Term
| Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) |
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Definition
Infection
caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which
weakens the host’s immune system, giving rise to opportunistic
infections. |
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Term
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Definition
Immunoglobulin molecules that have an antigenspecific
amino acid sequence and are produced by the humoral
immune system (antibodies produced from B lymphocytes) in
response to exposure to a specific antigen, the purpose of which is to attack and destroy molecules of this antigen. |
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Term
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Definition
A substance, usually a protein, that is foreign
to a host and causes the formation of an antibody that
reacts specifically with that antibody. Examples of antigens
include bacterial exotoxins, viruses, and allergens.
An allergen (e.g., dust, pollen, mold) is a specific type of
antigen that causes allergic reactions (see Chapter 36). |
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Term
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Definition
| A specific term for antiviral drugs that work against retroviruses such as HIV. |
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Term
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Definition
| A general term for drugs that destroy viruses, either directly or indirectly by suppressing their replication. |
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Term
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Definition
One of two major parts of the immune system. It consists of nonspecific immune responses mediated primarily by T lymphocytes (T cells) and other immune system
cells (e.g., monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils) but not
by antibody-producing cells (B lymphocytes). |
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Term
| Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) |
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Definition
| A nucleic acid composed of nucleotide units that contain molecules of the sugar deoxyribose, phosphate groups, and purine and pyrimidine bases. DNA molecules transmit genetic information and are found primarily in the nuclei of cells. (Compare with ribonucleic acid [RNA].) |
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Term
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Definition
The process by which viruses attach themselves to, or
fuse with, the cell membranes of host cells, in preparation for
infecting the cell for purposes of viral replication. |
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Term
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Definition
The complete set of genetic material of any organism;
it may consist of multiple chromosomes (groups of DNA or
RNA molecules) in higher organisms; a single chromosome,
as in bacteria; or one or two DNA or RNA molecules, as in
viruses. |
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Term
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Definition
Several different types of viruses belonging to
the family Herpesviridae that cause various forms of herpes
infection. |
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Term
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Definition
Any organism that is infected with a microorganism,
such as bacteria or viruses. |
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Term
| Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) |
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Definition
| The retrovirus that causes AIDS. |
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Term
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Definition
| One of two major parts of the immune system. It consists of specific immune responses in the form of antigen-specific antibodies produced from B lymphocytes. |
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Term
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Definition
Synonymous with immune globulins. Glycoproteins
produced and used by the humoral immune system
to attack and kill any substance (antigen) that is foreign
to the body. An immunoglobulin with an antigen-specific
amino acid sequence is called an antibody and is able to recognize and inactivate molecules of a specific antigen. |
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Term
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Definition
The viruses that cause influenza, an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract. There are three types of influenza virus: A, B, and C. Currently, medications are
available only to treat types A and B. |
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Term
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Definition
A general term referring to DNA and RNA. These complex biomolecules contain the genetic material of
all living organisms, which is passed to future generations
during reproduction. |
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Term
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Definition
A structural component of nucleic acid molecules
(DNA or RNA) that consists of a purine or pyrimidine base
attached to a sugar molecule. |
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Term
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Definition
A nucleoside that is attached to a phosphate unit,
which makes up the side chain “backbone” of a DNA or an
RNA molecule. |
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Term
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Definition
| Infections caused by any type of microorganism that occur in an immunocompromised host but normally would not occur in an immunocompetent host. |
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Term
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Definition
An enzyme that breaks down the amino acid structure
of protein molecules by chemically cleaving the peptide
bonds that link together the individual amino acids. |
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Term
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Definition
Any process of duplication or reproduction, such
as that involved in the duplication of nucleic acid molecules
(DNA or RNA) during the reproduction processes of
all living organisms. This is also the term used most often
to describe the entire process of viral reproduction, which
occurs only inside the cells of an infected host organism. |
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Term
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Definition
Viruses belonging to the family Retroviridae.
These viruses contain RNA (as opposed to DNA) as their
genome and replicate using the enzyme reverse transcriptase. Currently the most clinically significant retrovirus is HIV. |
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Term
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Definition
| An RNA-directed DNA polymerase enzyme. It promotes the synthesis of a DNA molecule from an RNA molecule, which is the reverse of the usual process. HIV replicates in this manner. |
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Term
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Definition
A nucleic acid composed of nucleotide units that contain molecules of the sugar ribose, phosphate
groups, and purine and pyrimidine bases. RNA molecules
transmit genetic information and are found in both the
nuclei and cytoplasm of cells. (Compare with deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA].) |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
The smallest known class of microorganisms; viruses
can only replicate inside host cells. |
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