(ant-hel-min′tik, ant-hel-min′thik) Destructive to parasitic worms.
anthracemia
(an-thra-s me-ă) The presence of Bacillus anthracis in the blood.
anthraconecrosis
(an-thra-ko-nĕ-kro′sis) Degeneration and transformation of tissue into a dry black mass.
anthracosilicosis
(an-thra-ko-sil-ĭ-ko′sis) Fibrous hardening of the lungs due to continuous inhalation of
anthracosis
(an-thra-ko′sis) Disease caused by accumulation of carbon in the lungs.
anthrax
(an′thraks) Acute contagious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium infecting chiefly farm animals, transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals, insect bites, inhalation, or ingestion; symptoms may appear from 12 hours to 5 days after exposure. The disease also has a strong occupational relationship to industries dealing with animal products (e.g., leather and textile industries). It occurs chiefly in countries lacking disease control programs.
cutaneous a. A localized infection resulting from anthrax spores that enter a cut on the skin; marked by the appearance of a reddish blister, resembling an insect bite which, within days, develops in to a large bleeding pustule with a characteristic black center.
Systemic involvement ranges from mild to severe.
inhalation a. The most severe and usually fatal form of anthrax; organisms infect the lungs via inhalation of the bacterial spores; early symptoms start about 12 hours after exposure and resemble those of a cold or flu; they include fatigue, low fever, and cough and progress to high fever, pneumonia, and death (in about 90 percent of patients). Early treatment can increase survival rate. Also called woolsorters’ disease.
intestinal a. A usually fatal form of anthrax caused by consumption of contaminated meat; marked by inflammation of the intestines, fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and hemorrhage from mucous membranes.
anthrone
(an′thrōn) A substance used as a reagent to detect the presence of carbohydrates.
anthropozoonosis
(an-thro-po-zo-o-no′sis) Human disease caused by microorganisms that are maintained in nature by animals (e.g., trichinosis, rabies).
antiadhesin
(an-tĭ-ad-he′zin) An antibody that interacts with components of the bacterial cell surface to prevent adhesion of the bacterium to mucous membranes.
antiandrogen
(an-te-an′drŏ-jen) A substance that can diminish the effects of masculinizing (androgenic) hormones.
antiarrhythmic
(an-te-ă-rith′mik) Alleviating or preventing irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia).
antibiosis
(an-tĭ-bi-o′sis) The association of two organisms whereby one is affected detrimentally.
antibiotic
(an-tī-bi-ot′ik) A substance derived from plants, fungi, or bacteria or produced synthetically, that destroys or inhibits the growth of microorganisms.
broad-spectrum a. An antibiotic which is effective against a variety of microorganisms, particularly against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.
antibody
(an′tĭ-bod-e) (Ab) A three-lobed globulin containing two short and two long chains of protein, found in the blood and other body fluids, that can be incited by the presence of antigen (microorganisms, foreign proteins, etc.); it has a destructive influence on the antigen that stimulated its formation, thus producing immunity; the structure has considerable flexibility and is hinged, so that it can pivot from a taut T-shape to a forked Y-shape.
anticardiolipin a. Antibody that reacts with cardiolipin (a phospholipid present in cell membranes); may be elevated in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Associated with increased incidence of thrombosis, fetal loss, and other abnormalities.
α1-antichymotripsin A protein that inhibits the action of the digestive enzyme chymotrypsin.
antinuclear a. (ANA) An antibody that acts against components of cell nuclei; found in systemic lupus erythematosus and certain collagen diseases.
antiphospholipid a.’s A group of antibodies (e.g., anticardiolipin antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, VDRL) acting against phosphorylated polysaccharide esters of fatty acids, thought to be markers of a hypercoagulable state of the blood.
antisperm a.’s (ASAs) Antibodies (predominantly IgA type) that immobilize spermatozoa or interfere in any way with spermatozoan activity. They are found in the serum of both males and females and act locally (in the testicles and the vagina); level of their activity fluctuates.
blocking a. Antibody that, by combining with antigen, stops further activity of that antigen.
complement-fixing a., CF a. Antibody that, when combined with antigen, activates complement.
monoclonal a.’s (MAB, MoAb) Antibodies that are chemically and immunologically homogeneous, artificially produced in the laboratory to react with specific antigens; used as probes in cell biology and biochemistry and, experimentally, to treat certain forms of cancer.
natural a.’s Antibodies occurring naturally in the body without apparent antigenic stimulation from infection or immunization.
neutralizing a. Antibody that, by binding to an infective agent, limits its infectivity.
anticholinergic
(an-tĭ-ko-lin-er′jik) Inhibiting the action of a parasympathetic nerve.
anticholinesterase
(an-tĭ-ko-lin-es′ter-ās) An agent that inhibits the action of cholinesterase.
