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June 19, 2013


Immunizations and Antibiotics for Overseas Travel Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Immunizations and Antibiotics for Overseas Travel article.

Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

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Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

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Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness th...

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Anemia: The condition of having a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells or quantity ...

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Antihistamines: Drugs that combat the histamine released during an allergic reaction by bl...

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Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

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Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

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Bacterial: Of or pertaining to bacteria, as in a bacterial lung infection.

Bicarbonate: In medicine, bicarbonate usually refers to bicarbonate of soda (sodium bicarb...

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Breastfeeding: Feeding a child human breast milk. According to the American Academy of Ped...

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Capsule: Capsule has many meanings in medicine including the following:

  1. In medici...

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CDC: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US agency charged with tracking a...

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Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of any living thing. Each cell is a small c...

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The US agency charged with tracking and invest...

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Chemoprophylaxis: The use of a chemical agent to prevent the development of a disease. See...

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Chickenpox: A highly infectious viral disease also known medically as varicella -- in many...

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Chloride: The major anion (negatively charged substance) in the blood and extracellular fl...

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Colostomy: An artificial exit from the colon created to divert waste through a hole in the...

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COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Any disorder that persistently obstructs bron...

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Decompression: 1. In general, the removal of pressure.
2. In surgery, ...

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Deep vein thrombosis: A blood clot within a deep vein, typically in the thigh or leg. The ...

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Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

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Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

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Diphtheria: An acute infectious upper respiratory tract disease that affects the throat. I...

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Doxycycline: Brand name: Vibramycin. A synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic derived from te...

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Encephalitis: Inflammation of the brain, which may be caused by a bacterium, a virus, or a...

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Endemic: Present in a community at all times but in relatively low frequency. Something t...

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Exacerbate: To make worse. For example, smoking may exacerbate lung disease.

Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

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Glucose: The simple sugar that is the chief source of energy. Glucose is found in the bloo...

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Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

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Heart attack: The death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. The loss of bloo...

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Heart failure: Inability of the heart to keep up with the demands on it and, specifically...

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Hemoglobin: The oxygen-carrying pigment and predominant protein in the red blood cells. He...

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Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, irrespective of the cause. Hepatitis is caused by a ...

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Hepatitis A: Inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV is usua...

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Hepatitis B: Inflammation of the liver due to the hepatitis B virus (HBV), once thought t...

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Human papillomavirus: HPV. A family of over 100 viruses including those which cause warts ...

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Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

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Ileostomy: An opening into the ileum, part of the small intestine, from the outside of the...

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Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

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Immunity: The condition of being immune. Immunity can be innate'for example, humans are in...

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Immunization: Vaccination. Immunizations work by stimulating the immune system, the natur...

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Immunoglobulin: A protein produced by plasma cells and lymphocytes and characteristic of t...

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Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease or trait, appears in a pa...

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Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

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Influenza: The flu is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract which are divide...

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Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

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Lactobacillus: A bacterium normally found in the mouth, intestinal tract, and vagina. Lact...

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Liter: A metric measure of capacity that is equal to the volume of 1 kilogram of water at ...

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Malaria: An infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites from the Plasmodium family th...

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Measles: An acute and highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever, runny nose,...

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Medical school: A school with a curriculum leading to a medical degree. The mission of eve...

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Meningococcus: A type of bacteria now formally known as Neisseria meningitidis, which is r...

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Mumps: An acute (sudden, shortlived) viral illness that usually presents with inflammation...

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Ophthalmologist: A physician who practices ophthalmology.

Oral rehydration therapy: The administration of special fluids by mouth treat dehydration...

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Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

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Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

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Passive immunity: Immunity produced by the transfer to one person of antibodies that were ...

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Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

Pertussis: Whooping cough, a communicable, potentially deadly illness characterized by fi...

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Pharmacist: A professional who fills prescriptions and, in the case of a compounding pharm...

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Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

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Phosphate: A form of phosphoric acid. Calcium phosphate makes bones and teeth hard.

Pneumothorax: Free air in the chest outside the lung. Pneumothorax can occur spontaneously...

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Polio: Abbreviation for poliomyelitis, an acute and sometimes devastating disease caused ...

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Potassium: The major positive ion (cation) found inside cells. The chemical notation for p...

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Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

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Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

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Probiotics: live microorganisms (usually bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microor...

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Prophylactic: A preventive measure. The word comes from the Greek for "an advance guard," ...

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Prophylaxis: The prevention of disease.

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Psoriasis: A reddish, scaly rash often located over the surfaces of the elbows, knees, sca...

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Rabies: A potentially fatal viral infection that attacks the central nervous system. Rabie...

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Rehydration: The process of restoring lost water (dehydration) to the body tissues and flu...

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Renal: Having to do with the kidney. For example, renal cancer is cancer of the kidneys.

Resistance: Opposition to something, or the ability to withstand something. For example, s...

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Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Sensitivity: 1. In psychology, the quality of being sensitive. As, for example, sen...

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Sickle cell disease: A genetic blood disorder caused by the presence of an abnormal form ...

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Sodium: The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body. The ch...

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Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

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Substance: 1. Material with particular features.
2. The material that...

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Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

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Tetanus: An often fatal infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tet...

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Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Thermometer: A device used to measure the temperature of gaseous, liquid or solid matter ...

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Thrombosis: The formation or presence of a blood clot in a blood vessel. The vessel may be...

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Tongue: A strong muscle that is anchored to the floor of the mouth. The tongue is covered ...

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Topical: Pertaining to a particular surface area. For example, a topical agent is applied ...

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Toxin: A poison produced by certain animals, plants, or bacteria.

Travel medicine: A branch of medicine that specializes in diseases and conditions that are...

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Traveler's diarrhea: Diarrhea that results from infections acquired while traveling to ano...

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Tuberculosis: A highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium called Mycobacterium ...

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Typhoid: See: Typhoid fever.

Vaccination: Injection of a killed microbe in order to stimulate the immune system against...

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Vaccines: Microbial preparations of killed or modified microorganisms that can stimulate a...

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Vein: A blood vessel that carries blood that is low in oxygen content from the body back t...

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Viral: Of or pertaining to a virus. For example, if a person has a viral rash, the rash wa...

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Virus: A microorganism that is smaller than a bacterium that cannot grow or reproduce apar...

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Vital: Necessary to maintain life. For example, breathing is a vital function.

World Health Organization: The subagency of the United Nations (UN) that is concerned with...

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Yellow fever: An acute systemic (bodywide) illness caused by a virus called a Flavivirus. ...

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Yellow fever vaccination: A live attenuated (weakened) viral vaccine for yellow fever. Yel...

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