Disease-Related Terms
For information on how this glossary was put together, please view
the background.
A / B /
D / E / H / I / K / L
/ M / N /
P / S / U
A
Anthropogenic - of, relating to, or resulting from the influence
of human beings on nature. (Merriam-Webster 2006)
Autolysis – spontaneous disintegration of cells or tissues by autologous
(self) enzymes, as occurs after death (post mortem) and in some pathologic conditions;
lysis, enzymatic digestion, of cells by the enzymes present within them. (Stedman
1995)
B
Biomarker – any measurable sign (including visual and molecular)
indicating the status of an organisms physiology, health, etc. that can be used
in the diagnosis of a disease or syndrome4; includes a variety of measures of specific
molecular, cellular, and physiological responses of key species to either contaminant
exposure or poor health. (Allen and Moore 2004)
Bleach – to make or become white or colorless by means of chemicals,
by exposure to sunlight, etc. In coral – bleaching or bleached – the
reduction in intensity or complete absence of coloration within living coral, due
to loss of pigmentation, death, or expulsion of endosymbiotic zooxanthellae. (Merriam-Webster
2006; CDHC Nomenclature Working Group 2004)
Bleaching - the loss or expulsion of symbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium
spp.) by corals; can be caused by various stressors, including increased temperatures
(Hoegh-Guldberg et al. 2007) and toxins produced by bacterial pathogens (Rosenberg
and Falkovitz 2004). During temperature-induced bleaching, caspase-mediated apoptosis
and autophagy are reciprocally activated to expel the dinoflagellate symbionts (Dunn
et al. 2007). (Teplitski and Ritchie 2009)
To top of
page
D
Degeneration – a nonspecific term applied to retrogressive but sometimes
reversible pathological change in cells or tissues, resulting in impairment or destruction
of functions; deterioration; preferably the specific changes observed should be
fully described. (Dorland 2006; Stedman 1995)
Degradation – conversion of a chemical compound to one less complex
as by splitting off one or more groups of atoms. Degeneration, not degradation,
should be used to describe the deterioration or change of functionality of living
tissue. (Merriam-Webster 2006, CDHC Nomenclature Working Group 2004)
Diagnosis – the determination of the nature of a disease. (Stedman
1995)
Field Diagnosis – made from the study of the macroscopic changes
of a coral disease observed in the field.
Laboratory Diagnosis – made by a chemical, virological, parasitological,
microbiological, or immunological study of secretions, discharges, or tissues.
Morphologic Diagnosis – made from an anatomical or histological
study of the lesions present.
Etiologic Diagnosis – the determination of the cause of the disease.
Differential Diagnosis – a systematic comparison and contrasting
of similar disease signs and findings to determine which of two or more diseases
is considered to be most likely present in the organism, although one or more other
diseases are considered less likely to be present but possible. (See also Pathognomonic)
A differential diagnosis is also made to distinguish between closely related species
in taxonomy.
Disease – any deviation from, or interruption of, the normal structure
or function of any body part, organ, or system that is manifested by a characteristic
set of signs and whose etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown
(Dorland 2006); any impairment that interferes with or modifies the performance
of normal function, including responses to environmental factors such as nutrition,
toxicants, and climate; infectious agents; inherent or congenital defects, or combinations
of these factors. (Wobeser 1981)
To top of
page
E
Epizootic – attacking many animals in any region at the same time;
widely diffused and rapidly spreading; a disease of high morbidity which is only
occasionally present in an animal community. (Dorland 2004)
Epizootiology – the scientific study of factors determining the
frequency and distribution of diseases among animals; animal epidemiology. (Dorland
2004)
Etiology – the study or theory of the factors that cause disease
and the method of their introduction to the host; the causes or origin of a disease
or disorder. (Dorland 2004)
To top of
page
H
Hypertrophy – The enlargement or overgrowth of an organ or part
due to an increase in size of its constituent cells (Medi-lexicon 2006).
To top of
page
I
Incidence – the rate at which a certain event occurs; e.g., the
number of new cases of a specific disease occurring during a certain time period
in a population at risk. (Dorland 2004)
Infection – invasion and multiplication of parasitic organisms within
the body. (Stedman 1995)
To top of
page
K
Koch's Postulates – to establish the specificity of a pathogenic
microorganism, it must be present in all cases of the disease, inoculations of its
pure cultures must produce disease in animals, and from these it must be again obtained
and be propagated in pure culture. (Stedman 2006)
To top of
page
L
Lesion – a wound or injury, or any pathologic change in the tissues.
