chapter 6: disease

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Chapter 6: Disease

Major categories of diseases.

Types of infectious organisms & some diseases caused by them.

Common responses to disease.

Examples of neoplasia.

Word parts pertaining to diseases.

Major terms describing types of diseases.

Major manifestations of diseases.


Key TermsKey Terms

acute Sudden, severe; having a short course

benign Not recurrent or malignant; favorable for recovery; describing tumors that do not spread

carcinoma A malignant neoplasm composed of epithelial cells (from Greek root carcino, meaning “crab”) (adjective: carcinomatous)

chronic Of long duration; progressing slowly

cyst An abnormal filled sac or pouch. Used as a root meaning a normal bladder or sac, such as the urinary bladder or gallbladder (root: cyst/o)

edema Accumulation of fluid in the tissues; swelling. Adjective edematous

etiology The cause of a disease


Key Terms (cont’d)Key Terms (cont’d)

Gram stain A laboratory staining procedure that divides bacteria into two groups: gram-positive, which stain blue, and gram-negative, which stain red

hernia Protrusion of an organ through an abnormal opening; a rupture

inflammation A localized response to tissue injury characterized by heat, pain, redness, and swelling

lesion A distinct area of damaged tissue; an injury or wound

malignant Growing worse; harmful; tending to cause death; describing an invasive tumor that can spread (metastasize) to other tissues

metastasis Spread from one part of the body to another; characteristic of cancer. Verb is metastasize (me-TAS-ta-sīz); adjective: metastatic (met-a-STAT-ik)

necrosis Death of tissue (root necr/o means “death”); adjective: necrotic (ne-KROT-ik)



neoplasm An abnormal and uncontrolled growth of tissue, namely, a tumor; may be benign or malignant. From prefix neo- meaning “new” and root plasm meaning “formation.” The root onc/o and the suffix -oma refer to neoplasms.

parasite An organism that grows on or in another organism (the host), causing damage to it

pathogen An organism capable of causing disease (root path/o means “disease”)

phagocytosis The ingestion of organisms, such as invading bacteria or small particles of waste material by a cell (root phag/o means “to eat”). The phagocytic cell, or phagocyte, then destroys the ingested material.

prolapse A dropping or downward displacement of an organ or part; ptosis



pus A product of inflammation consisting of fluid and white blood cells (root: py/o)

sarcoma A malignant neoplasm arising from connective tissue (from Greek root sarco, meaning “flesh”) (adjective: sarcomatous)

sepsis The presence of harmful microorganisms or their toxins in the blood or other tissues (adjective: septic)

toxin A poison (adjective, toxic) (roots: tox/o, toxic/o)

trauma A physical or psychological wound or injury


Supplementary TermsSupplementary Terms

acid-fast stain A laboratory staining procedure used mainly to identify the tuberculosis (TB) organism

communicable Capable of passing from one person to another, such as an infectious disease

endemic Occurring at a low level but continuously in a given region, such as the common cold

epidemic Affecting many people in a given region at the same time; a disease that breaks out in a large proportion of a population at a given time

exacerbation Worsening of disease; increase in severity of a disease or its symptoms

iatrogenic Caused by the effects of treatment (from Greek root iatro-, meaning “physician”)

idiopathic Having no known cause (root idio means “self-originating”)


Supplementary Terms (cont’d)Supplementary Terms (cont’d)

In situ Localized, noninvasive (literally “in position”); said of tumors that do not spread, such as carcinoma in situ (CIS)

Normal flora The microorganisms that normally live on or in the body. These organisms are generally harmless, and often are beneficial, but they can cause disease under special circumstances, such as injury or failure of the immune system.

Nosocomial Describing an infection acquired in a hospital (root nos/o means “disease,” and comial refers to a hospital). Such infections can be a serious problem, especially if they are resistant to antibiotics; for example, there are now strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA), which cause troublesome infections in hospital settings.


Supplementary Terms (cont’d)Supplementary Terms (cont’d)

Opportunistic Describing an infection that occurs because of a host's poor or altered condition

Pandemic Describing a disease that is prevalent throughout an entire region or the world. AIDS is now pandemic in certain regions of the world.

