Glossary

Acute:  a disease or condition that has a rapid onset but is usually resolved fairly quickly, as compared to chronic.
Anorexia:  little to no appetite
Chronic:  a disease or condition that persists for a long time or recurs over time and does not resolve quickly.
Cirrhosis:  a condition of the liver where normal liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue and eventually leads to loss of liver function.
Endemic: describing an organism that is native to a certain population or geographic area.
Hemodialysis: filtration of the blood through artificial means to remove waste products when a person is in kidney failure. 
Hemophilia: a set of genetic disorders that decrease the body’s ability to clot blood.
Hepatic encephalopathy: a neurological condition that is caused by the buildup of toxic substances in the blood, occurring when the liver is not functioning.
Hepatocellular carcinoma:  cancer of the liver.
icosohedral capsid:  shape of a virus capsid that has 20 faces, 30 edges and 12 vertices.
Interferon:  cytokines produced by cells that inhibit viral replication and activate other parts of the immune system, such as natural killer cells and macrophages.
Jaundice:  a condition caused by a build up of bilirubin (a breakdown product of hemoglobin) in the blood.  It is characterized by yellowing of the skin, eyes, and other mucus membranes, and is indicative of liver malfunction.
Nanometer:  one billionth of a meter.
Renal dialysis:  filtration of the blood to remove waste products, acts as a replacement for failing kidney function.
Somnolence:  increased need for sleep, sleeping more than normally