FANCONI ANAEMIA -
Noun: a rare inherited disorder of children which results in very low blood counts. It is different than aplastic anaemia or myelodysplasia in that it is an inherited disease.

Guido Fanconi, 1892 - 1979, a Swiss children's illness specialist.

FIBROBLAST -
Noun: One of the cells from which fibrous tissue is immediately formed after an injury. In the outer layer of the skin, the cells called fibroblasts enter a wound and build scar tissue by manufacturing collagen fibres and other proteins.

Latin - fibra = fiber

Greek - blastós = germ sprout

FIBROSIS -
Noun: An excessive growth of fibrous connective tissue in an organ or part of the body. Scarring.

Latin - fibra = fiber

Greek - osis = an abnormal condition.

FLUCONAZOLE -
Noun: Fluconazole, also known by the trade name Diflucan, is an antifungal drug that is uses to treat candida infections affecting the vagina, mouth, and skin. It may also be used to prevent fungal infections in patients with defective immunity or who have had immunosuppressive therapy or a Bone Marrow Transplant. The drug is generally well tolerated, although side effects such as nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal discomfort are common.

FRUSEMIDE -
Noun: Frusemide (also spelled Furosemide) is a powerful, short-acting diuretic (drug that pulls water out of your system and makes you urinate) that has been in use for over 20 years. It is used in conjunction with ALG/ATG as this treatment causes water retention. Frusemide causes potassium loss which can produce a wide variety of symptoms you should know about. If you notice any of the potassium loss symptoms after having Frusemide, let the nurses know and they will increase your potassium intake.

FUNGUS -
Noun: A primitive life form that can cause infection in the body. They get their nourishment from dead or living organic matter. Fungi that sometimes cause post-transplant infections are Candida and Aspergillus fungi.

Latin - fungus = fungus

G-CSF -
Noun: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. It is given to enhance recovery of the blood production function in individuals who are suffering from a low level of neutrophils in the blood. However, there is also concern that if used for a prolonged period of time, they may stimulate the proliferation of more malignant cells in the aplastic marrow.

GENTAMICIN -
Noun: Gentamicin is a type of antibiotic. The injectable form is usually reserved for treatment, in hospital, of serious or complicated infections. These include lung, urinary tract, bone, joint, and wound infections and illnesses like Septicaemia . Gentamicin given by injection can have serious adverse effects on the ears, which may lead to damage to the balance mechanism and deafness, and on the kidneys. Courses of treatment are therefore limited to seven days when possible. Blood levels of Gentamicin will be taken daily to ensure levels are not going too high but not so low as to be ineffective. Report any dizziness, loss of balance, impaired hearing or changes in the urine immediately.

GLOBULIN -
Noun: a protein component of blood. It is part of the clear, almost colourless liquid part of the blood, in which the blood cells float.

Latin - globulus = globe (as in anything rounded like a globe)

GM-CSF -
Noun: Granulocyte - macrophage colony-stimulating factor. See G-CSF for more information. GM - CSF is used to accelerate recovery of white blood cell counts and reduce the incidence of infection after a bone marrow transplant.

GOSH -
Noun: Great Ormand Street Hospital. A children's hospital.

GRAFT FACILITATING CELLS -
Noun: Information from the the Institute for Cellular Therapeutics at the University of Louisville states that they use a procedure to reduce the incidence of both acute and chronic GVHD by a process of depleting the T lymphocytes in the donor's bone marrow prior to transplantation. This process requires total body irradiation. However, they found that removing these cells reduced the chances of the donor's bone marrow grafting in the patient. The investigators who designed this study discovered that the process to remove the mature immune cells from the donor marrow also removed other cells that are vital to the success of the transplant called graft Facilitating Cells. The process now leaves behind the graft Facilitating cells. So far this is a Clinical trial only.

GRAFT VERSUS HOST DISEASE -
Noun: See Acute Graft Versus Host Disease .