α 1 -antichymotrypsin
(an-tĭ-ki-mo-trip′sin) A protein that inhibits the action of the digestive enzyme chymotrypsin.
anticoagulant
(an-tĭ-ko-ag′u-lant) Any substance that prevents coagulation of blood.
anticodon
(an-tĭ-ko′don) The three-base sequence of transfer RNA that pairs with a codon in messenger RNA.
anticomplement
(an-tĭ-kom′ple-ment) A substance that neutralizes the action of complement (material in normal serum that helps to destroy pathogens).
antidiuretic
antidote
(an′tĭ-dōt) An agent that counteracts the effects of an ingested poison, either by inactivating it or by opposing its action following absorption.
antidromic
(an-tĭ-drom′ik) Transmitting a nerve impulse in a reverse direction of the normal.
antiemetic
(an-te-ĕ-met′ik) 1. Preventing or arresting nausea. 2. A drug that prevents or relieves nausea and vomiting.
antienzyme
(an-te-en′zīm) A substance that neutralizes the action of an enzyme.
antifibrinolysin
(an-tĭ-fi-bri-nol′ĭ-sin) A substance that retards the disintegration of fibrin in blood clots.
antigen
(an′tĭ-jen) (Ag) Any material capable of triggering in an individual the production of specific antibody or the formation of a specific population of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) that react with that material. Antigens may be proteins, toxins, microorganisms, or tissue cells. Whether any material is an antigen in a person depends on whether the material is foreign to the person, the genetic make-up of the person, and the dose of the material.
carcinoembryonic a. (CEA) A glycoprotein component of normal embryonic gastrointestinal tissues; usually found in the adult only in certain carcinomas, especially colonic carcinoma.
CD4 a. A glycoprotein on the membrane of helper T lymphocytes.
CD8 a. A glycoprotein on the membrane of suppressor T lymphocytes.
endogenous a. Any antigen found within an individual.
exogenous a. Any antigen originating from the individual’s environment (e.g., pollen).
hepatitis-associated a. (HAA) See hepatitis B surface antigen.
hepatitis B core a. (HBcAg) Antigen of the DNA core of the hepatitis B virus (Dane particle), present in hepatocyte nuclei of patients with hepatitis B.
hepatitis B surface a. (HBsAg) Antigen of the outer lipoprotein coat of the hepatitis B virus (Dane particle), found in the serum and the hepatocyte protoplasm of patients with hepatitis B; persistence of HBsAg in the blood indicates an infectious carrier state.
heterologous a. An antigen that reacts with an antibody whose formation was induced by another antigen.
histocompatibility a.’s Any of the genetically determined antigens that induce an immune response (rejection) when transplanted from the donor into a genetically different recipient; they are present on nucleated cells of most tissues.
HL-A a.’s Original name for human lymphocyte histocompatibility antigens; A stands for locus A (a specific area on a chromosome); currently, HLA is the system designation and locus A is HLA-A.
human lymphocyte a.’s (HLA) Designation for cell surface proteins that are the gene products of four linked loci (sites) on the sixth human chromosome. These loci are known as A, B, C and D; more than 50 alleles (variations of the gene) are located at loci HLA-A and HLA-B. Human lymphocyte antigens are responsible for rejection of tissue transplants and for certain diseases.
Kveim a. A spleen extract prepared from a sarcoidosis patient, used as a skin test for diagnosis of sarcoidosis.
oncofetal a.’s Antigens present normally in the fetus (e.g., alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigens); associated with tumors in the adult, serving as tumor markers for various cancers.
prostate-specific a. (PSA) A glycoprotein secreted by the cytoplasm of epithelial prostate cells; its normal function is to aid in the liquefaction of semen; normal values in young adults range between 0 and 4 ng/ml; it occurs in higher levels in the serum of men with benign prostatic hypertrophy. Determinations of serum PSA levels may be of value in the diagnosis and staging of prostatic cancer.
T a. Antigen present in nuclei of cells infected by certain tumor viruses; thought to be an early virus-specific protein.
tumor-associated a. (TAA) Antigen found on cells undergoing neoplastic
cells and not on the normal host cells.
antigenic
(an-tĭ-jen′ik) Having the properties of an antigen; capable of inciting the formation of antibody.
antigenicity
(an-tĭ-je-nis′ĭ-te) The state of being antigenic.
antihelix
(an-te-he′liks) The curved prominence on the external ear parallel to and in front of the helix.
antihelminthic
(an-tĭ-hel-minth′ik) See anthelmintic.
antihemolysin
(an-tĭ-he-mol′ĭ-sin) An agent that inhibits the action of a hemolysin, thus reducing destruction of red blood cells.
antihistamine
(an-tĭ-his′tă-mēn) Any of several drugs used to counteract the action of histamine in the treatment of allergic symptoms.