contact sensitivity

sensitivity

the state or quality of being sensitive.

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antibiotic sensitivity, antimicrobial sensitivity

the degree of susceptibility of a bacterial isolate to individual antibiotics. Measured by growth in liquid culture media with serial dilutions of the antimicrobial, or on agar plates as measured by the width of the zone of growth inhibition around a special disk impregnated with the antimicrobial.

bacterial sensitivity

see antibiotic sensitivity (above).

contact sensitivity

see contact hypersensitivity.

diagnostic test sensitivity

the probability that a test will correctly identify the patients which are infected or have a specified non-infectious condition. A fundamental parameter for all diagnostic tests. A sensitive test will pick up the minutest quantity of antibody or other agent in a biological fluid. There are times when this is a desirable characteristic but the loss of specificity that usually accompanies the high sensitivity, needs to be taken into account. See also specificity.

radioimmunoassay sensitivity

the smallest amount of hormone which the assay can accurately detect above a zero amount.

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contact sensitivity

Immunology An allergic response to contact with irritant, usually hypersensitivity. See Contact dermatitis.