ABP Pediatric Infectious Diseases key terms

A state in which a person has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and has a positive immune test but no symptoms or active disease. Treatment prevents progression to active tuberculosis.

A blood test that measures interferon-gamma released by T cells after exposure to tuberculosis antigens. It helps detect latent tuberculosis infection and is not affected by prior bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination.

A throat infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, commonly in school-aged children, with sudden sore throat, fever, and tonsillar exudates. It is diagnosed by rapid antigen testing or culture and treated with penicillin or amoxicillin.

A lower respiratory tract infection in young children caused by respiratory syncytial virus. It produces wheezing, cough, and increased work of breathing; treatment is supportive, though high-risk infants may receive prevention.

Use of neuraminidase inhibitors such as oseltamivir to treat or prevent influenza. Early treatment shortens illness and reduces complications, especially in hospitalized or high-risk children.

A viral illness causing fever, sore throat, fatigue, and lymphadenopathy. It is common in adolescents, spreads through saliva, and can cause splenomegaly; children should avoid contact sports while enlarged.

A rare but severe brain infection caused by herpes simplex virus, often affecting the temporal lobes. It causes fever, headache, seizures, and altered mental status and requires urgent intravenous acyclovir and cerebrospinal fluid testing.

A fungal pneumonia that occurs mainly in immunocompromised patients, such as those with HIV or receiving immunosuppressive therapy. It causes fever, dry cough, and hypoxia; trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is used for treatment and prophylaxis.

A bloodstream infection with Candida yeast, often associated with central venous catheters, broad-spectrum antibiotics, or immunosuppression. It requires antifungal therapy and evaluation for removal of infected devices and metastatic infection.

A parasitic infection transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes that invades red blood cells. It causes fever, chills, and anemia and can be severe; diagnosis uses blood smears or rapid tests, and treatment depends on species and severity.

A fungal infection of the meninges caused by Cryptococcus, most common in severely immunocompromised patients. It causes headache, fever, and altered mental status and is treated with antifungal therapy, often including amphotericin B and flucytosine.

A bacterial infection in newborns, usually within the first week of life, acquired from the maternal genital tract during birth. It causes sepsis, pneumonia, or meningitis and is prevented by intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis in colonized mothers.

Infection of a fetus with cytomegalovirus during pregnancy. It is the leading nongenetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss and can cause microcephaly, jaundice, and developmental delay.

Herpes simplex virus infection acquired around birth, presenting in the first weeks of life as skin, eye, mouth, central nervous system, or disseminated disease. Prompt intravenous acyclovir improves outcomes.

Medical steps that reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission, including maternal antiretroviral therapy, cesarean delivery when indicated, and infant antiretroviral prophylaxis. These measures have reduced transmission dramatically in high-resource settings.

Infection of a fetus with Toxoplasma gondii acquired during pregnancy. It can cause chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus, and intracranial calcifications; treatment of the mother and infant reduces long-term complications.

A live attenuated combination vaccine given in two doses that protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. It is highly effective and is generally contraindicated in severely immunocompromised patients and during pregnancy.

A condition in which a live weakened vaccine should not be given because the weakened organism could cause serious disease. Major examples include severe immunodeficiency, pregnancy, and certain immunosuppressive treatments.

Indirect protection from an infectious disease that occurs when a sufficient proportion of a population is immune, reducing transmission to people who are not immune. High vaccination coverage helps protect vulnerable individuals.

A plan that brings a child with missing or delayed immunizations up to date. It uses minimum ages and intervals for each vaccine to ensure protection without unnecessary restarting of the series.

A fever in a patient with a low neutrophil count, often after cancer chemotherapy. It is a medical emergency requiring prompt cultures and empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics because bacterial sepsis can progress rapidly.

Absence or impaired function of the spleen, which increases the risk of overwhelming infection from encapsulated bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and Neisseria meningitidis. Immunization and preventive antibiotics reduce this risk.

An inherited disorder of the immune system that causes increased susceptibility to infections, autoimmunity, or malignancy. Examples include antibody deficiencies and phagocyte defects; diagnosis guides immunoglobulin therapy and vaccine choices.

A coordinated program that improves antibiotic use by selecting the right drug, dose, route, and duration. It aims to cure infections, reduce adverse effects and resistance, and lower unnecessary healthcare costs.

Measuring drug concentrations in blood to adjust dosing for effectiveness and safety. It is used for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows, such as vancomycin or aminoglycosides, especially in patients with changing kidney function.

An enzyme produced by some Gram-negative bacteria that destroys many penicillins and cephalosporins. Infections with these organisms limit treatment options and often require carbapenems or specialized antibiotics guided by susceptibility testing.

The lowest concentration of an antimicrobial that prevents visible growth of a bacterium in the laboratory. It helps determine susceptibility and guide appropriate antibiotic selection and dosing.

The presence of organisms from the skin or environment in a blood culture that were not actually in the bloodstream. It can lead to unnecessary antibiotics and tests, so proper skin preparation and collection technique are important.

A laboratory technique that amplifies small amounts of microbial DNA or RNA. It provides rapid, sensitive detection of pathogens, including viruses and bacteria that are difficult to culture.

Laboratory testing of spinal fluid, including cell counts, protein, glucose, Gram stain, culture, and molecular tests. Results help distinguish bacterial, viral, and fungal meningitis and guide antimicrobial treatment.

A blood biomarker that rises in severe bacterial infection and sepsis. It can support decisions about starting or stopping antibiotics, but it should be interpreted with the clinical picture and not used alone.

Cleaning hands with soap and water or alcohol-based rub to remove or kill microorganisms. It is the single most effective way to prevent healthcare-associated infections and should occur before and after patient contact.

Infection prevention measures used for patients with organisms spread by direct or indirect contact. They include gloves, gowns, dedicated equipment, and sometimes a private room to prevent transmission.

A serious infection in the bloodstream that occurs in a patient with a central venous catheter and is not related to another source. Prevention includes hand hygiene, sterile insertion, and daily review of line necessity.

A structured process to identify and control an increase in infections in a defined setting. Steps include case finding, describing the outbreak, forming a hypothesis, and implementing control measures.

A fever in a young infant without an obvious cause after history and examination. Age-based evaluation for serious bacterial infection, including urinary tract infection, bacteremia, and meningitis, guides testing and treatment.

Infection of the middle ear that usually follows a viral upper respiratory infection. It causes ear pain, fever, and a bulging tympanic membrane. Management may involve observation or antibiotics depending on age and severity.

A medium-vessel vasculitis of young children with prolonged fever, rash, conjunctivitis, oral changes, extremity changes, and cervical lymphadenopathy. It can cause coronary artery aneurysms, so timely intravenous immunoglobulin and aspirin are critical.

Infection of a joint space, often caused by Staphylococcus aureus in children. It causes fever, joint pain, and refusal to use the limb; prompt joint aspiration and intravenous antibiotics prevent joint damage.