Scarlet Fever Glossary of Terms

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

Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

Abscess: A local accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. The following are some example...

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

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

Adenitis: Inflammation of a lymph gland. From the aden-, gland + -itis, inflammation.

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

Antigen: A substance that the immune system perceives as being foreign or dangerous. The b...

Asymptomatic: Without symptoms. For example, an asymptomatic infection is an infection wit...

Axilla: Armpit.

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

Bacterium: The singular of bacteria.

Blood count: The calculated number of white or red blood cells (WBCs or RBCs) in a cubic m...

Capillaries: Capillaries are the smallest of blood vessels. They serve to distribute oxyge...

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

Cervical: Having to do with any kind of neck, including the neck on which the head is perc...

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

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

Complete blood count: A set values of the cellular (formed elements) of blood. These meas...

Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

Desquamation: The shedding of the outer layers of the skin. For example, when the rash of ...

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

Elbow: The juncture of the long bones in the middle portion of the upper extremity. The bo...

Erythromycin: Erythromycin is a common antibiotic for treating bacterial infection. Sold...

Exudate: A fluid rich in protein and cellular elements that oozes out of blood vessels due...

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

Groin: The area where the thigh meets the hip.

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

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

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

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

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

Impetigo: A skin infection caused by the staphylococcus or, less often, by the streptococc...

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

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...

Inguinal: Having to do with the groin.

Knee: The knee is a joint which has three parts. The thigh bone (the femur) meets the lar...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

Lymph: The almost colorless fluid that travels through the lymphatic system, carrying cell...

Lymphadenopathy: Abnormally enlarged lymph nodes. Commonly called swollen glands.

Malaise: A vague feeling of discomfort, one that cannot be pinned down but is often sensed...

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may ...

Meningitis: Inflammation of the meninges, the three membranes that envelop the brain and t...

Mortality: A fatal outcome or, in one word, death. The word "mortality" is derived from "m...

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

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

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

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

Otitis: Inflammation of the ear. Depending upon which part of the ear is inflammed, there ...

Otitis media: Inflammation of the middle ear characterized by the accumulation of infected...

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

Penicillin: The most famous of all antibiotics, named for the fungal mold Penicillium n...

Peritonsillar abscess: A collection of pus behind the tonsils that pushes one of the tonsi...

Pharyngeal: Having to do with the pharynx (throat).

Pharyngitis: Inflammation of the pharynx. Pharyngitis is a common cause of sore throat.

Pneumonia: Inflammation of one or both lungs, with dense areas of lung inflammation. Pneum...

Popliteal: Referring to the back of the knee. For example, the popliteal fossa is the holl...

Popliteal fossa: The hollow behind the knee.

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

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Rapid strep test: A diagnostic test commonly used to demonstrate whether streptococcus bac...

Rash: Breaking out (eruption) of the skin. A rash can be caused by an underlying medical c...

Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Rheumatic fever: An illness that occurs following a streptococcus infection (such as a "st...

Scarlatina: Also called scarlet fever, a disease caused by infection with group A streptoc...

Scarlet fever: A skin condition that is due to a streptococcal sore throat or any other st...

Septicemia: Systemic (bodywide) illness with toxicity due to invasion of the bloodstream b...

Sequelae: See: Sequela.

Sinusitis: Inflammation of the lining membrane in any of the hollow areas (sinuses) of the...

Sore: 1. (adjective) A popular term for painful, such as a sore throat. 2. (...

Sore throat: Pain in the throat. Sore throat may be caused by many different causes, inclu...

Strep: Very commonly used shortened form of Streptococcus, a very common and import...

Strep throat: Strep throat is an infection caused by a type of bacteria called streptococc...

Streptococcus: A group of bacteria that causes a multitude of diseases. Under a microscope...

Streptococcus pyogenes: A common bacteria of the skin that causes strep throat (streptococ...

Throat: The throat is the anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of th...

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

Tonsils: Small masses of lymphoid tissue at the back and on both sides of the throat.

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

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

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...