Cryptosporidiosis

Cryptosporidiosis (crypto) is an illness caused by a parasite. The parasite lives in soil, food and water. It may also be on surfaces that have been contaminated with waste. You can become infected if you swallow the parasite.The most common symptom of crypto is watery diarrhea. Other symptoms include

• Dehydration
• Weight loss
• Stomach cramps or pain
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Most people with crypto get better with no treatment, but crypto can cause serious problems in people with weak immune systems such as in people with HIV/AIDS. To reduce your risk of crypto, wash your hands often, avoid water that may be infected, and wash or peel fresh fruits and vegetables before eating.

Infectious agent:

Cryptosporidium parvum is a coccidian protozoon.

Identification:

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Cryptococcal infection(cryptococcosis)

Cryptococcus is a type of fungus that is found in the soil worldwide, usually in association with bird droppings. The major species of Cryptococcus that causes illness in human is Cryptococcus neoformans. Another less common species that can also cause disease in humans, Cryptococcus gattii, has been isolated from eucalyptus trees in tropical and sub-tropical regions

Infectious agent:

Cryptococcus neoformans, an encapsulated yeast-like fungus. There are two principal variants:C. neoformans var. neoformans (serotypes A & D) and C. neoformans var. gattii (serotypes B & C).

Identification:

Clinical features :

Cryptococcal infection usually presents as sub-acute or chronic meningoencephalitis with headache and altered mental state. Lung involvement may cause symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection or may be asymptomatic. Skin, bone and other organs are less frequently infected

Method of diagnosis:

Encapsulated budding forms of the fungus may be seen in the CSF, urine or pus using Indian ink staining. Cryptococcal antigens may also be detected in the CSF and serum. The diagnosis is confirmed by culture (CSF, blood, sputum or andurine) or by histopathology (Mayer’s mucicarmine

staining). Pulmonary cryptococcosis in non-HIV infected persons usually manifests as a nodule which must be distinguished from a malignancy. Malignancies may co-exist.

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Croup or bronchiolitis and its treatment

Croup:

Croup, or acute laryngotracheobronchitis, is the most common infectious cause of sudden upper airway obstruction in children and of stridor in febrile children. Croup accounts for more than 15% of pediatric respiratory illnesses.Children aged 6 months to 6 years--especially boys--are affected most often: the peak incidence occurs during the second year of life. About 2% of all preschoolers have croup every year, and recurrence is common. Croup can develop at any time of the year, although it classically presents in late autumn and winter.

Although croup can be caused by bacteria (eg, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae) and atypical agents, most cases are viral. The leading cause of croup, isolated from more than 80% of positive cultures, is parainfluenza virus (types 1, 2, and 3). Other viruses that can cause croup include adenovirus, influenza A and B viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and rubeola virus.

The time and manner in which the child presents may yield general clues to the cause of the viral croup. For example, parainfluenza viruses predominate in the fall, whereas RSV croup peaks in the midwinter. The most severe illness is caused by influenza A virus infection.

Bronchiolitis:

Bronchiolitis is one of the most common and serious viral infections to affect the small and medium airways of the lower respiratory tract in young children.Almost 85% of all reported cases of bronchiolitis are caused by RSV. However, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, influenza A virus, and rhinovirus can also be responsible. Bronchiolitis targets young children, particularly those aged 2 to 6 months. Most children are infected by age 3; roughly 10% have clinically

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What is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) , how can u diagnose and treat it

Introduction:

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, degenerative, invariably fatal brain disorder. It affects about one person in every one million people per year worldwide; in the United States there are about 300 cases per year. CJD usually appears in later life and runs a rapid course. Typically, onset of symptoms occurs about age 60, and about 90 percent of individuals die within 1 year. In the early stages of disease, people may have failing memory, behavioral changes, lack of coordination and visual disturbances. As the illness progresses, mental deterioration becomes pronounced and involuntary movements, blindness, weakness of extremities, and coma may occur.

There are three major categories of CJD:

• In sporadic CJD, the disease appears even though the person has no known risk factors for the disease. This is by far the most common type of CJD and accounts for at least 85 percent of cases.
• In hereditary CJD, the person has a family history of the disease and/or tests positive for a genetic mutation associated with CJD. About 5 to 10 percent of cases of CJD in the United States are hereditary.
• In acquired CJD, the disease is transmitted by exposure to brain or nervous system tissue, usually through certain medical procedures. There is no evidence that CJD is contagious through casual contact with a CJD patient. Since CJD was first described in 1920, fewer than 1 percent of cases have been acquired CJD.

CJD belongs to a family of human and animal diseases known as the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Spongiform refers to the characteristic appearance of infected brains, which become filled with holes until they resemble sponges under a microscope. CJD is the most common of the known human TSEs. Other human TSEs include kuru, fatal familial insomnia (FFI), and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease (GSS). Kuru was identified in

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