an infected host or a reservoir to a susceptible host |
| vector | in reference to diseases, a vector is an agent that transmits pathogens from one host to another. in genetics, it refers to a vehicle used to transfer DNA sequences from one organism to another |
| virulence | a measure of the ability of a pathogen to cause severe disease within its host |
| virus | non-cellular pathogenic agent, containing either DNA or RNA, that can only reproduce inside a living host cell |
| zoonic disease | a disease that animals pass to humans; infection that is naturally transmitted between other vertebrate animals and humans |
| zoospore | a spore with a flagellum; it is one of several forms of a fugal or protistan organism |
| airborne droplet | a tiny particle of liquid suspended in the air as part of an aerosol that is sneezed or coughed into air; a droplets can be suspended in the air current for a period of time before inhaled or landing on a surface |
| antibiotic | an antimicrobial chemical that inhibits or destroys bacteria |
| close contact | close proximity (within 1.5 metres) between infected and susceptible hosts: allows the immediate transmission of some pathogens by airborne droplets |
| defence mechanism | a mechanism that can prevent entry into or persistence of a pathogen within a host; can be a physical barrier, i.e. skin, or a non-specific cellular process such as phagocytosis |
| definitive host | |
| direct contact | the transmitting of a pathogen through physical touch between infected host and susceptible host via skin or body fluids |
| direct transmission | the transfer of a pathogen from an infected host, or other reservoir, to a susceptible host via direct contact or via droplets |
| distribution | location, arrangement or frequency of occurrence of an infectious disease; describes the patterns of occurrence in geographical areas. can be uniform or random |
| endemic | a disease that is always present in a population or region |
| epidemic | an increase in the occurrence of a specific disease above the baseline level for a particular population; tends to refer to larger, more serious events than an outbreak |
| evolution | process of cumulative, gradual, inheritable change in a population of organisms that occurs over many generations and a relatively long time. |
| fomite | a surface or non-living object carrying an infectious agent |
| gametocyte | an underdeveloped male or female sex cell |
| globalisation | the process by which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of massively increased trade, economic, travel and cultural exchange |
| indirect transmission | the transfer of a pathogen from a reservoir to a host through vehicles, living vectors, or suspended air particles; may require one or more steps |
| intermediate host | the host in which a pathogen replicates asexually |
| mucous membrane | a mucus-secreting membrane that lines the respiratory, digestive, excretory and reproductive tracts |
| pandemic | a disease that has spread rapidly throughout the world; an epidemic that has crossed international borders |
| phagocyte | a cell that is capable of phagocytosis; can be a macrophage or a neutrophil |
| population density | the number of organisms of the same species living in a particular area at a specified time |
| portal or entry | the site where a pathogen can enter a susceptible host; includes mucous membranes lining tracts, breaks in the skin, or the bark of a plant |
| susceptible host | an organism that or vulnerable to developing infection when invaded by germs; young children, older people, people who are receiving immune-weakening medicines, etc. can be particularly susceptible |
| antibody | a special protein that is produced by white blood cells that reacts with and helps make pathogens harmless; known as immunoglobulins and are produced by specialist white blood cells called B cells |
| antimicrobial agent | medication used to treat infectious diseases |
| antiviral | an antimicrobial chemical that inhibits the ability for viruses to replicate |
| biosecurity | a set of strategies that support the prevention of, response to and recovery from diseases that affect our economy, environment and health |
| carrier | an organism that has the infection and is capable of passing it onto other, but may not show symptoms |
| contact tracing | a process of identifying potential cases; recent contacts of an infected individual are contacted and screened for the infection |
| control measure | a strategy that reduces the incidence and duration of a disease; involves meticulous preparation and rapid response to outbreaks at community, state, national and global levels |
| herd immunity | the phenomenon that once a particular proportion of a population is immune to a disease, susceptible individuals are also better protected from the specific disease |
| immunisation | the act of protecting someone from disease by the use of a vaccine; the process of developing resistance to a specific disease. |
| index case | patient zero in a population of an epidemiological investigation |
| management strategy | a coordinated response to an infectious disease involving prevention, control and treatment; specific infectious diseases require specific management plans |
| mortailty | the impact of a disease within a population, measured by the number of deaths caused by that disease |
| prevention | preventing transmission of a disease, onset of a disease signs and symptoms, and impact on the environment or society. |
| quarentine | a period of isolation serving to prevent the spread of a contagious disease; suspected cases are isolated from local populations until at least the incubation period is finished, clinical signs and symptoms have passed and scientist confirms dead pathogen |
| treatment | health provisions such as medication and vaccination that treat or prevent disease |
| vaccine | A treatment containing a dead or weakened/inactive form of a pathogen that stimulates a specific immune response. stimulate the production of antibodies. |
Created by:
Millie Cullender
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