Infectious Diseases Definition of Key Terms
| Pathogen | A micro-organism that causes disease. Examples include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and helminths (parasitic worms). |
| Host | A person or population that contracts one or more pathogenic agents in an environment. |
| Vector | A biological or physical vehicle that carries the agent of infection to the host. |
| Reservoir | The natural habitat of a pathogen where it lives, grows, and multiplies. |
| Susceptible host | An individual who lacks the immunity to resist infection by a pathogen. |
| Chain of infection | A process that begins when a pathogen leaves its reservoir and enters a susceptible host through a specific mode of transmission. |
| Modes of transmission | The ways in which pathogens are spread from person to person, including direct contact, indirect contact, droplet contact, airborne transmission, etc. |
| Portal of entry | The site through which pathogens enter the host, such as the respiratory tract, skin, or mucous membranes. |
| Antibiotics | Drugs that inhibit or kill bacteria but have no effect on viruses. |
| Antiviral drugs | Medications that can reduce the severity and action of viral infections but do not completely eradicate the virus. |
| Virus | A type of infectious agent that requires a living host cell to multiply. |
| Bacteria | Single-celled microorganisms that can cause infections but can also be treated with antibiotics. |
| Process of Infection | The stages of an infection from invasion, through incubation, to recovery, involving the immune response and the release of chemicals. |
| Incubation period | The time between the invasion of the pathogen and the first symptom of the disease. |
| Immunity | The body’s defense mechanism that provides protection against infectious diseases. |
| STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) | Infections that are primarily spread through sexual contact. |
| Fungi | A type of pathogen that includes yeasts and molds, which can cause infections like athlete’s foot or yeast infections. |
| Protozoa | Single-celled organisms that can cause diseases such as malaria and amoebiasis. |
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