| cold | <virology> A slang term that describes a viral upper respiratory infection which results from inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| cold abscess | An abscess without heat or other usual signs of inflammation. Synonym: tuberculous abscess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold agglutination | The agglutination of red blood cells by their own serum (see autoagglutination), or by any other serum when the blood is cooled below body temperature, but most pronounced below 25캜; the phenomenon results from cold agglutinins; may be seen occasionally in the blood of apparently normal persons or as a pathologic finding in patients with primary atypical pneumonia, infectious mononucleosis, and other viral diseases, certain protozoan infections, or lymphoproliferative neoplasms. See: autoagglutination. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold agglutination test | <investigation> A test for blood antibodies which are present in certain peculiar types of pneumonia (atypical pneumonia, Mycoplasma) (27 Sep 1997) |
| cold agglutinin | An antibody which reacts more efficiently at temperatures below 37캜. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold agglutinins | <haematology> Antibodies that agglutinate particles with greater activity below 32쵣. They are IgM antibodies specifically reactive with blood groups I and i in humans and agglutinate red blood cells on cooling, causing Raynaud's phenomenon in vivo. (18 Nov 1997) |
| cold allergy | Physical symptoms produced by hypersensitivity to cold. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold antibody | See: cold agglutinin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold autoantibody | An autoantibody that reacts at temperatures below 37캽. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold bend test | A test of the ability of a wire to be shaped; performed by counting the number of times a wire can be bent to a right angle and reversed at the same point before breaking; important in establishing specifications for orthodontic wires. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold bone lesions | <radiology> Overlying atenuation caused by pacemaker, barium, metal cross, wristwatch, radiation therapy, local vascular compromise, early osteomyelitis, tumour: neuroblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, anaplastic tumours (e.g. Reticulum cell sarcoma) (12 Dec 1998) |
| cold cautery | The surgical destruction of tissue via the application of extreme cold, aswith liquid nitrogen. (09 Oct 1997) |
| cold chain | A system of protection against high environmental temperatures for heat-labile vaccines, sera and other biological preparations. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold compress | <orthopaedics> This may be ice packs wrapped in cloth to deliver a cold compress to an acutely injured muscle, joint or bone. Cold compresses are commonly indicated for most injuries in the first 24-48 hours. They should be applied only intermittently, with periods of time without the compress applied. (27 Sep 1997) |
| cold compresses | <orthopaedics> This may be ice packs wrapped in cloth to deliver a cold compress to an acutely injured muscle, joint or bone. Cold compresses are commonly indicated for most injuries in the first 24-48 hours. They should be applied only intermittently, with periods of time without the compress applied. (27 Sep 1997) |
| paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria | <haematology> A rare blood disorder caused by antibodies which destroy red blood cells upon exposure to the cold. The antibodies are formed against a specific blood group and are triggered by the cold. The cause is unknown but the disease has been associated with syphilis and some viral infections. Serum haemoglobin and urine haemoglobin are increased during the attacks. The disease is chronic and treatment is difficult. Some cases resolve spontaneously without treatment. Origin: Gr. Ouron = urine (27 Sep 1997) |
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| rose cold | Allergic rhinitis occurring in the spring and early summer. (05 Mar 2000) |
| warm-cold haemolysin | Haemolysin which combines with red blood cells at temperatures below 20캜 and are eluted at warmer temperatures, e.g., 30 to 37캜. See: Donath-Landsteiner cold autoantibody, haemagglutinating cold autoantibody. (05 Mar 2000) |
| common cold | A viral upper respiratory tract infection. A contagious illness caused by a number of different types of viruses. Because of the great number of viruses that can cause a cold, the body never builds up resistance (immune) against all of them. For this reason, colds are a frequent and recurring problem. In fact, preschool children average 9 colds a year; those in kindergarten, 12 colds a year; and adolescents and adults, 7 colds per year. Going out into the cold weather has no effect on the spread of a cold. Antibiotics do not help the common cold. (12 Dec 1998) |
| common cold virus | Any of the numerous strains of virus aetiologically associated with the common cold, chiefly the rhinoviruses, but also strains of adenovirus, Coxsackievirus, ECHO virus, and parainfluenza virus. Synonym: cold virus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| haemagglutinating cold autoantibody | A cold autoagglutinin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Salisbury common cold viruses | Strains of rhinovirus of historical interest because of early studies that established the viral aetiology of common colds. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Donath-Landsteiner cold autoantibody | An autoantibody of the IgG class responsible for paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria; it is adsorbed to red cells only at temperatures of 20캜 or lower, causing the red cells to lyse in the presence of complement at higher temperatures; it has only slight agglutinating properties in spite of its marked lytic activity, and has a specificity within the blood group P; it is also occasionally present for short periods of time following measles and other infections, and formerly was frequently associated with syphilis. Synonym: cold haemolysin. (05 Mar 2000) |