GRAM POSITIVE/NEGATIVE BACTERIA -
Noun: Bacteria are categorised into Gram Positive and Gram Negative. The bacteria is first stained with a violet dye and then treated with Gram's iodine solution and then washed with alcohol. Gram-positive bacteria retain the violet dye; Gram-negative bacteria species lose it. Some antibiotics are more effective at handling Gram-positive bacteria and some antibiotics are more effective on Gram-negative bacteria.

Hans C. J. Gram, 1853 - 1938, a Danish bacteriologist, who discovered it.

GRANULOCYTES -
Noun: Any one of several types of white blood cells whose interior liquid contains granules that contain enzymes that are capable of killing micro-organisms and breaking down debris that is ingested by them. They include the Neutrophil , the Eosinophil and Basophil cells. The Neutrophil is the most abundant and important of these three immune cells making up 50 to 70% of the total white cell count. Neutrophils are phagocytic , meaning they gobble up any foreign bacteria they come across. If you have AA or MDS , when you have your blood tests done, the number of neutrophils is a main area they will be looking at.

Adjective: Granulocytic

Here is an actual picture of all three types of granulocytes in amongst some red blood cells. Top right is an Eosinophil. Middle is a Neutrophil. Bottom right is a Basophil

Latin - granulum = granule +

-cyte = a cell from Greek - kytos = anything hollow.

GVHD -
Graft-versus-host disease

GVL -
Graft-versus-leukaemia. The GVHD reaction also has positive aspects. If the patient has leukaemia or some other cancers, while the new white blood cells produced by the implanted stem cells attacks the patient, the new stem cells will often also attack the patients cancer cells that still may be present after the transplant. This was first documented in Acute leukaemia, and this phenomenon has been called Graft-versus-leukaemia effect.

HAEMATOCRIT -
Noun: A centrifuge is used to determine the relative volume of plasma and blood cells in a given amount of blood. The result is the Haematocrit percentage.

Greek - hemato = blood +

Greek - Krites = a judge

HAEMATOLOGY -
Noun: The study of blood and its formation and the investigation and treatment of disorders affecting the blood and the bone marrow . If you study and practice Haematology you are a Haematologist.

Microscopic examination and counting of blood and bone marrow cells are essential procedures in diagnosing different types of blood disorders such as the different types of anaemia and leukaemia .

Greek - hemato = blood +

Greek - lógos = word or idea

HAEMATOPOIESIS -
Noun: The formation of blood.

Adjective: Haematopoietic - Having to do with the formation of blood. (See following picture). Please Note: All of the words in the following diagram are in this glossary.

Greek - haîma = blood +

Greek - poieîn = make

HAEMOCHROMATOSIS -
Noun: A disease characterised by a bronzing of the skin, liver degeneration and hardening, and often diabetes, caused by the absorption of an excessive amount of iron by the bloodstream and the depositing the iron containing pigments in the skin, liver and in other organs and tissues. Also known as Bronze Diabetes. See Haemosiderosis .

Greek - haîma = blood +

Greek - chróma = colour +

Greek - osis = state or condition of

HAEMOGLOBIN -
Noun: Abbreviated Hb, is a substance in the red blood cells of the blood made up of iron and protein. It carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and some of the carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. Haemoglobin is the chemical that gives the red colour to the blood. If concentrations of Hb are below 10 grams per dL (deci =1/10th, L = Litre), it can cause headaches, tiredness and lethargy. If below 8 g/dL, it can cause breathing difficulties on exercise, dizziness due to reduced oxygen reaching the brain, sharp chest pains due to reduced oxygen supply to the heart muscles and palpitations as the heart works harder to compensate. Spelled hemoglobin the US and Canada.

Greek - haîma = blood +

Latin - globulus = globe (as in anything rounded like a globe)

HAEMORRHAGE -
Noun: a bleeding, either within the body or from the body surface: discharge of blood, especially a heavy discharge from a damaged blood vessel. A nosebleed is a mild haemorrhage.

Verb: to have a haemorrhage; to lose much blood.

With AA and MDS the symptoms of easy bruising, nose bleeds, red spots, bleeding gums and prolonged bleeding are varying degrees of haemorrhaging. These are all problems resulting from a low platelet count. If you find you are haemorrhaging in any way, contact your doctor to arrange a transfusion of platelets.

