A |
| ACD |
Acute and communicable disease prevention |
| Acute |
Short term, intense symptomatology or pathology, as distinct from
chronic. Many diseases have an acute phase and a chronic phase. This
distinction is sometimes used in treatments. |
| Acute care |
Services provided by physicians and other health professionals and staff
in the community and in hospitals. These include emergency, general
medical and surgical, psychiatric, obstetric and diagnostic services. |
| AEFI |
Adverse Event Following Immunization* |
| Alternate level of care
See also Acute care,
InterQual criteria |
Alternative care that, had it been available, would have been more
appropriate for a person in an acute care hospital who does not meet
the criteria for acute care. |
| Amantadine |
An antiviral agent indicated in adults and children >1 year for the
treatment of illness due to influenza and for prophylaxis following
exposure to influenza type A viruses. It has no effect against the
influenza type B virus. |
| Antigen |
Any molecule that is recognized by the immune system and that
triggers an immune response, such as release of antibodies. |
| Antigenic drift |
A gradual change of the hemagglutinin or neuraminidase proteins on
the surface of a particular strain of influenza virus occurring in response
to host antibodies in humans who have been exposed to it. It occurs on
an ongoing basis in both type A and type B influenza strains and
necessitates ongoing changes in influenza vaccines. |
| Antigenic shift |
The movement of a type A influenza virus strain from other species into
humans. The novel strain emerges by reassortment with circulating
human influenza strains or by infecting humans directly. Because they
flourish in the face of global susceptibility, viruses that have undergone
antigenic shift usually create pandemics. |
| Antibody |
Protein molecules that are produced and secreted by certain types of
white cells in response to stimulation by an antigen. |
 |
B |
| Bed (Institutional Bed) |
In any institution a “bed” includes infrastructure support,
including
staffing, that is required to care for the patient in that bed. Therefore
the requirements for a bed in an intensive care unit, for example,
include all the support required for a patient to be cared for at that
level. |
|
C |
| Case weight |
A measure representing the relative resources consumed by different
types of hospital cases, distinguishing simple from complex cases. |
| CCMOH |
Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health* |
| Cross-resistance |
The development of strains of a pathogen that not only
withstands the
effects of a given antimicrobial agent, but other chemically related
agents as well. |
| CDC |
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a federal
agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services |
| CDPE |
Center for Disease Prevention and Epidemiology |
| CEPR |
Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response (Public Health
Agency of Canada)* |
| CIDPC |
Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control (Public Health
Agency of Canada)* |
| CLSN |
Canadian Laboratory Surveillance Network |
| CPHLN |
Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network |
|
D |
| DFA |
Direct fluorescent antibody |
|
E |
| EHS |
Emergency Health Services* |
| EIA |
Enzyme immunoassay |
| ESS |
Emergency Social Services* |
| Epidemic |
An outbreak of infection that spreads rapidly and affects many
individuals in a given area or population at the same time. |
| Epidemiology |
The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related
states
or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to
control of health problems.1 |
|
F |
| Flu |
Another name for influenza infection, although it is often mistakenly
used in reference to gastrointestinal and other types of clinical illness. |
| F/P/T |
Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments (noun)* or Federal,
Provincial and Territorial (adjective) |
|
G |
| Goblet cell |
A mucous gland in the epithelial lining of specific mucus-secreting
passages of the respiratory tract. Mucigen droplets swell the upper
portion of the cell, giving it a goblet-like shape. |
|
H |
| H1N1 |
A strain of influenza type A virus that caused the pandemic infection
of
1918-1919 and that continues to circulate in humans. |
| H3N2 |
A strain of influenza type A virus that caused the pandemic infection
of
1968-1969. Of the three influenza viruses that currently circulate in
humans, this type causes the greatest morbidity and mortality. |
| H5N1 |
A strain of influenza type A virus that moved in 1997 from poultry
to
humans. While the outbreak of this virus was rapidly contained, it
produced significant morbidity and mortality in persons who became
infected, probably from direct contact with infected poultry. In 2003 a
slightly different strain of H5N1 started circulating in avian species
in
Asia. As of 2005 this strain has become virtually endemic in the avian
population, has infected other species such as swine and felines and
has resulted in several fatal human cases. |
| Hemagglutinin (H) |
An agglutinating protein antigen spiking from the surface of the influenza
virus. Differences in the amino acid sequencing of the HA antibody give
rise to the different subtypes of type A virus (e.g. H1, H2, H3). |
| Health Care Worker
(HCW) with close
patient contact |
Persons who work in settings where essential health care is provided
and who during the pandemic would be working within 1 meter of any
patients/residents with or without personal protective equipment.
