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Website. www .cdc .gov. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) Advisory Committee to the Director advises and provides guidance to HHS Secretary and CDC Director. CDC-INFO. Media Newsroom. CDC Careers. David J. Sencer CDC Museum. CDC Foundation. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention About Us.
Aug 5, 2021 · The WHO has an ambitious vision to improve the health of every global citizen through programs beyond infectious disease control, such as protecting the environment from manmade damages. The CDC, on the other hand, has a primary focus on the health and safety of American citizens. The CDC and the WHO work together to coordinate and implement ...
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Acellular vaccine: Listen [MP3]
A vaccine containing partial cellular material as opposed to complete cells.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS): A medical condition where the immune system cannot function properly and protect the body from disease. As a result, the body cannot defend itself against infections (like pneumonia). AIDS is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This virus is spread through direct contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected individual. High risk activities include unprotected sexual intercourse and intravenous drug use (sharing needles). There is no cure for AIDS; however, research efforts to develop a vaccine are ongoing.
Active immunity: The production of antibodies against a specific disease by the immune system. Active immunity can be acquired in two ways, either by contracting the disease or through vaccination. Active immunity is usually long-lasting, but individuals may remain susceptible to variants of the etiologic agent or to milder presentation of the disease.
Acute: Listen [MP3]
Short-term, intense (as in a health effect).
B cells: Small white blood cells that help the body defend itself against infection. B cells are produced in bone marrow and can develop into plasma cells which produce antibodies. Also known as B lymphocytes.
Bacteria: Tiny one-celled organisms present throughout the environment that require a microscope to be seen. While not all bacteria are harmful, some cause disease. Examples of bacterial disease include diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, respiratory tract infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococcus.
Bias: Flaws or undesired effects in the collection, analysis, or interpretation of research data that lead to incorrect or inaccurate conclusions.
Biological plausibility: A causal association (or relationship between two factors) consistent with existing medical knowledge.
Bone marrow: Soft tissue located within bones that produces all blood cells, including the ones that fight infection.
Booster shots: Additional doses of a vaccine needed periodically to “boost” the immune system and ”reactivate” a immune response already developed by an individual. For example, a tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine booster is recommended for adults every ten years.
Causal association: Listen [MP3]
A relation in which the presence or absence of a variable (e.g. smoking) is responsible for an increase or decrease in another variable (e.g. cancer). A change in exposure leads to a change in the outcome of interest.
Chickenpox: See Varicella.
Chronic health condition: A health-related state (e.g., cancer, asthma) that lasts for a long period of time.
Combination vaccine: A product containing components that can be divided equally into independently available routine vaccines.
Communicable: That which can be transmitted from one person or animal to another, infectious.
Deltoid: Listen [MP3]
A muscle in the upper arm where shots are usually given.
Demyelinating disorders: Listen [MP3]A medical condition in which the myelin sheath is damaged. The myelin sheath surrounds nerves and facilitates the transmission of impulses to the brain. Damage to the myelin sheath results in muscle weakness, poor coordination, and possible paralysis. Examples of demyelinating disorders include Multiple Sclerosis (MS), optic neuritis, transverse neuritis, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS).
Diabetes: A chronic health condition in which the body is unable to produce insulin or the insulin itself does not properly break down sugar (glucose) in the blood. Symptoms include hunger, thirst, excessive urination, dehydration, and weight loss. The treatment of diabetes may require daily insulin injections or oral medications to increase insulin production or activity in the body. Complications can include heart disease, stroke, neuropathy, poor circulation leading to loss of limbs, hearing impairment, vision problems, and death.
Diphtheria: Listen [MP3]
A potentially fatal bacterial disease of the respiratory tract marked by the formation of a membrane around the tonsils, especially in the throat.
Efficacy rate: Listen [MP3]
A measure used to describe how effective a vaccine is at preventing disease.
Encephalitis: Listen [MP3]
Inflammation of the brain. Encephalitis can result in permanent brain damage or death.
Encephalopathy: Listen [MP3]
A general term describing brain dysfunction. Examples include encephalitis, meningitis, seizures, and the effects of head trauma.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS): Listen [MP3]
A rare neurological disease characterized by loss of reflexes and temporary paralysis. Symptoms include weakness, numbness, tingling, and increased sensitivity that spreads over the body. Muscle paralysis starts in the feet and legs, then moves upwards to the arms and hands. Paralysis can affect the respiratory muscles and cause breathing difficulties. Symptoms usually appear over the course of one day and may continue to progress for 3–4 days and up to 3–4 weeks. Recovery begins within 2–4 weeks after the progression stops. While most patients recover, approximately 15%–20% experience persistent symptoms. GBS is fatal in 5% of cases.
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib): Listen [MP3]
A bacterium that can cause severe respiratory infections (including pneumonia), otitis, and diseases such as meningitis.
Hepatitis A: An acute viral disease of the liver transmitted through contaminated food or water.
Hepatitis B: A viral liver disease transmitted by infected blood or blood products, or through unprotected sex with someone who is infected.
Hepatitis C: A viral liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is found in the blood of persons who have the disease. HCV is spread by contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected person.
Hepatitis D: A viral liver diseases caused by a virus that needs the hepatitis B virus to exist. Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is found in the blood of persons infected with the virus.
Immunoglobulin: Listen [MP3]
A protein found in the blood that fights infection. Also known as gamma globulin.
Immune system: The complex system in the body responsible for fighting disease. Its primary function is to identify foreign substances in the body (bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites) and develop a defense against them. This defense is known as the immune response. It involves production of protein molecules called antibodies to eliminate foreign organisms from the body.
Immunity: Protection against a disease. There are two types of immunity, passive and active. Immunity is indicated by the presence of antibodies or other components in the blood and can usually be determined with a laboratory test. See active and passive immunity.
Immunization: Listen [MP3]
The process of being made immune or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine. It implies that a vaccine will trigger an immune response.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborates to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness for new health threats.
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. It can be very contagious and spreads quickly. Over one million people have died from COVID-19 in the United States. COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, the flu, or pneumonia.
abbreviation for. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: the branch of the U.S. Public Health Service under the Department of Health and Human Services charged with the investigation and control of contagious disease in the nation. CDC.
