Medical Term Definition
Disease
A condition in which normal structure, function, or regulation of the body or mind is disrupted, producing characteristic changes in health.
Diseases can result from many causes, including infections, genetic changes, immune dysfunction, metabolic abnormalities, environmental exposures, injuries, and abnormal cell growth. Some diseases primarily affect one organ or system, while others are systemic.
A disease may produce symptoms, signs, or measurable abnormalities, but some diseases can remain unnoticed for a period of time.
QUICK FACT
Disease and illness are not always interchangeable. Disease generally refers to an identifiable pathological process or condition, while illness often emphasizes a person’s experience of being unwell.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
Symptom: a subjective experience reported by a person, such as pain or fatigue; a symptom may result from a disease but is not itself necessarily a disease.
SEE ALSO
Clinical & Educational Context
Discussed in Health Articles & Guides
Explore how "Disease" is covered across our evidence-based editorial guides:
6 Articles
Unstraight Lines
The balance between benefit and harm therefore matters, even when treatment is necessary to control a serious disease.
Health in the Wild
This does not mean that everyone exposed to BPA will develop disease.
The Hard Parts of Medicine
Vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements are widely marketed for stronger immunity, better energy, healthier skin, improved fertility, and disease prevention.
Unstraight Lines
A person may survive the disease
and still be denied a place among us.
The Hard Parts of Medicine
A person living with high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease may need several treatments because each medicine serves a different purpose.
Cases & Narratives
When malaria symptoms persist or worsen, a clinician may need to reassess the diagnosis, disease severity, treatment regimen, adherence, absorption, medicine quality, and other...
