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Infectious Diseases
Pathogens, infection biology, transmission and control. 102 evidence-grounded articles.
A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T W
Acanthamoeba Keratitis
Infection of the cornea by an ameboid protozoan which may cause corneal ulceration leading to blindness.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
An acquired defect of cellular immunity associated with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a CD4-positive T-lymphocyte count under 200 cells/microliter or less than 14% of total lymphocytes, and increased suscept
AIDS-Related Complex
A prodromal phase of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Anaplasmosis
A disease usually in cattle caused by parasitization of the red blood cells by bacteria of the genus anaplasma.
Anthrax
An acute infection caused by the spore-forming bacteria bacillus anthracis.
Bacteremia
The presence of viable bacteria circulating in the blood.
Blastomycosis
A fungal infection by blastomyces that may appear in two forms: 1, a primary lesion characterized by the formation of a small cutaneous nodule and small nodules along the lymphatics that may heal within several months; and 2, chro
Blood-Borne Infections
Diseases due to or propagated by body fluids from hosts whose blood has been contaminated with pathogens.
Botulism
A disease caused by potent protein neurotoxins produced by clostridium botulinum which interfere with the presynaptic release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction.
Brain Abscess
A circumscribed collection of purulent exudate in the brain, due to bacterial and other infections.
Breakthrough Infections
Infections by the same infectious agent (e.g., virus, fungus) occurring during exposure to prophylaxis, vaccine and treatment.
Brucellosis
Infection caused by bacteria of the genus brucella mainly involving the mononuclear phagocyte system.
Buruli Ulcer
A lesion in the skin and subcutaneous tissues due to infections by mycobacterium ulcerans.
Candidiasis
Infection with a fungus of the genus candida.
Cat-Scratch Disease
A self-limiting bacterial infection of the regional lymph nodes caused by afipia felis, a gram-negative bacterium recently identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and by bartonella henselae.
Catheter-Related Infections
Infections resulting from the use of catheters.
Central Nervous System Infections
Pathogenic infections of the brain, spinal cord, and meninges.
Chagas Cardiomyopathy
A disease of the cardiac muscle developed subsequent to the initial protozoan infection by trypanosoma cruzi.
Chancroid
Acute, localized autoinoculable infectious disease usually acquired through sexual contact.
Cholera
An acute diarrheal disease endemic in India and Southeast Asia whose causative agent is vibrio cholerae.
Chromoblastomycosis
Scaly papule or warty growth, caused by five fungi, that spreads as a result of satellite lesions affecting the foot or leg.
Coccidioidomycosis
Infection with a fungus of the genus coccidioides, endemic to the southwestern united states.
Coinfection
Simultaneous infection of a host organism by two or more pathogens.
Communicable Diseases
An illness caused by an infectious agent or its toxins that occurs through the direct or indirect transmission of the infectious agent or its products from an infected individual or via an animal, vector or the inanimate environme
Community-Acquired Infections
Any infection acquired in the community, that is, contrasted with those acquired in a health care facility (cross infection).
Community-Acquired Pneumonia
Infection of the lungs in a patient who is not hospitalized or who has not resided in a long-term care facility for 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.
Corneal Ulcer
Loss of epithelial tissue from the surface of the cornea due to progressive erosion and necrosis of the tissue; usually caused by bacterial, fungal, or viral infection.
Cysticercosis
Infection with cysticercus, the larval form of the various tapeworms of the genus Taenia (usually T.
Cytomegalovirus Retinitis
Infection of the retina by cytomegalovirus characterized by retinal necrosis, hemorrhage, vessel sheathing, and retinal edema.
Diphtheria
A localized infection of mucous membranes or skin caused by toxigenic strains of corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Discitis
Inflammation of an intervertebral disc or disk space which may lead to disk erosion.
Echinococcosis
An infection caused by the infestation of the larval form of tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus.
Ecthyma
An ulcerative pyoderma usually caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection at the site of minor trauma.
