Category: G

  • Geohelminth

    Any of the tropical soil worms, including ascaris, hookworm, and Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), that may parasitize human beings and other organisms.  

  • Geographic ulceration of the cornea

    An ulcer of the cornea with an irregular and lobulated border.  

  • Geographic distribution of disease

    The relationship between the prevalence of a disease and specific geographical-environmental conditions. For example, goiter occurs in inland iodine-deficient areas of the U.S., and pulmonary hypertension occurs in those who reside at high altitude. Certain infectious diseases, such as leprosy, leishmaniasis, and Chagas’ disease, are endemic in specific tropical or subtropical areas.  

  • Geographical bias

    The tendency of a scientist or educator to refer only to those journal articles published in his or her own country or native language. As a result of this bias, American health care educators are more likely to cite studies reported in the New England Journal of Medicine than in the (British) journal Lancet.  

  • Geode

    A subchondral (bony) cyst occasionally found in patients with rheumatological illnesses.  

  • Geobacillus

    A genus of heat-and pressure-resistant motile gram-positive aerobic or facultatively anaerobic spore-forming rod-shaped bacteria. The bacteria thrive at temperatures from 35° to 75°C. The ability of this genus to survive at high temperatures is used as a biological indicator of the effectiveness of sterilizers used in medicine and dentistry.  

  • Gene varum

    A lateral alignment of the femur and tibia of greater than 195 degrees.  

  • Gene valgum

    A medial alignment of the femur and tibia of less than 180 degrees.  

  • Gentianophobic

    Not staining well with gentian violet.  

  • Genotoxic damage

    Injury to the chromosomes of the cells. This may be determined by noting the number of micronuclei in the target tissues. When a cell with damaged genetic material divides, fragments of chromosomes and micronuclei remain in the cytoplasm.