Remission A lessening of disease symptoms; the period during which such lessening occurs

Septicemia Presence of pathogenic bacteria in the blood; blood poisoning

Systemic Pertaining to the whole body


Supplementary TermsManifestations of Disease


abscess A localized collection of pus

adhesion A uniting of two surfaces or parts that may normally be separated

anaplasia Lack of normal differentiation, as shown by cancer cells

ascites Accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity

cellulitis A spreading inflammation of tissue

effusion Escape of fluid into a cavity or other body part

exudate Material that escapes from blood vessels as a result of tissue injury

fissure A groove or split

fistula An abnormal passage between two organs or from an organ to the surface of the body




gangrene Death of tissue, usually caused by lack of blood supply; may be associated with bacterial infection and decomposition

hyperplasia Excessive growth of normal cells in normal arrangement

hypertrophy An increase in size of an organ without increase in the number of cells; may result from an increase in activity, as in muscles

induration Hardening; an abnormally hard spot or place

metaplasia Conversion of cells to a form that is not normal for that tissue (prefix meta- means “change”)

polyp A tumor attached by a thin stalk

purulent Forming or containing pus

suppuration Pus formation


AbbreviationsAbbreviations

AF Acid fast Gm- Gram-negative

CA Cancer MRSA Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

CIS Carcinoma in situ Staph Staphylococcus

FUO Fever of unknown origin Strep Streptococcus

Gm+ Gram-positive VRSA Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus


Roots for DiseaseRoots for Disease

Root Meaning Example Definition of Example

alg/o, algi/o, algesi/o

pain algesia condition of having pain

carcin/o cancer, carcinoma carcinoid resembling a carcinoma

cyst/o, cyst/i filled sac or pouch, cyst, bladder

cystic pertaining to or having cysts

lith calculus, stone lithiasis stone formation

onc/o tumor oncogenic causing a tumor


Roots for Disease (cont’d)Roots for Disease (cont’d)

Root Meaning Example Definition of Example

path/o disease pathogen organism that produces disease

py/o pus pyoderma pus-containing skin disease

pyr/o, pyret/o fever, fire pyrexia fever

scler/o hard sclerosis hardening of tissue

tox/o, toxic/o poison endotoxin toxin within bacterial cells


Prefixes for DiseasePrefixes for Disease

Prefix Meaning Example Definition of Example

brady- slow bradypnea slow breathing (-pnea) rate

dys- abnormal, painful, difficult

dysplasia abnormal development (plas) of tissue

mal- bad, poor malabsorption poor absorption of nutrients

pachy- thick pachycephaly abnormal thickness of the skull

tachy- rapid tachycardia rapid heart (cardiac) rate

xero- dry xeroderma dryness of the skin


Suffixes for DiseaseSuffixes for Disease

Suffix Meaning Example Definition of Example

-algia, -algesia

pain neuralgia pain in a nerve (neur/o)

-cele hernia, localized dilation

gastrocele hernia of the stomach (gastr/o)

-clasis, -clasia

breaking karyoclasis breaking of a nucleus (kary/o)

-itis inflammation cystitis inflammation of the urinary bladder (cyst/o)

-megaly enlargement hepatomegaly enlargement of the liver (hepat/o)


Suffixes for Disease (cont’d)Suffixes for Disease (cont’d)


-odynia pain urodynia pain on urination (ur/o)

-oma* tumor lipoma tumor of fat cells

-pathy any disease of nephropathy any disease of the kidney (nephr/o)

*Plural: -omas, -omata.


Suffixes for Disease (cont’d)Suffixes for Disease (cont’d)


-rhage†, -rhagia†

bursting forth, profuse flow, hemorrhage

hemorrhage profuse flow of blood

-rhea† flow, discharge pyorrhea discharge of pus

-rhexis† rupture amniorrhexis rupture of the amniotic sac (bag of waters)

-schisis fissure, splitting retinoschisis splitting of the retina of the eye

†Remember to double the r when adding this suffix to a root.


Words for Disease Used as SuffixesWords for Disease Used as SuffixesWord Meaning Example Definition of Example

dilation*, dilatation*

expansion, widening

vasodilation widening of blood vessels (vas/o)

ectasia, ectasis dilation, dilatation, distension

gastrectasia dilatation of the stomach (gastr/o)

edema accumulation of fluid, swelling

cephaledema swelling of the head

lysis* separation, loosening, dissolving, destruction

dialysis separation of substances by passage through (dia-) a membrane

malacia softening Craniomalacia softening of a skull (crani/o)

*May also refer to treatment.


Words for Disease Used as SuffixesWords for Disease Used as Suffixes

Word Meaning Example Definition of Example

necrosis death of tissue Osteonecrosis death of bone (oste/o) tissue

ptosis dropping, downward displacement, prolapse

blepharoptosis drooping of the eyelid (blephar/o)

sclerosis hardening phlebosclerosis hardening of veins (phleb/o)

spasm sudden contraction, cramp

arteriospasm spasm of an artery


Words for Disease Used as SuffixesWords for Disease Used as Suffixes

Word Meaning Example Definition of Example

stasis* suppression, stoppage

menostasis suppression of menstrual (men/o) flow

stenosis narrowing, constriction

bronchostenosis narrowing of a bronchus (air passageway)

toxin poison nephrotoxin substance poisonous or harmful for the kidneys

*May also refer to treatment.


