| ABBQ | Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Beliefs and Behavior Questionnaire |
|---|---|
| ACKD | acquired cystic kidney disease |
| ACU | acquired cold urticaria; acute care unit; agar colony-forming unit; ambulatory care unit |
| AFS | acquired or adult Fanconi syndrome; alternative financing system; American Fertility Society; antifi... |
| AHA | acetohydroxamic acid; acquired hemolytic anemia; acute hemolytic anemia; American Heart Association;... |
| immunity, mucosal | Nonsusceptibility to the pathogenic effects of foreign microorganisms or antigenic substances as a result of antibody secretions of the mucous membranes. Mucosal epithelia in the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and reproductive tracts produce a form of IgA (IgA, secretory) that serves to protect these ports of entry into the body. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| immunity, natural | The capacity of a normal organism to remain unaffected by microorganisms and their toxins. It results from non-specific mechanisms such as genetic endowment, naturally occurring antiviral and bactericidal substances, phagocytosis, and constitutional factors such as body temperature, oxygen tension, and age. (12 Dec 1998) |
| infection immunity | The paradoxical immune status in which resistance to reinfection coincides with the persistence of the original infection. Synonym: concomitant immunity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| innate immunity | This includes local barriers to infection such as skin, stomach acid, mucous, the cough reflex, enzymes in tears and saliva and skin oils. (27 Sep 1997) |
| local immunity | A natural or acquired immunity to certain infectious agents, as manifested by an organ or a tissue, as a whole or in part. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acquired | In medicine, the word acquired means new or added. New in the sense that it is not genetic (inherited) and added in the sense that is was not congenital (present at birth) but came along later. For example, AIDS is an acquired, not a genetic form of immune deficiency. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acquired agammaglobulinaemia | Heterogeneous group of immunodeficiency syndromes characterised by hypogammaglobulinaemia of most isotypes, variable B-cell defects, and the presence of recurrent bacterial infections. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acquired bronchiectasis | <chest medicine> Persistent and progressive dilation of bronchi or bronchioles as a consequence of inflammatory disease (lung infections), obstruction (tumour) or congenital abnormality (for example cystic fibrosis). Symptoms include fetid breath and paroxysmal coughing, with the expectoration of mucopurulent matter. It may affect the bronchioles uniformly (cylindric bronchiectasis) or occur in irregular pockets (sacculated bronchiectasis) or the dilated bronchi may have terminal bulbous enlargements (fusiform bronchiectasis). Although rarely congenital, it is most often an acquired condition in childhood. (13 Nov 1997) |
| acquired centric relation | See: centric jaw relation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acquired character | A character developed in a plant or animal as a result of environmental influences during the individual's life. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acquired cuticle | A thin film (about 1 um), derived mainly from salivary glycoproteins, which forms over the surface of a cleansed tooth crown when it is exposed to the saliva. Synonym: acquired cuticle, acquired enamel cuticle, brown pellicle, posteruption cuticle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acquired drives | Those drives not directly related to biological needs; a secondary drive can be learned as an offshoot of a primary drive, in which case it is often referred to as a motive. Synonym: acquired drives. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acquired eccentric relation | An eccentric relation that is assumed by habit in order to bring the teeth into occlusion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acquired epileptic aphasia | <syndrome> Acquired epileptic aphasia. The typical history is that of a child whose development is normal for several years and then, either suddenly or in a fluctuating manner, loses comprehension of speech and the ability to use speech to communicate. The seizures are of no specific type, and are mostly mild and infrequent partial or atypical absences. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acquired haemolytic anaemia | Nonhereditary acute or chronic anaemia associated with or caused by extracorpuscular factors, e.g., certain infectious agents, chemicals (including autoantibodies or therapeutic agents), burns, toxic materials from higher plant and animal forms (including snake venoms). (05 Mar 2000) |