Chapter Three: Histoplasma Capsulatum This final microbe is far less dangerous and easier to comprehend than the formerly mentioned ones. Histoplasma Capsulatum, often called histoplasmosis, is caused by a fungus called Histoplasma (1). This fungus thrives within earthy environments with lots of soil filled with bird and bat droppings (1). It is found mainly in the United States, specifically within the central and eastern states, such as around the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys (1). The fungus can also be found within central and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and small parts of Europe (1). While most people do not get sick, those who do become infected when breathing in the microscopic fungal spores in the air (1). Symptoms …show more content…
For medical care, no treatment is needed for those who are asymptomatic, just monitoring for mild symptoms (2). For those who cannot fight the disease as easily as the majority, there are an array of treatments available. To start, blood cultures should be performed in all patients, and sputum cultures should be taken for those with chronic histoplasmosis (2). Chest radiology would be preferred for individuals with acute pulmonary histoplasmosis, steroids and possible laser treatment for ocular histoplasmosis, and CT scans for those with cerebral histoplasmosis (2). With prolonged symptoms of more than 4 weeks, medical therapy via itraconazole is recommended for 6-12 weeks, followed by chest imaging (2). Bronchiectasis caused by the microbe is treated with either a bronchoscopy or surgical removal (3). Phrenological treatments to histoplasmosis include amphorcetericin B, ketoconazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole (3). Currently, antifungal agents are being developed to offer alternative treatment (3). To successfully survive as a pathogen, the virus must change itself on a micro level to survive changing conditions, macrophages, and other threats to the fungi’s reproduction (4). Being able to go from an environmental mold to an intercellular yeast is extremely useful for a microbe in an ecosystem that fights for control of those it infects (4). These advantages present within histoplasmosis are what keeps it as a cause of respiratory and systemic disease in mammals (4). There are plenty of treatments available to accommodate all forms of histoplasmosis, making it a microbe that is very simple to cure, despite how hard it tries to
The population of bats in the United States is facing a serious threat of extinction due to the outbreak of a deadly fungus called Deomyces destructans. The fungus is nicknamed White-Nose Syndrome, after the white fungus that typically appears on the infected bats noses and wings. Other signs and symptoms of White Nose Syndrome are white fungus on the ears and tail as well, bats flying during the day in the middle of winter, bats clustered near the entrance to a hibernacle or cave, and general abnormal behavior for a hibernating bat. Scientifically the fungus has been identified as, Deomyces destructans. The fungus itself causes damage to their connective tissues, muscles, and skin. It also can disrupt many of their physiological processes. Typically during a hibernation period bats will wake up on average every 10 to 20 days. An infected bat on the other hand will wake up every 3 to four days which causes them to burn up their fat stores twice as fast. When they wake up they are both dehydrated and hungry, around 90% of the bats actually die from starvation due to a lack of insects for food in the winter season. WNS is transmitted from bat to bat and that is why any contact between an infected bat from one cave population with a non-infected bat from another population has serious consequences.
Antiviral creams: Prescription antiviral creams, such as imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara), are often effective in removing Molluscum Contagiosum lesions over time.
Ever wonder what kind of parasites are in your water, or how they can enter in to your body to make you very sick? Well it is most definite that no on want to get sick. The information found in this paper was collected over the past month, either by going to the library or by accessing information off the Internet at home, almost every night. The point that will be given to you is a little in information about the infectious disease called Schistosomiasis. The points the main points will be the causative agents, symptoms, hosts, methods of transmission and history of the disease. So lets see what Schistosomiasis is.
Disease and parasitism play a pervasive role in all life. Many of these diseases start with microparasites, which are characterized by their ability to reproduce directly within an individual host. They are also characterized by their small size, short duration of infection, and the production of an immune response in infected and recovered individuals. Microparasites which damage hosts in the course of their association are recognized as pathogens. The level of the interaction and the extent of the resultant damage depends on both the virulence of the pathogen, as well as the host defenses.
This more severe form usually prevails in elderly, cigarette smokers, people with chronic lung disease, or those who are immunocompromised, such as cancer or AIDS patients. Virulence:.. Being a gram-negative bacterium, L. pneumophila has lipopolysaccharides (LPS) that act as endotoxin within a human host. The presence of a flagella is thought to mediate adherence to human lung cells, thereby causing infection, since flagella-less strains do not cause disease. Once attached to human cells, the organism is engulfed by a macrophage that utilizes the internal environment to multiply.
The pancreas can be divided into two sections when studying the histology. The pancreas has exocrine and endocrine functions, each with unique cell types. The exocrine pancreas serves to secrete digestive enzymes into the duodenum. Some of the specific enzymes and secreted substances are Proteases, lipase, amylase, bicarbonate, and water (Bowen, “Exocrine Secretions”). These enzymes are used to break down protein, fat, and carbohydrates respectively. The bicarbonate simply act as an acid buffer to prevent damage of the small intestine as the stomach acid must be neutralized. The enzymes are created in acinar cells and the bicarbonate is synthesized in epithelial cells surrounding pancreatic ducts (Bowen “Exocrine
Necrotizing fasciitis is a bacterial infection that is very serious and sometimes fatal. This disease spreads very quickly and destroys soft tissue in your body. This disease is caused by multiple bacteria: group A strep, E.coli, Klebsiella (causes pneumonia), Clostridium (causes diarrhea), Staphylococcus (causes staph infections), and Aeromonas hydrophila (causes diseases in almost all organisms, hard to resist). The bacteria group A strep is the leading cause for necrotizing fasciitis.
Necrotizing Fasciitis (flesh eating bacteria ) from an essay by Katrina Tram Duong, edited by S.N. Carson M.D.
Hochadel, M. (2014). Mosby's Drug Reference for Health Care Professionals (fourth edition ed.). : Elsevier.
This parasite is spread through the bite of sandflies. There are three different types of infections and they each show varying degrees of severity. The cutaneous form produces mild skin ulcers, mucocutaneous produces ulcers in the mouth and nose, and the visceral form of the disease starts with skin ulcers and then fever, low red blood cell count, and an enlarged spleen and liver. The parasite is detected by a microscope and visceral can also be found by doing blood tests. 12 million people are in infected in 98 different countries and 2 million new cases are found every year. The disease also kills around 20 to 50 thousand people a year.
"Bloodborne Pathogens : MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.
The Cell, the fundamental structural unit of all living organisms. Some cells are complete organisms, such as the unicellular bacteria and protozoa, others, such as nerve, liver, and muscle cells, are specialized components of multicellular organisms. In another words, without cells we wouldn’t be able to live or function correctly. There are Animal Cells and Plant Cells. In Biology class the other day we studied the Animal Cell. We were split into groups of our own and we each picked a different animal cell slide to observe. My group chose the slide,'; Smeared Frog Blood ';.
Microbes are everywhere in the biosphere, and their presence invariably affects the environment in which they grow. The effects
Institute of Medicine (US) Forum on Microbial Threats. Summary and Assessment. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 June 0000. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.
Histopathology and molecular pathology both fall within the medical science branch of pathology where the primary concern is the examination of tissues, body fluids, and organs to aid in the diagnosis of diseases.