Unit 23 Vocabulary: Epidemics, Viruses, and Pandemics

Proper noun (thing)
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CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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US agency based in Atlanta, Georgia whose main goal is to protect public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease
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"The CDC does not generally issue advisories or restrictions for travel within the United States."
Noun (thing)
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Contagion
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the spread of disease from one person to another by close contact
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"Hospitals are optimized to prevent the spread of contagions."
Verb (infinitive)
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Dodged a bullet
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avoided a danger
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"The traveler really dodged a bullet when he missed the train that ended up crashing."
Adjective
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Easily overtake
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to overcome or pass without difficulty
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"A sports car can easily overtake a truck on the highway."
Noun (thing)
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Genetic material
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DNA (or RNA in RNA viruses)
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"Some scientists believe that much of the human genome is composed of genetic material from viruses."
Proper noun (thing)
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H1N1
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virus strain responsible for the 2009 flu pandemic known as "swine flu"
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"The H1N1 virus spread worldwide and has caused 18,500 laboratory-confirmed deaths."
Verb (past tense)
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Had succumbed to
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yielded to something they've tried to fight off such as a disease
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"The researchers found that after a tough struggle he had succumbed to pancreatic cancer."
Noun (thing)
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Host
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an organism on which a parasite derives benefit such as food
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"A living cell is the host in which a virus multiplies."
Verb (infinitive)
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Inject
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to drive or force into
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"The doctor injected a painkiller into the patient's veins."
Noun (thing)
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Microscopic
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not visible with naked eye
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"Protozoa are microscopic, amoeba-like organisms that live in liquid."
Adjective
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Miniscule amount of
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extremely small number of something
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"A minuscule amount of rat excrement is found in common foods such as chocolate or peanut butter."
Verb (infinitive)
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Multiply
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increase in quantity
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"Mammals multiply by means of sexual reproduction."
Verb (infinitive)
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Mutate
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change or adapt in nature
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"Viruses sometimes mutate and grow resistant to vaccines."
Adjective
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New strain
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a new breed, stock, or variety of something
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"A new strain of virus can be immune to treatment."
Proper noun (thing)
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Organism
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an individual life form
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"The study found that crawfish, frogs, and other organisms had been destroyed over a large area of the estuary."
Noun (thing)
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Pandemic
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a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease with global health implications
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"Life expectancy statistics from 1918 may have been skewed by an influenza pandemic."
Noun (thing)
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Progression
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the moving of something towards a more advanced state
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"Disease can halt the progression of a human from childhood to adulthood."
Proper noun (thing)
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WHO (World Health Organization)
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an international agency established in 1948 by the United Nations to promote health and control communicable diseases.
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"The WHO is a generally neutral and trusted authority in cases of pandemics."
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