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C2  ·  39 words

The immune system and infection in French

Defence, vaccination, outbreak — and what one figure actually means.

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Le ganglion lymphatique is the lymph node, and the noun in front of that adjective is one of the cleanest traps in medical French. Both languages took the word from the same Greek ganglion, which named a knot-like swelling under the skin, and then handed it to different parts of the body. English gave it to the nervous system: a « ganglion » is a cluster of nerve cell bodies, as in the basal ganglia or the dorsal root ganglion. The one sense that survives outside anatomy is the soft swelling that grows on a wrist or a tendon sheath, which a surgeon removes. Nobody writing English calls a lymph node a ganglion. French went the other way. Un ganglion, with no adjective at all, is the lymph node, and j’ai des ganglions is what a patient with a sore throat says about swollen glands. The nerve sense is still there, but it has to be marked: le ganglion nerveux. So the adjective in ganglion lymphatique is a clinical formality for a French reader and, for an English one, the whole of the information.

The words

Adjective (3)

Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective goes

auto-immunautoimmuneAdjectiveC2
Une maladie auto-immune vise le corps lui-même.An autoimmune disease is aimed at the body itself.
infectieuxinfectiousAdjectiveC2
Le malade reste infectieux quelques jours.The patient stays infectious for a few days.
asymptomatiqueasymptomaticAdjectiveC2
Une infection asymptomatique passe inaperçue.An asymptomatic infection goes unnoticed.

Noun (m) (18)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

l’agent pathogènethe pathogenNoun (m)C2
L’agent pathogène franchit d’abord la barrière de la peau.The pathogen first crosses the barrier of the skin.
le virusthe virusNoun (m)C2
Le virus a besoin d’une cellule pour se multiplier.A virus needs a cell in order to multiply.
l’antigènethe antigenNoun (m)C2
L’antigène est ce que la défense reconnaît.The antigen is what the defence recognises.
le globule blancthe white blood cellNoun (m)C2
Le globule blanc quitte le sang pour gagner le tissu.The white blood cell leaves the blood to reach the tissue.
le lymphocytethe lymphocyteNoun (m)C2
Le lymphocyte circule entre le sang et la lymphe.The lymphocyte travels between the blood and the lymph.
le lymphocyte Tthe T lymphocyteNoun (m)C2
Le lymphocyte T reconnaît la cellule infectée.The T lymphocyte recognises the infected cell.
le lymphocyte Bthe B lymphocyteNoun (m)C2
Le lymphocyte B fabrique les anticorps.The B lymphocyte makes the antibodies.
le macrophagethe macrophageNoun (m)C2
Le macrophage avale les débris.The macrophage swallows the debris.
le taux d’anticorpsthe antibody levelNoun (m)C2
Le taux d’anticorps baisse avec les mois.The antibody level falls over the months.
le choc anaphylactiquethe anaphylactic shockNoun (m)C2
Le choc anaphylactique survient en quelques minutes.Anaphylactic shock comes on within a few minutes.
le greffonthe graftNoun (m)C2
Le greffon vient d’un donneur compatible.The graft comes from a matching donor.
le rejet du greffonthe graft rejectionNoun (m)C2
Le rejet du greffon se voit d’abord dans les analyses.Graft rejection shows first in the laboratory results.
le ganglion lymphatiquethe lymph nodeNoun (m)C2
Le ganglion lymphatique gonfle près de l’infection.The lymph node swells near the infection.
le portage chroniquethe chronic carrier stateNoun (m)C2
Le portage chronique dure des années sans le moindre symptôme.The chronic carrier state lasts for years without the slightest symptom.
le foyer épidémiquethe outbreak focusNoun (m)C2
Le foyer épidémique a été circonscrit en une semaine.The outbreak focus was contained within a week.
le taux de reproductionthe reproduction numberNoun (m)C2
Le taux de reproduction dit combien de personnes un malade contamine.The reproduction number says how many people one patient infects.
le suivi des contactsthe contact tracingNoun (m)C2
Le suivi des contacts remonte la chaîne de transmission.Contact tracing works back along the chain of transmission.
l’isolement d’un maladethe isolation of a patientNoun (m)C2
L’isolement d’un malade coupe la chaîne.The isolation of a patient cuts the chain.

Noun (f) (18)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

la bactériethe bacteriumNoun (f)C2
La bactérie se multiplie toute seule.A bacterium multiplies on its own.
la réponse immunitairethe immune responseNoun (f)C2
La réponse immunitaire met quelques jours à s’installer.The immune response takes a few days to establish itself.
l’immunité innéethe innate immunityNoun (f)C2
L’immunité innée agit avant toute reconnaissance précise.Innate immunity acts before any precise recognition.
l’immunité acquisethe acquired immunityNoun (f)C2
L’immunité acquise garde la mémoire de la rencontre.Acquired immunity keeps the memory of the encounter.
la cytokinethe cytokineNoun (f)C2
La cytokine appelle d’autres cellules sur place.The cytokine calls other cells to the spot.
l’inflammationthe inflammationNoun (f)C2
L’inflammation rougit et chauffe la zone.The inflammation reddens and warms the area.
la réaction fébrilethe febrile reactionNoun (f)C2
La réaction fébrile suit souvent la première dose.The febrile reaction often follows the first dose.
la séroconversionthe seroconversionNoun (f)C2
La séroconversion se voit dans une prise de sang.Seroconversion shows up in a blood sample.
la dose de rappelthe booster doseNoun (f)C2
La dose de rappel relance la mémoire immunitaire.The booster dose starts the immune memory up again.
l’immunité collectivethe herd immunityNoun (f)C2
L’immunité collective protège aussi ceux qui ne sont pas vaccinés.Herd immunity protects those who are not vaccinated as well.
la substance allergisantethe allergenic substanceNoun (f)C2
Une substance allergisante ne déclenche la réaction que chez quelques personnes.An allergenic substance sets off the reaction in only a few people.
l’histaminethe histamineNoun (f)C2
L’histamine fait gonfler la muqueuse.Histamine makes the mucous membrane swell.
l’immunosuppressionthe immunosuppressionNoun (f)C2
L’immunosuppression rend dangereuses des infections banales.Immunosuppression makes ordinary infections dangerous.
la compatibilité tissulairethe tissue compatibilityNoun (f)C2
La compatibilité tissulaire décide de l’attribution.Tissue compatibility decides the allocation.
la moelle osseusethe bone marrowNoun (f)C2
La moelle osseuse fabrique les cellules du sang.The bone marrow makes the cells of the blood.
la ratethe spleenNoun (f)C2
La rate filtre le sang et abrite des cellules de défense.The spleen filters the blood and houses defence cells.
la flambée épidémiquethe epidemic flare-upNoun (f)C2
La flambée épidémique a commencé dans un seul service.The epidemic flare-up began on a single ward.
la pandémiethe pandemicNoun (f)C2
La pandémie touche plusieurs continents à la fois.The pandemic reaches several continents at once.

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