Download Definitions in Infectious Disease

Definitions in Infectious Disease
27/8/10
Prokaryote = organisms that lack a cell nucleus (= karyon), or any other membrane-bound
organelles.
Eukaryote = organism that possess a cell nucleus and other organelles.
Virus = ultramicroscopic, metabolically inert infectious agent that replicates within the cells
of living hosts – composed of RNA or DNA core, protein coat +/- surrounding envelope.
Bacteria = single celled prokaryotic organism.
Fungi = eukaryotic organisms that absorb their food from other living or dead organisms.
Parasite = an organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in a different organism
while contributing nothing to the survival of its host organism.
Protozoa = A single-cell organism that can only divide within a host organism.
Rickettasiae = non-motile, Gram-negative, non-sporeforming, highly pleomorphic bacteria
(it is an obligate intracellular parasite as it reproduction depends on being inside a eurkaryotic
cell).
Spirochaette = gram negative bacteria
Jeremy Fernando (2011)