Glossary

BioScience.com.pk try the best to avoid the use of medical terms that could make it more difficult to understand the information on this website. Still, there are a number of terms that can’t be avoided and that are useful to know because they are so often used by the doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals with whom you might speak. The list below includes the terms used on BioScience.com.pk for which we have provided definitions.

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Term Definition
Zika Virus
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a member of the virus family Flaviviridae. It is spread by daytime-active Aedes mosquitoes such as A. aegypti and A. albopictus. Its name comes from the Zika Forest of Uganda where the virus was first isolated in 1947.
Yeast

Small, one-celled fungus that reproduces by budding
XXY disease

Also known as: XXY disease

A rare genetic condition in boys and men caused by an extra X chromosome. (Males normally have one X and one Y chromosome.) The presence of the extra X chromosome may or may not produce obvious signs and symptoms (usually in teens and adults), such as low testosterone, small penis and testicles, enlarged breasts, tall stature and/or behavioral, learning, speech or language disabilities. Most of these individuals are infertile.
X-linked trait

A genetic trait found on the X chromosome; women have two copies of this chromosome, while men have only one.
X-linked recessive trait

A genetic trait that is apparent when all copies of the X-chromosome possess the gene; in men, this occurs when they inherit the trait from their mother, while women must inherit the trait from both parents. For this reason, X-linked recessive traits are almost always apparent only in men, while women are more commonly carriers of the trait.
Wild-type

The usual form of a gene in the general population, as opposed to mutant forms
Whole blood

Blood that is not separated into fluid and cellular components after removal from the body
Vitamin

Any of a group of substances that, in very small amounts, are essential for normal growth, development, and metabolism. They cannot be synthesized in the body (with a few exceptions) and must be supplied by the diet.
Viscosity

Resistance of a fluid (e.g., plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid) to flow; thickness or stickiness of a fluid
Virus

A microorganism consisting of a nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) core and a protein coat. A virus requires a host cell to reproduce. It reproduces by infecting a host cell and taking over the nucleic acid of that host cell, making more virus nucleic acid and protein.
Virilization

Development of masculine physical characteristics in a woman
Viral load

Number of copies of viral genetic material
Vesicle

Also known as: Blister


A small raised area of the outer layer of the skin filled with a watery liquid
Venereal

Pertaining to or caused by sexual intercourse or genital contact
Vaccine

A preparation designed to induce immunity to a specific disease