Tuberculosis, or TB, is a deadly infectious disease caused by strains of the parasitic organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In 1 to 3 percent of TB cases the disease spreads widely, riddling the lungs with 1 to 5 mm lesions, and infecting other...
Disseminated MRSA infections are the infections caused by strains of Staphylococcus aureus that are resistant to the antibiotic methicillin and are not restricted to the original site of infection but have spread to different parts of the body....
Patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) experience inflammation and damage to the myelin coatings of the nerves in their brains. A major part of the treatment of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is to reduce this brain...
Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a condition that causes inflammation of the spinal cord and the brain. Specifically, this neurological ailment causes damage to the myelin surrounding the brain's nerves. Both adults and children can...
Acanthamoeba is a free-living protozoa that is found in soil and water. It is commonly found in drinking water, sewage, soil, and ventilation systems. It enters the body by inhalation or through the nostrils from swimming. In rare cases, the...
Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a contagious infection that primarily affects the lungs. It is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While pulmonary tuberculosis is curable, it can lead to serious complications in certain...
Herpes simplex is a virus that, in most cases, causes nothing more serious than cold sores on the lips or lesions on the genitals. While the symptoms can be annoying and cause tremendous psychological stress, they generally do not cause serious...
Tuberculosis, also known simply as TB, comes in two forms: active TB and latent, or inactive, TB. Active TB primarily develops in the lungs in adults, but may also affect other areas of the body. In infants and small children, disseminated active...
Valley fever is caused by fungi called coccidioides that are found in the alkaline desert soil of Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and California. You can get infected and develop valley fever if you breath the fungal spores. In many cases...
Myelin is the outer covering of the nerve fibers. Demyelinating diseases involve damage to this outer covering. With the myelin damaged, the nerve impulses can no longer communicate effectively, and symptoms such as muscle spasms, problems walking...
Candida tropicalis is a species of yeast in the Candida genus. It's a typical inhabitant of the human body and is not normally considered to be a health issue. However, a colony of Candida tropicalis can experience overgrowth under some...
A fungus is a type of microorganism that can infiltrate the lungs and create severe respiratory problems such as difficulty breathing, a fever and a cough. Sometimes, individuals are more susceptible to fungal lung infections if they live in a...
Babies may become infected with the herpes virus during birth if the mother has the disease. Even when the mother is asymptomatic, she may still be shedding the virus and make her baby susceptible to the illness. The disease is most often passed...
Heat stroke, or hyperthermia, is where the body's internal temperature hits 104.9 F. Heat stroke occurs when someone has excessive exposure to hot weather elements, an increase in overall physical activity and lack of adequate fluid intake. All...
Herpes simplex virus is the general name for a group of viruses. HSV is commonly the cause of cold sores around the mouth as well as genital warts. When babies are born with this virus, the condition is called neonatal HSV. Dr. Demmler-Harrison,...
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu can be especially serious in children younger than 2. Therefore, parents are urged to have their children vaccinated. Although no vaccine is available for infants younger than...
Potassium permanganate is a strong chemical that is commonly used as a bactericidal and fungicidal in air wash systems, drinking water, and cooling towers. It is a strong oxidizing agent. Because of this, it can cause profound damage to the human...
Children can be exposed to herpes via two viruses--HSV-1 and HSV-2. Although both can cause genital herpes, HSV-1 is usually responsible for oral infections. Both viruses can be transmitted by person-to-person contact, and herpes can also be...
Neonatal herpes is a potentially fatal infection caused by the herpes virus. Neonates catch the virus during the birthing process, especially if it is a vaginal delivery and the mother has active herpes lesions at the time. But most babies with...
Yeast is a type of fungus that causes frequent infections in various sites. As outlined by the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, the yeast most commonly causing infection is Candida Albicans, which causes an infection called candidiasis or...
Tuberculosis is one of the main causes of death and disease worldwide, with approximately 1.5 million deaths each year, according to Edward Nardell, M.D., Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School in “The Merck Manual for Healthcare...
Urosepsis is a bacterial infection of the blood that arises as a complication of an untreated urinary tract infection. Bacteria from the bladder can travel up into a patient's kidneys where it can enter the bloodstream, causing urosepsis---also...
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a chronic disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. MS destroys a substance called myelin, which surrounds nerve fibers and is necessary for transmission of nerve impulses. Many other diseases and disorders...
Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, tuberculosis can be present in a latent or active form. The latent form is dormant and causes no symptoms. The active form, however, can be deadly. The bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine, or BCG,...
Heat stroke is a type of hyperthermia. It is a very serious condition that results in the body's internal temperature reaching a high, unhealthy and sometimes life-altering state. Heat stroke occurs when the body's internal core temperature...
An intussusception occurs when one part of the intestines folds into another part. According to Dr. Judith Sondheimer, professor emeritus at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in "Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics,"...
Platelets are cellular fragments within bone marrow and tissues that play an important role in stopping active bleeding. Neonatal thrombocytopenia refers to a low number of platelets in a baby's blood. According to the book, "Hematology: Basic...
Neonatal herpes simplex virus, or HSV, is transmitted from an actively infected mother to baby. Transmission can occur in utero, if infection ascends through the cervix and vagina, or during labor as the infant passes through the vagina. HSV can...
Normally, there is a balance between the formation of clots and their destruction. But there are times when that balance is not maintained. Cancer, infections, atherosclerosis, certain medications and injury can all cause blood clots to be formed....
Candidiasis or a yeast infection is an infection caused by a group of microscopic fungi or yeast. There are more than 20 species of Candida, the most common being Candida albicans. These fungi live on all surfaces of our bodies. Learn about the...