Posted on November 27th, 2009
A tapeworm infection starts after ingestion of tapeworm eggs or larvae.
An adult tapeworm consists of a head, neck and chain of segments called proglottids. When you have an intestinal tapeworm infection, the tapeworm head adheres to the intestine wall, and the proglottids grow and produce eggs. Adult tapeworms can live for up to 20 years in a host. Intestinal tapeworm infections are usually mild, but invasive tapeworm infections can cause serious complications.
Read the rest »
Posted on June 30th, 2009
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that may cause flu-like symptoms. The organism that causes toxoplasmosis — Toxoplasma gondii — is one of the world’s most common parasites. Anyone can become infected with toxoplasmosis. The parasite is found throughout the world. Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a single-celled parasitic organism that can infect most animals and birds. But because it reproduces sexually only in cats, wild and domestic felines are the parasite’s ultimate host.
Most people affected never develop signs and symptoms. But for infants born to infected mothers and for people with compromised immune systems, toxoplasmosis can cause extremely serious complications.
If you’re generally healthy, you probably won’t need any treatment for toxoplasmosis. If you’re pregnant or have lowered immunity, certain medications can help reduce the infection’s severity. The best approach, though, is prevention.
Read the rest »
Posted on April 12th, 2009
Gastritis by itself is rarely a serious problem. Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of your stomach. Gastritis is not a single disease, but several different conditions that all have inflammation of the stomach lining. The inflammation of gastritis is often the result of infection with the same bacterium that causes most stomach ulcers. However, other factors — such as traumatic injury, regular use of certain pain relievers or drinking too much alcohol — also can contribute to gastritis.
Gastritis may occur suddenly (acute gastritis) or it can occur slowly over time (chronic gastritis). In some cases, gastritis can lead to ulcers and an increased risk of stomach cancer. For most people, however, gastritis isn’t serious and improves quickly with treatment.
Posted on April 9th, 2009
Diphtheria is a serious upper respiratory tract bacterial infection, usually affecting the mucous membranes of your nose and throat. Diphtheria is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that spreads easily and occurs quickly. Diphtheria is highly contagious. It’s easily passed from the infected person to others through sneezing, coughing, or even laughing. It can also be spread to others who pick up tissues or drinking glasses that have been used by the infected person.
Read the rest »
Posted on March 23rd, 2009
Also called pleuritis, pleurisy typically causes sharp pain, almost always when you take a breath.
Pleurisy occurs when the double membrane (pleura) that lines your chest cavity and surrounds each of your lungs becomes inflamed.
A double layer of membranes called pleura separate your lungs from your chest wall. One layer of the pleura overlies each lung. The other layer lines the inner chest wall. The layers are like two pieces of smooth satin rubbing against each other with almost no friction, allowing your lungs to expand and contract when you breathe without any resistance from the lining of the chest wall.
Pleurisy occurs as a complication of a wide variety of underlying conditions. Relieving pleurisy involves treating the underlying condition, if it’s known, and taking pain relievers.
