Mayo Clinic describes Whipple Disease as “a rare bacterial infection that most often affects your gastrointestinal system.” This bacteria directly affects the lining of the small intestine and impairs the body’s ability to breakdown foods, especially fats and carbohydrates, and impedes it’s ability to absorb nutrients. Antibiotics are used to destroy the T. whippelii bacteria. Initially, the antibiotics are given intravenously to treat the infection in the small intestine. If neurological symptoms are present, antibiotics that can cross the blood-brain barrier are implemented to ensure the destruction of any bacteria that have crossed this barrier and entered the brain or central nervous system. IV antibiotics are usually used for the first
2 weeks of treatment followed by long-term oral antibiotics for at least 1 to 2 years to finish off any remaining infection in the body. Most patients feel relief within the first week or two during IV treatment. Despite relief from symptoms, the patient may still have the bacteria in other areas of the body for up to 2 years. A health care provider should repeat diagnostic procedures, checking for the presence of T. whippelli, and closely monitor the patient to watch for a relapse. If a relapse occurs, additional antibiotics may be prescribed or a different, stronger antibiotic may be necessary. When caught early, patients that complete their treatments can expect good outcomes.
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva also known as FOP is a one of the rarest, most disabling genetic bone conditions known to medicine. FOP causes muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues to turn in to bone. Movement becomes limited in the affected areas of the body. People with FOP typically have malformed toes at birth, meaning the big toe is typically shorter than normal and abnormally turned outward in a position called a valgus deviation. Symptoms of FOP start to show up in early childhood. Most people with FOP develop painful tumor-like swellings also known as fibrous nodules. The fibrous nodules are visible on the neck, shoulders, and back.
The SMART goal for the patient’s diagnosis of diarrhea is that the patient will defecate formed, soft stool every 1 to 3 days and will express relief of cramping with little or no diarrhea. The intervention to meet this smart goal is the administration of fidaxomicin, a narrow spectrum antibiotic, to treat the infection of Clostridium difficile (Sears, 2013). Another nursing intervention for the treatment of diarrhea is assessing the patient for sodium and potassium loss, as well as explaining the prevention methods to avoid the spread of excessive diarrhea (Mitchell, 2014). The nurse must also provide proper skin integrity care to the peritoneal are and make the environment safe and easy for access to the bathroom. The SMART goal for the patient’s diagnosis of acute pain is that the patient will state relief of pain in abdominal area after treatment with opioids in a 24hr period. The nursing intervention for acute pain is the administration of opioids as well as positioning to keep patient in as much comfort as possible and take pressure off of the abdominal area. The nurse must also assess the patient’s vital signs and pain level
Anti-MAP therapy consists of 3 antibiotics known to kill the MAP bacteria. Hopefully this information has given you a little more insight into what is Crohn’s Disease. I would also like to say that Aimee Rouski has taken a huge step in not only spreading the word about the disease, but has also placed herself in a great position to continue to be an ambassador to continue spreading the word. Good Luck in using this platform to educate people, and assist others that are afflicted with Crohn’s, to have the courage to not feel the need to hide it.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neuro-degenerative, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of the family Cervidae (Hamir, et.al., 2006). The family Cervidae includes mule deer, Odocolileus hemionus, white-tailed deer, Odocolileus virginianus, Rocky Mountain elk, Cervus elaphus nelsoni, and moose, Alces alces shirasi, among others (Sigurdon & Aguzzi, 2007). CWD is a prion disease, meaning it is a protein caused infection, that occurs naturally in the deer family (Song & Lawson, 2009). This protein is suspected to be an abnormal isoform (PrPSc) of the naturally occurring host prion protein (PrPC) (Blanchong, et. Al., 2009). Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), mad cow disease, is a similar prion effecting cattle as CWD affects Cervidae. Although, scientists are not sure of transmission route it is suspected that CWD is transmissible and infectious through direct contact with infected individuals or through environmental contamination (Song & Lawson, 2009). Tests have been performed showing susceptibility of altered mice to oral transmission, mimicking the suspected route of entry, and the incubation appears slower but lasts longer with oral infection (Trifilo, et.al., 2007). The approximate time from the initial infection to death is three years.
Salmonella Infection. "Treatments and Drugs." Mayo Clinic. 12 April. 2007. Mayo Foundation. 27 July. 2008 .
Duane Syndrome is an inherited unusual type of strabismus (squint) most often described by the incapability of the eye(s) to move inwards, outwards individually or together. This was first reported via ophthalmologists Jakob Stilling in 1887 and also Siegmund Türk in 1896. The syndrome was named after Alexander Duane, who explained the disorder more specifically in 1905. The syndrome is described as a miswiring of the eye muscles, causing eye muscles to tighten when they don’t need to and other eye muscles not to tighten when they need to. Very often patients get the syndrome by the age of 10 and it is more common in females (60% of the cases) than males (40% of the cases). Although the eye is usually the abnormality associated with Duane Syndrome, there are other bodily functions that can be affected. Duane syndrome cannot be cured, because the cranial nerve is missing and it cannot be replaced. The gene known as “SALL4” has been associated as a cause of this condition.
