Human Diseases

Acute Respiratory Infection ( ARI ) is infections of respiratory tract, from nose to alveoli. It is one of the major killer disease of children worldwide. Generally, leading cause of morbidity and mortality of this disease is on under 5 children.

ARI is caused by a variety of agents. They are :

Bacteria : ( most of lower ARIs ) Bordetella pertusis, Corynebacteruim diptheriae, Hemophilus influenza, Kleibsella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Virus (most of upper ARIs) : Influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, measles virus, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus.

Others : Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia

The disease is mainly transmitted through droplet infection, or also through the droplet nuclei. Once the healthy person is invaded by the infection, patient shows different clinical features like difficulty in breathing , fast breathing which reaches more than 50/min slowly till 5 years. Not only this, one also suffer from ear problems followed by time to time.

Based on the guidelines of integrated management of childhood illness ( IMCI, by WHO ) , ARI is classified into several types. They are :

1.No pneumonia : There is no chest indrawing as well as no fast breathing. For this sort of ARI , there is several symptomatic treatment.

2.Pneumonia : If pneumonia is resulted from ARI, in this case also , there is no chest indrawing, however, fast breathing is resulted.

3.Severe pneumonia : In case of ARI followed by severe pneumonia, there is chest indrawing as well as fast breathing. Treatment for this is use of antibiotics like co-trimoxazole, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, etc.

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Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges. Its agent can be of different kind of organisms.
.Bacteria : Neisseria meningitis, E.coli, Proteus, Hemophilus, influenza, Streptococcus, pneumonia, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Virus : Echovirus, Polio virus, Epstein barr virus, Influenza virus.

Fungi : Cryptococcus neoformans

Protozoa : Toxoplasma

Meningitis is transmitted mainly by the droplet infection. Its incubation period varies according to the causative agent. For Neisseria meningitis, it varies from 2-10 days. It causes meningococcal meningitis, which is most dangerous form of meningitis.

Clinical features show intense headache, vomiting, high fever, neck stiffness, unconsciousness and coma. The meningococcal meningitis has a very rapid course and these symptoms can develop very rapidly within few hours. Penicillin is used in its treatment.

Meningitis can be diagnosed through different methods. The study of the CSF cytology, total number of cells, sugar and protein content. Depending on the causative agent there are different findings of these parameter. In case of bacterial meningitis there is increased level of cells, low sugar and more protein. In case of the tuberculosis meningitis, Fibrin coagulum is seen on standing the CSF.

Meningitis is a dreadful disease and if its timely cure isn't done, it can create a worse situation. Some of its complications are residual neurological deficit and death. The case fatality rate of the meningococcal antibiotics availability and proper management the mortality has declined.

Its treatment is based on the type of cause. In case of the bacterial meningitis, it is treated with antibiotics like Penicillin, Chloramphenicol, Cefotaxamine, gentamycin. For the fungus antifugal drugs are used. Viral meningitis is managed by symptomatic and supportive treatment.

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Pertussis is an acute respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is also called ' hundred day cough ' by Chinese. The main victims are preschool children , although highest mortality is seen in below 6 months age group.

People usually are careless in manner of pertussis , however it can result worst situation. Isolation of cases should be done within the 4 weeks. Penicillin and erythromycin can be effective. Several contacts like prophylactic erythromyocin or penicillins should be adopted. The main prevention is done by no exposure to the patients. The infected ones should also adopt a lot care while sneezing, coughing to prevent droplet transmission. Prevention includes vaccination with pertussis vaccine either single or combined DPT.

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Hydrophobia, is a set of symptoms at a stage of infection from rabies. Rabies is disease which directly affects the central nervous system of our body. It is transmitted from infected mammals and is deadly from the start of symptoms. Hydrophobia is also termed as aquaphobia, since in this stage, people get scared of water.

There is generally a misconception in people that hydrophobia generally means people getting scared of a bucket of water, which is totally a wrong idea. Hydrophobia usually means fear of getting drowned in deep water conditions. Once hydrophobia is resulted, victims experience fear when they are exposed near the any water resources, may be a pond, river, ocean, or even a bathtub.

Patient of hydrophobia experience show some unusual behavior when they are exposed to any water reservoir. They say that they develop fear of getting drowned in water and can't withstand the water reservoir at their sight. Some patients even have the nightmare of getting drowned in water resources.Sufferer get several sorts of symptoms. His pulse rate gets higher when he stands near water sources. Dry mouth, shortness of breath, physical and mental imbalance, state of dilemma in every sorts of work are some other symptoms of hydrophobia.

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