Lifetime Health: Chapter 13 Vocabulary

Bacteria

tiny, single-celled organisms, some of which can cause disease

Amebic dysentery

an inflammation of the intestine cause by an ameba

Hepatitis

an inflammation of the liver

Meningitis

an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord

Fungus

an organism that absorbs and uses nutrients of living or dead organisms

Pathogen

any agent that causes disease

Infectious disease

any disease that is caused by an agent that has invaded the body

Salmonellosis

a bacterial infection of the digestive system, usually spread by eating contaminated food

White blood cell

a blood cell whose primary job is to defend the body against disease

Symptom

a change that a person notices in his or her body or mind and that is caused by a disease of disorder

Antibiotic resistance

a condition in which bacteria can no longer be killed by a particular antibiotic

Lymphatic system

a network of vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph through the body

Inflammation

a reaction to injury or infection that's characterized by pain, redness, and swelling

Vaccine

a substance usually prepared from killed or weakened pathogens or from genetic material and that is introduced into a body to produce immunity

Virus

a tiny disease-causing particle that consists of genetic material and a protein coat