Note: This definition was developed to facilitate pandemic planning
regarding the identification of specific groups that may be targeted
as
part of the antiviral and vaccine strategies. It has been endorsed by
the Pandemic Influenza Committee for this purpose but may not be
well recognized outside of this group. |
| Health Care Worker
(HCW) without close
patient contact |
Persons who work in settings where essential health care is provided
and who during the pandemic would not be expected to work within 1
meter of any patients/residents.
Note: This definition was developed to facilitate pandemic planning
regarding the identification of specific groups that may be targeted
as
part of the antiviral and vaccine strategies. It has been endorsed by
the Pandemic Influenza Committee for this purpose but may not be
well recognized outside of this group. |
| Health status |
The state of health of an individual or a population, as
in community
health status. |
| HECN |
Health Emergency Communications Network |
| High-risk groups |
Those groups in which epidemiological evidence indicates there is an
increased risk of contracting a disease. |
|
I |
| IFA |
Immunofluorescence assay |
| IHR |
International Health Regulations |
| IMPACT |
Immunization Monitoring Program, ACTive: a paediatric surveillance
network |
| ILI |
Influenza-like illness |
| Inactivated vaccine |
A vaccine prepared from killed viruses that no longer
retain their
infective properties. |
| Influenza |
A highly contagious, febrile, acute respiratory infection of the nose,
throat, bronchial tubes, and lungs caused by the influenza virus. It is
responsible for severe and potentially fatal clinical illness of epidemic
and pandemic proportions. |
| Influenza type A |
A category of influenza virus characterized by specific internal proteins
and further subgrouped according to variations in their two surface
proteins (hemagglutinin and neuraminidase). It infects animals as well
as humans and has caused the pandemic influenza infections occurring
in this century. |
| Influenza type B |
A category of influenza virus characterized by specific internal proteins.
It infects only humans, causes less severe clinical illness than type A,
and spreads in regional rather than pandemic outbreaks. |
| Influenza type C |
A category of influenza virus characterized by specific internal proteins.
It does not cause significant clinical illness. |
| Interpandemic |
Period The interval between the last pandemic and the onset
of the Pandemic
Alert Period. During this period no new virus subtypes have been
detected in humans although an influenza virus subtype that has
caused human infection may be present in animals. |
| Isolate |
A pure specimen obtained by culture. |
| Isolation (as used in
epidemiology) |
Separation, for the period of communicability, of infected persons or
animals from others in such places and under such conditions as to
prevent or limit the direct or indirect transmission or the infectious
agent from those infected to those who are susceptible or who may
spread the agent to others.1 |
| Infection |
Condition in which virulent organisms are able to multiply
within the
body and cause a response from the host's immune defences. Infection
may or may not lead to clinical disease. |
| Infectious |
Capable of being transmitted by infection, with or without actual
contact. |
| Inpatient |
An individual who receives health care services while admitted in a
health care facility overnight or longer. |
| InterQual criteria. See
also Alternate level of
care |
A set of measurable clinical indicators, as well as diagnostic and
therapeutic services, reflecting the need for hospitalization. Rather than
being based on diagnosis, they consider the level of illness of the
patient and the services required; thus they serve as the criteria for all
acute hospital care, regardless of location or size of the hospital. The
criteria are grouped into 14 body systems, and there are three sets of
criteria for each body system: Severity of Illness, Intensity of Service,
and Discharge Screens. |
|
K |
| Key health sector
decision makers |
Persons whose decision-making authority is necessary for
implementing and maintaining the health sector response to pandemic
influenza.
Note: This definition was developed to facilitate pandemic planning
regarding the identification of specific groups that may be targeted
as
part of specific public health interventions. It has been endorsed by
the Pandemic Influenza Committee for this purpose but may not be
well recognized outside of this group. |
| Key social sector
decision makers |
Persons whose decision making authority will be necessary at the time
of the pandemic to minimize societal disruption.
