|
 |
||
 |
| This glossary contains: 19186 medical terms |
 |
Polio
|
|
Polio An acute infectious disease of humans, particularly children, caused by any of three serotypes of human poliovirus. Usually the infection is limited to the gastrointestinal tract and nasopharynx, and is often asymptomatic. The central nervous system, primarily the spinal cord, may be affected, leading to rapidly progressive paralysis, coarse fasciculation and hyporeflexia. Motor neurons are primarily affected. Encephalitis may also occur. The virus replicates in the nervous system, and may cause significant neuronal loss, most notably in the spinal cord. A rare related condition, nonpoliovirus poliomyelitis, may result from infections with nonpoliovirus enteroviruses.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Acute
1. Of short course. 2. Severe, but of a short duration. Not chronic.
Disease
Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.
Infection
Anything that invades the body and reproduces. Infections can be bacteria, protozoa, fungi, or viruses. Bacteria and fungi are one celled creatures that cause many infections including strep throat, bladder infections, and some lung infections. Fungi cause “athlete’s foot” and thrush, an infection in the mouth. Protozoa are small organisms with many cells that can cause infections in the guts or in the lungs. Most healthy people do not get protozoal infections, but people with suppressed immune systems can. Viruses are not really organisms; they are tiny particles that can live only inside another cell. They reproduce by taking over a cell and causing that cell to make more virus particles, rather than doing what the cell is supposed to do. Viruses cause most colds and flu cases.
Gastrointestinal
Having to do with the stomach and intestines.
Nasopharynx
Nasopharynx refers to the upper part of the throat behind the nose.
Asymptomatic
The condition of having a disease, but without any symptoms of it.
Central
In anatomy and medicine (as elsewhere), central is the opposite of "peripheral" which means away from the center.
Cord
1. In anatomy, a long ropelike structure. 2. Short for the spinal cord or the umbilical cord.
Paralysis
Inability to move parts of the body.
Fasciculation
Involuntary contractions, or twitchings, of groups (fasciculi) of muscle fibers, a coarser form of muscular contraction than fibrillation.
Encephalitis
A viral infection of the brain.
Virus
Ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic; a piece of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein.
Condition
The term "condition" has a number of biomedical meanings including the following: 1.An unhealthy state, such as in "this is a progressive condition." 2.A state of fitness, such as "getting into condition." 3.Something that is essential to the occurrence of something else; essentially a "precondition." 4.As a verb: to cause a change in something so that a response that was previously associated with a certain stimulus becomes associated with another stimulus; to condition a person, as in behavioral conditioning.
Poliomyelitis
An acute, infectious disease that attacks the central nervous system. Sometimes causes paralysis that can result in permanent deformities. Vaccines are available. Also called polio.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Poliklinik Kotaraya
The Poliklinik Kotaraya is a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Polio vaccine
Routinely given to all babies in the United States in four doses at 2, 4, 12, and 18 months, the polio vaccine prevents polio, which can, in severe cases, lead to crippling, paralysis, and death. There are two types of polio vaccines: the IPV, which stands for inactivated polio vaccine, given as an injection, and the more common OPV, which stands for oral polio vaccine, given in drops in a child's mouth.
Poliomyelitis
An acute, infectious disease that attacks the central nervous system. Sometimes causes paralysis that can result in permanent deformities. Vaccines are available. Also called polio.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Ptosis
A drooping of the upper eyelid. In children it is usually a congenital problem. It rarely causes amblyopia. Most children simply hold their heads back if the droop is severe. Surgery, the only treatment, is usually suggested prior to starting school when the appearance is cosmetically unacceptable.
Pupil
A circular opening in the center of the iris. The size of the pupil changes according to the amount of light present. It is small in sunlight and large in a dark room.
Paxil
Paroxetime: a selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor commonly prescribed as an antidepressant (trade name Paxil).
Psoriasis treatment
A particular set of medical actions and interventions aimed at fighting a patient's psoriasis condition.
Phobias
Anxiety disorders in which the essential feature is persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that the individual feels compelled to avoid. The individual recognizes the fear as excessive or unreasonable.
Polio
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Clinical symptom complex characterized by oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, anovulation, and regularly associated with bilateral polycystic ovaries.
Postnatal Depression
Depression in women occurring usually within four weeks after the delivery of a child. The degree of depression ranges from mild transient depression to neurotic or psychotic depressive disorders.
