20 terms in infectious disease
Infectious disease medicine covers the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections, with emphasis on antimicrobial stewardship and infection control.
Life-threatening infection of the meninges (protective brain/spinal cord lining) causing acute inflammation.
Rare, life‑threatening neuroparalytic syndrome caused by botulinum neurotoxin (usually from *Clostridium botulinum*); toxin blocks acetylcho…
An antibiotic-associated infection of the colon by the spore-forming bacterium Clostridioides difficile (formerly *Clostridium*) that releas…
Inflammation of the conjunctiva ("pink eye") causing red eye and discharge; usually benign and self-limited (viral, bacterial, or allergic c…
Acute infection by toxin-producing Corynebacterium diphtheriae affecting the respiratory tract (or skin). It causes a tough pseudomembrane o…
Relatively common bacterial infection of the upper dermis (usually group A Strep) causing a well-demarcated, raised, intensely red rash (cla…
Life-threatening necrotizing infection of muscle (myonecrosis) caused by toxin-producing *Clostridium* (usually *C. perfringens*), with rapi…
A common spiral-shaped, urease-producing Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the gastric mucosa; causes chronic gastritis and most peptic…
Chronic infection by HIV (a retrovirus) that destroys CD4+ T cells, causing progressive immunodeficiency. Untreated, it progresses to AIDS w…
Contagious viral illness (a paramyxovirus) causing painful swelling of the salivary glands (parotitis), sometimes leading to complications l…
Life‑threatening, rapidly progressive infection of the fascia and deep soft tissues ("flesh‑eating" disease) causing necrosis of subcutaneou…
Contagious rubella virus infection ("German measles") causing a mild 3-day rash and fever. Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) refers to the c…
Life-threatening neurologic illness caused by *Clostridium tetani* exotoxin (tetanospasmin), characterized by muscle rigidity and intense sp…
Inflammation of the palatine tonsils (lymphoid tissue in the throat), usually due to infection by common respiratory viruses or *Group A Str…
A group of congenital infections in pregnancy that are often benign or mild in the mother but cause serious fetal harm. The TORCH acronym st…
Rare, life‑threatening shock syndrome caused by superantigen‑producing Staph aureus (TSST‑1 toxin) or Strep pyogenes (Spe exotoxins). Charac…
Infection caused by the protozoan *Toxoplasma gondii*. Typically asymptomatic in healthy people, but in immunocompromised patients it causes…
Contagious airborne infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that usually affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can involve other organs (extr…
A herpesvirus (DNA) also known as human herpesvirus-3 (HHV-3), which causes varicella (chickenpox) as the primary infection and can later re…
Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and meninges (meningitis) due to viral infection of the central nervous system.
Infectious disease medicine covers the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections, with emphasis on antimicrobial stewardship and infection control.
The EnterMedSchool glossary contains 20 terms in infectious disease, each with definitions, clinical relevance, exam tips, and mnemonics designed for medical students.
Key infectious disease terms that frequently appear on medical licensing exams include Acute bacterial meningitis, Botulism, Clostridium difficile infection, Conjunctivitis, Diphtheria, and 15 more. Each term page includes exam-focused content and clinical cases.