Tag Archives: infection
Normal mouth fungus changes after admission to the intensive care unit
The mouth is an important entry point into the body. Under normal conditions the mouth has many kinds of fungus, called the oral mycobiome, that help the body maintain health and resist infections. Several factors contribute to
Poor blood sugar control in elderly people with diabetes is associated with increased infection risk
Diabetes guidelines for doctors (such as those by NICE) suggest that they consider relaxing the blood sugar control targets for older people. This is because older people are less likely to get the long-term benefits of improved
An “appealing” small virus
In 1975 in London , an australian researcher, doctor Yvonne Cossart has detected by immunological procedures a new virus in the serum of a blood donor; the name of the blood pocket was B19 so this virus
Should we use gentamicin cream to prevent exit-site infection in peritoneal dialysis?
Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) is one of the treatment modalities for kidney failure. With PD, the toxins from the blood are removed through the abdominal membrane (peritoneum) into the fluid, which is put into the abdomen through a
Bad news for people with a penicillin allergy
There are over 500,000 hospitalizations annually in the U.S. in which patients will have a reported allergy against first line antibiotics. Beta-lactams are the largest group of antibiotics which include penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems. These antibiotics are
An algal infection (protothecosis) in a cat
This case report describes a cat with inflammation caused by an infection with a particular type of algae named Prototheca. The evoked clinical disease is called protothecosis. Prototheca species and their occurrence in the environment. Prototheca species
Human papillomavirus infection and vaccination
Human papillamoavirus (HPV) is an infection that can be sexually transmitted. A person can get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with another person who has the virus. HPV infections are the most common sexually
Adenovirus infection in children with bronchiolitis or recurrent wheezing
Adenovirus (AdV) and other viruses as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Meta-pneumovirus (MPV), Rhinovirus (RV) and Para-influenza Virus (PIV) have been detected in the respiratory tract of children with acute bronchiolitis and recurrent wheezing. Adenovirus (AdV) is an
Tracking down the cells that produce cancers of the tonsil caused by HPV infection
The cells that cover the inside and outside surfaces of many adult tissues are called epithelia. The cells most external to the tissue usually don’t survive very long and must be therefore be continuously replaced. This is
Schistosomiasis infection: is it really diagnosed?
Schistosomiasis, also known as Bilharziazis, has been and remains one of the most common parasitic diseases worldwide. It affects millions of people in the developing world, mainly in Africa. In 1999, the WHO estimated schistosmiasis as the
Morgellons disease: the search for a perpetrator
Morgellons disease is a poorly understood skin condition associated with Lyme disease. Patients suffering from the disease often have spontaneously-appearing, slowly-healing skin ulcers and may have crawling or stinging sensations in their skin. They may have one
Counteracting a host factor allows adenovirus infection to progress to new virus production
Viruses use the cells of another organism to reproduce and spread. Although very variable in size, the genetic material of a virus is usually tiny in comparison to that of its host and so cannot specify very
Is the post-polio syndrome due to chronic poliovirus infection?
Over the years, poliomyelitis survivors may experience e progressive decline of physical strength accompanied by intolerance to cold, chronic pain and other disabilities. This condition, termed post-polio syndrome (PPS), may lead to the incapacity of living an
What type of immune responses are needed to control HIV infection?
Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection can be controlled by antiretroviral therapy (ART) for long periods of time, preventing the development of HIV-induced immunodeficiency and AIDS. However, HIV-1 infection cannot be eradicated from immune cells by ART and
Finding therapeutic way to eradicate tuberculosis of the brain
Tuberculosis is one of oldest infectious disease in the world. It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, where it infects primarily the lung. Millions of individuals are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Even though we are
Filamentous bacteriophage organize bacterial biofilms into liquid crystals
At sites of chronic infection, bacteria form biofilms, clusters of bacteria encased within a slimy, polymer-rich coating called the matrix. Biofilms are of concern because bacteria within biofilms become tolerant not only to environmental stresses, but also
Exploiting an ‘Achilles heel’ of DNA replication to arrest viral proliferation
In order to proliferate all organisms need to replicate their genomes. In most, this is achieved by a process named DNA replication by which a parental DNA gives rise to two faithful copies of itself. For this
New test for assessing hospital water quality can lead to fewer patient infections
The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important pathogen that is often found in hospital water systems, from where it can lead to infections of patients, sometimes with severe consequences (e.g. blood infections, and infections in cystic fibrosis
Can germs cause premenstrual syndrome?
Each month a woman’s body prepares itself for pregnancy. Monthly hormonal cycles alter immunological defenses to allow survival of sperm cells, the fertilized egg, and the developing embryo. At the onset of each cycle immune defenses are
