Category: Health Problems

Motor neurone disease is a rare condition of the nervous system that leads to loss of muscle control. The disease leads to progressive weakness, muscle wastage and eventually disability. Credit: vitstudio/Shutterstock.com The disease is caused by the degeneration of specialist nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord called motorneurons. These motorneurons control important muscle

Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), which is believed to be present in the nature for at least 15,000 years. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a pathogenic bacterial species in the family Mycobacteriaceae and the causative agent of most cases of tuberculosis – Illustration Credit: Tatiana Shepeleva / Shutterstock

There are five main types of spondylolisthesis that have distinct causes and pathology associated with them. These types include: Isthmic spondylolisthesis Degenerative spondylolisthesis Traumatic spondylolisthesis Pathologic spondylolisthesis Congenital spondylolisthesis Each of these types will be discussed in further detail below, with particular regard to their pathology and the cause of the condition. Dysplastic spondylolisthesis Some

A biosensor consists of a bioelement that interacts with an analyte and a transducer that converts the response into an electrical signal. The bioelement is usually an enzyme, antibody or microorganism and the transducer may be optical, acoustic, electrochemical or calorimetric. The first step in preparing a biosensor is the application of the biological element

Rheumatic fever represents an autoimmune disease following infection with group A streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes), which is one of the most ubiquitous of human pathogens. The disease is characterized by multiple focal inflammatory lesions of the connective tissue structures – particularly of the heart, blood vessels and joints. Rheumatic fever remains one of the major causes

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL is the cancer of the lymphoid white blood cells. There are several risk factors that raise the risk of this cancer. However, the exact cause of this cancer is not yet known. Risk factors for ALL Some of the risk factors that may be associated with the causation of ALL

Normal implantation process Every month, females of reproductive age release an egg or ovum from one of their ovaries during the menstrual cycle. This egg travels from the ovary towards the womb via the fallopian tube, where it may or may not be fertilized by sperm. The fallopian tubes are around 4 inches long and

Delirium is a state of mental confusion that can occur as a result of illness, surgery or with the use of some medications. Also called “acute confusional state,” delirium usually starts suddenly and can be frightening for the person experiencing it, as well as for those around them. Symptoms of delirium Some symptoms are common

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) refers to a set of physical and mental defects that are caused by a mother consuming alcohol during pregnancy. The severity of FAS symptoms varies from child to child, but all defects that do occur are irreversible. No amount of alcohol has been shown to be safe to consume during pregnancy

The meninges are the three membranes that along with the cerebrospinal fluid, enclose and protect the structures of the nervous system like the brain and the spinal cord. These consist of the pia mater (closest to the central nervous system organs), the arachnoid and the dura mater (farthest from the brain and spinal cord). They

Parvoviridae is a name for a viral family that encompasses small, non-enveloped, isometric DNA viruses with linear, single-stranded genomes. Viruses from this family are commonly known as parvoviruses, with two subfamilies and a dozen of distinct genera. In the known biosphere, only parvoviruses have DNA genomes that are both single-stranded and linear. The parvoviruses infect

Vaccines are composed of the antigen preparation as well as some other ingredients. These serve to enhance the immune reaction to the vaccine (adjuvants), stabilize and prolong the shelf-life of the vaccine (stabilizers) and preserve the vaccine components (preservatives). These are termed excipients of the vaccine. Common excipients Common excipients present in vaccine preparations include:

Probiotics are live yeasts and bacteria that are thought to confer several health benefits by restoring the natural balance of the gut flora when it has been disrupted. However, there is little scientific evidence to support this claim and research is still ongoing into the actual benefits of these “friendly” bacteria. Some areas where researchers

Breast cancer treatment has advanced to a stage that, if detected early, most women may survive much longer than they did a few decades ago. Who provides breast cancer treatment? Care for breast cancer involves a multidisciplinary team or a team of specialists who work together to provide the best care and therapy. The team

Tetanus is a bacterial infection that is caused by Clostridium tetani bacteria. It can have serious and fatal outcomes, due to its effect on the nervous system and characteristic tightening of muscles in the body as a result. There is a vaccination available that can protect individuals from the causative bacteria and prevent the infection

Salmonella is a ubiquitous human and animal pathogen which causes almost hundred million cases of gastroenteritis each year throughout the world. Salmonellosis in humans usually presents as a self-limiting food poisoning (gastroenteritis), albeit it can occasionally manifest as a serious systemic infection (enteric fever) which requires swift antibiotic treatment. Most cases of salmonellosis in humans

The term autoimmunity refers to a failure of the body’s immune system to recognize its own cells and tissues as “self.” Instead, immune responses are launched against these cells and tissues as if they were foreign or invading bodies. Research conducted by Noel Rose and Witebsky in New York and Roitt and Doniach at University

Insect bites can be prevented mainly by avoidance. There are numerous precautions that may be taken to avoid getting bitten or stung by insects. Since insect bites may sometimes bear infectious diseases these precautions may be important. In addition those who have had an allergic reaction to an insect bite are likely to get a

Fabry disease is an X-linked recessive disorder, meaning the condition is caused by a gene defect present on the X chromosome. Males who inherit the gene defect on their single X chromosome experience a more severe form of the disease compared with females, who may also inherit a normal X chromosome. The symptoms of Fabry

Leukemias are classified according to their acute and chronic progress as well as according to their lymphoid or myeloid cell origins. Acute myeloid leukemia is further classified into subtypes. Most cancers and solid tumors are classified according to cell type, aggressiveness and propensity to spread to other organs. The classifications of AML however are based