stroke prevention Methods of preventing the occurrence of a cerebrovascular accident. If a person has a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a neurological event with the symptoms of a stroke, the symptoms go away within a short period of time. TIAs are often caused by narrowing or ulceration of the carotid arteries, however, and if that…
The condition you’re describing is known as a stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA). A stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is interrupted, either by a blockage (ischemic stroke) or by the rupture of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke), leading to the death of brain cells due to a lack of…
stricture 1 An abnormal narrowing of a body passage, especially a tube or a canal. A stricture may be due, for example, to scar tissue or a tumor. 2 The process of narrowing a body passage.
Streptococcus pyogenes The bacterial cause of strep throat (streptococcal pharyngitis), impetigo, rheumatic fever, scarlet fever, glomerulonephritis, invasive fasciitis, strep skin infections, and rheumatic fever. Also known as Streptococcus haemolyticus and group A streptococcus. See also PANDAS; rheumatic fever; strep throat; streptococcus; Sydenham chorea.
Streptococcus pneumoniae The most common cause of bacterial pneumonia and middle ear infection (otitis media) and the third most frequent cause of bacterial meningitis. Also known as pneumococcus.
Streptococcus haemolyticus See Streptococcus pyogenes.
Streptococcus faecalis An old name for Enterococcus faecalis.
streptococcus, group B A major cause of infections, including those involving pregnant women and newborn infants. Group B strep can infect the mother’s uterus, placenta, and urinary tract; in fact, it is present in the vagina of around 10 to 25 percent of all pregnant women. Group B strep can be transferred between heterosexual couples…
streptococcus, group A See Streptococcus pyogenes.
streptococcus A group of bacteria that causes a multitude of diseases. Under a microscope, streptococcus bacteria look like a twisted bunch of round berries. Illnesses caused by streptococcus include strep throat, strep pneumonia, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever (and rheumatic heart valve damage), glomerulonephritis, the skin disorder erysipelas, and PANDAS. Familiarly known as strep.
strep throat An infection caused by group A streptococcus bacteria that can lead to serious complications if not adequately treated. Treatment usually involves use of antibiotics. See streptococcus.
strep See streptococcus.