Dictionary of useful flu words

anaphylaxis

A severe allergic reaction.

antibodies

Proteins produced by the body to neutralise or destroy toxins and disease-carrying organisms.

antiviral drugs

Drugs used to treat infections caused by viruses.

bronchitis

Inflammation of the main tubes to the lungs.

bronchopneumonia

The most common form of pneumonia. Inflammation of the lung caused by bacteria, e.g. Haemophilus influenzae.

cardiac disease

Any disease of the cardiac system - the heart and its associated blood vessels.

chronic renal failure

Long term failure of the kidneys.

congestive heart failure

A type of heart failure which results in accumulation of fluid in the liver and tissues.

cystic fibrosis

An inherited disease that results in the production of thick mucus causing lung infections and digestive problems.

diabetes

A condition caused by insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas leading to high levels of glucose in the body.

emphysema

A condition in which the air sacs in the lungs are damaged and enlarged.

epidemic

An outbreak of a disease that spreads within a population. A pandemic is a worldwide epidemic, usually affecting several countries.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome

A disease of the peripheral nerves (the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord) causing progressive numbness and weakness in the limbs and sometimes breathing difficulties.

Haemophilus influenzae type b

The bacterium that causes Hib disease.

immunity

The ability to resist an infection, usually as a result of immunisation or previous exposure to the infection.

immune system

The body’s system for fighting infectious disease.

immunisation

The priming of the body’s immune system with a specially prepared medicine.

inactivated vaccine

A vaccine manufactured either from the killed germ, or from the toxin, or using parts of the germ either as component vaccines or as conjugate vaccines.

incubation period

The time between a germ infecting the body and it causing symptoms.

intranasal vaccine

A vaccine given through the nose.

live attenuated vaccine

A vaccine made from the live pathogen which has been altered to make it less harmful. The live vaccines in the childhood immunisation schedule are oral polio, MMR and BCG. Other live vaccines include yellow fever and one form of typhoid vaccine.

lower respiratory tract infections

Infections of the lower parts of the lungs – the smaller bronchioles and air sacs.

nephrotic syndrome

A condition leading to the loss of large amounts of protein in the urine.

oral vaccine

A vaccine taken by mouth.

organic solvents

Chemicals used to dilute or dissolve.

otitis media

Inflammation of the middle ear, usually due to viral or bacterial infection.

pneumococcal vaccine

A vaccine that protects against pneumococcal disease – a range of infections such as pneumonia, septicaemia and meningitis caused by pneumococcal bacteria.

renal transplant

Replacement of a kidney with a donor kidney.

respiratory disease

Any condition of the respiratory system – the windpipe and lungs.

sinusitis

Inflammation of the sinuses.

Staphylococcus aureus

A type of bacterium that can lead to a range of infections.

thiomersal

A mercury based preservative used in some vaccines to prevent microbial contamination, or in the process of producing inactivated vaccines. The levels of mercury in vaccines in the UK are below the permitted levels.

vaccine

A medicine used to induce immunity to a particular infection. Vaccines are manufactured in different ways, usually using part of the germ or virus which causes the disease. They cannot cause the disease for which they give protection, except very rarely following oral polio vaccine.

viral pneumonia

Pneumonia (lung inflammation) caused by a virus.

virosome

A type of vaccine delivery system. Parts of the flu virus are inserted into a special carrier making it easier for the immune system to recognise and respond to the virus proteins in the flu vaccine.

virus

An organism that needs to live inside a cell to grow and reproduce. Viruses cause many types of disease, including the common cold.

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