Herpes is short for the herpes simplex virus or HSV. There are two different types of HSV: HSV-1, which is responsible for cold sores in the mouth area and is often referred to as oral herpes, and HSV-2, which is often called genital herpes and is...
Genital herpes (herpes simplex virus, or HSV) can be hard to diagnose because the symptoms are similar to those of other sexually transmitted diseases, or they may be too mild to notice. Many people infected with HSV never know they have the...
Swine flu is the common name for the novel influenza strain H1N1 that was first identified in the U.S. and Mexico in March 2009. According to the World Health Organization, swine flu is a pandemic with culture-proved cases reported in more than...
A paternity test is a medical procedure intended to establish the identity of a child's father, by cross-matching the DNA patterns of both parents with the child's. Paternity tests are recognized, almost irrefutably, by the legal system as a...
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is an infection caused by the overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina. While a number of symptoms can be present, there are also signs of the disease that only doctors can identify. These invisible indicators help doctors...
Paternity DNA testing determines the biological father of a child. DNA is a building block of life; it contains information for our tissues' and organs' development and their proper functioning. It has two copies, and we inherit one copy from each...
Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease that is common in both men and woman. There is no cure for the disease, which is transmitted during sexual intercourse and activity. Herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus, and spread through body...
Epidemic typhus is due to a bacterium called rickettsia and transmitted by the human body louse which lives on clothes and is found in places with poor sanitary conditions such as jails; hence, the disease is sometimes called "jail fever."...
Flu is short for influenza, a family of viruses that cause respiratory illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, explains that the flu can cause mild to severe illness and even lead to death. Diagnosing the flu helps...
It takes an average of six to 12 weeks for the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, to be detectable, according to Avert, although there have even been rare cases when HIV is not detected until as long as six months after infection. Anyone...
Sometimes, according to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," herpes can be diagnosed "clinically," meaning on the basis of symptoms and history. A clinical diagnosis can be made accurately when the characteristic lesions consisting of...
Meningitis refers to inflammation of the meninges, or the layers protecting the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by medication or infection from bacteria, viruses or fungi. Meningitis becomes life threatening when inflammation damages the...
Shingles is a disease that results from a reactivation of the herpes zoster virus, which is responsible for causing chickenpox. The body is never able to completely eliminate the virus, which can allow the virus to reactivate. Shingles can occur...
Merck Manuals, an online medical library, reports that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes a progressive, chronic infection that kills a type of white blood cell, which are the cells of the immune system. HIV ultimately causes acquired...
Doctors' offices and laboratories offer several types of tests for influenza, which vary by accuracy, availability and the time required to get a result. All tests for influenza detect both influenza A and B viruses, which cause the flu. Not...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Of the more than 1 million persons in the United States living with HIV/AIDS, an estimated 21 percent are unaware they are infected." Early testing of individuals who have been exposed...
The sudden occurrence of bumps on the edge of your lips can cause concern, particularly because bumps can indicate the herpes virus. Herpes is treatable, but cannot be cured. If you develop bumps on the lips, see your doctor for a proper...
Unless you are an identical twin, your DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is unique to you and you alone. Because of your DNA, you look the way you do, from your eye color to your height and body structure. DNA acts much like a fingerprint that allows...
Potassium iodide is not used to treat disease caused by M. ulcerans. It is used to prepare one of the several solutions used to stain tissue and blood samples when diagnosing infections caused by this bacteria. Staining these samples allows them...
The World Health Organization estimated in 1999 that nearly one million people worldwide contracted a new sexually transmitted disease, or STD, every day. Doctors use several different tests to look for STDs based on the characteristics of the...
Fermentation is a process in which food is pre-digested by bacteria or fungi to create a product that may be tastier in some ways, or have other culinary or medicinal value lacking in the original food. Fermented foods are often good sources of...
DNA testing is a common procedure used to identify individuals based off of what is present in their DNA code. Although 99.9 percent of DNA is shared between all human beings, the remaining 0.1 percent is what makes us individual from one another....
Premature ovarian failure, sometimes referred to as premature menopause, refers to the loss of normal ovarian function before the age of 40. Ovarian failure can mean that the body cannot produce eggs or cannot produce the normal amounts of the...
Genital herpes lesions that result from a non-primary outbreak can often be confused with more innocuous conditions, such as irritation and ingrown hairs associated with shaving around the area of the genitals or bikini line. However, ingrown...
The most common initial screening test for HIV is the enzyme immunoassay or EIA, also known as ELISA. The test detects proteins the body makes in response to HIV. These proteins, called antibodies, are defensive molecules made by the B-cells of...
