Causes of Schistosomiasis

Every March 24, World Tuberculosis Day raises awareness about one of the oldest and deadliest infectious diseases. Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious lung infection that spreads in the droplets released by coughing and sneezing. On this day in 1882, Robert Koch identified the Mycobacterium tuberculosi s bacterium that causes tuberculosis. A hundred years later, World TB Day was first observed on March 24, 1982. The term "tuberculosis" was first used by Johann Schonlein in 1834, but the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates it has afflicted mammals for nearly 3 million years. Tuberculosis was called "phthisis" in ancient Greek, "tabes" in ancient Latin, and "schachepheth" in ancient Hebrew. TB was also known as "white death" in the 1700s, due to the pale appearance of afflicted patients. The Mycobacterium tuberculosi s bacterium initially attacks the lungs, where it settles and begins to grow. From there, TB can move

Shingles and eczema are both skin conditions that can cause areas of inflamed skin. The areas of inflamed skin can vary in size and be itchy or painful. Because of some of the similarities, it can be easy to mistake one condition for the other. Shingles and eczema aren't the same. They have different underlying causes, which require different treatments. Since both conditions can cause complications without proper treatment, it's important to differentiate between the two. Read on to learn more about the differences between shingles and eczema. Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a disease caused by the latent varicella-zoster virus (VCV). The VCV is the same virus that causes chickenpox, or varicella, in children. It stays inactive in the body after a chickenpox infection. Anyone can get shingles. However, it's more likely to appear if you're feeling stressed, are dealing with an illness, or your immune system is weakened. If your immune system becomes weakened or compromis

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new health advisory Thursday reiterating that ivermectin does not treat or prevent COVID-19. The drug, which is commonly used to treat parasites in humans and animals, is selling out at  veterinary stores and has become a common prescription request across the U.S.  Ivermectin has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat river blindness, intestinal strongyloidiasis, head lice and rosacea in humans. When used as prescribed for those conditions, it is "generally safe and well tolerated," the CDC said. But the National Institutes of Health has determined there is "insufficient data" to recommend the drug for COVID prevention and treatment, and the FDA has not approved it for such uses either.  Back in March, the FDA published an advisory warning people: "Never use medications intended for animals on yourself. Ivermectin preparations for

White spots on your skin can signal idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, a result of UV exposure. They may also be leftover scars from eczema or tinea versicolor, a fungal infection. Flat warts look like light-colored shiny patches that are caused by HPV. Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice. Sometimes, white spots that crop up on your skin can be harmless — but other times, they could signal a serious condition.  That's why, it's important to take note of other symptoms you may experience and the exact appearance of the spots so that you can help your doctor identify the cause.  Here are eight causes of white spots on the skin, and how to treat them.  1. Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH) While most people

Abstract Objective To test and compare the efficacy of methenamine hippurate for prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections with the current standard prophylaxis of daily low dose antibiotics. Design Multicentre, open label, randomised, non-inferiority trial. Setting Eight centres in the UK, recruiting from June 2016 to June 2018. Participants Women aged ≥18 years with recurrent urinary tract infections, requiring prophylactic treatment. Interventions Random assignment (1:1, using permuted blocks of variable length via a web based system) to receive antibiotic prophylaxis or methenamine hippurate for 12 months. Treatment allocation was not masked and crossover between arms was allowed. Main outcome measure Absolute difference in incidence of symptomatic, antibiotic treated, urinary tract infections during treatment. A patient and public involvement group predefined the non-inferiority margin as one episode of urinary tract infection per person year. Analyses performed in a

About 1 in 6 patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) undergo surgery, raising the risk of iatrogenic transmission of this rare but universally fatal prion disease. In a retrospective analysis, researchers found that 26 of 121 (21%) patients with probable or definite CJD at four US academic medical centers underwent a total of 55 procedures. These included high-risk procedures for two patients with neuropathologically proven CJD. One underwent ophthalmic artery aneurysm clipping for unruptured aneurysm, and the other underwent diagnostic brain biopsy. "The findings were definitely surprising to me and my team ― particularly the high frequency with which patients with an irreversible and particularly transmissible neurologic disease underwent invasive medical procedures either just before or shortly after the emergence of symptoms later attributed to CJD," study investigator Gregory Day, MD, with Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Jacks

Itchy bumps on the skin can cause discomfort, embarrassment, and confusion. Although the bumps may sometimes resemble mosquito bites, there are numerous possible causes other than bug bites. Most people experience this symptom at some point. Itchy bumps can appear as a result of allergies, infections, insects, and, sometimes, nonidentified factors. However, there is one general principle that the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology recommend people to follow when their skin itches: Do not scratch it. Additional general self-care practices for itchy skin include: bathing frequently in lukewarm water using gentle, hypoallergenic soap limiting exposure to the sun applying cold compresses avoiding tight clothing in areas where itchy bumps appear Understanding the different conditions that can cause itchy bumps on the skin can help people get appropriate treatment. Depending on the cause, treatment can range from avoiding certain foods to taking prescription medications

Rashes can cause irritation and discomfort. Rashes in very visible places such as your hands or face might even cause embarrassment. Fortunately, most rashes are mild and not a cause for concern. You can generally treat a rash with over-the-counter (OTC) remedies. However, there are rashes that a medical professional should look at. These rashes might be a sign of an infection, allergic reaction, or disease. You can read 12 common signs a rash might be a sign of something more serious below. An area on your skin that is itchy, irritated, and swollen is called a rash. A rash can be raised, bumpy, blistered, or patchy. Rashes can present differently depending on your skin tone. People with lighter skin often see rashes that are pink, red, or purple. People with darker skin might develop rashes that are white, gray, or darker than the surrounding skin. Rashes can be caused by many things including: underlying health conditions stress sun exposure allergic reactions weather Rashes are very

Athlete's foot is a contagious fungal infection that affects the skin on the feet and between the toes. It can cause fluid-filled blisters on the feet, as well as other symptoms. It commonly affects people whose feet become sweaty while wearing tight shoes, such as sneakers during physical activity, after exposure to the fungus. This article discusses why and how athlete's foot and blisters occur, and how to treat them. urbazon / Getty Images Symptoms Athlete's foot, or tinea pedis , can be easily recognized by these symptoms: Scaly, peeling, or cracked skin on the bottom of the foot and between the toes Itchiness Inflamed skin Burning or stinging Fluid-filled blisters (including on areas of the foot experiencing no friction or pressure) Whitening of the skin between the toes Blisters caused by athlete's foot can result in pain and discomfort, especially when standing, walking or running. Causes Athlete'