As public awareness about prevalent diseases like HIV increases, there is still some confusion about medical terms and the meaning of some of these words. Many people know what HIV/AIDS is in a broad sense, what it happens in the body to some extent and how it is contracted. Given the prevalence of HIV/AIDS these days, it >> Read More ...
HIV infection and AIDS remains a global health concern. While greater awareness about the disease has helped in curbing the number of new cases in some parts of the world, it continues to spread unabated in other geographical areas. Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) means that people living with HIV and AIDS >> Read More ...
Are you planning to travel soon to a high risk area for malaria? Have you educated yourself about this dangerous infectious disease? Malaria is a life-threatening infection caused by the Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes. It can be prevented and even cured but malaria claims the lives >> Read More ...
Bed Bugs Bed bugs are tiny insects belonging to the Cimicid family of parasites. These bugs survive by feeding on the blood of mammals like humans. The most common of the bed bug species is Cimex lectularius which has a preference for human blood. These insects are commonly referred to as bed bugs as they tend to hide in >> Read More ...
With the 2012-2013 flu season being one of the worst in recent years, there is widespread concern about how the flu should be prevented, treated and managed. The fact is that the same medical guidelines that have applied for preceding flu seasons should be followed closely. There is no ‘cure’ for the flu >> Read More ...
About Cholera Cholera may not be a major concern for most Americans but it is one of the main diarrheal illnesses that causes over 100,000 deaths per year throughout the world. It had been almost totally eliminated in the United States with the last local outbreak being in 1911. However, in recent years, especially after >> Read More ...
What is H3N2? H3N2 is a subtype of the influenza A virus, the pathogen that causes the seasonal influenza. There are many subtypes of influenza A and H3N2 is one of them, just like H1N1 which caused the “swine flu” epidemic of 2009. Human H3N2 viruses are a common cause of the seasonal flu but now there is a >> Read More ...
What is leptospirosis? Leptospirosis, or Weil’s disease, is an infectious disease caused by Leptospira bacteria. It is a zoonotic infection meaning that it is transmitted from animals to humans. Leptospirosis in humans is mainly contracted through either direct or indirect contact with urine of the infected animal. >> Read More ...
Definition Dracunculiasis is a nematode (parasitic worm) infection caused by the guinea worm, Dracunculus medinensis. It is also known as guinea worm disease (GWD). It has become a very rare infection due to various eradication campaigns globally over the past quarter of a century. Dracunculiasis may be eradicated >> Read More ...
What is Coccidioidomycosis? Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection mainly isolated to the lung that arises with inhaling the airborne spores of the Coccidioides fungi. It is also known as valley fever and is a common infection among people who live in endemic areas. Coccidioidomycosis is often asymptomatic and when >> Read More ...
