Medical Vocabulary 2.0

an indirect protection from a disease resulting from a large percentage of the population gaining immunity (as a result of either recovering from the disease or being vaccinated).

a micro-organism or germ such as a bacterium or virus that can cause disease - Fortunately, most pathogens are dealt with by the body's immune system.

the person identified as the first to become infected with a disease in an outbreak - Authorities usually try to determine who patient zero was.

transfer of a disease from animal to human or from human to human - Transmission of many diseases can be direct or indirect.

often passive: cause a disease to pass from animal to human or from human to human - Many diseases are transmitted through physical contact.

showing no symptoms of a particular disease - She had no idea her husband had coronavirus because he was asymptomatic.

wounds that develop on a patient's body from lying in one place for too long - If you don't get up and take a walk, you will develop painful bedsores.

the amount of red and white blood cells a person has - You will be happy to know that your blood count is almost back to normal.

procedure that involves removing a baby from its mother through an incision in the woman's lower abdomen - The baby was so large that we had to perform a Caesarean section.

restoring a person's breath and circulation - You saved your brother's life by performing CPR.

a person who determines the cause of death after a person dies - We only call the coroner if we think a death is suspicious.

objects that people with injured legs or feet use to help them walk - I'd rather hop on one foot than use crutches.

the virus that infects the human T-cells and leads to AIDS - HIV can be passed down from the mother to her fetus.

section of the hospital where patients get constant attention and doctors rely on specialized equipment - She will remain in the ICU until she can breathe on her own.

expected to grow and get much worse (especially related to cancerous cells) - I'm afraid at least one of the tumours is malignant.

a doctor's appointment to check a person's general health - I'd like to see you a year from now for a routine check-up.

a test that examines the body's internal organs and processes using sound waves (often used during pregnancies) - The ultrasound shows that we are expecting a baby boy.

the lifeline from the mother to the fetus (when cut at birth this forms the belly button) - I had an emergency C-section because the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck.

a photograph of a person's bones and organs - The technician took x-rays of my shoulder to make sure it wasn't broken.

alive, but appearing to be asleep and unaware of the surroundings - I hit my head on the steering wheel and was still unconscious when the ambulance arrived.