Ehrlichiosis
A tick-borne disease characterized by fever; headache; myalgias; anorexia; and occasionally RASH.
Encephalomyelitis
A general term indicating inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, often used to indicate an infectious process, but also applicable to a variety of autoimmune and toxic-metabolic conditions.
Endophthalmitis
Suppurative inflammation of the tissues of the internal structures of the eye frequently associated with an infection.
Epidural Abscess
Circumscribed collections of suppurative material occurring in the spinal or intracranial epidural space.
Erysipelas
An acute infection of the skin caused by species of streptococcus.
Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis resistant to isoniazid and rifampin and at least three of the six main classes of second-line drugs (aminoglycosides; polypeptide agents; fluoroquinolones; thioamides; cycloserine; and para-aminosalicylic acid) as def
Focal Infection
An infection at a specific location that may spread to another region of the body.
Fungemia
The presence of fungi circulating in the blood.
Furunculosis
A persistent skin infection marked by the presence of furuncles, often chronic and recurrent.
Gas Gangrene
A severe condition resulting from bacteria invading healthy muscle from adjacent traumatized muscle or soft tissue.
Gonorrhea
Acute infectious disease characterized by primary invasion of the urogenital tract.
Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections
Infections caused by bacteria that show up as pink (negative) when treated by the gram-staining method.
Hemorrhagic Septicemia
Any of several bacterial diseases, usually caused by pasteurella multocida, marked by the presence of hemorrhagic areas in the subcutaneous tissues, serous membranes, muscles, lymph glands, and throughout the internal organs.
Hepatitis B
Inflammation of the liver in humans caused by a member of the orthohepadnavirus genus, hepatitis B virus.
Hepatitis C
Inflammation of the liver in humans caused by hepatitis C virus, a single-stranded RNA virus.
Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus
Virus infection of the Gasserian ganglion and its nerve branches characterized by pain and vesicular eruptions with much swelling.
HIV Infections
Includes the spectrum of human immunodeficiency virus infections that range from asymptomatic seropositivity, thru aids-related complex (ARC), to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
HIV Seropositivity
Development of neutralizing antibodies in individuals who have been exposed to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/htlv-iii/LAV).
Impetigo
A common superficial bacterial infection caused by staphylococcus aureus or group A beta-hemolytic streptococci.
Infections
Invasion of the host organism by microorganisms or their toxins or by parasites that can cause pathological conditions or diseases.
Infectious Mononucleosis
A common, acute infection usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (herpesvirus 4, human).
Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis
Lung infections with the invasive forms of aspergillus, usually after surgery, transplantation, prolonged neutropenia or treatment with high-doses of corticosteroids.
Kuru
A prion disease found exclusively among the Fore linguistic group natives of the highlands of new guinea.
Latent Tuberculosis
The dormant form of tuberculosis where the person shows no obvious symptoms and no sign of the causative agent (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) in the sputum despite being positive for tuberculosis infection skin test.
Legionnaires' Disease
An acute, sometimes fatal, pneumonia-like bacterial infection characterized by high fever, malaise, muscle aches, respiratory disorders and headache.
Leprosy
A chronic granulomatous infection caused by mycobacterium leprae.
Lupus Vulgaris
A form of cutaneous tuberculosis.
Lyme Disease
An infectious disease caused by a spirochete, borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted chiefly by Ixodes dammini (see ixodes) and pacificus ticks in the United States and Ixodes ricinis (see ixodes) in Europe.
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis
A form of meningitis caused by lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.
Lymphogranuloma Venereum
Subacute inflammation of the inguinal lymph glands caused by certain immunotypes of chlamydia trachomatis.
Mastoiditis
Inflammation of the honeycomb-like mastoid bone in the skull just behind the ear.
Melioidosis
A disease of humans and animals that resembles glanders.
