Concepts In many cases, terms such as<unk> ,<unk> order, morbidity, sickness and illness are used interchangeably; however, there are situations when specific terms are considered preferable.<unk>  :The term<unk>  broadly refers to any condition that impairs the normal functioning of the body. For this reason,<unk> s are associated with the dysfunction of the body's normal homeostatic processes. Commonly, the term is used to refer specifically to infectious<unk> s, which are clinically evident<unk> s that result from the presence of pathogenic microbial agents, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, multicellular organisms, and aberrant proteins known as prions. An infection or colonization that does not and will not produce clinically evident impairment of normal functioning, such as the presence of the normal bacteria and yeasts in the gut, or of a passenger virus, is not considered a<unk> . By contrast, an infection that is asymptomatic during its incubation period, but expected to produce symptoms later, is usually considered a<unk> . Non-infectious<unk> s are all other<unk> s, including most forms of cancer, heart<unk> , and genetic<unk> . ;Acquired<unk>  :An acquired<unk>  is one that began at some point during one's lifetime, as opposed to<unk>  that was already present at birth, which is congenital<unk> . Acquired sounds like it could mean "caught via contagion", but it simply means acquired sometime after birth. It also sounds like it could imply secondary<unk> , but acquired<unk>  can be primary<unk> . ;Acute<unk>  :An acute<unk>  is one of a short-term nature (acute); the term sometimes also connotes a fulminant nature ;Chronic condition or chronic<unk>  :A chronic<unk>  is one that persists over time, often characterized as at least six months but may also include illnesses that are expected to last for the entirety of one's natural life. ;Congenital<unk> order or congenital<unk>  : A congenital<unk> order is one that is present at birth. It is often a genetic<unk>  or<unk> order and can be inherited. It can also be the result of a vertically transmitted infection from the mother, such as HIV/AIDS. ;Genetic<unk>  :A genetic<unk> order or<unk>  is caused by one or more genetic mutations. It is often inherited, but some mutations are random and de novo. ;Hereditary or inherited<unk>  :A hereditary<unk>  is a type of genetic<unk>  caused by genetic mutations that are hereditary (and can run in families) ;Iatrogenic<unk>  :An iatrogenic<unk>  or condition is one that is caused by medical intervention, whether as a side effect of a treatment or as an inadvertent outcome. ;Idiopathic<unk>  :An idiopathic<unk>  has an unknown cause or source. As medical science has advanced, many<unk> s with entirely unknown causes have had some aspects of their sources explained and therefore shed their idiopathic status. For example, when germs were<unk> covered, it became known that they were a cause of infection, but particular germs and<unk> s had not been linked. In another example, it is known that autoimmunity is the cause of some forms of diabetes mellitus type 1, even though the particular molecular pathways by which it works are not yet understood. It is also common to know certain factors are associated with certain<unk> s; however, association and causality are two very different phenomena, as a third cause might be producing the<unk> , as well as an associated phenomenon. ;Incurable<unk>  :A<unk>  that cannot be cured. Incurable<unk> s are not necessarily terminal<unk> s, and sometimes a<unk> 's symptoms can be treated sufficiently for the<unk>  to have little or no impact on quality of life. ;Primary<unk>  :A primary<unk>  is a<unk>  that is due to a root cause of illness, as opposed to secondary<unk> , which is a sequela, or complication that is caused by the primary<unk> . For example, a common cold is a primary<unk> , where rhinitis is a possible secondary<unk> , or sequela. A doctor must determine what primary<unk> , a cold or bacterial infection, is causing a patient's secondary rhinitis when deciding whether or not to prescribe antibiotics. ;Secondary<unk>  :A secondary<unk>  is a<unk>  that is a sequela or complication of a prior, causal<unk> , which is referred to as the primary<unk>  or simply the underlying cause (root cause). For example, a bacterial infection can be primary, wherein a healthy person is exposed to bacteria and becomes infected, or it can be secondary to a primary cause, that predisposes the body to infection. For example, a primary viral infection that weakens the immune system could lead to a secondary bacterial infection. Similarly, a primary burn that creates an open wound could provide an entry point for bacteria, and lead to a secondary bacterial infection. ;Terminal<unk>  :A