# Disease --- A **disease** is a specific sickness that is caused by a [[pathogen]] or [[toxin]] that is not caused by injury. The study of disease and how it spreads through a population is [[epidemiology]]. - A **disease** is a pathophysiological response to internal or external factors. - A **disorder** is a disruption to regular bodily structure and function. - A **syndrome** is a collection of signs and symptoms associated with a specific health-related cause. - A **condition** is an abnormal state of health that interferes with normal or regular feelings of wellbeing. this term is sort of a catch-all and used more as a neutral term is desired. ## Types of Disease An incomplete list: - **Nosocomial infections** (from the Greek: *nosokomeion* meaning "infirmary" or "hospital"), also called [[healthcare associated infection|health-care associated infections (HAIs)]] are infections that are contracted due to the particular location, such as a hospital. - [[neurocognitive disorders|Neurocognitive disorders]] are disease that affect the mind. ### Acute & Chronic Disease - Acute illness is short, with an abrupt onset and short span - May or may not be life-limiting - May or may not require medical or lifestyle change - Can be an exacerbation of a chronic illness - Chronic illness is prolonged, lasting for months or years - Have irreversible changes or permanent impairment or disability - May present with remissions/exacerbations - Often no cure - goals involve preventing flair ups, managing symptoms, improving/maintaining quality of life - Requires medical management/lifestyle changes ## Terminology ***Signs* of disease:** Objective evidence of a disease, that can be observed and measured by someone other than the patient. For examples: [[fever]] , [[inflammation]] ***Symptoms* of disease:** Subjective evidence of a disease, that only the person who is sick can detect. For examples: fatigue, anxiety **Primary infection:** The root cause of a person's current health problem. **Secondary infection:** An infection that only occurs after a primary infection has taken place. These are usually done by [[pathogen|opportunistic pathogens]], who only set in after the immune system has been weakened by another infection. For example: The primary infections of [[AIDS]] can lead to secondary infections, like Kaposi's Sarcoma. ### Course of Disease **Incubation period:** After infection but before disease **Prodromal period:** First signs of disease...kind of sick but not really. **Illness period:** Really sick. Different diseases produce different illnesses. **Convalescent period:** felling better **Latent:** The person is harboring the pathogen but doesn't have any signs/symptoms of disease. **Carrier:** a person with a latent disease, who doesn't show signs/symptoms, but can still transmit the disease **Bacteremia:** presence of bacteria in the blood **Toxemia:** presence of toxins in the blood **Viremia:** presence of viruses in the blood ___