Lymphatic filariasis

Lymphatic filariasis is a disease that occurs mainly in tropical countries of the world, from about 41 ° N to 37 ° S. It is caused by long, slender worms of the phylum Nematoda, superfamily Filarioidea.

Lymphatic filariasis in human is caused by the developing and adults forms of filarial parasites present in the lymphatic system.

Three parasites belonging to two genera are responsible: Wucheria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and Brugia timori.

The disease is variably characterized by acute lymphatic inflammation or chronic lymphatic obstruction associated with intermittent fevers or recurrent episodes of dyspnea and bronchospasm.

It is a progressive disease leading to non-pitting edema and brawny changes that may involve a whole limb. Overtime, there is progressive enlargement, coarsening and fissuring of the skin leading to the classical appearances of elephantiasis. The limbs or scrotum may become hugely swollen. Eventually, the adult worms will doe, but the lymphatic obstruction remains and tissue damage continues.
Lymphatic filariasis

What are the causes of yeast infection?

Yeast is a fungus so it is a close cousin of mushroom, toadstools, truffles and puffballs.

Only a very small handful of yeast cultures are potentially harmful, with the primary cause of yeast infection being one particular strain as Candida albicans. Candida albicans is one of four varieties of candida that cause candidiasis, others are: Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis and Candida krusei.

All the fungi are on constant watch for sources of nutrition, and one such a nutritional source is located, many millions of these single cell Candida yeast organism will gravitate towards that source of nutrition. When they do so they become a mold.

In order to absorb nutrition, fungi have the same ability as animals to secrete hydrolytic enzymes as a way of turning indigestible solid matter into foodstuffs that the fungi can feed on.

It’s overgrowth of the fungus that causes problems.  There are number of cause of the uncontrolled growth, usually related to some type of immune suppression.

The loss of friendly bacteria in the body that fights off the overgrowth of Candida can cause yeast infection.  Sometimes there’s been a significant change in diet. Other times it’s due to use of antibiotics to treat another infection, such as strep throat or acne.

Other causes that can lead to yeast infection including:
*Poor personal hygiene
*Coming into contact with someone who has a yeast infection
*Consuming food with high yeast content
*Stress
*Humid weather
What are the causes of yeast infection?

What is histoplasmosis?

Histoplasmosis is a generalized mycosis of variable severity caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, a diphasic fungus, and which primarily affects the lungs but from which hematogenous dissemination may occur.

Histoplasma capsulatum is a diphasic, soil-borne fungus. Humans and other mammals inhale wind-blown soils and aerosolized bird droppings that contain these organism so become infected. The disease is acquired by inhaling the microconidia or small spores.

Histoplasmosis due to Histoplasma capsulatum is widespread in its geographical distribution (North, Central and South America; Africa and Southeast Asia) and endemic in the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys and northeastern USA in soil of damp, fertile areas, polluted by birds, dogs, bats and skunks.

Histoplasmosis has a broad spectrum of clinical presentations, including symptomatic infection, acute or chronic pulmonary infection, mediastinal fibrosis, granulomas and disseminated histoplasmosis.
What is histoplasmosis?

Acinetobacter infection in hospital

Acinetobacter shares several features with other forms of gram-negative infection. Bacteremic patients present with fever and hypotension; patients rarely are asymptomatic. It is now recognized that Acinetobacter strains play significant role in colonization and infection of patients admitted to hospital intensive care units (ICUs).

The predominant sites of Acinetobacter nosocomial infections have varied with time in early observations, urinary tract infections were predominantly in ICUs.

They may be recovered from the hospital environment, from colonized or infected patients and from the hands of staff.

Acinetobacter has been isolated from various types of opportunistic infection, including septicemia, pneumonia, endocarditis, meningitis, skin and wound sepsis, and urinary tract infection.

These organisms are frequently pandrug-resistant and are capable of causing substantial morbidity and mortality on patients with severe underlying disease, both in hospital and in the community.

Several factors are associated with occurrence of Acinetobacter infection:
*Factors related to the environment, previously contaminated by the organism – contaminated materials, mattresses, ventilators, water bath
*Factors related to the patients – age, prolonged hospitalization
*The role of selective pressure of antibiotics

Inadequate de contamination of ventilator equipment and infrequent changing of gloves by personnel have been identified as the cause of the outbreaks.

A pediatric outbreak of Acinetobacter bacteremia has been associated with contaminant air conditioner with aerosohzation of the organism.
Acinetobacter infections in hospital 

Etiology of bird flu

This acute, highly contagious respiratory infection usually occurs in colder months and in infrequent epidemics. It is an acute highly infectious of the upper and lower respiratory tracts that occurs in isolated cases or in epidemics.

The disease is directly transmitted by droplets inhaled from an infected personals sneezing or coughing or by indirect contact with contaminated objects, such as drinking glass.

The virus resists host antiviral cytokines, inducing excessive host pro-inflammatory responses. It may cause death by ‘cytokine storm’ rather than by inherent pathogenicity.

One type of bird flu is caused by the avian influenza A virus which can cause infection in birds and humans. Type A is the most virulent and usually affects young adults first and then spreads to the very young and very old in community.

The natural reservoirs of influenza A viruses – the etiologic agents of avian flu - are the aquatic birds of the world, particularly ducks, in which the viruses appear to be in evolutionary stasis or equilibrium with their natural host causing no disease.
Etiology of bird flu

Etiology of malaria

The main cause of malaria is infection by the protozoan Plasmodium, which is spread by mosquitoes from an infected human host.

Malaria, among the most lethal of worldwide human infection is transmitted by the bite of an infective female Anopheles mosquito, which serves as the vector and definitive host.

Four species of Plasmodium infect humans: P. falciparum, P. ovale, P. malariae and P. vivax.

Of these species P. falciparum is the most virulence of the human malaria parasites and is responsible for bulk of the malaria related morbidity and mortality.

Perhaps the most important is the fact that many mosquito bites may not result in malaria, yet one can get malaria after a few bites or even without being bitten recently, depending on the mosquito spices that is biting.

The infection can be transmitted through exposure to infected blood and blood products, organ transplantation, or contaminated needles or by vertical transmission.

The most common clinical manifestation of acute malaria infection are fever, rigors, malaise, headaches, myalgias, and arthralgias. Splenomegaly is the most consistent physical finding.
Etiology of malaria