Thursday, June 11, 2020

Pneumonia

Bacteria , fungi
Pneumonia

Pneumonia


Pneumonia is a lung infection that can range from mild to so severe that you have to go to the hospital.

It happens when an infection causes the air sacs in your lungs (your doctor will call them alveoli) to fill with fluid or pus. That can make it hard for you to breathe in enough oxygen to reach your bloodstream.

Anyone can get this lung infection. But infants younger than age 2 and people over age 65 are at higher risk. That’s because their immune systems might not be strong enough to fight it.

You can get pneumonia in one or both lungs. You can also have it and not know it. Doctors call this walking pneumonia. Causes include bacteria, viruses, and fungi.  If your pneumonia results from bacteria or a virus, you can spread it to someone else. 

Lifestyle habits, like smoking cigarettes and drinking too much alcohol, can also raise your chances of getting pneumonia.

Symptoms of Pneumonia




If you have a new cough, fever, or shortness of breath, call your doctor to ask about whether it could be COVID-19. Illness with the new coronavirus can also lead to pneumonia

Causes of Pneumonia


Bacteria, viruses, or fungi can cause pneumonia.
  1. Flu viruses
  2. Cold viruses
  3. RSV virus (the top cause of pneumonia in babies age 1 or younger)
  4. Bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Some people who are in the hospital get “ventilator-associated pneumonia” if they got the infection while using a ventilator, a machine that helps you breathe.

If you get pneumonia while you’re in a hospital and aren’t on a ventilator, that’s called “hospital-acquired” pneumonia. But most people get “community-acquired pneumonia,” which means they didn’t get it in a hospital.

Pneumonia Diagnosis


Your doctor will start with questions about your symptoms and your medical history, like whether you smoke and whether you’ve been around sick people at home, school, or work. Then, they’ll listen to your lungs. If you have pneumonia, they might hear cracking, bubbling, or rumbling sounds when you breathe in.

If your doctor thinks you might have pneumonia, they’ll probably give you tests, including:

  1. Blood tests to look for signs of a bacterial infection
  2. A chest X-ray to find the infection in your lungs and how far it’s spread
  3. Pulse oximetry to measure the level of oxygen in your blood
  4. A sputum test to check the fluid in your lungs for the cause of an infection
If your symptoms started in the hospital or you have other health problems, your doctor might give you more tests, such as:

  1. An arterial blood gas test to measure the oxygen in a small amount of blood taken from one of your arteries
  2. Bronchoscopy to check your airways for blockages or other problems
  3. A CT scan to get a more detailed image of your lungs
  4. A pleural fluid culture, in which the doctor removes a small amount of fluid from the tissues around your lungs to look for bacteria that might cause pneumonia.

Pneumonia Complications


Pneumonia can have complications, including:
  1. Bacteremia, in which bacteria spread into your blood. This can cause septic shock and organ failure.
  2. Trouble breathing, which might mean you need to use a breathing machine while your lungs heal.
  3. Fluid buildup between the layers of tissue that line your lungs and chest cavity. This fluid can also become infected.
  4. Lung abscess, when a pocket of pus forms inside or around your lung.

Pneumonia Treatment


Your doctor can tell you which treatment is right for you.

If you have bacterial pneumonia, you’ll get antibiotics. Make sure you take all of the medicine your doctor gives you, even if you start to feel better before you’re through with it.

If you have viral pneumonia, antibiotics won’t help. You’ll need to rest, drink a lot of fluids, and take medicine for your fever.

If your symptoms are severe or if you have other conditions that make you more likely to have complications, your doctor may send you to the hospital. 

With any kind of pneumonia, recovery will take time. You’re going to need lots of rest. You might need a week off your usual routines, and you could still feel tired for a month.

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Sunday, June 7, 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 , Health Topics
Coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19


Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus . Most people who fall sick with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment.


The virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. These droplets are too heavy to hang in the air, and quickly fall on floors or surfaces.

You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within close proximity of someone who has COVID-19, or by touching a contaminated surface and then your eyes, nose or mouth.

Symptoms of COVID-19



To prevent the spread of COVID-19


  1. Clean your hands often. Use soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub
  2. Maintain a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
  3. Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
  4. Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
  5. Stay home if you feel unwell.
  6. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. Call in advance.
  7. Follow the directions of your local health authority.
  8. Avoiding unneeded visits to medical facilities allows healthcare systems to operate more effectively, therefore protecting you and others.

Treatments


If you feel sick you should rest, drink plenty of fluid, and eat nutritious food. Stay in a separate room from other family members, and use a dedicated bathroom if possible. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

Everyone should keep a healthy lifestyle at home. Maintain a healthy diet, sleep, stay active, and make social contact with loved ones through the phone or internet. Children need extra love and attention from adults during difficult times. Keep to regular routines and schedules as much as possible.

It is normal to feel sad, stressed, or confused during a crisis. Talking to people you trust, such as friends and family, can help. If you feel overwhelmed, talk to a health worker or counsellor.


