Medical Detectives Glossary

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What is agar?

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Gelatinous substance that provides the proper nutritional environment to promote the growth of microorganisms.

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What is encephalitis?

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Swelling of the brain.

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What is the incubation period?

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The time between contact and onset of illness.

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What are viruses?

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Tiny infectious agents that can only multiply when they are inside a host, the living cells of plants, animals, or bacteria.

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What is hemolytic uremic syndrome?

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Results in destruction of cells involved in clotting, low red blood cell count, and kidney failure.

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What is a microorganism?

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A microscopic organism, which may be a single cell or a cluster of cells.

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What is a pathogen?

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An organism that causes disease.

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What is the role of a medical detective?

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To investigate and analyze medical cases to determine causes of illness.

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What is an outbreak?

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A sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease in a specific area.

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What is epidemiology?

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The study of how diseases spread and can be controlled.