- Eczema - Generic term for inflammatory
conditions of the skin, particularly with vesiculation in the acute stage,
typically erythematous, edematous, papular, and crusting; followed often
by lichenification and scaling and occasionally by duskiness of the erythema
and, infrequently, hyperpigmentation; often accompanied by sensations of
itching and burning.
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- Edema - An accumulation of an excessive
amount of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or serous cavities.
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- Enanthem, enanthema - A mucous membrane
eruption, especially one occurring in connection with one of the exanthemas.
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- Encephalitis, pl. encephalitides - Inflammation
of the brain.
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- Endotoxemia - Presence in the blood of
endotoxins.
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- Endotracheal intubation - Passage of
a tube through the nose or mouth into the trachea for maintenance of the
airway during anesthesia or for maintenance of an imperiled airway.
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- Enterotoxin - A cytotoxin specific for
the cells of the intestinal mucosa.
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- Epistaxis - Profuse bleeding from the
nose.
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- Epizootic - 1. Denoting a temporal pattern
of disease occurrence in an animal population in which the disease occurs
with a frequency clearly in excess of the expected frequency in that population
during a given time interval.
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- 2. An outbreak (epidemic) of disease
in an animal population; often with the implication that it may also affect
human populations.
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- Erythema - Redness of the skin due to
capillary dilatation.
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- Erythema multiforme - An acute eruption
of macules, papules, or subdermal vesicles presenting a multiform appearance,
the characteristic lesion being the target or iris lesion over the dorsal
aspect of the hands and forearms; its origin may be allergic, seasonal,
or from drug sensitivity, and the eruption, although usually self-limited
(e.g., multiforme minor), may be recurrent or may run a severe course,
sometimes with fatal termination (e.g., multiforme major or Stevens-Johnson
syndrome).
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- Erythrocyte - A mature red blood cell.
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- Erythropoiesis - The formation of red
blood cells.
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- Exanthema - A skin eruption occurring
as a symptom of an acute viral or coccal disease, as in scarlet fever or
measles.
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- Extracellular -Outside the cells.
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- Extraocular - Adjacent to but outside
the eyeball.
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- Fasciculation - Involuntary contractions,
or twitchings, of groups (fasciculi) of muscle fibers, a coarser form of
muscular contraction than fibrillation.
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- Febrile - Denoting or relating to fever.
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- Fomite - Objects, such as clothing, towels,
and utensils that possibly harbor a disease agent and are capable of transmitting
it.
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- Formalin - A 37% aqueous solution of
formaldehyde.
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- Fulminant hepatitis - Severe, rapidly
progressive loss of hepatic function due to viral infection or other cause
of inflammatory destruction of liver tissue.
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- Generalized vaccinia - Secondary lesions
of the skin following vaccination which may occur in subjects with previously
healthy skin but are more common in the case of traumatized skin, especially
in the case of eczema (eczema vaccinatum). In the latter instance, generalized
vaccinia may result from mere contact with a vaccinated person. Secondary
vaccinial lesions may also occur following transfer of virus from the vaccination
to another site by means of the fingers (autoinnoculation).
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- Glanders - A chronic debilitating disease
of horses and other equids, as well as some members of the cat family,
caused by Pseudomonas mallei; it is transmissible to humans. It attacks
the mucous membranes of the nostrils of the horse, producing an increased
and vitiated secretion and discharge of mucus, and enlargement and induration
of the glands of the lower jaw.
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- Granulocytopenia -Less than the normal
number of granular leukocytes in the blood.
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- Guarnieri bodies - Intracytoplasmic acidophilic
inclusion body's observed in epithelial cells in variola (smallpox) and
vaccinia infections, and which include aggregations of Paschen body's or
virus particles.
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- Hemagglutination - The agglutination
of red blood cells; may be immune as a result of specific antibody either
for red blood cell antigens per se or other antigens which coat the red
blood cells, or may be nonimmune as in hemagglutination caused by viruses
or other microbes.
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- Hemagglutinin - A substance, antibody
or other, that causes hemagglutination.
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- Hematemesis - Vomiting of blood.
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- Hemopoietic - Pertaining to or related
to the formation of blood cells.
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- Hematuria - Any condition in which the
urine contains blood or red blood cells.
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- Hemodynamic - Relating to the physical
aspects of the blood circulation.
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- Hemolysis -Alteration, dissolution, or
destruction of red blood cells in such a manner that hemoglobin is liberated
into the medium in which the cells are suspended, e.g., by specific complement-fixing
antibodies, toxins, various chemical agents, tonicity, alteration of temperature.
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- Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome - Hemolytic
anemia and thrombocytopenia occurring with acute renal failure.