Note: This definition was developed to facilitate pandemic planning
regarding the identification of specific groups that may be targeted
as
part of specific public health interventions. It has been endorsed by
the Pandemic Influenza Committee for this purpose but may not be
well recognized outside of this group. |
|
L |
| LICO (Low income
cutoff point) |
The proportion of people in low-income households to the total
population in private households. LICOs are set where families spend
20 percent more of their pre-tax income than the Canadian average on
food, shelter and clothing. The LICO takes into account changes in the
Consumer Price Index of the area and gives various LICOs according to
different family sizes. |
| LPN (Licensed
practical nurse) |
A nursing school graduate who has been licensed by a provincial or
territorial body; occasional synonym, licensed vocational nurse. |
|
M |
| MD (Doctor of
Medicine) |
An individual holding a doctoral degree in medicine. |
| MEDLARS |
Medical Literature Analysis Retrieval System. The computer on which
“Medline” and “AIDSLINE®” reside at the National
Library of Medicine. |
| Medline |
Medical Literature Analysis Retrieval System on Line. A computer
searchable database of published medical literature. |
| Mean (statistical) |
Commonly referred to as the “average,” the
mean of a set of quantities is
the sum of the quantities, divided by the number of quantities summed. |
| Median (statistical) |
The value such that for a series of ranked quantities, half are above
the
median, and half are below. |
| Morbidity |
Departure from a state of well-being, either physiological or psychological;
illness. |
| Morbidity rate |
The number of cases of an illness (morbidity) in a population divided
by the
total population considered at risk for that illness. |
| Mortality |
Death, as in expected mortality (the predicted occurrence of death in
a
defined population during a specific time interval). |
| Mortality rate |
The number of people who die during a specific time period divided by
the
total population. |
| Mutation |
A permanent, transmissible change in the genetic material of a cell. |
|
N |
| NPS |
Nasopharyngeal swab |
| Neuraminidase (N) |
A hydrolytic protein antigen spiking from the surface of the influenza
virus. It dissolves the protective viscosity of cellular mucous lining,
allowing release of new viruses into the respiratory tract. The different
proteins are identified using a numerical system (e.g., N1, N2, N3) and
when combined with the haemagglutinin type are used to identify
various influenza virus subtypes (e.g. H1N1, H3N2) |
| Neuraminidase
inhibitors |
A new class of antiviral agents that selectively inhibit neuraminidase
activity in both influenza type A and type B viruses, while having no
effect on human neuraminidase. |
| Non-traditional site |
The following is a definition of a Non-Traditional Site for the purposes
of Pandemic Influenza planning: A Non-Traditional Site is a site offering
care for influenza patients. These sites are currently not an established
health care site, or are established sites which usually offer a different
type or level of care. The functions of an non-traditional site will vary
depending on the needs of the community but will focus on
monitoring, care and support of influenza patients. |
|
O |
| Opportunistic
infections |
An infection in an immune compromised person caused by an
organism that does not usually cause disease in healthy people. Many
of these organisms are carried in a latent state by virtually everyone,
and only cause disease when given the opportunity of a damaged
immune system. |
| Outpatient |
An individual who receives health care services without being admitted
to a health care facility. |
|
P |
| PAHO |
Pan American Health Organization. |
| Palliative |
A treatment that provides symptomatic relief, but not a cure. |
| p value |
The probability of obtaining a given outcome due to chance alone. For
example, a study result with a significance level of p < 0.05 implies that
five times out of 100 the result could have occurred by chance. |
| PCR (Polymerase chain
reaction) |
A highly sensitive test that can detect and/or DNA fragments of viruses
or other organisms in blood or tissue. PCR works by repeatedly copying
genetic material using heat cycling, and enzymes similar to those used
by cells. |
| Pandemic |
Referring to an epidemic disease of widespread prevalence around
the
globe. |
| Pandemic Alert Period |
The interval following the Interpandemic Period. Characterized
by the
occurrence of human infection(s) with a new subtype of influenza virus
in the absence of efficient human to human transmission of this new
virus |
| Pandemic Period |
The interval characterized by increased and sustained transmission in
the general population of a new influenza virus subtype which is
spreading efficiently between humans. |
| Pandemic societal
responders |
Persons who are trained or primarily involved in the provision of an
essential service that if not sustained at a minimal level would threaten
public health, safety or security.
