Parasitic Diseases

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Demographic and epidemiological data In total, 503 cases of M. perstans infection were identified at the Carlos III Hospital. The main epidemiological data are shown in Table 1 . Two hundred sixty-four patients were female (52.5%). The migrants' mean age (±SD) was 44.6 ± 18.2 years (range: 16–93); the median (25th, 75th percentiles) age was 43 years (28, 60). Most of them (97.6%) came from Equatorial Guinea, 12 cases came from other African countries: D.R.Congo (3), Cameroon (2), Guinea Bissau (2), Nigeria (2), Gabon (1), Guinea Conakry (1) and Togo (1). All the patients were infected in their country of origin. The mean time (± SD) between their arrival to Spain and their first medical consultation was 8.6 ± 18.0 months (range: 1–180); the median (25th, 75th percentiles) time was 2 months (1, 7). Half of the patients (50.3%) were evaluated during the first month of stay in Spain. The mean number of cases (± SD) was 25.1 ± 11.8 (5–45) per month, with an irregula...

Overview Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. About 6­–7 million people worldwide are estimated to be infected with T. cruzi . The disease is found mainly in endemic areas of 21 continental Latin American countries (1) , where it has been mostly transmitted to humans and other mammals by contact with faeces or urine of triatomine bugs (vector-borne), known as kissing bugs, among many other popular names, depending on the geographical area. Chagas disease is named after Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas, a Brazilian physician and researcher who discovered the disease in 1909.  Distribution Chagas disease was once entirely confined to continental rural areas of the Region of the Americas (excluding the Caribbean islands). Due to increased population mobility over previous decades, most infected people now live in urban settings and the infection has been increasingly ...

At the E.R., the patient learned his blood wasn't clotting. His mother had the same condition — but the trigger turned out to be a surprise. "Hey, come here," the 19-year-old man called out to his girlfriend. "This isn't right." Although it was nearly 2 a.m., the young woman jumped out of bed and hurried to the bathroom. Her partner had been sick on and off for the past few weeks, and they were both too worried to sleep. The water in the bowl was a deep red — the color of cranberry juice. It looked like pure blood when it came out, the young man told her. "You should go to the emergency room," the girlfriend urged. Not yet, he said. He would rather get a little sleep and call his mother in the morning. She had something like this several years before. The next morning, his mother agreed that he should go to the emergency room, and so the couple drove to the Yale New Haven Hospital. It was a Wednesday morning, and the place was quiet. He explained t...

Some parasites can infect humans. Once inside of a body, parasites can travel to different organs, including the eyes. Without treatment, these infections can lead to eye pain, vision problems, and in some cases, blindness. Parasites are organisms that live in, or on, another organism. The host organism provides the parasites with ideal living conditions and a source of nutrients. Most parasites damage their hosts in some way. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies three types of parasites that cause diseases in humans. These are: protozoa, or single-celled organisms, which can multiply inside of the body, which can lead to serious infections helminths, which include flatworms, flukes, and roundworms ectoparasites, or blood-sucking invertebrates, include mosquitoes, lice, ticks, and mites Most parasites secrete toxic substances, damaging their hosts. These substances can destroy the tissue or cause inflammation. This article looks at some parasitic infections ...

Cholinergic urticaria are a type of hives that are triggered by an increase in body temperature. Like other types of hives, cholinergic urticaria is characterized by red spots that are raised and have clearly defined borders. The rash, sometimes known as heat hives, can appear anywhere on the body and is usually very itchy. Cholinergic urticaria is brought on by activities that cause sweating and increased body temperature, including exercise, anxiety and hot baths or showers.  This article will explain the causes of and triggers for cholinergic urticaria. It will cover symptoms of cholinergic urticaria and how to treat the rash. Cholinergic Urticaria Symptoms Cholinergic urticaria shares symptoms with other types of hives. The symptoms of hives, like cholinergic urticaria, include a rash. The rash is often different from other types of skin rashes, and has these characteristics: Raised bumps that are red or the color of your skin Bumps t...

What Is Diflucan? Diflucan ( fluconazole ) is an orally administered prescription drug used to treat and prevent various fungal infections in adults and children, including thrush (oral) and vaginal yeast infections resulting from differing types of naturally occurring Candida fungus. Diflucan also treats fungal meningitis. Diflucan is categorized as an azole antifungal and works by slowing the growth of fungus. Specifically, azole antifungals are a subgroup of the larger antifungal drug class. The active ingredient in Diflucan is fluconazole. Fluconazole is available as a generic product that can be administered in multiple forms, including oral tablets or liquid suspension (a liquid to be swallowed with small amounts of a drug). However, this article will focus on Diflucan, a brand-name drug administered either through oral tablets or as a powder for liquid suspension. Drug Facts Generic Name : Fluconazo...