(Stedman 1995)
Lesion Distribution – distinguished on the basis of number of that
particular type of lesion (focal: single, localized area; multifocal: relating to,
arising from, or occurring in more than one place; diffuse: spread about, not restricted;
systemic: spread throughout the entire organism). Lesion Severity – semiquantitative,
subjective ranking of the degree of damage or extent of pathological change seen
in tissues or an organism (ranging from minimal: smallest amount or lowest limit;
mild; moderate; marked; to severe: intensely or extremely bad, very poor condition,
or greatest in degree or extent). Morbidity – a diseased condition or state; the
incidence or prevalence of a disease, or of all diseases, in a population. (Dorland
2004)
To top of
page
M
Morphology – the form and structure of a particular organism, organ
or part. (Dorland 2004)
Mortality – the death rate; the ratio of the total number of deaths
to the population of a specified area in a given time period. (Stedman 2006)
To top of
page
N
Necrosis – cell death characterized by irreversible damage, the
earliest of which is mitochondrial. Changes visible with light microscopy are nuclear
(pyknosis, karyolysis, or karyorrhexis) and generally accompanied by cytoplasmic
hyper-eosinophilia, shrinkage, or fragmentation. After such changes, the outlines
of individual cells are indistinct and affected cells may become merged, sometimes
forming a focus of coarsely granular, amorphous, or hyaline material. (Stedman 1995)
To top of
page
P
Pathogen – any virus, microorganism, or other substance causing
disease. pathogenic, adj. (Stedman 1995)
Pathogenicity – the quality of producing or the ability to produce
pathologic changes or disease. (Dorland 2004)
Pathophysiology – the physiologic changes in the host as the disease
progresses. Prevalence – the number of cases of a specific disease that are present
in a given population at a specified time. (Dorland 2004)
To top of
page
S
Sign – an indication of the existence of something; any objective
evidence of a disease, i.e., such evidence as is perceptible to the examiner, as
opposed to the subjective sensations of the patient (symptom). (Dorland 2004). Sign,
not symptom should be used to describe lesions or conditions observed in coral,
as the ability to convey sensations (feelings) is not a characteristic of coral.
(comment by the CDHC Nomenclature Working Group 2004)
Syndrome – a set of symptoms occurring together; the sum of signs
of any morbid (disease) state. (Dorland 2004)
To top of
page
U
Ulceration – The formation or development of an ulcer, a local defect
or excavation, of the surface of an organ or tissue, which is produced by the sloughing
of inflammatory necrotic tissue. (Medi-lexicon 2006)
References
Allen JI and MN Moore (2004). Environmental prognostics: Is the current use of biomarkers
appropriate for environmental risk evaluation? Mar. Environ. Res. 58(2-5)227-232.
CDHC Nomenclature Working Group (2004). Report in preparation.
Dorland (2004). Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary, online 2004. http://www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_home.jsp
Dunn, S. R., C. E. Schnitzler, et al. (2007). "Apoptosis and autophagy as mechanisms
of dinoflagellate symbiont release during cnidarian bleaching: every which way you
lose." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 274(1629): 3079-3085.
Hoegh-Guldberg, O., P. J. Mumby, et al. (2007). "Coral Reefs Under Rapid Climate
Change and Ocean Acidification." Science 318(5857): 1737-1742.
Medi-lexicon (2006). A web-based medical dictionary. http://www.pharma-lexicon.com
Merriam-Webster Online (2006). A web-based dictionary. http://www.m-w.com/
Rosenberg, E. and L. Falkovitz (2004). "The Vibrio shiloi/Oculina Patagonica model
system of coral bleaching." Annual Review of Microbiology 58: 143-159.
Stedman (2006). Stedman’s Medical Dictionary online 2006. http://www.stedmans.com/
Teplitski, M. and K. Ritchie (2009). "How feasible is the biological control of coral
diseases?" Trends in Ecology & Evolution 24(7): 378-385.
Wobeser, G. A. (1981). Diseases of Wild Waterfowl. New York, NY, Plenum Press.