Disease CategoriesDisease Categories

• Infectious

– Caused by microorganisms, parasites called pathogens

• Degenerative

– Caused by wear and tear, aging or trauma

– Arthritis, emphysema

• Neoplasia

– Abnormal, uncontrolled growth of tissue


Disease Categories (cont’d)Disease Categories (cont’d)

• Immune disorders

– Failures of immune system

– Allergies

– Autoimmune disorders

• Metabolic disorders

– Caused by lack of enzymes

– Hereditary disorders


Disease Categories (cont’d)Disease Categories (cont’d)

• Malnutrition

• Hormonal disorders

– Underproduction or overproduction of hormones

– Diabetes mellitus

• Mental and emotional disorders

– Affects the mind

– Individuals unable to adapt to environment


Infectious DiseasesInfectious Diseases

• Caused by:

– Viruses

– Bacteria

– Fungi (yeast and molds)

– Protozoa (single-celled animals)

– Worms


Infectious Diseases (cont’d)Infectious Diseases (cont’d)

• Bacteria categorized by:

– Shape

• Round

• Rod-shaped

• Curved

– Arrangements they form

– Dyes when stained in lab

• Most common is Gram stain


Prefixes and Roots for Infectious DiseasesPrefixes and Roots for Infectious Diseases

Word Part Meaning Example Definition of Example

Prefixes

staphyl/o grapelike cluster staphylococcus a round bacterium that forms clusters

strept/o twisted chain streptobacillus a rod-shaped bacterium that forms chains

Roots

bacill/i, bacill/o bacillus bacilluria bacilli in the urine (-uria)

bacteri/o bacterium bacteriostatic stopping (stasis) the growth of bacteria

myc/o fungus, mold mycotic pertaining to a fungus

vir/o virus viremia presence of viruses in blood (-emia)


Responses to DiseaseResponses to Disease

• Inflammation

– Body’s response to infection and diseases

– Four signs: heat, pain, redness, swelling

– Suffix –itis indicates inflammation

• Examples include:

– Appendicitis (inflammation of appendix)

– Tonsillitis (inflammation of tonsils)


Responses to Disease (cont’d)Responses to Disease (cont’d)

• Phagocytosis

– Process used by body

– Gets rid of:

• Invading microorganisms

• Damaged cells

• Other harmful debris

– Found circulating in blood, tissue, lymphatic system

– Remains of process called pus


PhagocytosisPhagocytosis


Response to Diseases (cont’d)Immunity

Response to Diseases (cont’d)Immunity

• Immune system controls response to disease

• Adaptive immunity: acquired during life from exposure to disease organisms

• Monitors body for:

– Abnormal cells

– Malfunctioning cells

• May cause its own problems

– Overreaction produces allergies

– Reaction to own tissues causes autoimmune diseases


NeoplasiaNeoplasia

• Neoplasm

– Abnormal and uncontrolled growth of tissue

• Metastasizing

– Benign

– Malignant

• Examples of malignant tumors:

– Carcinoma (epithelial tissue)

– Sarcoma (connective tissue or muscle)


PretestPretest

1. Any organism so small that it can only be seen with a microscope is a:

(a) miniorganism

(b) macroorganism

(c) microcell

(d) microorganism


PretestPretest

2. A disease that has a sudden and severe onset is described as:

(a) chronic

(b) mild

(c) acute

(d) infectious


PretestPretest

3. Abnormal and uncontrolled growth of tissue is termed:

(a) anemia

(b) neoplasia

(c) parasitism

(d) toxicity


PretestPretest

4. Abnormal and uncontrolled growth of tissue is termed:

(a) cocci

(b) yeasts

(c) fungi

(d) bacilli


PretestPretest

5. Single-celled animals, as a group, are called:

(a) algae

(b) molds

(c) protozoa

(d) vibrios


PretestPretest

6. Heat, pain, redness, and swelling are the characteristics signs of:

(a) immunity

(b) fever

(c) inflammation

(d) healing


PretestPretest

7. White blood cells engulf foreign organisms by the process of:

(a) phagocytosis

(b) egestion

(c) ejection

(d) dysphagia


PretestPretest

8. The sum of all body defenses against infectious disease is termed:

(a) pyosis

(b) complementation

(c) secretion

(d) immunity

chapter 6: disease

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