Loads
Loads (medicine)
Loads (/loʊdz/), in the context of medicine, refers to the quantity of a particular substance, such as a virus or bacteria, present in a body. The term is often used in relation to the measurement of viral or bacterial load, which can be indicative of the severity of an infection or the effectiveness of a treatment.
Etymology
The term "load" originates from the Old English lād, meaning "way, course, carrying". In the medical context, it has been used since the late 20th century to refer to the quantity of a substance in the body.
Related Terms
- Viral Load: The amount of virus in a person's blood, measured by the number of viral particles per milliliter of blood. It is a key indicator in the management of diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C.
- Bacterial Load: The quantity of bacteria present in a sample, often used in the context of wound management or infection control.
- Parasite Load: The number of parasites within a host organism. It is a significant factor in the study of parasitic diseases such as malaria or toxoplasmosis.
- Bioburden: The number of microorganisms on a surface before sterilization. It is a critical concept in fields such as surgery or medical device manufacturing.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Loads
- Wikipedia's article - Loads
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