A Antibodies - Specific proteins (immunoglobulins) produced by the organism to fight infections. The production of antibodies is part of the defense mechanisms of our immune system against aggressors (antigens), for example, viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, among others. Asymptomatic carrier - A person who is infected but does not show symptoms of the disease. Axillary temperature - Body temperature measured with a thermometer placed under the arm (in the armpit). C Civic duty of remaining at home - Our duty as citizens to remain at home whenever possible and thus contribute to reduce the likelihood of contagion and limit the spread of covid-19. Comorbidity - Simultaneous occurrence, or coexistence, of more than one disease in the same person. Usually the term comorbidity is applied to chronic diseases. Coronavirus - common name for viruses in the Coronaviridae family. Several coronaviruses are the cause of disease, both in man and animals. The coronavirus that causes covid-19 disease is called SARS-CoV-2 and was first identified in humans in 2019, in Wuhan, China. Covid-19 - Short name (from coronavirus disease 2019) given to the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. D Direct transmission - Person-to-person transmission, from infected persons to non-infected persons. Droplets containing viruses, released by infected people when they cough or sneeze, directly strike and infect uninfected people. In this case, to avoid infection, measures of respiratory etiquette and physical distance are more relevant. E Endemic - Base level of a disease in a region or country, meaning that the disease is always present, with cases generally in low and relatively constant number. Epidemic - A sudden and pronounced increase in the number of cases of a disease in several regions or countries, higher than what would be expected in a given period. F Fomite - any object that could be a vehicle for transmitting an infection, such as a door handle or an elevator button. H Hand hygiene - Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or with an alcoholic solution (with at least 70% alcohol), several times a day. I Incubation period - The period between exposure to a microorganism that causes a disease and the appearance of symptoms of the disease. For covid-19, the incubation period is 1 to 14 days. Indirect transmission - Transmission by contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. Droplets from the respiratory secretions of infected people contaminate surfaces and objects. Uninfected people touch these surfaces and objects and then touch the face, get infected, and then can infect other uninfected people. In this case, to avoid infection, the measures of respiratory etiquette, non-contamination of surfaces and objects, and the frequent washing of the hands, that we take to the face, automatically, several times during the day are more relevant. Isolation - Measure of limitation of movement used for people with confirmed infection, to interrupt the contagion and spread of the disease. L Lethality rate of a disease - Calculated by dividing the number of deaths due to a disease and the number of cases of that disease diagnosed in the same population and period. It is usually presented as a percentage. M Mortality rate due to a specific cause - Calculated by dividing the number of deaths attributed to a specific cause in a population in a given period and the population in the same period. It is usually presented per 100,000 inhabitants. N Negative pressure rooms - Spaces used for isolation in infectious diseases where, through ventilation and organization of access to the space, a pressure below the usual pressure (atmospheric pressure) is maintained. As air flows from places of higher pressure to places of lower pressure, creating a lower pressure in a space that is contaminated, allows air flows into that space, but not outside, thus not contaminating other places. O Outbreak - Same as epidemic but applied to a more limited geographical area. For example, covid-19 started with an outbreak in Wuhan, China. P Pandemic - Worldwide spread of an epidemic. PCR test for covid-19 - Test that looks for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in a biological sample (usually nasal secretions). PPE - Personal protective equipment. The PPE of health professionals are, for example, gloves, aprons, gowns, suits, masks, glasses, face shields, respirators, and shoe protectors, among others. Q Quarantine or prophylactic isolation - Measure of removal and restriction of movement applied to healthy people who may have been exposed to cases of disease and have been infected, with the overall objective of interrupting a possible route of disease transmission. The duration of the quarantine is equivalent to the disease incubation period for which the quarantine is performed. In the case of covid-19, it is 14 days. If the disease does not appear during quarantine, it is likely that there was no contagion. If, on the contrary, during the quarantine period the disease manifests, it is confirmed that there was contagion and the quarantine allowed to break the transmission of the infection. If a person becomes ill during quarantine, he will then be in isolation until he is cured. R R - Average number of cases of infection originated from a case in a population, when the whole population is susceptible (R0) or not implying a susceptibility of the entire population (Re). Respiratory hygiene / etiquette - Measures intended to limit the spread of droplets that are expelled with sneezing or coughing and consist of protecting your nose and mouth with your forearm or a disposable tissue (and throwing it in the trash without reusing it) whenever sneezing or coughing. Respiratory etiquette measures, in addition to be a hygiene practice that should be used in any situation, are particularly important when those droplets can be a source of a contagious microorganism such as the covid-19 virus. Risk groups - Groups of people at higher risk of infection and disease severity due to certain characteristics. For covid-19, risk groups are people over 70, people with chronic diseases and people with compromised immune systems due to treatments that have this effect or diseases like AIDS. S Sanitary cord - Measure to prevent movement in or out a geographical area to contain the transmission and spread of an infection. SARS-CoV-2 - Short name of the coronavirus that causes covid-19 disease and that means severe acute respiratory syndrome - coronavirus - 2. SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in man in 2019 in Wuhan, China. Self-monitoring of symptoms - Surveillance by each one of symptoms of illness. In the case of covid-19, it most often refers to fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Serological test for covid-19 - Test that looks for the presence of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in a blood sample. Social distance - Recommendation to purposely maintain a physical safety distance (about 2 meters) from other people, to reduce the likelihood of contagion and limit the spread of covid-19. Swab - Stick with an absorbent material - for example sponge, brush-type threads, cotton - at one end. It can be used to obtain samples or to apply medicines. In the case of covid-19, a swab is used that is introduced into the nostrils to collect secretions where the presence of the virus that causes the disease will be investigated. Syndrome - set of symptoms that together can be related or characterize a disease. T Transmission in the community - Transmission of a disease in a given region without being able to associate new cases with already known cases, that is, without having a clear explanation of how the new infections happen. Tympanic temperature - Body temperature measured with a thermometer placed in the ear. V Vaccine - Medication that induces the immune system to produce immunity (resistance) against a disease. Vaccines contain the microorganism that causes the disease in a form and quantity that does not cause the disease, but that stimulates the immune system to respond. Ventilator - Equipment that helps patients to breathe when they are unable to do it for themselves. There are several types of ventilators. Click here for more information and advice of Hospital da Luz about the novel coronavírus COVID-19 epidemic .
