Term | Definition |
immune system | complex group of defenses that protects the body against pathogens--includes the skin and respiratory, digestive, and circulatory systems |
antigen | any complex molecule that is foreign to your body |
antibody | a protein made in response to a specific antigen that can attach to the antigen and cause it to be useless |
active immunity | long-lasting immunity that results when the body makes its own antibodies in response to a specific antigen |
passive immunity | immunity that results when antibodies that are produced in one animal are introduced into another's body; does not last as long as active immunity |
vaccination | process of giving a vaccine by mouth or by injection to provide active immunity against a disease |
pasteurization | process in which a liquid is heated to a temperature that kills most bacteria |
virus | a strand of hereditary material surrounded by a protein coating that can infect and multiply in a host cell |
infectious disease | disease caused by a virus,bacterium, fungus, or protist that is spread from an infected organism or the environment to another organism |
biological vector | disease carrying-organism that carries a disease, such as a rat, mosquito, or fly, that spreads a disease |
sexually transmitted disease (STD) | infectious disease, such as chlamydia, AIDS, or genital herpes, that is passed from one person to another during sexual contact |
noninfectious disease | disease, such as cancer, diabetes, or asthma, that is not spread from one person to another |
allergy | overly strong reaction of the immune system to a foreign substance |
allergen | substance that causes an allergic reaction |
chemotherapy | use of chemicals to destroy cancer cells |