V

Vaccination
The injection of a vaccine preparation of a killed or weakened infectious organism (bacterium or virus) given to people for the prevention or treatment of infectious diseases. If the same types of microorganisms enter the body again, they will be destroyed by the antibodies.

Vaccine
A product consisting of weakened microorganisms given to people, which, when introduced into the body, stimulates an immune response that can prevent an infection or create resistance to an infection. Vaccines are administered through needle injections, by mouth and by aerosol.

Vagotomy
Pronounced – vay-GAH-tuh-mee
An operation to cut the vagus nerve. This causes the stomach to make less acid.

Vagus Nerve
Pronounced – VAY-gus nurv
The nerve in the stomach that controls the making of stomach acid.

Varices
Pronounced – VAIR-uh-seez
Stretched veins such as those that form in the esophagus from cirrhosis.

Vasculitis
Pronounced – VAS-kyoo-LY-tis
Inflammation of the blood vessel walls. This can cause rash and disease in multiple organs of the body, including the kidneys.

Vesicoureteral Reflux
Pronounced – VESS-ih-koh-yoo-REE-ter-ul REE-fluks
An abnormal condition in which urine backs up into the ureters, and occasionally into the kidneys, raising the risk of infection.

Villi
Pronounced – VIL-eye
The tiny, fingerlike projections on the surface of the small intestine. Villi help absorb nutrients.

Vincent Stomatitis
This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums, but the full story behind this long known disease is still not clear. As with most poorly understood diseases, Vincent stomatitis goes by many other names including acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), acute membranous gingivitis, fusospirillary gingivitis, fusospirillosis, fusospirochetal gingivitis, necrotizing gingivitis, phagedenic gingivitis, ulcerative gingivitis, Vincent angina, Vincent gingivitis, and Vincent infection.

Viral
Pronounced – VY-rul
Having to do with a virus. A virus is an extremely small microscopic organism that often cause disease.

Viral Hepatitis
Pronounced – VY-rul heh-puh-TY-tis
Hepatitis caused by a virus. Five different viruses – A, B, C, D, and E – most commonly cause this form of hepatitis. Other rare viruses may also cause hepatitis.

Virus
Extremely small microscopic organisms that often cause disease, that is only able to live inside a cell.

Vitamins
Pronounced – vy-tuh-mins
Vitamins and minerals are complex organic micronutrient substances, naturally found in minute (pronounced – mi-noot – meaning very tiny, small) quantities in some foods. Vitamins and minerals replace or fix low levels of important natural substances in your body that are essential to normal metabolism (the conversion of a chemical from one form to another). Some types of food have more of these substances than others. If you need extra vitamins and minerals, you may have to take vitamin pills that have them. Example:

• Vitamin D deficiency – (ricketts and osteomalacia) In children, the condition prevents normal bone development. In adults, a lack of vitamin D causes demineralization of bone, particularly in the spine, pelvis, and lower extremities.
• Vitamin D intoxication – A disorder marked by weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and impaired renal function.

Volvulus
Pronounced – VAHLV-yoo-lus
A twisting of the stomach or large intestine. May be caused by the stomach being in the wrong position, a foreign substance, or abnormal joining of one part of the stomach or intestine to another. Volvulus can lead to blockage, perforation, peritonitis, and poor blood flow.