River Blindness is also known as Onchocerciasis and it is an infectious disease caused by Onchocerca volvulus which is transmitted by Black fly of the genus Similium (example is Simulium damnosum) which is the vector; this disease is an important cause of blindness in Africa and its ocular features include sclerosing keratitis, uveitis, chorioretinitis and optic neuritis …
Yaws is a contagious disease caused by Treponema pertenue and it is the most common endemic treponemal disease worldwide. Yaws are also called Framboesia in German and Pian in French. Yaws have been eradicated by World Health Organization (WHO) but they are reappearing. The clinical course of Yaws is difficult to differentiate from that of syphilis. Yaws incubation …
Pott Disease or Potts Disease (Spinal TB, or TB Spine) is the commonest form of joint and bone tuberculosis in West Africa and children and old age is a risk factor to having TB Spine (that is, extremes of ages predispose to having tuberculosis of the spine). TB spine is a form …
What is Miliary Tuberculosis? Miliary tuberculosis is a form of Disseminated TB or Extrapulmonary TB that is caused by sudden diffuse dissemination of tubercle bacilli through the bloodstream (hematogenous spread of TB). Miliary Tuberculosis mainly occurs in children and young adults but may also occur in older people and it is insidious …
Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis is a type of Tuberculosis that occurs outside of the lungs. It is called Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis (EPTB) because the most common organ of the body affected by Tuberculosis is the lungs. Tuberculosis is a multi-systemic disease (it affects many organs of the body) caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (M. Tuberculosis). It may occur …
What is Bronchiectasis? Bronchiectasis is abnormal and permanent dilatation of the bronchi. The trachea divides into two to give rise to bronchi. These bronchi become increased in sized (dilated) in Bronchiectasis. When the bronchi become dilated (widened), they cause chronic and recurrent infections of the airways and secretions pool within it. Bronchiectasis …
What is Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB)? Pulmonary Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. Pulmonary Tuberculosis is caused by a microorganism known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis which is an acid fast bacterium. Any form of Tuberculosis occurring outside the lungs is called Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis and there are various forms. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common form of …
What is Mycobacterium tuberculosis? Mycobacterium Tuberculosis is an infectious microorganism that causes Tuberculosis in humans. It is a type of Mycobacteria that includes 2 species that cause diseases in humans Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae (which causes Leprosy). Epidemiology Mycobacterium Tuberculosis is the second infectious disease-causing morbidity and mortality in the developing world …