Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «K»:
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Kissing bug
Kissing bug: The insect that transmits the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis). The bug "kisses" people, especially babies, on the lips while they are asleep, infecting them with the parasite.
The bug (technically a reduviid bug) lives in cracks and ho...
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Kissing disease
Kissing disease: A name for infectious mononucleosis
("mono"), a very common illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). By the
time most people reach adulthood, an antibody against EBV can be detected in their blood
meaning they have been infected with EBV. The illness is less severe...
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Kit, disaster supplies
Kit, disaster supplies: Items stored in case of
emergency, such as a prolonged power outage, earthquake, or flood.
Items stored in case of
emergency, such as a prolonged power outage, earthquake, or flood.
You and your family can cope
best by preparing for disaster before it strikes. One way to ...
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Kit, emergency supplies
Kit, emergency supplies: You and your family can cope
best by preparing for disaster before it strikes. One way to prepare
is by assembling a Disaster Supplies Kit. Once disaster hits, you
won't have time to shop or search for
supplies. But if you've gathered supplies in advance, your
family can ...
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Klebsiella
Klebsiella: A group of bacteria normally living in the intestinal
tract and frequently the cause of nosocomial infections (infections acquired in the
hospital). Named for Dr. Klebs. ...
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Kleine-Levin syndrome
Kleine-Levin syndrome: A rare condition
characterized by excessive need for sleep, food, and sexual
disinhibition. Most people with Kleine-Levin syndrome are
adolescent males. When awake, they may be confused,
irritable, and lethargic, and some have hallucinations. The
cause is unknown, althoug...
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Klinefelter syndrome
Klinefelter syndrome: A chromosome condition in boys and men that is usually due to 47 chromosomes with XXY sex chromosomes. XXY is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities. It occurs in 1 in 500 male births. Because it is so common, Klinefelter syndrome is considered an SCV (sex chromosome ...
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Klippel-Feil anomalad
Klippel-Feil anomalad: See: Klippel-Feil sequence....
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Klippel-Feil anomaly
Klippel-Feil anomaly: See: Klippel-Feil sequence....
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Klippel-Feil deformity
Klippel-Feil deformity: See: Klippel-Feil sequence....
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Klippel-Feil phenotype
Klippel-Feil phenotype: See: Klippel-Feil sequence....
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Klippel-Feil sequence
Klippel-Feil sequence: Short neck, low hairline at the nape of the neck and limited movement of the head. Klippel-Feil sequence is due to a defect in the early development of the spinal column in the neck, resulting in fusion of the cervical vertebrae. The condition is named for the French neurolog...
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Klippel-Feil syndrome
Klippel-Feil syndrome: See: Klippel-Feil sequence....
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Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber (KTW) syndrome
Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber (KTW) syndrome: A congenital malformation
syndrome characterized by the triad of asymmetric limb hypertrophy, hemangiomata, and
nevi. "Asymmetric limb hypertrophy" is enlargement of one limb and not the
corresponding limb on the other side, the enlarged limb being 3 times mor...
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Klumpke palsy
Klumpke palsy: A form of brachial plexus palsy in which there is paralysis of the muscles of the forearm and hand due to an injury to the roots of eigth cervical and first thoracic roots or the lower part of the brachial plexus, a network of spinal nerves that originates in the back of the neck, ex...