Meningoencephalitis
An inflammatory process involving the brain (encephalitis) and meninges (meningitis), most often produced by pathogenic organisms which invade the central nervous system, and occasionally by toxins, autoimmune disorders, and other
Mucormycosis
Infection in humans and animals caused by any fungus in the order mucorales (e.g., rhizopus; mucor; cunninghamella; apophysomyces; absidia; saksenaea and rhizomucor) There are many clinical types associated with infection includin
Mycetoma
A chronic progressive subcutaneous infection caused by species of fungi (eumycetoma), or actinomycetes (actinomycetoma).
Myelitis
Inflammation of the spinal cord.
Neurosyphilis
Infections of the central nervous system caused by treponema pallidum which present with a variety of clinical syndromes.
Opportunistic Infections
An infection caused by an organism which becomes pathogenic under certain conditions, e.g., during immunosuppression.
Osteomyelitis
Inflammation of the bone as a result of infection.
Papillomavirus Infections
Neoplasms of the skin and mucous membranes caused by papillomaviruses.
Paracoccidioidomycosis
A mycosis affecting the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and internal organs.
Parasitic Diseases
Infections or infestations with parasites.
Periostitis
Inflammation of the periosteum.
Peritonitis
Inflammation of the peritoneum lining the abdominal cavity as the result of infectious, autoimmune, or chemical processes.
Phaeohyphomycosis
Opportunistic infections caused by the dematiaceous (darkly pigmented) mitosporic fungi of alternaria, Bipolaris, cladosporium, Curvularia, and exophiala.
Plague
An acute infectious disease caused by yersinia pestis that affects humans, wild rodents, and their ectoparasites.
Poliomyelitis
An acute infectious disease of humans, particularly children, caused by any of three serotypes of human poliovirus (poliovirus).
Prion Diseases
A group of genetic, infectious, or sporadic degenerative human and animal nervous system disorders associated with abnormal prions.
Psittacosis
Infection with chlamydophila psittaci (formerly Chlamydia psittaci), transmitted to humans by inhalation of dust-borne contaminated nasal secretions or excreta of infected birds.
Q Fever
An acute infectious disease caused by coxiella burnetii.
Relapsing Fever
An acute infection characterized by recurrent episodes of pyrexia alternating with asymptomatic intervals of apparent recovery.
Rheumatic Fever
A febrile disease occurring as a delayed sequela of infections with streptococcus pyogenes.
Rift Valley Fever
An acute infection caused by the rift valley fever virus, an RNA arthropod-borne virus, affecting domestic animals and humans.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
An acute febrile illness caused by rickettsia rickettsii.
Scarlet Fever
Infection with group A streptococci that is characterized by tonsillitis and pharyngitis.
Scrapie
A fatal disease of the nervous system in sheep and goats, characterized by pruritus, debility, and locomotor incoordination.
Scrub Typhus
An acute infectious disease caused by orientia tsutsugamushi.
Sporotrichosis
The commonest and least serious of the deep mycoses, characterized by nodular lesions of the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues.
Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis
A rare, slowly progressive encephalitis caused by chronic infection with the measles virus.
Subphrenic Abscess
Accumulation of purulent exudates beneath the diaphragm, also known as upper abdominal abscess.
Superinfection
A frequent complication of drug therapy for microbial infection.
Tetanus
A disease caused by tetanospasmin, a powerful protein toxin produced by clostridium tetani.
Tinea
Fungal infection of keratinized tissues such as hair, skin and nails.
Tinea Capitis
Ringworm of the scalp and associated hair mainly caused by species of microsporum; trichophyton; and epidermophyton, which may occasionally involve the eyebrows and eyelashes.
Tinea Pedis
Dermatological pruritic lesion in the feet, caused by Trichophyton rubrum, T.
Tuberculosis
Any of the infectious diseases of humans and other animals caused by species of mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis Disease
An advanced form of tuberculosis that is not being controlled by the immune system.
Tularemia
A plague-like disease of rodents, transmissible to man.
Whooping Cough
A respiratory infection caused by bordetella pertussis and characterized by paroxysmal coughing ending in a prolonged crowing intake of breath.