| active prophylaxis | Use of an antigenic (immunogenic) agent to actively stimulate the immunological mechanism. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| antibiotic prophylaxis | Use of antibiotics before, during, or after a diagnostic, therapeutic, or surgical procedure to prevent infectious complications. (12 Dec 1998) |
| passive prophylaxis | Use of an antiserum from another person or animal to provide temporary (a week to 10 days) protection against a specific infectious or toxic agent. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chemical prophylaxis | The administration of chemicals or drugs to members of a community to reduce the number of carriers of a disease and to prevent others contracting the disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| CNS prophylaxis | Chemotherapy or radiation therapy to the central nervous system (CNS). This is preventative treatment. It is given to kill cancer cells that may be in the brain and spinal cord, even though no cancer has been detected there. (12 Dec 1998) |
| prophylaxis | The prevention of disease, preventive treatment. Origin: Gr. Prophylassein = to keep guard before (18 Nov 1997) |
| dental prophylaxis | Treatment for the prevention of periodontal diseases or other dental diseases by the cleaning of the teeth in the dental office using the procedures of dental scaling and dental polishing. The treatment may include plaque detection, removal of supra- and subgingival plaque and calculus, application of caries-preventing agents, checking of restorations and prostheses and correcting overhanging margins and proximal contours of restorations, and checking for signs of food impaction. (12 Dec 1998) |
| avian diphtheria | An infection by the fowlpox virus in which tracheal involvement is especially severe. See: fowlpox. Synonym: fowl diphtheria. (05 Mar 2000) |
| calf diphtheria | A necrotic oropharyngolaryngitis of calves associated with Fusobacterium necrophorum infection that may spread to the lungs. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cutaneous diphtheria | An ulcer resulting from infection of the skin by Corynebacterium diphtheriae; systemic manifestations are the same as those of pharyngeal diphtheria. (05 Mar 2000) |
| diagnostic diphtheria toxin | Corynebacterium diphtheriae toxin diluted so that the inoculated dose (0.1 or 0.2 ml) will contain 1/50 th of guinea pig minimal lethal dose. See: Schick test. Synonym: diagnostic diphtheria toxin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| diphtheria | <infectious disease> An acute infectious disease caused by toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, acquired by contact with an infected person or a carrier of the disease, which is usually confined to the upper respiratory tract. It is characterised by the formation of a tough membrane (false membrane or pseudomembrane) attached firmly to the underlying tissue that will bleed if forcibly removed. In the most serious infections the membrane begins in the tonsillar (faucial) area on one tonsil and may spread to involve the other tonsil, uvula, soft palate and pharyngeal wall, from where it may extend to the larynx, trachea and bronchial tree and may cause bronchial obstruction and death by hypoxia. Diphtheria also occurs in a cutaneous form and may rarely involve the eyes, middle ear, buccal mucosa, genitalia and umbilical stump, usually secondarily. Systemic effects, chiefly myocarditis and peripheral neuritis, are caused by the exotoxin produced by C. Diphtheriae. Synonym: Bretonneau's angina. Origin: Gr. Diphthera = leather (18 Nov 1997) |
| diphtheria antitoxin | An equine antitoxin against the toxin of corynebacterium diphtheriae, used for the treatment of diphtheria. It is to be differentiated from diphtheria toxoid which is used for the prevention of diphtheria. (12 Dec 1998) |
| diphtheria antitoxin unit | The antitoxin activity of 0.0628 mg standard diphtheria antitoxin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine | A vaccine consisting of diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, and pertussis vaccine. It is usually given to infants three times at two-month intervals, generally at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. The vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. In most cases the vaccine causes only a temporary fever and discomfort, but in a few cases serious neurological side effects have been observed. (12 Dec 1998) |