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- Hemoptysis - The spitting of blood derived
from the lungs or bronchial tubes as a result of pulmonary or bronchial
hemorrhage.
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- Hepatic - Relating to the liver.
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- Heterologous - 1. Pertaining to cytologic
or histologic elements occurring where they are not normally found.
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- 2. Derived from an animal of a different
species, as the serum of a horse is heterologous for a rabbit.
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- Hyperemia - The presence of an increased
amount of blood in a part or organ.
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- Hyperesthesia - Abnormal acuteness of
sensitivity to touch, pain, or other sensory stimuli.
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- Hypotension - Subnormal arterial blood
pressure.
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- Hypovolemia - A decreased amount of blood
in the body.
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- Hypoxemia - Subnormal oxygenation of
arterial blood, short of anoxia.
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- Idiopathic - Denoting a disease of unknown
cause.
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- Immunoassay - Detection and assay of
substances by serological (immunological) methods; in most applications
the substance in question serves as antigen, both in antibody production
and in measurement of antibody by the test substance.
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- In vitro - In an artificial environment,
referring to a process or reaction occurring therein, as in a test tube
or culture media.
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- In vivo - In the living body, referring
to a process or reaction occurring therein.
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- Induration - 1. The process of becoming
extremely firm or hard, or having such physical features.
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- 2. A focus or region of indurated tissue.
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- Inguinal - Relating to the groin.
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- Inoculation - Introduction into the body
of the causative organism of a disease.
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- Leukopenia - The antithesis of leukocytosis;
any situation in which the total number of leukocytes in the circulating
blood is less than normal, the lower limit of which is generally regarded
as 4000-5000 per cu mm.
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- Lumbosacral - Relating to the lumbar
vertebrae and the sacrum.
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- Lumen, pl. lumina - The space in the
interior of a tubular structure, such as an artery or the intestine.
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- Lymphadenopathy - Any disease process
affecting a lymph node or lymph nodes.
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- Lymphopenia - A reduction, relative or
absolute, in the number of lymphocytes in the circulating blood.
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- Macula, pl. maculae - 1. A small spot,
perceptibly different in color from the surrounding tissue. 2. A small,
discolored patch or spot on the skin, neither elevated above nor depressed
below the skin's surface.
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- Mediastinitis - Inflammation of the cellular
tissue of the mediastinum.
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- Mediastinum - The median partition of
the thoracic cavity, covered by the mediastinal pleura and containing all
the thoracic viscera and structures except the lungs.
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- Megakaryocyte - A large cell with a polyploid
nucleus that is usually multilobed; megakaryocytes are normally present
in bone marrow, not in the circulating blood, and give rise to blood platelets.
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- Melena - Passage of dark-colored, tarry
stools, due to the presence of blood altered by the intestinal juices.
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- Meningism - A condition in which the
symptoms simulate a meningitis, but in which no actual inflammation of
these membranes is present.
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- Meningococcemia - Presence of meningococci
(N. meningitidis) in the circulating blood.
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- Meninges - Any membrane; specifically,
one of the membranous coverings of the brain and spinal cord.
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- Microcyst - A tiny cyst, frequently of
such dimensions that a magnifying lens or microscope is required for observation.
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- Microscopy - Investigation of minute
objects by means of a microscope.
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- Moribund - Dying; at the point of death.
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- Mucocutaneous -Relating to mucous membrane
and skin; denoting the line of junction of the two at the nasal, oral,
vaginal, and anal orifices.
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- Myalgia - Muscular pain.
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- Mydriasis - Dilation of the pupil.
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- Narcosis - General and nonspecific reversible
depression of neuronal excitability, produced by a number of physical and
chemical agents, usually resulting in stupor rather than in anesthesia.
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- Necrosis - Pathologic death of one or
more cells, or of a portion of tissue or organ, resulting from irreversible
damage.
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- Nephropathia epidemica - A generally
benign form of epidemic hemorrhagic fever reported in Scandinavia.
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- Neutrophilia - An increase of neutrophilic
leukocytes in blood or tissues; also frequently used synonymously with
leukocytosis, inasmuch as the latter is generally the result of an increased
number of neutrophilic granulocytes in the circulating blood (or in the
tissues, or both).
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- Nosocomial - Denoting a new disorder
(not the patient's original condition) associated with being treated in
a hospital, such as a hospital-acquired infection.
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- Oliguria - Scanty urine production.
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- Oropharynx - The portion of the pharynx
that lies posterior to the mouth; it is continuous above with the nasopharynx
via the pharyngeal isthmus and below with the laryngopharynx.
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- Osteomyelitis - Inflammation of the bone
marrow and adjacent bone.
