Adjuvant = A substance added to or administered with a drug or vaccine in order to enhance its effect.

Antibody = A specific form of blood protein produced in the lymphoid tissue which is able to counteract the effects of bacterial antigens or toxins.

Antigen = A substance which, under suitable conditions, can stimulate the production of antibodies.

Barrier nursing = Describes the patient care administered to an infectious animal in such a way that the risk of the spread of infection is minimised. Barrier nursing includes such precautions as isolation, the use of separate utensils and equipment, disinfection and the adornment of suitable protective clothing.

CCRD = Canine contagious respiratory disease; also known as kennel cough or tracheobronchitis. A highly infectious disease of dogs which is particularly prevalent in areas where a large number of dogs share the same air-space. The primary pathogen is Bordetella bronchiseptica, although viruses are also involved. Infection is by direct contact or aerosol spread, and the incubation period is 5-7 days.

Chlamydia = Also known as feline pneumonitis. An infectious disease of cats caused by Chlamydia psittaci. This is one of the most common causes of conjunctivitis, and kittens tend to be the most severely affected. A transmission is via direct contact and through ocular, nasal, gastric and genital secretions. The incubation period is 4-10 days.

Coprophagia = The eating of faeces.

CPV = Canine Parvovirus. An infectious disease of dogs that causes acute myocarditis in puppies and acute gastro-enteritis in weaned puppies and adult dogs.

Distemper = Also known as hard-pad. An infectious disease of dogs (but may also affect foxes, badgers, mink and ferrets) caused by a morbillivirus which is related to measles and rinderpest. Symptoms are extensive and may include pyrexia, pharyngitis, rhinitis, hyperkeratosis of the nose and pads, vomiting and diarrhoea. Transmission is predominantly by inhalation following direct contact or aerosol spread. The incubation period is 7-21 days.

Endemic = Pertaining to a disease prevalent in a particular locality.

Endotoxin = A poison produced by and retained with a bacterium, which is released only after the destruction of the bacterial cell.

Enzyme = A protein which will catalyse (hasten or bring about) a chemical or biological reaction.

Epidemic = The presence in a population of disease or infection in excess of that usually expected.

Epidemiology = The study of the distribution of diseases.

Exotoxin = A poison produced by a bacterial cell and released into the tissues surrounding it.

FeLV = Feline leukaemia virus. An infectious, incurable disease of cats caused by a species-specific retrovirus. It is associated with neoplastic diseases such as lymphosarcoma, aswell as non-regenerative anaemia and immunosupression. Transmission is vertical (passed from the queen to her kittens either in utero or via milk) or horizontal following direct contact. The virus is present in saliva, mucous, urine and faeces aswell as milk. The incubation period is variable and may range from weeks to years.

FIA = Feline infectious anaemia; also known as haemobartonellosis. This infectious disease of cats is associated with the rickettsial parasite Haemobartonella felis. Infection is by vertical transmission in utero or via the queens milk, or by bite wounds and fleas. This disease is often concurrent with FeLV and FIV. Treatment is usually with tetracyclines and steroids, and severely ill cats may require a blood transfusion.

FIE = Feline infectious enteritis; also known as panleucopenia, feline distemper or feline parvovirus. This is predominantly a disease of kittens, but may affect cats of all ages. There are 4 clinical syndromes associated with the disease: peracute, acute, sub-acute and cerebellar hyperplasia.

FIP = Feline infectious peritonitis. An infectious disease of cats that is most prolific in multi-cat households, young cats (under 2 years of age) and among pedigree cats (especially the Burmese). This disease is caused by a coronavirus. 2 forms may occur: wet FIP - an effusive form thought to be associated with poor immune response, and dry FIP - a form which may occur following a partial immune response. Entry is thought to occur via the oronasal mucosa.

FIV = Feline immunodeficiency virus. An incurable, infectious disease of cats. Transmission is usually via sexual contact or bites. The incubation period may range from weeks to years, although a transient pyrexia and generalised lymphadenopathy may be evident after exposure to the virus followed by an asymptomatic phase. Symptoms are varied and may include; chronic rhinitis, chronic diarrhoea, chronic gingivitis, neurological disease, uveitis and neoplastic changes.

Fomite = An inanimate object or material upon which disease-producing agents may be conveyed.

FURD = Feline upper respiratory disease; also known as cat 'flu. A highly infectious disease of cats caused by the feline calici virus and feline herpes virus. Secondary bacterial infection is common. Transmission of infection is via aerosol spread. The incubation period is 2-10 days.

Hardpad = See Distemper.

Hydatid disease = A disease associated with the helminth Echinococcus granulosus. The resultant cystic swellings may affect the lungs, liver or brain. This disease can be fatal in man.

ICH = Infectious canine hepatitis; also known as Rubarth's disease. An infectious viral disease of dogs and foxes that targets the liver, lymphoid tissue and vascular endothelium. Complications associated with this disease include corneal oedema ("blue eye") and nephritis. The incubation period is 5-9 days.

Incubation period = The duration of time between the date of infection and the appearance of symptoms of an infectious disease.

Isolation = The separation of an animal suffering from an infectious disease from others that are not infected.

Keratitis = Inflammation of the cornea.

Leptospirosis = Also known as Weil's disease. An infectious, zoonotic disease of the dog that may affect rats, badgers and foxes. There are many sero-types, but only 2 are significant in the dog. These are: Leptospira canicola and Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae. Both cause hepatic disease and nephritis.

Lymphosarcoma = A malignant invasion of other tissues by lymphoid tissue.

Myocarditis = Inflammation of the myocardium (heart muscle).

Obligate parasite = A parasite that must spend all its time on or inside its host and has no free-living adult existence.

Oedema = An excessive amount of fluid in the body tissues.

Pandemic = An epidemic spreading over a very wide area.

Panleucopenia = See FIE (feline infectious enteritis).

Pathogen = A disease causing agent or micro-organism.

Psittacosis = An infectious, zoonotic disease of psittacine birds (parrots and budgerigars) due to Chlamydia psittaci.

Quarantine = A statutory isolation period that is usually longer than the incubation period of a disease, for animals imported into a country or region.

Rhinitis = Inflammation of the nasal mucosa.

Rubarth's disease = See ICH.

Sylvatic rabies = The spread of rabies in wildlife.

Toxocariasis = An infectious, zoonotic disease caused by the helminth toxocara.

Toxoplasmosis = An infectious, zoonotic disease of cats caused by the protozoal parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

Tracheobronchitis = See CCRD.

Tularaemia = An infectious, zoonotic disease of rabbits and hares that is caused by Pastuerella tularenis.

Urban rabies = The spread of rabies in domestic animals.

Vaccine = Antigenic material administered to stimulate artificial active immunity.

Vector = An animal that carries organisms or parasites from one host to another.

Virulence = The power of a micro-organism to produce toxins or poisons. This is dependent upon the number of invading pathogens involved and the host's resistance.

Weil's disease = See leptospirosis.

Zoonosis = A disease of animals that may be transmitted to man.