| HHS | [Department of] Health and Human Services; Hearing Handicap Scale; hereditary hemolytic syndrome; hu... |
|---|---|
| HLA | histocompatibility leukocyte antigen; histocompatibility locus antigen; homologous leukocyte antibod... |
| HLT | heart-lung transplantation; human lipotropin; human lymphocyte transformation |
| hPL | human placental lactogen; human platelet lactogen |
| HPV | Hemophilus pertussis vaccine; hepatic portal vein; human papillomavirus; human parvovirus; hypoxic p... |
| nosocomial infection | <microbiology> Hospital acquired infection: commonest are due to Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. Coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens and Proteus mirabilis. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| surgical wound infection | Infection occurring at the site of a surgical incision. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disseminated gonococcal infection | Infection from Neisseria gonorrhoea which is spread to distant parts of the body beyond the original portal of entry (usually the lower genital tract). Usually manifest by rash and arthritis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| droplet infection | Infection acquired through the inhalation of droplets or aerosols of saliva or sputum containing virus or other microorganisms expelled by another person during sneezing, coughing, laughing, or talking. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inapparent infection | Presence of infection in a host without the occurrence of recognizable symptoms or signs. (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) |
| infection control, dental | Efforts to prevent and control the spread of infections within dental health facilities or those involving provision of dental care. (12 Dec 1998) |
| infection control nurse | A registered nurse with additional education in the monitoring and prevention of nosocomial infections in the client population in an agency. Synonym: infection control nurse. (05 Mar 2000) |
| infection control practitioners | Physicians or other qualified individuals responsible for implementing and overseeing the policies and procedures followed by a health care facility to reduce the risk of infection to patients and staff. (12 Dec 1998) |
| infection-exhaustion psychosis | A psychosis following an acute infection, shock, or chronic intoxication; begins as delirium followed by pronounced mental confusion with hallucinations and unsystematised delusions, and sometimes stupor. Synonym: febrile psychosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| 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) |
| infection thread | In the formation of root nodules, a cellulosic tube through which Rhizobium cells can travel to reach and infect root cells. (09 Oct 1997) |
| infection, urinary tract | An infection in the urinary system that begins when microorganisms cling to the opening of the urethra (the canal from the bladder) and begin to multiply. most utis are due to one type of bacteria, e. (escherichia) coli, a normal denisen of the colon. An infection in the urethra leads to inflammation called urethritis. From there bacteria may move up, causing a bladder infection (cystitis) and if the infection is not treated promptly, bacteria may go up the ureters to infect the kidneys (pyelonephritis). Factors leading to uti include any abnormality of the urinary tract (such as a urinary tract malformation or a kidney stone) that obstructs the flow of urine, an enlarged prostate gland that slows the flow of urine, catheters (tubes) in the bladder, diabetes (due to changes of the immune system), and any disorder that suppresses the immune system. Women have more uti than men, probably because a woman's urethra is shorter (allowing bacteria quick access to the bladder) and nearer sources of bacteria from the anus and vagina. For many women, sexual intercourse seems to trigger an infection, as may the use of a diaphragm. Not everyone with a uti has symptoms but symptoms commonly include a frequent urge to urinate and a painful, burning when urinating (dysuria). The urine may look milky or cloudy, even reddish if blood is present. Kidney infection can cause pain in the back or side below the ribs. In children, symptoms may be easily missed or misunderstood. A child with a uti may be irritable, not eat normally, have an unexplained fever, have incontinence or loose bowels, or just not thrive. (12 Dec 1998) |