Glossary of Terms

Common terms that you may encounter on the site.

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  • Pandemic

    An epidemic that occurs in several geographic regions. (Note that a disease need not have a high death rate to cause a pandemic.)

  • Passive immunization

    A form of temporary immunity, created by giving a person disease-specific antibodies.

  • Pathogen

    An agent, such as a bacterium, virus, worm, or fungus, that causes disease.

  • Plasma (in blood)

    The protein-containing fluid part of blood. Red blood cells and other materials are suspended in plasma.

  • Polysaccharide vaccine

    A vaccine in which the immunogenic particles come from the carbohydrate-containing outer coatings of encapsulated bacteria.