Note: This definition was developed to facilitate pandemic planning
regarding the identification of specific groups that may be targeted
as
part of specific public health interventions. It has been endorsed by
the Pandemic Influenza Committee for this purpose but may not be
well recognized outside of this group. |
| Parenteral |
Not through the mouth. Intravenous, intramuscular, and intradermal
administration are all parenteral. |
| Pathogen |
Any disease-producing microorganism or material. |
| Pathogenesis |
The natural evolution of a disease process in the body without
intervention (i.e., without treatment). Description of the development of
a particular disease, especially the events, reactions and mechanisms
involved at the cellular level. |
| Pediatric |
Relating to the medical specialty concerned with the development, care
and treatment of children from birth through adolescence. |
| PHAC |
Public Health Agency of Canada |
| PHEIC |
Public health emergency of international concern |
| PHL |
Provincial health laboratory |
| PIC |
Pandemic Influenza Committee |
| the Plan |
Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan for the Health Sector |
| Pneumocyte |
An alveolar epithelial cell in the lungs. |
| PYLL (Potential years
of life lost) |
The PYLL rate per 1000 population is the ratio of the total years of
life
lost between ages 0 and 75 due to a specific cause to the total
population. The cause of death selected is the underlying cause of
death, which is the cause that initiated the sequence of events leading
to death. |
| Preventive care |
A comprehensive type of care emphasizing priorities for
prevention,
early detection and early treatment of conditions, generally including
routine physical examinations, immunization, and well-person care. |
| Preventive medicine |
Taking measures for anticipation, prevention, detection, and early
treatment of disease. |
| Primary care |
Primary care is the first level of care, and usually the first point
of
contact, that people have with the health care system. Primary care
involves the provision of integrated, accessible health care services by
clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of
personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with
patients, and practicing in the context of family and community. It
includes advice on health promotion and disease prevention,
assessments of one's health, diagnosis and treatment of episodic and
chronic conditions, and supportive and rehabilitative care. |
| PSEPC |
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada |
| P/T |
Provincial and Territorial governments (noun) and Provincial and
Territorial (adjective). |
| Public health |
The art and science of protecting and improving community health by
means of preventive medicine, health education, communicable
disease control, and the application of social and sanitary sciences. |
| Public Health
Responders |
Persons who are essential to the implementation and maintenance of
the public health response to pandemic influenza and who would not
be expected to come within 1 meter of a known influenza case in their
work setting.
Note: This definition was developed to facilitate pandemic planning
regarding the identification of specific groups that may be targeted
as
part of specific public health interventions. It has been endorsed by
the Pandemic Influenza Committee for this purpose but may not be
well recognized outside of this group. |
|
Q |
| Qualitative |
Of, relating to, or expressed in relative or subjective terms.
Impossible
to quantify precisely. |
| Quantitative |
Of, relating to, or expressed in terms of quantity. |
|
R |
| Raw data |
Measurements and observations recorded on study data forms.
2.