Pott's disease
Tuberculosis affecting the spine.
Paratope
An antibody combining site that is complementary to an epitope.
Passive immunization
Immunization by the administration of preformed antibody into a nonimmune individual.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Acute
1. Of short course. 2. Severe, but of a short duration. Not chronic.
Disease
Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.
Infection
Anything that invades the body and reproduces. Infections can be bacteria, protozoa, fungi, or viruses. Bacteria and fungi are one celled creatures that cause many infections including strep throat, bladder infections, and some lung infections. Fungi cause “athlete’s foot” and thrush, an infection in the mouth. Protozoa are small organisms with many cells that can cause infections in the guts or in the lungs. Most healthy people do not get protozoal infections, but people with suppressed immune systems can. Viruses are not really organisms; they are tiny particles that can live only inside another cell. They reproduce by taking over a cell and causing that cell to make more virus particles, rather than doing what the cell is supposed to do. Viruses cause most colds and flu cases.
Gastrointestinal
Having to do with the stomach and intestines.
Nasopharynx
Nasopharynx refers to the upper part of the throat behind the nose.
Asymptomatic
The condition of having a disease, but without any symptoms of it.
Central
In anatomy and medicine (as elsewhere), central is the opposite of "peripheral" which means away from the center.
Cord
1. In anatomy, a long ropelike structure. 2. Short for the spinal cord or the umbilical cord.
Paralysis
Inability to move parts of the body.
Fasciculation
Involuntary contractions, or twitchings, of groups (fasciculi) of muscle fibers, a coarser form of muscular contraction than fibrillation.
Encephalitis
A viral infection of the brain.
Virus
Ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic; a piece of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein.
Condition
The term "condition" has a number of biomedical meanings including the following: 1.An unhealthy state, such as in "this is a progressive condition." 2.A state of fitness, such as "getting into condition." 3.Something that is essential to the occurrence of something else; essentially a "precondition." 4.As a verb: to cause a change in something so that a response that was previously associated with a certain stimulus becomes associated with another stimulus; to condition a person, as in behavioral conditioning.
Poliomyelitis
An acute, infectious disease that attacks the central nervous system. Sometimes causes paralysis that can result in permanent deformities. Vaccines are available. Also called polio.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Poliklinik Kotaraya
The Poliklinik Kotaraya is a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Polio vaccine
Routinely given to all babies in the United States in four doses at 2, 4, 12, and 18 months, the polio vaccine prevents polio, which can, in severe cases, lead to crippling, paralysis, and death. There are two types of polio vaccines: the IPV, which stands for inactivated polio vaccine, given as an injection, and the more common OPV, which stands for oral polio vaccine, given in drops in a child's mouth.
Poliomyelitis
An acute, infectious disease that attacks the central nervous system. Sometimes causes paralysis that can result in permanent deformities. Vaccines are available. Also called polio.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Ptosis
A drooping of the upper eyelid. In children it is usually a congenital problem. It rarely causes amblyopia. Most children simply hold their heads back if the droop is severe. Surgery, the only treatment, is usually suggested prior to starting school when the appearance is cosmetically unacceptable.
Pupil
A circular opening in the center of the iris. The size of the pupil changes according to the amount of light present. It is small in sunlight and large in a dark room.
Paxil
Paroxetime: a selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor commonly prescribed as an antidepressant (trade name Paxil).
Psoriasis treatment
A particular set of medical actions and interventions aimed at fighting a patient's psoriasis condition.
Phobias
Anxiety disorders in which the essential feature is persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that the individual feels compelled to avoid. The individual recognizes the fear as excessive or unreasonable.
Polio
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Clinical symptom complex characterized by oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, anovulation, and regularly associated with bilateral polycystic ovaries.
Postnatal Depression
Depression in women occurring usually within four weeks after the delivery of a child. The degree of depression ranges from mild transient depression to neurotic or psychotic depressive disorders.
Pott's disease
Tuberculosis affecting the spine.
Paratope
An antibody combining site that is complementary to an epitope.
Passive immunization
Immunization by the administration of preformed antibody into a nonimmune individual.
We thank you for using the Medical Glossary to search for Polio. If you have a better definition for Polio than the one presented here, please let us know by making use of the suggest a term option. This definition of Polio may be disputed by other professionals. Our attempt is to provide easy definitions on Polio and any other medical topic for the public at large.
This dictionary contains 19186 terms.
|
|