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- Pancytopenia - Pronounced reduction in
the number of erythrocytes, all types of white blood cells, and the blood
platelets in the circulating blood.
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- Pandemic - Denoting a disease affecting
or attacking the population of an extensive region, country, continent;
extensively epidemic.
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- Papule - A small, circumscribed, solid
elevation on the skin.
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- Parasitemia -The presence of parasites
in the circulating blood; used especially with reference to malarial and
other protozoan forms, and microfilariae.
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- Passive immunity - Providing temporary
protection from disease through the administration of exogenously produced
antibody (i.e., transplacental transmission of antibodies to the fetus
or the injection of immune globulin for specific preventive purposes).
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- PCR - see below for polymerase chain
reaction.
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- Percutaneous - Denoting the passage of
substances through unbroken skin, for example, by needle puncture, including
introduction of wires and catheters.
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- Perivascular - Surrounding a blood or
lymph vessel.
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- Petechia, pl. petechiae - Minute hemorrhagic
spots, of pinpoint to pinhead size, in the skin, which are not blanched
by pressure.
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- Pharyngeal - Relating to the pharynx.
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- Pharyngitis - Inflammation of the mucous
membrane and underlying parts of the pharynx.
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- Phosgene - Carbonyl chloride; a colorless
liquid below 8.2°C, but an extremely poisonous gas at ordinary temperatures;
it is an insidious gas, since it is not immediately irritating, even when
fatal concentrations are inhaled.
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- Photophobia - Morbid dread and avoidance
of light. Photosensitivity, or pain in the eyes with exposure to light,
can be a cause.
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- Pleurisy - Inflammation of the pleura.
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- Polymerase chain reaction - An in vitro
method for enzymatically synthesizing and amplifying defined sequences
of DNA in molecular biology. Can be used for improving DNA-based diagnostic
procedures for identifying unknown BW agents.
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- Polymorphonuclear - Having nuclei of
varied forms; denoting a variety of leukocyte.
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- Polyuria - Excessive excretion of urine.
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- Presynaptic - Pertaining to the area
on the proximal side of a synaptic cleft.
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- Prophylaxis, pl. prophylaxes - Prevention
of disease or of a process that can lead to disease.
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- Prostration - A marked loss of strength,
as in exhaustion.
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- Proteinuria - Presence of urinary protein
in concentrations greater than 0.3 g in a 24-hour urine collection or in
concentrations greater than 1 g/l in a random urine collection on two or
more occasions at least 6 hours apart; specimens must be clean, voided
midstream, or obtained by catheterization.
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- Pruritus - Syn: itching.
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- Ptosis, pl. ptoses - In reference to
the eyes, drooping of the eyelids.
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- Pulmonary edema -Edema of the lungs.
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- Pyrogenic - Causing fever.
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- Retinitis - Inflammation of the retina.
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- Retrosternal - Posterior to the sternum.
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- Rhinorrhea - A discharge from the nasal
mucous membrane.
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- Sarin - A nerve poison which is a very
potent irreversible cholinesterase inhibitor and a more toxic nerve gas
than tabun or soman.
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- Scarification -The making of a number
of superficial incisions in the skin. It is the technique used to administer
tularemia and smallpox vaccines.
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- Septic shock - 1. shock associated with
sepsis, usually associated with abdominal and pelvic infection complicating
trauma or operations; 2. shock associated with septicemia caused by Gram-negative
bacteria.
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- Sequela, pl. sequelae - A condition following
as a consequence of a disease.
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- Shigellosis - Bacillary dysentery caused
by bacteria of the genus Shigella, often occurring in epidemic patterns.
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- Soman - An extremely potent cholinesterase
inhibitor, similar to sarin and tabun.
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- Sterile abscess - An abscess whose contents
are not caused by pyogenic bacteria.
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- Stridor - A high-pitched, noisy respiration,
like the blowing of the wind; a sign of respiratory obstruction, especially
in the trachea or larynx.
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- Superantigen - An antigen that interacts
with the T cell receptor in a domain outside of the antigen recognition
site. This type of interaction induces the activation of larger numbers
of T cells compared to antigens that are presented in the antigen recognition
site.
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- Superinfection - A new infection in addition
to one already present.
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- Tachycardia - Rapid beating of the heart,
conventionally applied to rates over 100 per minute.
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- Teratogenicity -The property or capability
of producing fetal malformation.
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- Thrombocytopenia - A condition in which
there is an abnormally small number of platelets in the circulating blood.
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- Toxoid - A modified bacterial toxin that
has been rendered nontoxic (commonly with formaldehyde) but retains the
ability to stimulate the formation of antitoxins (antibodies) and thus
producing an active immunity. Examples include Botulinum, tetanus, and
diphtheria toxoids.
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