allergy: The inappropriate reaction by the body’s immune system to a normally harmless substance. Untreated, a particularly severe reaction can lead to death.
arachnid: A group of invertebrate animals that includes spiders, scorpions, mites and ticks. Many have silk or venom glands.
bacteria: (singular: bacterium) Single-celled organisms. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside other living organisms (such as plants and animals). Bacteria are one of the three domains of life on Earth.
celiac disease: (also known as sprue) A disorder in which the immune system attacks the small intestine after it encounters foods containing gluten, a wheat protein. People with this disease suffer from stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea and a constant feeling of fatigue. They must avoid gluten-containing products like bread, cake and cookies.
chronic: A condition, such as an illness (or its symptoms, including pain), that lasts for a long time.
compound: (often used as a synonym for chemical) A compound is a substance formed when two or more chemical elements unite (bond) in fixed proportions. For example, water is a compound made of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom. Its chemical symbol is H2O.
develop: To emerge or to make come into being, either naturally or through human intervention, such as by manufacturing.
diagnose: To analyze clues or symptoms in the search for their cause. The conclusion usually results in a diagnosis — identification of the causal problem or disease.
diarrhea: (adj. diarrheal) Loose, watery stool (feces) that can be a symptom of many types of microbial infections affecting the gut.
emerging infectious disease: A disease that suddenly has begun infecting increasing numbers of people or other organisms and could increase dramatically, more so in the near future.
epidemiologist: Like health detectives, these researchers look to link a particular illness to what might…
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