HIV is the acronym for human immunodeficiency virus which is responsible for the development of AIDS after prolonged HIV infection.

AIDS is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which develops in the latter stages of HIV infection.

HIV & Immunity

HIV is the virus, which is transmitted from person to person and is the causative microbe responsible for HIV infection. The virus targets the body’s immune cells. AIDS is the syndrome that results once the immune system has been significantly compromised and is unable to maintain adequate functioning.

continue reading What does HIV/AIDS Stand For? Common & Scientific Names for AIDS

Hemosiderosis is a chronic iron overload or excess iron levels in body tissues, either throughout the body or only in specific tissues and organs. If this chronic overload begins to cause tissue damage, it is known as hemochromatosis or commonly referred to as iron toxicity.

Iron is an abundant element in the human body and in conjunction with proteins, it forms hemoglobin, an essential compound in red blood cells that is responsible for gas transport (oxygen and carbon dioxide) in the blood. However excess iron intake or abnormal iron deposition can cause an iron overload (hemosiderosis) and eventual iron toxicity (hemochromatosis) if not attended to in the acute stages.

continue reading Excess Iron (Poisoning, Overload, Toxicity) in Blood

Blood iron disorders involve either the excess, deficiency or abnormal utilization of iron in the blood. In most cases this affects the blood and tissue oxygenation as the red blood cells are responsible for gas exchange between the blood and environment.

Red blood cells contain an iron-protein (metalloprotein) compound called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin binds to oxygen or carbon dioxide and transports it through the blood, carrying oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs to be expelled in the environment. This process is essential for normal life processes. Red blood cells are constantly destroyed by the body and breakdown products are excreted in the stool. Simultaneously, the body produces new red blood cells on a constant basis to ensure a balance between and loss and new red blood cells.

continue reading Blood Iron Levels – High, Abnormal, Low Iron in the Blood

Rarely, diarrhea caused by bacterial food poisoning may be accompanied or followed by nose bleeding, body swelling, painful joints, muscle paralysis due to exaggerated body reaction to harmful bacteria.

Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may appear in children having diarrhea caused by food poisoning with Escherichia coli 0157:H7 or other bacteria. From the intestine, bacteria may enter the blood and break down red blood cells (hemolysis) that clog kidney vessels what may result in kidney failure. (Uremia refers to increased blood urea (a product of protein breakdown), which can not be successfully removed by impaired kidneys, so it builds up in the blood). Symptoms of HUS include: nose bleeding, pale skin with bruises, profound fatigue, fever, swelling of the face or limbs and decreased urination or blood in the urine usually develop several days after the start of diarrhea, mostly in children under 10 years of age. A child with the mentioned symptoms has to be admitted to hospital promptly. Diagnosis is made by blood test that reveal low level of red cells and platelets, and presence of bacteria. Treatment with blood transfusion and kidney dialysis usually results in full recovery (1). Without proper treatment, permanent kidney damage or even death may occur.

continue reading Complications of Food Poisoning: Bleeding, Arthritis or Paralysis

What Is Protein Losing Enteropathy?

In protein losing enteropathy (Greek enteron = intestine; pathy = disease), proteins are lost through the gut wall into the gut hollow, resulting in low blood proteins and leg swelling. Proteins are lost through the damaged gut wall (see causes bellow) or through intact gut wall due to blocked drainage of proteins by intestinal lymphatic vessels (1).

Symptoms

Symptoms of protein losing enteropathy include:

• Leg swelling (result of low levels of proteins in the blood)
• Diarrhea (from the original intestinal disease)
• Blood in the stool (if ulcers develop during intestinal disease)
• Weight loss (from reduced absorption of nutrients in damaged small intestine)
• Various infections (due to lowered immunity)  

continue reading Protein Losing Enteropathy – Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment