Parasitic Diseases List

Amebiasis, also known as amoebic dysentery, is a serious parasitic infection. This condition can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody stools, or it may cause no symptoms at all. The parasite that causes amebiasis only lives in humans and can spread through feces, infected food or water, or sexual contact. Between 40,000–110,000 people die globally from amebiasis every year. Practicing good oral hygiene can help prevent the spread of this infection. But if a person suspects they have amebiasis, they should contact their doctor as soon as possible. Early treatment can improve the outlook for this condition, as well as help stop it from spreading to other people. This article will explain amebiasis and its causes. It will also discuss the risk factors and duration of this condition, as well as giving information on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Amebiasis happens due to infection from the amoebas of the Entamoeba group. As a 2021 review explains, most symptomatic amebiasis ...

Thrombocytopenia is an autoimmune bleeding disorder in which the number of platelets in the blood is significantly lower than usual. The bone marrow produces platelets, which are blood cells that help stop bleeding by promoting blood clotting. When a person has fewer platelets than necessary, their blood may not clot fast enough, and they may experience bruising, spontaneous bleeding, and internal bleeding. In this article, we look at how thrombocytopenia can range in severity. We also discuss what makes platelets change shape and the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of thrombocytopenia. Doctors consider a healthy platelet count to fall within the range of 150,000–400,000 per microliter (μl) of blood. A lower number of platelets reduces their concentration. A person's platelet count can fluctuate during menstruation and become low during the later stages of pregnancy. People are more at risk of bleeding the lower their platelet count drops. However, bleeding problems are unlikely...

PINWORMS are the most common type of intestinal worm infection in the United States. Here we explain what they are and how to treat them. 2 Pinworms are a type of little worm that commonly infects the intestines Credit: Getty What are pinworms? A pinworm is a microscopic, thin and white roundworm that lives in the colon and rectum. The tiny parasitic worms cause an intestinal infection. Millions of people each year are affected by pinworms. They spread when their eggs are swallowed. The eggs then remain in the intestine until they hatch and mature. Fully grown female pinworms then move into the colon and exit the body through the bottom. They lay eggs around the bottom and can attach to anything that comes into contact with the area like underwear and bed sheets. LATEST HEALTH Because pinworms make the anus itchy, eggs can be carried on young children's fingers. The eggs can get stuck under fingernails and transferred to toys, surfaces and clothes which sp...

Numerous types of infections can inflame or damage the inner era, leading to hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems. In some cases, the problems might pop while you're sick or soon after—for example, if you had COVID-19 or a recent bad cold—but in other cases, you may not even realize you had an infection, and sudden hearing problems are the first sign that's anything wrong. In rarer cases, problems can even occur decades after an infection, due to reactivation of a dormant virus. For example, varicella zoster, the virus that causes chickenpox, can reactivate and inflame the nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain. Named Ramsay Hunt syndrome, this painful condition made headlines in June 2022 after pop star Justin Bieber revealed he was experiencing it. How infection can affect the ears Any slight upset to the delicate inner ear can affect how we hear and our sense of balance, including viral and bacterial infections. These germs can dire...

Hemophilia afflicts ~1,36,000 (1 in 10,000 male births) in India of which ~19,690 Hem-A patients are registered. A rare genetic condition where the body's blood clotting process is disrupted; Hemophilia affects a person's lifestyle and overall health. Normally, when a person receives a cut or injury, the blood undergoes clotting to prevent blood loss, but the blood does not clot in a typical way when it comes to patients with bleeding disorders. In case of surgery or other injuries, this condition can cause excessive and prolonged bleeding in a patient. Additionally, bleeding can also sometimes start spontaneously. Understanding Hemophilia Hemophilia A and B are bleeding disorders caused by low levels of clotting factors in the blood. Patients with hemophilia have low levels of either factor VIII or factor IX, increasing their chances of bleeding and causing major health implications. Hemophilia is usually an inherited bleedin...

Staphylococcus bacteria live on skin and can cause a staph infection if they enter the bloodstream.  Staph infections can involve a range of symptoms, like vomiting, rashes or inflamed skin, and fever. A staph infection may require treatment with prescription antibiotics, so talk to your doctor ASAP. Staph infections are common infections caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus. While there are over 30 different types of Staphylococcus, one strain, Staphylococcus aureus, causes most of the millions of infections that occur in the United States each year. Most staph infections remain relatively mild and involve a straightforward approach to treatment. In some cases, though, staph infections can become a serious medical concern. Read on to learn the types, symptoms, and treatment of staph infections.   ...

The Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago has announced that the Monkeypox Virus has been listed as a dangerous infectious disease, in accordance with Section 103 of the Public Health Ordinance, Chap. 12 No. 4.  The addition took immediate effect on Thursday with the approval of Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh.  The public should note that no case(s) of the Monkeypox Virus have been confirmed in Trinidad and Tobago at this time.  Going forward, anyone who was exposed to the virus will be under surveillance for 21 days from their last date of exposure in accordance with Section 6 (1) of the Quarantine Act, Chapter 28:05.  The Attorney General is to prepare the necessary Orders to give effect to the above.  Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals or human to human) with symptoms very similar but usually clinically less severe than those seen in smallpox patients.  The main symptoms of Monkeypox are fe...

Influenza vaccination was associated with a decreased risk of mortality and recurrent hospitalizations in older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to findings published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases . Researchers in China conducted a retrospective cohort study between January 2014 and December 2019 that analyzed the effects of influenza vaccination among adults aged 60 years and older with CVD. Date used for this study were obtained from the Beijing Elderly Influenza Vaccination (EIV) and the Beijing Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) databases. The primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and recurrent hospitalizations during influenza season, defined as October 1 to March 31. The study period comprised 6 influenza seasons and included a total of 713,488 patients, of whom 95,060 were vaccinated and 618,428 were unvaccinated against influenza. During this period, mortality occurred among 7822 patients with CVD...

IDEXX Reference Laboratories Will Add Fecal Dx Antigen Testing with Flea Tapeworm Detection,  Testing for the FGF-23 Kidney Biomarker, and Next-Day PCR Direct Testing Service WESTBROOK, Maine , June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDXX), a global leader in pet healthcare innovation, announces new reference laboratory tests and services to help veterinarians gain insights during wellness screenings, develop treatment plans for cats with chronic kidney disease, and access fast, definitive answers for the most critical cases. IDEXX Laboratories PCR Technology "The expansion of our reference laboratory menu demonstrates our continued focus on innovations that create clarity for our veterinary customers, supporting our shared mission to advance the standard of care for pets," said Jay Mazelsky , IDEXX President and Chief Executive Officer. "The new offerings add to the unmatched customer experience at IDEXX Reference Laboratories, which in...

In the US, approximately 1.5 million individuals experience bone fractures related to osteoporosis each year. In addition to this being a major public health concern, it poses a significant financial burden. Recently, issues with bone health have gained attention around how they relate to bleeding disorders. Individuals with hemophilia tend to have low bone mineral density that's believed to be a consequence of prolonged immobility, recurrent hemarthrosis, decreased weight bearing, lower physical activity level and obesity. While there's some literature relating to bone health and hemophilia, there's a lack of understanding around impaired bone health in individuals with von Willebrand disease (vWD) and those who are hemophilia carriers (HC). This motivated investigators to estimate the prevalence of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and bone fractures in these individuals. Assessing the Data Divyaswathi Citla-Sridha , MD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and colleag...

There are three types of parasites that can cause disease in humans. Within these types are numerous species. Parasites are organisms that live in or on a living host of another species. They survive by taking nutrients from this host. In this article, we detail the different types of parasites and parasitic infections that can affect humans. There are three types of parasites that can cause diseases in humans. Protozoa: Protozoa parasites are single-celled organisms. Protozoa can only multiply, or divide, within the host. Helminths: These are worm parasites. They are typically visible to the naked eye at their adult stage. Unlike protozoa, they cannot multiply in humans. Ectoparasites: These live on rather than in their hosts. They include lice, fleas, and mosquitos. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , the following parasitic infections are common in the United States: Learn more about parasites in humans here. Many types of parasites can affect huma...

Many of us have spent the last two-and-a-half years worried about the health risks posed by other people. In the United States alone, more than 1 million have died from COVID-19, a painful consequence of how ill-prepared the nation was (and, in many ways, still is) for an infectious disease outbreak. As the climate warms, more health risks will come not only from other people, but increasingly from the environment around us. We're equally unprepared to handle those. Some of these risks come from diseases that many of us are already familiar with: Lyme disease, for example, which is carried by ticks, or West Nile virus, proliferated by mosquitoes — both vector-borne diseases spread by blood-sucking arachnids and insects. But the environment harbors dozens of other carriers of illnesses you've probably never heard of. They come from bugs, shellfish, and even soil. With global temperatures rising, well-known vector-borne illnesses are becoming more common, and othe...