Glossary

Acute: [uh-kyoot]; A measure of time and scale of disease that is characterized by a sudden onset and typically a short period of illness (opposite of chronic)
Asthma: [az-muh]; An uncontrollable, often allergic breathing disorder that causes muscles in the airways of your lungs to tighten. This results in wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest
Bacteria: [bak-teer-ee-uh]; Microscopic, single-celled organisms that thrive in diverse environments. These organisms can live in soil, the ocean, and inside the human gut
Bronchi: [brong-kee]; Airways that bring air into the lungs
Bronchiectasis: [brong-kee-ek-tuh-sis]; A disease in which there is permanent enlargement of parts of the airways of the lung. Symptoms typically include chronic cough with mucus production. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing up blood, and chest pain
Chest CT scan: [chest] [skan]; An X-ray image of the chest taken with a scanner
Chronic: [kron-ik]; Continuing over a long amount of time or recurring frequently (opposite of acute)
Clearance techniques: [kleer-uh ns] [tɛk-niks]; Various techniques that break up mucus, prevent it from building up, and allow for it to be cleared easily
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease): [kron-ik] [uhb-struhkt-iv] [puhl-muh-ner-ee] [dih-zeez]; A lung disease that leads to poor breathing. COPD is a term that is used to include chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or a combination of both
Dietitian: [dahy-i-tish-uh n]; A person who is an expert in nutrition
Flare-up: [flair-uhp]; A sudden outbreak of symptoms

Fungi: [fuhng-i]; Simple organisms that are neither plants nor animals. Some common examples are mushrooms and molds
Guideline-recommended: [gahyd-lahyn] [rek-uh-mend-id]; The ATS/IDSA Statement is the latest published recommendations in the United States that is followed by doctors on how to manage NTM lung disease
Infectious Disease Specialist: [in-fek-shuhs] [dih-zeez]
[spesh-uh-list]; A medical expert who focuses on diseases resulting from the presence of an infection
Inflammation: [in-fluh-mey-shuhn]; Redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, and heat in an area of the body
M abscessus (Mycobacterium abscessus): [mahy-koh-bak-teer-ee-uhm] [ab-sess-ess]; A species of NTM
MAC (Mycobacterium avium complex): [mahy-koh-bak-teer-ee-uhm] [ey-vee-uhm] [kom-pleks]; MAC is the most common species of NTM
M kansasii (Mycobacterium kansasii): [mahy-koh-bak-teer-ee-uhm] [can-zays-ee-eye]; A species of NTM
M malmoense (Mycobacterium malmoense): [mahy-koh-bak-teer-ee-uhm] [mal-mow-ense]; A species of NTM
M szulgai (Mycobacterium szulgai): [mahy-koh-bak-teer-ee-uhm] [sool-guy]; A species of NTM
M xenopi (Mycobacterium xenopi): [mahy-koh-bak-teer-ee-uhm] [zen-no-pie]; A species of NTM
Mucus: [myoo-kuhs]; A slimy mixture that is produced by glands lining your nose and throat. It also protects and lubricates surfaces in your body

Multidrug therapy: [muhl-tee-druhg] [ther-uh-pee]; A group of more than one drug used to treat a condition
Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease: [nohn-too-bur-kyuh-luh s] [mahy-koh-bak-teer-ee l] [luhng] [dih-zeez]; NTM lung disease is an infection that occurs in your lungs. The infection is caused by bacteria that are common in the environment
Parasite: [par-uh-sahyt]; An organism that lives on or in an organism of another species
Pulmonologist: [pul-mə-nal-ə-jəst]; A medical specialist who diagnoses and treats lung diseases
Respiratory: [res-per-uh-tawr-ee]; Relating to the system that brings oxygen into the body and releases carbon dioxide
Resistant: [ri-zis-tuh nt]; Resistance occurs when bacteria change and evolve to the point that they are no longer affected by treatment. The bacteria survive and continue to multiply, causing more harm
Severe or chronic pneumonia: [suh-veer] [kron-ik] [noo-mohn-yuh]; Chronic inflammation of the lungs with congestion that lasts for a long time
Specialist: [spesh-uh-list]; A doctor who devotes attention to a particular class of disease or patient
Sputum culture: [spyoo-tuhm] [kuhl-cher]; A test for infection that requires mucus (phlegm) to be spit up from the lungs and mouth
Tuberculosis: [too-bur-kyuh-loh-sis]; A contagious disease that may affect almost any tissue of the body, especially the lungs

All definitions taken and adapted for patients from Dictionary.com.