| infantile spasm | Brief (1 to 3 seconds) muscular spasm's in infants with West's syndrome, which often appear as nodding or salaam spasm's. Synonym: salaam convulsions. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| infantile spastic paraplegia | A spastic paralysis of the lower extremities occurring in the infant. Synonym: infantile spastic paraplegia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| infantile spinal muscular atrophy | Transmitted as autosomal recessive on chromosome 5q. Progressive dysfunction of the anterior horn cells in the spinal cord and brainstem cranial nerves with profound weakness and bulbar dysfunction occurring in the first two years of life. Three groups, based on age of clinical onset, are recognised. Synonym: familial spinal muscular atrophy, Hoffmann's muscular atrophy, infantile muscular atrophy, infantile progressive spinal muscular atrophy, progressive infantile spinal muscular atrophy, Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, Werdnig-Hoffmann muscular atrophy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| infantile tetany | Tetany of infants occurring usually in rickets, due to dietary deficiency of vitamin D. (05 Mar 2000) |
| infantilism | 1. A state marked by slow development of mind and body. Synonym: infantile dwarfism. 2. Childishness, as characterised by a temper tantrum of an adolescent or adult. 3. Underdevelopment of the sexual organs. (05 Mar 2000) |
| infarct | An area of tissue death due to a local lack of oxygen. (12 Dec 1998) |
| infarction | 1. <cardiology> The formation of an infarct. 2. An infarct. Origin: L. Infarcire = to stuff in (18 Nov 1997) |
| infauna | Aquatic animals living within the matrix of bottom sediment. (09 Oct 1997) |
| infaust | Unfavourable. Origin: L. Infaustus = unlucky (18 Nov 1997) |
| infect | 1. To taint with morbid matter or any pestilential or noxious substance or effluvium by which disease is produced; as, to infect a lancet; to infect an apartment. 2. To affect with infectious disease; to communicate infection to; as, infected with the plague. "Them that were left alive being infected with this disease." (Sir T. North) 3. To communicate to or affect with, as qualities or emotions, especially. Bad qualities; to corrupt; to contaminate; to taint by the communication of anything noxious or pernicious. "Infected Ston's daughters with like heat." (Milton) 4. To contaminate with illegality or to expo to penalty. Synonym: To poison, vitiate, pollute, defile. Origin: L. Infectus, p. P. Of inficere to put or dip into, to stain, infect; pref. In- in + facere = to make; cf. F. Infecter. See Fact. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| infected | <epidemiology> N. , A host who has an infection. (05 Dec 1998) |
| infected abortion | A septic complication of an abortion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| infection | 1. <microbiology> Invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues, which may be clinically unapparent or result in local cellular injury due to competitive metabolism, toxins, intracellular replication or antigen antibody response. The infection may remain localised, subclinical and temporary if the bodys defensive mechanisms are effective. A local infection may persist and spread by extension to become an acute, subacute or chronic clinical infection or disease state. A local infection may also become systemic when the microorganisms gain access to the lymphatic or vascular system. 2. An infectious disease. (18 Nov 1997) |
| infection calculus | A calculus associated with infection and/or obstruction, usually composed of struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate). Synonym: infection calculus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| infection control | Programs of disease surveillance, generally within health care facilities, designed to investigate, prevent, and control the spread of infections and their causative microorganisms. (12 Dec 1998) |