Autoinoculation
Encyclopedia
Autoinoculation is derived from the Latin root words "autos" and "inoculate" that mean "self implanting" or "self infection" or "implanting something from oneself". Autoinoculation can refer to both beneficial medical procedures (e.g. vaccination
) as well as non-beneficial or harmful natural processes (e.g. infection
or disease
). One beneficial Autoinoculation medical procedure is when cell
s are removed from a person's body, medically altered then reinserted ("implanted" or "infected") into the same organism or person again to achieve some diagnostic or treatment aim. For example stem cell treatments
involve the harvesting of stem cells from one's own bone marrow and reintroduction (autoinoculation) of those cells at a later date, sometimes after altering those stem cells. Autoinoculation can also refer to the process by which viruses reproduce themselves within an organism by implanting themselves in an organism's cell
s, altering the metabolism, DNA repair, and replication processes of those cells, using those processes to reproduce and transmit itself throughout the organism. For example warts and Molluscum contagiosum
can be spread by this method if wart tissue cells (skin cells altered by a papillomavirus
) are mechanically transported to another part of the body. This transmision or autoinoculation of the wart can occur by mechanically touching of one part of the organism to another, friction that removes a portion of the infected cells to an external surface (or another organism) and then reintroduces those cells upon contact with the body elsewhere, or when wart cells or tissue are transported though the blood stream of an organism.
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
) as well as non-beneficial or harmful natural processes (e.g. infection
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
or disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
). One beneficial Autoinoculation medical procedure is when cell
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
s are removed from a person's body, medically altered then reinserted ("implanted" or "infected") into the same organism or person again to achieve some diagnostic or treatment aim. For example stem cell treatments
Stem cell treatments
Stem cell treatments are a type of intervention strategy that introduces new cells into damaged tissue in order to treat disease or injury. Many medical researchers believe that stem cell treatments have the potential to change the face of human disease and alleviate suffering...
involve the harvesting of stem cells from one's own bone marrow and reintroduction (autoinoculation) of those cells at a later date, sometimes after altering those stem cells. Autoinoculation can also refer to the process by which viruses reproduce themselves within an organism by implanting themselves in an organism's cell
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
s, altering the metabolism, DNA repair, and replication processes of those cells, using those processes to reproduce and transmit itself throughout the organism. For example warts and Molluscum contagiosum
Molluscum contagiosum
Molluscum contagiosum is a viral infection of the skin or occasionally of the mucous membranes. It is caused by a DNA poxvirus called the molluscum contagiosum virus . MCV has no animal reservoir, infecting only humans. There are four types of MCV, MCV-1 to -4; MCV-1 is the most prevalent and...
can be spread by this method if wart tissue cells (skin cells altered by a papillomavirus
Papillomavirus
Papillomaviridae is an ancient taxonomic family of non-enveloped DNA viruses, collectively known as papillomaviruses. Several hundred species of papillomaviruses, traditionally referred to as "types", have been identified infecting all carefully inspected birds and mammals, but also a small number...
) are mechanically transported to another part of the body. This transmision or autoinoculation of the wart can occur by mechanically touching of one part of the organism to another, friction that removes a portion of the infected cells to an external surface (or another organism) and then reintroduces those cells upon contact with the body elsewhere, or when wart cells or tissue are transported though the blood stream of an organism.