Group A streptococcus bacteria can be treated with common, inexpensive antibiotics. Penicillin is the drug of choice for both mild and severe disease. In addition to antibiotics, supportive care in an intensive care unit and sometimes surgery are necessary with these diseases. Early treatment may reduce the risk of death although, unfortunately, even appropriate therapy does not prevent death in every case. The spread of all types of group A streptococcal infections may be reduced by good hand washing, especially after coughing and sneezing, before and after preparing foods and before eating.
Addison’s disease is a disorder of the endocrine system. It is a hormonal disorder that can strike anyone, any gender at any age. Addison’s disease has also been called Adrenal Insufficiency (hypocortisolism) because the root of the disease is in the adrenal gland not producing enough of the hormone cortisol, or sometimes not enough of the hormone aldosterone to satisfy the body’s needs.
The diseases, meningitis and encephalitis, cause various problems in the brain and should be avoided at all costs. Various preventative measures can be taken to avoid them. When one does contract one of the diseases, treatments are available to help cure them, but the treatments do not have a 100 percent success rate. Because of its viral and bacterial tendencies, antibiotics are used at times to attack the diseases as are various vaccines to help prevent contraction of the diseases.
Cyclothymic disorder, also known as cyclothymia, is a relatively mild form of bipolar II disorder characterized by mood swings that may appear to be almost within the normal range of emotions. These mood swings range from mild depression, or dysthymia, to mania of low intensity, or hypomania. It is possible for cyclothymia to go undiagnosed, and for individuals with the disorder to be unaware that they have a treatable disease. Individuals with cyclothymia may experience episodes of low-level depression, known as dysthymia; periods of intense energy, creativity, and/or irritability, known as hypomania; or they may alternate between both mood states. Like other bipolar disorders, cyclothymia is a chronic illness characterized by mood swings that can occur as often as every day and last for several days, weeks, months, or as long as two years. Individuals with this disorder are never free of symptoms of either hypomania or mild depression for more than two months at a time (Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders).
Bacteria are found nearly everywhere within the body and most types are harmless or even helpful to bodily function (Novitt-Moreno). While it is important to have these bacteria in the body, pathogenic invaders can cause serious illnesses. Pathogenic bacteria work by either actually attacking a part of the victim’s body or releasing toxic waste products into the body. Bacteria are single-celled and contain all of the cellular mechanisms needed to live, grow, and reproduce (Novitt-Moreno). That means, when treating a bacterial infection, it is critical to have a highly specific antibiotic that can destroy the unwanted
Von Willebrand Disease or VWD for short is the most common inherited bleeding disorder, affecting more than 1% of the world’s population. It was discovered by Dr. Erik Von Willebrand, a Finnish physician, who published his findings in 1926. Von Willebrands Disease is caused by the lack of Von Willebrand Factor or VWF in circulation in the body. Von Willebrand is described as:
Whirling disease is an affliction that can occur in trout, salmon, and whitefish. Whirling disease is the result of an infection by the parasite Myxobolus cerebralis (M. cerebralis). Whirling disease was first documented in Germany and it is known to affect fish in several countries around the world and half of the states in the United States of America. Since the discovery of whirling disease in Colorado, biologists have been working to figure out how to eradicate or reduce the effects of devastation whirling disease causes to the fish in Colorado’s lakes and streams. Researchers are also joining the fight by looking for ways to eradicate the parasite, either during its spore stage or by manipulating the genes of fish to breed populations
Meliodosis, also called Whitmore’s disease, was first discovered in 1912. This infectious disease is an endemic in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia, and it has a high mortality rate (Cheng and Currie, 2005). The mortality rate of meliodosis in Thailand is approximately 40% and 15% in Australia (Limmathurotsakul and Peacock, 2011). Meliodosis is caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a gram-negative saprophytic bacterium capable of living in hostile conditions such as lack of nutrients, both acidic and alkali environments, and a wide range of temperatures. In Thailand, B. pseudomallei is responsible for 20% of community-acquired septicemia (Cheng and Currie, 2005). Current treatment options are expensive and extensive (CDC, 2012). Without
...treatment, surgery may be required, commonly in cases of intestinal hemorrhage. In very rare cases, where the antibiotics do not eradicate the disease, surgical removal of the gallbladder may be required. Although rare, the Cholecystectomy may not always be effective in eradicating the disease, due to it’s persisting hepatic infection state.