Dictionary

ageusia An inability to taste sweet, sour, bitter, or salty substances. People who can taste sweet, sour, bitter, or salty substances but have a reduced ability to do so are said to have hypogeusia.

age-related macular degeneration See macular degeneration.

Agent Orange An herbicide and defoliant containing 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T, as well as trace amounts of dioxin. Agent Orange was used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War. There has been concern about Agent Orange potentially causing cancer and birth defects.

agent, anti-infective See anti-infective.

agent, antihypertensive See antihypertensive.

agenesis of the gallbladder A condition in which the gallbladder fails to develop. It occurs in 1 in about every 1,000 people, usually without additional birth defects.

Definition Sacral agenesis is a rare congenital condition characterized by the partial or complete absence of the sacral portion of the spine. It falls under the spectrum of caudal regression syndrome (CRS), a disorder affecting the development of the lower spine and adjacent structures. The severity of the condition can vary, ranging from minor sacral…

agenesis Lack of development. For example, agenesis of a toe means the toe failed to form.

agammaglobulinemia Total or near-total absence of infection-fighting antibodies belonging to the class called gamma globulins. Agammaglobulinemia can be due to certain genetic diseases or caused by acquired diseases, including AIDS.

aftercare Medical care and instructions for patients after leaving a medical facility.

afterbirth The placenta and the fetal membranes that are normally expelled from the uterus after the birth of a baby. See also placenta.

African tick typhus See typhus, African tick.