Unedited computer-generated listings of data from study data forms,
prior to use of reduction and summary procedures needed for data
analysis. |
| Record |
A paper or electronic document that contains or is designed to contain
a set of facts related to some occurrence, transaction, or the like. |
| Resistance |
The development of strains of a pathogen that are able to withstand the
effects of an antimicrobial agent. |
| Respiratory epithelium |
The pseudostratified coverup of internal body surfaces, which lines all
but the finer divisions of the respiratory tract. |
| Respiratory tract |
Structures contained in the respiratory system, including the
nasopharynx, oropharynx, laryngopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi,
bronchioles, and lungs. |
| RN (Registered Nurse) |
One who has graduated from a college or university program of
nursing education and has been licensed by the state. |
| Rimantadine |
An antiviral agent indicated in adults for the treatment of illness due
to
influenza and for prophylaxis following exposure to influenza type A
viruses. It has no effect against the influenza type B virus. |
|
S |
| SARS |
Severe acute respiratory syndrome |
| Secondary care |
Services given by a specialist, normally after a referral from a primary
care physician, and often in an acute care hospital. It does not include
the services of specialists whose services are only available in major
urban centres; this level of service would normally be considered
tertiary care. |
| STD |
Sexually transmitted disease |
| Strain |
A group of organisms within a species or type that share a common
quality. For example, currently circulating strains of influenza include
type A (H1N1), type A (H3N2), and type B (H3N2). |
| Subtype |
A classification of the influenza type A viruses based on the surface
antigens hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). |
| Significance (statistical) |
Infers that an observation was unlikely to have occurred by chance
alone. Statistical significance is often based on a p value < 0.05. Below
this level, the smaller the p value, the greater the statistical significance. |
| Standard deviation
(statistical) |
A statistic that shows the spread or dispersion of scores in a distribution
of scores (i.e. a measure of dispersion). The more widely the scores are
spread out, the greater the standard deviation. Standard deviation =
the square root of the variance. |
| Statistics, descriptive |
The intent of descriptive statistics is to summarize and present data,
e.g. measures of central tendency (mean, mode, median) and
measures of variability (standard deviation, variance, standard error of
the mean). |
| Subacute care |
Comprehensive, cost-effective inpatient level of care for patients who:
(a) have had an acute event resulting from injury, illness or
exacerbation of a disease process, (b) have a determined course of
treatment, and (c) although stable, require diagnostics or invasive
procedures but not intensive procedures requiring an acute level of
care. Typically short-term, subacute care is designed to return patients
to the community or transition them to a lower level of care. Subacute
care is offered in a variety of physical settings. The philosophy of
subacute care is to ensure that patients are receiving the most
appropriate services at the most appropriate phase of their illness while
ensuring quality, cost-effective outcomes. |
| Symptoms |
Any perceptible, subjective change in the body or its functions that
indicates disease or phases of disease, as reported by the patient. |
|
T |
| TAG |
Technical Advisory Group |
| Type |
A classification of influenza viruses based on characteristic internal
proteins. |
| Toxicity |
The extent, quality, or degree of being poisonous or harmful to the
body. |
| Toxin |
A harmful or poisonous agent. |
| TCIF |
Traveller contact information form |
| Triage |
A system whereby a group of casualties or patients is sorted according
to the seriousness of their illness or injuries, so that treatment priorities
can be allocated between them. It is designed to maximize the number
of survivors in emergency situations. |
|
V |
| Vaccination |
The act of administering a vaccine. |
| Vaccine |
A substance that contains antigenic components from an infectious
organism. By stimulating an immune response (but not disease), it
protects against subsequent infection by that organism. |
| Virology |
The study of viruses and viral disease. |
| Virus |
A group of infectious agents characterized by their inability to
reproduce outside of a living host cell. Viruses may subvert the host
cells' normal functions causing the cells to behave in a manner
determined by the virus. |
| Volunteers (Pandemic) |
A volunteer is a person registered with a government agency or
government designated agency, who carries out unpaid activities,
occasionally or regularly, to help support Canada prepare for and
respond to a pandemic influenza outbreak. A volunteer is one who
offers their service of their own free will, without promise of financial
gain, and without economic or political pressure or coercion. |
|
W |
| WHIMIS |
The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
is Canadian legislation covering the use of hazardous materials in the
workplace. This includes assessment, signage, labelling, material safety
data sheets and worker training. WHMIS closely parallels the U.S.
OSHA Hazcom Standard. Most of the content of WHMIS is
incorporated into Canada's Hazardous Products Act and the
Hazardous Materials Information Review Act, which are administered
by Health Canada. Certain provincial laws may also apply. WHMIS is
enforced by the Labour Branch of Human Resources Development
Canada or the provincial and territorial agencies and offices of
occupational health and safety. |
| Wild type |
A naturally occurring strain of virus that exists in the population. |
| WHO |
World Health Organization, a special agency of the United Nations
generally concerned with health and health care. |
1. Last, John, M. (Editor) A Dictionary of Epidemiology (2nd edition), 1988.
Oxford
University Press Inc., New York, New York.
