Smallpox Glossary of Terms

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Acquired: Not inherited, or present at birth (congenital), but developing after birth. For...

Aerosolization: The production of an aerosol -- a fine mist or spray containing minute par...

Allergy: A misguided reaction to foreign substances by the immune system, the body system ...

Anthrax: A serious bacterial infection caused by Bacillus anthracis that occurs primarily ...

Antiviral: An agent that kills a virus or that suppresses its ability to replicate and, he...

Arms: An appendage in anatomy and in clinical trials. See: Arm.

Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

Assay: An assay is an analysis done to determine:

1. The presence of a substance an...

Atopic: A predisposition toward developing certain allergic hypersensitivity reactions. At...

Atopic dermatitis: A skin disease characterized by areas of severe itching, redness, scali...

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

Biosafety: The application of knowledge, techniques and equipment to prevent personal, lab...

Biosafety level: A specific combination of work practices, safety equipment, and facilitie...

Biotechnology: The fusion of biology and technology, the application of biological techniq...

Bioterrorism: Terrorism using biologic agents that are harmful to humans. Biological disea...

Blindness: Loss of useful sight. Blindness can be temporary or permanent. Damage to any p...

Blister: A collection of fluid underneath the top layer of skin (epidermis). There are man...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Calf: The belly or fleshy hind part of the back of the leg below the knee. The calf is mad...

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

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

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

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

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

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...

Consultant: An individual to whom one refers for expert advice or services. The use of con...

Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contra...

Cowpox: A mild skin disease of milk cows, principally confined to the udder and teats, tha...

Depression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way...

Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin, either due to direct contact with an irritating sub...

Dermatologist: A physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin problems...

Dermatology: 1. The branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and...

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

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid. One of two types of molecules that encode genetic information...

Drain: A device for removing fluid from a cavity or wound. A drain is typically a tube or ...

Eczema: A particular type of inflammatory reaction of the skin in which there are typicall...

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

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

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

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

FDA: Food and Drug Administration.

Fetus: An unborn offspring, from the embryo stage (the end of the eighth week after concep...

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

Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic
information.

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

Hemorrhagic: Pertaining to bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood.

HIV: Acronym for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the cause of AIDS (acquired immunodefi...

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

Immune response: Any reaction by the immune system. For example, poison ivy can cause an i...

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

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

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

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

Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular ...

Infant: A young baby, from birth to 12 months of age.

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

Isolate: A group in which mating is always between members of the group. For example, the ...

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

Lumbar: Referring to the five lumbar vertebrae, the disks below them, and the correspondin...

Lumbar puncture: A procedure in which cerebrospinal fluid is removed from the spinal canal...

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

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

Macules: Small circumscribed changes in the color of skin that are neither raised (eleva...

Malignant: 1. Tending to be severe and become progressively worse, as in malignant ...

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

Molluscum contagiosum: A contagious disease of the skin marked by the occurrence of rounde...

Monkeypox: A rare zoonotic (animal-borne) viral disease similar to smallpox. The virus res...

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

MPH: Master of public health, a degree designating successful training in analyzing past, ...

Mucous: Pertaining to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the b...

Nucleus: 1) In cell biology, the structure that houses the chromosomes. 2) In neuroanato...

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...

Osteomyelitis: Inflammation of the bone due to infection, for example, by the bacteria sal...

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

Pimples: Small papules or pustules. See: Pimple.

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

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

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

Public health: The approach to medicine that is concerned with the health of the community...

Pustule: A pustule is a small collection of pus in the top layer of skin (epidermis) or be...

Quarantine: A period of isolation decreed to control the spread of infectious disease. Bef...

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

Recombination: The trading of fragments of genetic material between chromosomes before the...

Residual: Something left behind. With residual disease, the disease has not been eradicate...

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

Smallpox: A highly contagious and frequently fatal viral disease that is characterized by ...

Smallpox bioterrorism: The misuse of smallpox as an agent of bioterrorism.

Smallpox vaccine: A vaccine that contains a live virus called vaccinia that is used to pre...

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

Spinal tap: Also known as a lumbar puncture or "LP", a spinal tap is a procedure whereby ...

Stage: As regards cancer, the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spre...

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

Surgeon General: In the United States, the chief medical officer of the U.S. Public Health...

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

Toxicology: The study of the nature, effects, and detection of poisons (toxins) and the tr...

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

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

Vaccinia: 1. The cowpox virus which is used to vaccinate against smallpox. 2....

Vaccinia immune globulin: A blood product rich in antibodies against vaccinia, the virus i...

Variola: Smallpox, a highly contagious and frequently fatal viral disease characterized...

Vesicles: In dermatology, vesicles are small blisters, most often on the skin. Vesicles al...

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

Virology: The study of viruses.

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...

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