Norovirus Glossary of Terms

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

Antibody: An immunoglobulin, a specialized immune protein, produced because of the introdu...

Atropine: A drug, made from the belladonna plant, that is administered via injection, eye ...

Caliciviridae: See: Calicivirus; Norovirus.

Capsid: The protein coat of a virus. The term capsid came in 1960 from the French capside,...

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

Chills: feelings of coldness accompanied by shivering. Chills may develop after exposure t...

Clinical trials: Trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medications or medical...

Cluster: In epidemiology, an aggregation of cases of a disease or another health-related c...

Coma: A state of deep, unarousable unconsciousness. A coma may occur as a result of head t...

Crown: 1. In dentistry, the portion of the tooth that is covered by enamel. 2./...

Dehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that ca...

Dengue: Also known as Dengue fever, an acute mosquito-borne viral illness of sudden onset ...

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

Discharge: 1.The flow of fluid from part of the body, such as from the nose or vag...

Electrolyte: A substance that dissociates into ions in solution and acquires the capacity ...

Electron microscopy: Abbreviated EM. Microscopy in which an electron beam replaces light t...

ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a rapid immunochemical test that involves an enz...

Epidemic: The occurrence of more cases of a disease than would be expected in a community...

Esophageal: Related to the esophagus.

Feces: The excrement discharged from the 'intestines.

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

Flu: Short for influenza. The flu is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract w...

Gastroenteritis: Inflammation of the stomach and the intestines. Gastroenteritis can cause...

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

Gastrointestinal tract: The stomach and intestines. Abbreviated GI tract.

Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic
information.

Genome: All the genetic information possessed by any organism (for example, the human geno...

Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

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

Immunocompromised: Having an immune system that has been impaired by disease or medical tr...

Incubation period: In medicine, the time from the moment of exposure to an infectious agen...

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

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

Lethargy: Abnormal drowsiness, stupor.

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

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

Microscopy: The examination of minute objects by means of a microscope, an instrument whic...

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Norovirus: A group of viruses that are a common cause of food poisoning and acute gastroen...

Norwalk virus: A family of small round viruses that are an important cause of viral gastro...

Norwalk-like virus: See: Norovirus.

Nursing: 1) Profession concerned with the provision of services essential to the maintena...

Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

Oral rehydration salts: ORS. A solution of glucose-based salt solution used in oral rehyd...

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

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

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...

Rehydrate: To restore lost water to the body tissues and fluids. Prompt rehydration is imp...

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

Reverse transcriptase: An enzyme that permits DNA to be made, using RNA as the template. A...

RNA: Ribonucleic acid.

Rotavirus: A virus that is a leading cause of severe diarrhea and dehydration in young chi...

RT-PCR: a highly sensitive technique for the detection and quantitation of mRNA (messenger...

Rule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera...

Safe sex: Sexual practices that do not involve the exchange of bodily fluids, including bl...

Serum: The clear liquid that can be separated from clotted blood. Serum differs from plas...

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

Stomach flu: A gastrointestinal illness caused by a microorganism. Stomach flu is not rela...

Stool: The solid matter that is discharged in a bowel movement.

Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

Taste: A perception that results from stimulation of a gustatory nerve. Taste belongs to t...

Teaspoon: An old-fashioned but convenient household measure that is equal to about 5 cc of...

Tired: A feeling of a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment,...

Vibrio: A group of bacteria that includes Vibrio cholerae, the agent that causes cholera. ...

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

Viral infection: Infection caused by the presence of a virus in the body. Depending on...

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

Viruses: Small living particles that can infect cells and change how the cells function. I...

Vomit: Matter from the stomach that has come up into and may be ejected beyond the mouth, ...