Some fungi can only infect the skin when it is damaged. Intact, undamaged skin is a very effective defense against these kinds of fungi. The respiratory tract also has defenses which it uses against fungi that can cause infection when people...
Influenza, or the flu, refers to a viral infection that leads to such symptoms as a fever, headache, runny nose, dry cough and nasal congestion. It can also lead to a poor appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle pain and fatigue. Influenza can be...
In the early stages, meningitis appears to have similar symptoms to that of the flu, according to KidsHealth. Meningitis is an infection in the brain and spinal chord caused by a bacteria or virus. Bacterial meningitis is a severe condition with...
Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain that is characterized by repeated and unexpected seizures or convulsions. Seizures occur as a result of abnormally excited electrical signals in the brain. According to the National Institute of Neurological...
The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is a retrovirus that destroys immune cells and weakens the body's ability to fight disease. HIV infection may have no symptoms, or it can develop into full blown acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or...
There are 56,300 new cases of HIV infection in the United States yearly according to 2010 information from the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases. HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, attacks the immune system by destroying...
The University of California, San Francisco writes that advanced HIV and AIDS severely compromise the immune system. The immune system is weakened to such a degree that patients succumb to diseases that are normally easily fought off by a healthy...
A grand mal seizure, also known as a tonic-clonic seizure, is characterized by loss of consciousness and loss of muscle control. Grand mal seizures occur when the brain's electrical activity changes, altering how it effectively communicates,...
The brain and spinal cord are surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, and are enclosed within bony skull and the spinal canal. CSF is made by specialized cells in the lateral and fourth ventricles, or brain chambers, which communicate with the...
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the causative agent for AIDS, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. HIV is transmitted from humans to humans via sexual contact; directly to humans from transfusions with virus containing blood; from contact...
Herpes simplex virus causes a variety of symptoms and additional complications besides the trademark blisters and ulcers which commonly form. The two types of the virus are herpes simplex one and two. Type one generally affects the oral area...
Viral infections are the most common cause of illness in children. They are highly contagious. Most viruses cause symptoms over a short period of time and produce mild illness. Some viruses can cause significant disease, especially in those who...
Edema is a medical term for swelling. When there is swelling on the brain, it is termed cerebral edema or brain edema, which results in increased pressure inside the skull. The increases in pressure, termed intracranial pressure, can prevent blood...
A cholesteatoma is a benign ear tumor that forms when skin abnormally grows behind the eardrum within the middle ear. Symptoms associated with a cholesteatoma typically include earache, numbness or drainage; dizziness; or hearing loss, MedlinePlus...
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects and destroys immune cells leaving an infected person vulnerable to diseases that do not commonly occur in people with a healthy immune system. These disorders are known as opportunistic diseases or...
A tapeworm is a long, ribbon-like flatworm known to cause parasitic infections in animals and humans. According to MayoClinic.com, the most common tapeworms associated with human infection are the pork tapeworm, beef tapeworm, dwarf tapeworm and...
A magnetic resonance imaging scan, or MRI, allows doctors to examine the brain without opening the skull. The National Institutes of Health explains that an MRI produces a magnetic field that is 10,000 times greater than the one produced by the...
According to the University of Maryland, most sinus infections are caused by bacteria, which are easily treated with prescribed antibiotics. In rare cases, a sinus infection may cause dangerous complications if not properly treated. A sinus...
Healthline.com, a health information website, refers to fibromyalgia as a condition characterized by pain in multiple places in the body involving joints, muscles, tendons and soft tissue. Slight pressure on a tender point elicits pain. The pain...
Few things are as worrying to parents as discovering their son or daughter has a high fever. Fortunately, fevers in children usually pass quickly and are rarely the sign of anything more serious. If your child has a recurring high fever, several...
Encephalitis is the medical term for the inflammation of the brain, an inflammation which is usually caused by a virus. The viral infection irritates the brain and causes it to swell. The treatment may include fluids, nutrition and various...
Meningitis, a medical condition caused by the inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord, can be caused by a viral, bacterial or fungal infection. The classic symptoms of meningitis, including flu-like symptoms, high fever and...
According to the American Brain Tumor Association, brain tumors can exhibit both general and specific symptoms. General symptoms are common to all brain tumors. Other symptoms are specific to the location of the tumor. These are termed "focal" or...
Headaches accompanied by nausea can be caused by any number of reasons, from brain abnormalities to food sensitivities. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that patients keep a diary of their headaches and when they felt sick to...
Portal hypertension is an increase in the pressure in your vein that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This pressure increase causes the development of large veins, which can bleed easily....
The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, causes the AIDS disease. It duplicates itself after it enters white blood cells called the CD4+ T lymphocytes. The infection progresses as the virus destroys these blood cells. As the number of CD4+ T...
Ear infections happen when fluid builds up inside the ear, giving bacteria or viruses a place to grow. Ear pain and fever can result. Although the National Institutes of Health says most ear infections resolve without causing additional problems,...
Fatigue is medically defined as a reduced ability to perform work and is a feeling of temporary or chronic tiredness, malaise and low energy. In most cases fatigue is caused by stress, overwork, poor nutrition and a lack of physical fitness and...
The causes of brain inflammation include infection and neurodegenerative disease and can lead to symptoms such as hallucinations and the loss of consciousness. Some supplements may help to protect against brain inflammation. However, consult with...
Tick bites should be treated immediately, the concern being transmission of Lyme disease. Learn more about tick bites in this medical video.
Meningitis is an inflammation of meninges, membranes that protect the brain or spinal cord. Find the facts on viral meningitis including treatment options in this video.
Amnesia is a condition that affects the memory. There are many possible causes for amnesia, and amnesia may occur for different lengths of time. Learn about the symptoms, possible causes, and treatment options for amnesia in this video.
Meningitis is an inflammation of meninges, membranes that protect the brain or spinal cord. Find facts on meningitis including treatment options in this video.
West Nile virus primarily infects birds but can cause major problems for humans as well. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for West Nile Virus in this video.