terminal<unk>  is one that is expected to have the inevitable result of death. Previously, AIDS was a terminal<unk> ; it is now incurable, but can be managed indefinitely using medications. ;Illness :The terms illness and sickness are both generally used as synonyms for<unk> ; however, the term illness is occasionally used to refer specifically to the patient's personal experience of his or her<unk> . In this model, it is possible for a person to have a<unk>  without being ill (to have an objectively definable, but asymptomatic, medical condition, such as a subclinical infection, or to have a clinically apparent physical impairment but not feel sick or<unk> tressed by it), and to be ill without being<unk> d (such as when a person perceives a normal experience as a medical condition, or medicalizes a non-disease situation in his or her life – for example, a person who feels unwell as a result of embarrassment, and who interprets those feelings as sickness rather than normal emotions). Symptoms of illness are often not directly the result of infection, but a collection of evolved responses – sickness behavior by the body – that helps clear infection and promote recovery. Such aspects of illness can include lethargy, depression, loss of appetite, sleepiness, hyperalgesia, and inability to concentrate. ; :A<unk> order is a functional abnormality or<unk> turbance. Medical<unk> orders can be categorized into mental<unk> orders, physical<unk> orders, genetic<unk> orders, emotional and behavioral<unk> orders, and functional<unk> orders. The term<unk> order is often considered more value-neutral and less stigmatizing than the terms<unk>  or illness, and therefore is preferred terminology in some circumstances. In mental health, the term mental<unk> order is used as a way of acknowledging the complex interaction of biological, social, and psychological factors in psychiatric conditions; however, the term<unk> order is also used in many other areas of medicine, primarily to identify physical<unk> orders that are not caused by infectious organisms, such as metabolic<unk> orders. ;Medical condition or health condition :A medical condition or health condition is a broad concept that includes all<unk> s, lesions,<unk> orders, or nonpathologic condition that normally receives medical treatment, such as pregnancy or childbirth. While the term medical condition generally includes mental illnesses, in some contexts the term is used specifically to denote any illness, injury, or<unk>  except for mental illnesses. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental<unk> orders <unk> M), the widely used psychiatric manual that defines all mental<unk> orders, uses the term general medical condition to refer to all<unk> s, illnesses, and injuries except for mental<unk> orders. This usage is also commonly seen in the psychiatric literature. Some health insurance policies also define a medical condition as any illness, injury, or<unk>  except for psychiatric illnesses. :As it is more value-neutral than terms like<unk> , the term medical condition is sometimes preferred by people with health issues that they do not consider deleterious. On the other hand, by emphasizing the medical nature of the condition, this term is sometimes rejected, such as by proponents of the autism rights movement. :The term medical condition is also a synonym for medical state, in which case it describes an individual patient's current state from a medical standpoint. This usage appears in statements that describe a patient as being in critical condition, for example. ; :Morbidity () is a<unk> d state,<unk> ability, or poor health due to any cause. The term may refer to the existence of any form of<unk> , or to the degree that the health condition affects the patient. Among severely ill patients, the level of morbidity is often measured by ICU scoring systems. Comorbidity is the simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions, such as schizophrenia and substance abuse. :In epidemiology and actuarial science, the term "morbidity rate" can refer to either the incidence rate, or the prevalence of a<unk>  or medical condition. This measure of sickness is contrasted with the mortality rate of a condition, which is the proportion of people dying during a given time interval. Morbidity rates are used in actuarial professions, such as health insurance, life insurance, and long-term care insurance, to determine the correct premiums to charge to customers. Morbidity rates help insurers predict the likelihood that an insured will contract or develop any number of specified<unk> s. ; Pathosis or pathology :Pathosis (plural pathoses) is synonymous with<unk> . The word pathology
Disease
Precancerous condition
Cancer
Psychopathology
Drug
Drug 
Cancer cluster
Suboptimal health