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Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Malaria

Health Topics , Malaria
Malaria

Malaria


Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite. The parasite is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. People who have malaria usually feel very sick, with a high fever and shaking chills. Each year, approximately 210 million people are infected with malaria, and about 440,000 people die from the disease. Most of the people who die from the disease are young children in Africa.

While the disease is uncommon in temperate climates, malaria is still common in tropical and subtropical countries. World health officials are trying to reduce the incidence of malaria by distributing bed nets to help protect people from mosquito bites as they sleep. Scientists around the world are working to develop a vaccine to prevent malaria.

If you're traveling to locations where malaria is common, take steps to prevent mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing, using insect repellants and sleeping under treated mosquito nets. Depending on the area you are visiting and your individual risk factors for infection, you may also want to take preventive medicine before, during and after your trip. Many malaria parasites are now resistant to the most common drugs used to treat the disease.

Life cycle of the Malaria Parasite



Symptoms


Some people who have malaria experience cycles of malaria "attacks." An attack usually starts with shivering and chills, followed by a high fever, followed by sweating and a return to normal temperature. Malaria signs and symptoms typically begin within a few weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. However, some types of malaria parasites can lie dormant in your body for up to a year.

Causes


Malaria is caused by a type of microscopic parasite. The parasite is transmitted to humans most commonly through mosquito bites

Mosquito Transmission cycle


Malaria is caused by a type of microscopic parasite. The parasite is transmitted to humans most commonly through mosquito bites.

  • Uninfected mosquito. A mosquito becomes infected by feeding on a person who has malaria.
  • Transmission of parasite. If this mosquito bites you in the future, it can transmit malaria parasites to you.
  • In the liver. Once the parasites enter your body, they travel to your liver — where some types can lie dormant for as long as a year.
  • Into the bloodstream. When the parasites mature, they leave the liver and infect your red blood cells. This is when people typically develop malaria symptoms.
  • On to the next person. If an uninfected mosquito bites you at this point in the cycle, it will become infected with your malaria parasites and can spread them to the other people it bites.

Other Modes of Transmission


Because the parasites that cause malaria affect red blood cells, people can also catch malaria from exposure to infected blood, including:

  • From mother to unborn child
  • Through blood transfusions
  • By sharing needles used to inject drugs

Risk Factors


The biggest risk factor for developing malaria is to live in or to visit areas where the disease is common. There are many different varieties of malaria parasites. The variety that causes the most serious complications is most commonly found in:

  • African countries south of the Sahara Desert
  • The Asian subcontinent
  • New Guinea, the Dominican Republic and Haiti

Risks of more severe disease


People at increased risk of serious disease include:

  • Young children and infants
  • Older adults
  • Travelers coming from areas with no malaria
  • Pregnant women and their unborn children

Poverty, lack of knowledge, and little or no access to health care also contribute to malaria deaths worldwide.

Immunity can wane


Residents of a malaria region may be exposed to the disease so frequently that they acquire a partial immunity, which can lessen the severity of malaria symptoms. However, this partial immunity can disappear if you move to a country where you're no longer frequently exposed to the parasite.

Complications


Malaria can be fatal, particularly malaria caused by the variety of parasite that's common in tropical parts of Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 91 percent of all malaria deaths occur in Africa — most commonly in children under the age of 5.

In most cases, malaria deaths are related to one or more serious complications, including:

  • Cerebral malaria. If parasite-filled blood cells block small blood vessels to your brain (cerebral malaria), swelling of your brain or brain damage may occur. Cerebral malaria may cause seizures and coma.
  • Breathing problems. Accumulated fluid in your lungs (pulmonary edema) can make it difficult to breathe.
  • Organ failure. Malaria can cause your kidneys or liver to fail, or your spleen to rupture. Any of these conditions can be life-threatening.
  • Anemia. Malaria damages red blood cells, which can result in anemia.
  • Low blood sugar. Severe forms of malaria itself can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), as can quinine — one of the most common medications used to combat malaria. Very low blood sugar can result in coma or death.

Malaria may recur


Some varieties of the malaria parasite, which typically cause milder forms of the disease, can persist for years and cause relapses.

Prevention


If you live in or are traveling to an area where malaria is common, take steps to avoid mosquito bites. Mosquitoes are most active between dusk and dawn. To protect yourself from mosquito bites, you should:

  • Cover your skin. Wear pants and long-sleeved shirts.
  • Apply insect repellant to skin and clothing. Sprays containing DEET can be used on skin and sprays containing permethrin are safe to apply to clothing.
  • Sleep under a net. Bed nets, particularly those treated with insecticide, help prevent mosquito bites while you are sleeping.

Preventive medicine


If you're going to be traveling to a location where malaria is common, talk to your doctor a few months ahead of time about whether you should take drugs before, during and after your trip to help protect you from malaria parasites.

In general, the drugs taken to prevent malaria are the same drugs used to treat the disease. Your doctor needs to know when and where you'll be traveling so that he or she can help you evaluate your risk for infection and, if necessary, prescribe the drug that will work best on the type of malaria parasite most commonly found in that region.

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