Diphtheria is an acute infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract caused by the facultative bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Children often adopt a characteristic position of leaning forward with the neck extended to keep the airways open. It is caused by demyelination and occurs earliest and most severely near the site of the membrane.
Obstruction of the airways by necrotic debris which forms a tough pseudomembrane on infected airway mucosa. Most strains produce a highly lethal exotoxin, the production of which requires the presence of a bacteriophage carrying a specific determinant for toxin production. Immunization reduces local colonization of the nasopharynx with toxin-producing strains by reducing their survival advantage.
All patients with diphtheria should be hospitalized and isolated because the course of the disease is unpredictable. Antibiotic therapy should be initiated as soon as possible and serves three purposes: (1) it stops the production of toxins; (2) it wipes out others.
Pertussis/Whooping Cough
Pertussis: symptoms
Pertussis: clinical features
Pertussis: Pathogenesis
The B component binds to cell surfaces, with the A subunit being an ADP-ribosyltransferase. The pertussis A subunit transfers the ADP-ribosyl moiety of NAD to the membrane-bound regulatory protein Gi that normally inhibits the eukaryotic adenylate cyclase (AC). The Gi protein is inactivated and cannot perform its normal function of inhibiting adenylate cyclase.
Pertussis Management
Treatment
Prevention: Vaccine Recommendations
Tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria in their body, but the bacteria are controlled by the infected person's immune system, so they are still in small numbers. People with tuberculosis are sick and can spread the bacteria to other people. Some people develop TB soon after infection (within a few weeks), before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria.
People with weak immune systems, especially those with HIV, are at a much higher risk of developing tuberculosis than people with normal immune systems.
Signs and Symptoms of tuberculosis
Testing for TB Infection
A tuberculin reaction is classified as positive based on the diameter of the induration in relation to several patient-specific risk factors. Blood tests for tuberculosis (also called interferon-gamma release assays or IGRAs) measure how the immune system reacts to the bacteria that cause TB. Additional tests are needed to determine whether the person has latent TB infection or TB disease.
Negative IGRA: This means that the person's blood did not react to the test and that latent TB infection or TB disease is unlikely. Radiographs may show characteristic findings of cavitation infiltrates in the upper and middle lobes of the lungs.
Pathogenesis of tuberculosis
As the granuloma matures, it develops an extensive fibrous capsule that surrounds the macrophage core and excludes the majority of lymphocytes from the center of the structure. As infection progresses, the caseous, necrotic center of the granuloma becomes liquefied and cavitated, spilling thousands of infectious mycobacteria into the airways. This damage to the lungs triggers the development of a productive cough, which facilitates the formation of the infectious aerosol and the completion of the bacterium's life cycle.
Treatment of tuberculosis
It must be given to all children as part of the EPI scheme as recommended by the government.
Syphilis
Syphilis: symptoms
Skin rashes and/or sores in the mouth, vagina or anus mark the secondary stage of symptoms. This rash can appear as hard, red or reddish-brown spots on the palms of the hands and/or the bottoms of the feet. Without proper treatment, the infection will progress to the latent and possibly late stages of the disease.
Without treatment, the infected person may continue to have syphilis in their body even though there are no signs or symptoms. After a latent stage of several years, symptoms of late-stage syphilis include difficulty coordinating muscle movements and paralysis. At this stage of syphilis, the disease damages internal organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones and joints.
Pathogenesis of syphilis
Secondary syphilis appears about 3 months after infection and manifests itself with various symptoms, mainly with damage to the skin and mucous membranes. These include a rash, usually on the palms, soles, face and scalp. The breakdown of the mucosa is manifested as spots on the lips, in the mouth, vulva and vagina.
Infected individuals may also experience fever, loss of appetite and weight loss during this phase. Tertiary syphilis does not manifest until years after the initial infection and can affect many different areas of the body. The more lethal manifestations of late syphilis affect the cardiovascular system (especially the aorta) and the central nervous system, causing infected individuals to experience insomnia and personality changes.
Treatment of Syphilis
Clostridia infections
Tetanus
Tetanus: symptoms
Tetanus: pathogenesis
Tetanus: treatment
Pneumonia
Pneumonia: Types
Typical pneumonia is pneumonia caused by the more traditional pathogens (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella. catarrhalis). Atypical pneumonia is not caused by any of the more traditional pathogens (other than Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis). This is usually caused by Mycoplasma (a type of bacteria without a cell wall) and Chlamydias (intracellular parasites).
It is called 'atypical' because the symptoms differ from those of pneumonia due to other common bacteria.
Sign and symptoms of pneumonia
When air sacs are involved, oxygenation can be impaired, along with stiffening of the lung, resulting in shortness of breath.
Pathogenesis of pneumoina
Soon the airless state of the lungs changes to a consolidated state due to filling with fluid and exudate.
Treatment of pneumonia
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