Anthrax: The Disease and the History
Anthrax is a peracute, acute or sub-acute disease primarily affecting herbivores but also encountered in other mammals, including humans, and occasionally birds.
The words ‘anthrax’ is derived from the Greek anthrakos, meaning coal, referring o the characteristics eschar in the human cutaneous form of the disease.
The familiar name ‘black bane’ and the French and Italian names for the disease charbon and carbonchio, similarly reflect this manifestation.
Names in other languages and older English names refer to other of its significant manifestations or to its sources of infection, viz Milzbrand (German) and miltvuur (Duth), meaning ‘spleen fire’, pustula maligna (Spanish), Bradford disease, woolsorter’s disease, ragpicker’s disease and so on.
Its numerous synonyms in many national languages and local dialects reflect the historical familiarity with the different syndromes before it was realized that they were manifestations of one etiological agent, Bacillus anthracis.
Fifth and sixth plaques of Egypt in the time of Moses are thought by some to have represented the earliest historical; reports of the anthrax due to respectively to systemic and cutaneous forms of the disease.
Anthrax appears to have featured in Asia Minor at the time of Siege of Troy (ca. 1200 BC) an description of the typical symptoms in the writing of Homer (ca. 1000 BC), Hippocrates (ca. 400 BC), Varro (116 – 27 BC), Virgil (70 – 19 BC and Galen (ca. 200 AD) indicate that the Greeks and Romans were well acquainted with it.
Scientifically reports began with the descriptions of malignant pustule and the disease in animals in 1700s.
The nineteenth century saw anthrax as the first disease of man and animals shown to be caused by a microorganism and as the disease on which much of the original work on bacteria and vaccines was done.
Anthrax: The Disease and the History
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Measles
Measles
Measles is a viral disease most commonly affecting school age children, although adults contact the ease as well.
There are two main varieties: German measles and common measles.
There is an immunization but if there are existing conditions, they may be complications.
German measles (rubella) is caused by a virus and has a rapid recovery period, but the disease must run its course and there is little that can be done medically for its treatment, German measles is a mild illness, alarming only to pregnant women.
If a woman contracts German measles during the early months of pregnancy the newborn can suffer from such malformations as heart defect, deafness, mental retardation, and blindness.
Symptoms of German measles may include fever headache and stiff joints (mainly in the neck), although most people seldom complain of any symptoms.
A rash that lasts for about three days appears on the arms, chest and forehead.
Lotion may be applied to the rash to relieve itching, and the patient should stay away from other people to avoid spreading the disease.
Common measles (rubeola) is a highly contagious disease spread by droplets from the nose throat and mouth.
The first symptoms of common measles are a fever that lasts for a couple of days followed by a cough, runny nose and inflammation of the eyes.
Stomach pains, diarrhea, and vomiting may also occur. Within twenty forty-eight hours, small red spots with white centers appear in the inside of the cheeks.
A rash which is first seen on the face and upper neck and then spreads down the back and trunk and then to the limbs, usually appears three to five days after the onset of the first symptoms.
As the rash spreads fever goes down. After about five days, the rash fades in the same order it appeared. Common measles may have been serious complications, such as ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis and injury to the nervous system.
Measles
Measles is a viral disease most commonly affecting school age children, although adults contact the ease as well.
There are two main varieties: German measles and common measles.
There is an immunization but if there are existing conditions, they may be complications.
German measles (rubella) is caused by a virus and has a rapid recovery period, but the disease must run its course and there is little that can be done medically for its treatment, German measles is a mild illness, alarming only to pregnant women.
If a woman contracts German measles during the early months of pregnancy the newborn can suffer from such malformations as heart defect, deafness, mental retardation, and blindness.
Symptoms of German measles may include fever headache and stiff joints (mainly in the neck), although most people seldom complain of any symptoms.
A rash that lasts for about three days appears on the arms, chest and forehead.
Lotion may be applied to the rash to relieve itching, and the patient should stay away from other people to avoid spreading the disease.
Common measles (rubeola) is a highly contagious disease spread by droplets from the nose throat and mouth.
The first symptoms of common measles are a fever that lasts for a couple of days followed by a cough, runny nose and inflammation of the eyes.
Stomach pains, diarrhea, and vomiting may also occur. Within twenty forty-eight hours, small red spots with white centers appear in the inside of the cheeks.
A rash which is first seen on the face and upper neck and then spreads down the back and trunk and then to the limbs, usually appears three to five days after the onset of the first symptoms.
As the rash spreads fever goes down. After about five days, the rash fades in the same order it appeared. Common measles may have been serious complications, such as ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis and injury to the nervous system.
Measles
Saturday, September 12, 2009
American Trypanosomiasis
American Trypanosomiasis
American Trypanosomiasis or Chaga’s disease is caused by Trypanosomiasis cruzi, a protozoan parasite found only in the America; infects wild animals and to a lesser extent humans from southern South America to the southern United States.
An estimated 10-12 million people are infected, mostly in rural areas, resulting in about 45,000 deaths annually.
The disease is often acquired in childhood. In many countries in South America, Chaga’s disease is the most important cause of heart disease.
T. cruzi, is transmitted by reduviid (triatomine) bugs infected by ingesting blood from animals or humans who have circulating trypanosomes.
Multiplication occurs in the ingesting tract of the bug and infective forms are eliminated in feces.
Infection in humans occurs when the parasite penetrates the skin through the bite wound mucous membranes or the conjunctiva.
Transmission can also occur by blood transfusion or in utero. From the blood stream, T. cruzi invades many cell types but has a prediction for myocardium, smooth muscle and CNS glial cells.
Multiplication causes cellular destruction, inflammation, and fibrosis with progressive disease over decades.
Symptoms
The acute stage is seen principally in children and last 1-months. The earliest findings are at the site of inoculation either in the eye – Romana’s sign (unilateral edema, conjunctivitis and lymphadenopathy) – or ion the skin or a chagoma (selling with the local lymphadenopathy).
Subsequent findings include fever, malaise, headache, mild hepatosplenomegaly, and generalized lymphadenopathy.
Acute myocarditis and meningoencephalitis are rare but can be fatal.
American Trypanosomiasis
American Trypanosomiasis or Chaga’s disease is caused by Trypanosomiasis cruzi, a protozoan parasite found only in the America; infects wild animals and to a lesser extent humans from southern South America to the southern United States.
An estimated 10-12 million people are infected, mostly in rural areas, resulting in about 45,000 deaths annually.
The disease is often acquired in childhood. In many countries in South America, Chaga’s disease is the most important cause of heart disease.
T. cruzi, is transmitted by reduviid (triatomine) bugs infected by ingesting blood from animals or humans who have circulating trypanosomes.
Multiplication occurs in the ingesting tract of the bug and infective forms are eliminated in feces.
Infection in humans occurs when the parasite penetrates the skin through the bite wound mucous membranes or the conjunctiva.
Transmission can also occur by blood transfusion or in utero. From the blood stream, T. cruzi invades many cell types but has a prediction for myocardium, smooth muscle and CNS glial cells.
Multiplication causes cellular destruction, inflammation, and fibrosis with progressive disease over decades.
Symptoms
The acute stage is seen principally in children and last 1-months. The earliest findings are at the site of inoculation either in the eye – Romana’s sign (unilateral edema, conjunctivitis and lymphadenopathy) – or ion the skin or a chagoma (selling with the local lymphadenopathy).
Subsequent findings include fever, malaise, headache, mild hepatosplenomegaly, and generalized lymphadenopathy.
Acute myocarditis and meningoencephalitis are rare but can be fatal.
American Trypanosomiasis
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