Greek - haîma = blood +

Greek - rhegnynai = to burst

Greek - haîma = blood +

Greek - síderos = iron

HAPLO TRANSPLANT -
Noun: When doing a Class 1 and a Class 2 Tissue typing it is found that each individual has two sets of each 'A', 'B', 'Cw' and 'DR' antigens. These antigens are genetic markers on the surface of the white blood cells. One set of A, B, Cw and DR is inherited from the father and one set of A, B, Cw and DR antigens are inherited from the mother. Each set of A, B, Cw, and DR antigens is known as a haplotype. Each individual has two haplotypes. With only rare exceptions, each parent will be haplo-compatible, or half-matched, with his or her child. This enables the patient to have a bone marrow transplant when there are no brothers or sisters or none are compatible. The stem cells must be specially treated before they are transplanted into the patient which bring about advantages and disadvantages. These should be discussed with your doctor.

Greek - haploûs = single

HAV -
Noun: Abbreviation for Hepatitis 'A' Virus. Hepatitis can be caused by bacterial or viral infections, infestation with parasites, chemicals (alcohol or drugs), toxins, or immune diseases. It can be short term (acute), long term ( chronic ), or life threatening. Hepatitis can cause permanent liver damage. There are a number of different types of Hepatitis.

Specific types of hepatitis include:

• hepatitis A (HAV)
• hepatitis B (HBV)
• hepatitis C (HCV)
• hepatitis D (HDV)

Aplastic anaemia can be caused by a viral hepatitis infection and with a low infection resistance, viral infection must be watched for carefully. Transmission of the virus can be reduced by avoiding unclean food and water, thorough hand washing after using the restroom, and thorough cleansing if there is any contact with another persons blood, faeces, or any body fluid. See Clean Diet .

Greek - hepatos = liver

HCV -
Noun: Abbreviation for Hepatitis 'C' Virus. See HAV for a more complete explanation.

HISTOCOMPATIBILITY -
Noun: The condition in which grafted or transplanted tissue is accepted by surrounding tissue. What has been transplanted is compatible with the rest of the body.

Greek - histo = web (due to the web like nature of tissue) +

Latin - com = with +

Latin - pati = suffer

HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ANTIGENS -
Noun: A group of proteins that are naturally present within tissues and that have a role in the immune system . The main group of histocompatibility antigens is known as the HLA . Histocompatibility antigens within the HLA - A, B and C range are present on virtually all living cells in the body. They are essential for the function of the killer T cells . The HLA antigens act as a guide for killer T cells to recognise and kill abnormal cells (i.e. virus infected and tumour cells). The Histocompatibility antigens within the HLA - D series are present on the surfaces of various other cells with a defence role and influence the interactions of these cells in fighting infections and tumours.

Greek - histo = web (due to the web like nature of tissue) +

Latin - com = with +

Latin - pati = suffer +

Greek - anti = opposing +

Greek - genês = born or something produced

HLA -
Human Leukocyte Antigens

HLA TISSUE TYPING -
Noun: Human Leukocyte Antigen tissue typing. See Class 1 and Class 2 Tissue typing

HYDROCORTISONE -
Noun: An adrenal hormone derived from cortisone, used in treating arthritis and other inflammations. The British Medical Association says that salt intake may need to be restricted when Hydrocortisone is taken by mouth. It may also be necessary to take potassium supplements. It commonly causes indigestion, weight gain and acne. If you find you have fluid retention, muscle weakness or mood changes, inform your doctor immediately.

HYPOCELLULAR -
Adjective: Showing a low level of all cells. AA and MDS patients are all hypocellular.

Noun: Hypocellularity

Greek - hypó = under +

Latin - cella = small room

HYPOPLASIA -
Noun: the defective or incomplete growth of an organ or tissue. Hypoplasia is less drastic than aplasia where there is no development at all.

Adjective: Hypoplastic - of or characterised by hypoplasia.

Greek - hypó = under +

Greek - plásis = formation

This site looks much better in a browser that supports current web standards, but it is accessible to any browser. Download one now