AMEBIASIS What is it? It´s an infection by a parasite or protozoon that affects humans and can be restricted to the intestine, having diarrhea as its main symptom or causing fever and different symptoms depending on the “invaded” organ. More often, the usual organ to be compromised is the liver. The causative agent is the… Continuar lendo AMEBIASIS
Categoria: Internal Medicine
CHAGAS DISEASE
CHAGAS DISEASE Synonym: American Trypanosomiasis What is it? It is an infectious disease caused by a parasite protozoan called Trypanosoma cruzi, named after the Brazilian scientist Carlos Chagas, who discovered it, in honor to another scientist, Oswaldo Cruz, also Brazilian. How is it acquired? When the Trypanosoma enters the blood of humans through the bite… Continuar lendo CHAGAS DISEASE
GASES
GASES Flatus -flatulence-belch -eructation Intestinal gases are originated from two main sources: First: they´re formed normally and result from the fermentation of food residues within the intestine Second: a large amount of air is swallowed both by passing saliva down the throat and by alimentary habits Food residues, due to the action of… Continuar lendo GASES
INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS
INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS What is it? It´s a clinical syndrome characterized by discomfort, headache, fever, a sore throat, enlarged lymph glands located in the neck or widespreading and mild, transient liver inflammation (hepatitis). Most of the time (79% of the cases) it has as its causative agent a virus called Epstein-Barr (EBV), but it also can… Continuar lendo INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS
RUBELLA
RUBELLA What is it? An infectious disease caused by a virus (classified as a togavirus of the genus Rubivirus), which infects children and adults, though it is among those considered to be typical of childhood by the physicians. It usually is a benign disease that in its course presents fever, rashes that last approximately 3… Continuar lendo RUBELLA
SCHISTOSOMIASIS
SCHISTOSOMIASIS What is it? An infection caused by a parasitic worm of the Trematoda class. It occurs in diverse parts of the world in an uncontrolled fashion (endemic). In these places, the number of people with this parasitosis remains rather steady. The parasites of this class are five, and vary as causative agent of the… Continuar lendo SCHISTOSOMIASIS
SYPHILIS
SYPHILIS Synonyms: Lues venerea, sexual plague, French disease, British disease, venereal disease. What is it? It is a chronic infectious disease caused by a bacteria called Treponema pallidum , acquired, most of the times, through sexual contact with another infected person. If not treated, it becomes chronic and develops into systemic manifestations, that is, affecting… Continuar lendo SYPHILIS
TOXOPLASMOSIS
TOXOPLASMOSIS What is it? It is an infectious disease caused by a protozoon called Toxoplasma gondii. This protozoon is easily found in the environment and can cause infection in a large number of mammals and birds all across the world. The infection in humans is asymptomatic in 80-90% of the cases, that is, it doesn´t… Continuar lendo TOXOPLASMOSIS
VITAMINS
VITAMINS Guenther von Eye, M.D., Cardiology. Associate Professor of Internal Medicine of the State University Medical School (UFRGS). Overview What are vitamins? They’re nutritional elements essential to life (VITA) that have in their structure nitrogenated compounds (AMINES), which the organism isn’t able to synthesize and whose absence in the diet will cause manifestations of deficiency… Continuar lendo VITAMINS