Microbial Infections of the Blood: Bacteria, Viruses & Parasites

MICROBIAL INFECTION OF THE BLOOD  BACTERIAL 1. RICKETTSIA - A COLLECTION OF OBLIGATELY INTRACELLULAR GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA FOUND IN TICKS, LICE, FLEAS, MITES, CHIGGERS, AND MAMMALS. THEY INCLUDE THE GENERA RICKETTSIAE, EHRLICHIA, ORIENTIA, AND COXIELLA. T...

MICROBIAL INFECTION OF THE BLOOD  BACTERIAL 1. RICKETTSIA - A COLLECTION OF OBLIGATELY INTRACELLULAR GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA FOUND IN TICKS, LICE, FLEAS, MITES, CHIGGERS, AND MAMMALS. THEY INCLUDE THE GENERA RICKETTSIAE, EHRLICHIA, ORIENTIA, AND COXIELLA. THESE ZOONOTIC PATHOGENS CAUSE INFECTIONS THAT DISSEMINATE IN THE BLOOD TO MANY ORGANS. INCUBATION PERIOD : MODE OF TRANSMISSION: 2-14 DAYS TRANSMITTED BY THE BITE OF INFECTED TICKS OR MITES OR BY THE FECES OF INFECTED LICE OR FLEAS. VACCINE : SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS : WHOLE KILLED BACTERIA AND LIVE HIGH FEVER ATTENUATED RICKETTSIAE CHILLS SEVERE HEADACHE MUSCLE ACHES NAUSEA AND VOMITING CONFUSION OR OTHER NEUROLOGICAL CHANGES RASH IS DISTINCTIVE DIAGNOSIS : DIAGNOSIS OF RICKETTSIAL INFECTIONS IS OFTEN DIFFICULT. THE CLINICAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS (E.G., FEVER, HEADACHE, NAUSEA, VOMITING, AND MUSCLE ACHES) RESEMBLE MANY OTHER DISEASES DURING THE EARLY STAGES WHEN ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT IS MOST EFFECTIVE. LABORATORY TESTS CAN CHECK A BLOOD SAMPLE, RASH SPECIMEN OR THE TICK ITSELF FOR EVIDENCE OF THE ORGANISM THAT CAUSES THE INFECTION. BECAUSE EARLY TREATMENT WITH ANTIBIOTICS IS SO IMPORTANT, DOCTORS DON'T WAIT FOR THESE TEST RESULTS BEFORE STARTING TREATMENT IF ROCKY MOUNTAIN FEVER IS STRONGLY SUSPECTED.  IT IS A SERIOUS INFECTION THAT PRODUCES A CLASSICAL RASH IN ABOUT 90% OF INFECTED INDIVIDUALS. THIS IS THE TYPICAL APPEARANCE OF THE RASH. THERE ARE MANY SYMPTOMS THAT AFFECT THE ENTIRE BODY (SYSTEMIC). TREATMENT : PEOPLE WHO DEVELOP ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO AVOID COMPLICATIONS IF TREATED WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF DEVELOPING SYMPTOMS. THAT'S WHY THE DOCTOR WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BEGIN ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY BEFORE RECEIVING CONCLUSIVE TEST RESULTS DOXYCYCLINE (MONODOX, VIBRAMYCIN, OTHERS) IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER, BUT IT'S NOT A GOOD CHOICE IF YOU'RE PREGNANT. IN THAT CASE, YOUR DOCTOR MAY PRESCRIBE CHLORAMPHENICOL AS AN ALTERNATIVE.  VIRAL 1. HIV / AIDS -HIV IS A VIRUS THAT DAMAGES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. THE IMMUNE SYSTEM HELPS THE BODY FIGHT OFF INFECTIONS. UNTREATED HIV INFECTS AND KILLS CD4 CELLS, WHICH ARE A TYPE OF IMMUNE CELL CALLED T CELLS. OVER TIME, AS HIV KILLS MORE CD4 CELLS, THE BODY IS MORE LIKELY TO GET VARIOUS TYPES OF INFECTIONS AND CANCERS. HIV (HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS) IS A VIRUS THAT ATTACKS CELLS THAT HELP THE BODY FIGHT INFECTION, MAKING A PERSON MORE VULNERABLE TO OTHER INFECTIONS AND DISEASES.  HIV (HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS) IS THE VIRUS THAT ATTACKS THE BODY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM, WHILE AIDS (ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME) IS THE ADVANCED STAGE OF HIV INFECTION WHERE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS SEVERELY DAMAGED. ESSENTIALLY, HIV CAUSES THE CONDITION CALLED AIDS IF LEFT UNTREATED. CAUSATIVE AGENT: INCUBATION PERIOD: HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV); BETWEEN 40-60 DAYS, WITH WIDE VARIABILITY. MOST COMMON TYPE IS KNOWN AS HIV-1 MODE OF TRANSMISSION : HIV IS SPREAD ONLY IN CERTAIN BODY FLUIDS FROM A PERSON WHO HAS HIV. THESE FLUIDS ARE BLOOD, SEMEN, PRE-SEMINAL FLUIDS, RECTAL FLUIDS, VAGINAL FLUIDS, AND BREAST MILK. IN THE UNITED STATES, HIV IS SPREAD MAINLY BY HAVING SEX OR SHARING INJECTION DRUG EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS NEEDLES, WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS HIV. NO VACCINE YET SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS : ACUTE HIV INFECTION WITHIN 2 TO 4 WEEKS AFTER INFECTION WITH HIV, ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF PEOPLE WILL HAVE A FLU-LIKE ILLNESS. THIS IS THE BODY’S NATURAL RESPONSE TO HIV INFECTION.  FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS CAN INCLUDE: A. FEVER F. SORE THROAT B. CHILLS G. FATIGUE C. RASH H. SWOLLEN LYMPH NODES D. NIGHT SWEATS I. MOUTH ULCERS E. MUSCLE ACHES These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. But some people do not have any symptoms at all during this early stage of HIV. DIAGNOSIS : TESTS FOR HIV AND AIDS. THE PRIMARY TESTS FOR DIAGNOSING HIV AND AIDS INCLUDE: ELISA TEST, WHICH STANDS FOR ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY, IS USED TO DETECT HIV INFECTION. IF AN ELISA TEST IS POSITIVE, THE WESTERN BLOT TEST IS USUALLY ADMINISTERED TO CONFIRM THE DIAGNOSIS. TREATMENT : THE MAIN TREATMENT FOR HIV IS ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY, A COMBINATION OF DAILY MEDICATIONS THAT STOP THE VIRUS FROM REPRODUCING. THIS HELPS PROTECT CD4 CELLS, KEEPING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM STRONG ENOUGH TO FIGHT OFF DISEASE. ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY HELPS KEEP HIV FROM PROGRESSING TO AIDS. 2. HEPATITIS B AN INFECTION OF YOUR LIVER. IT CAN CAUSE SCARRING OF THE ORGAN, LIVER FAILURE, AND CANCER. IT CAN BE FATAL IF IT ISN’T TREATED. IT SPREADS WHEN PEOPLE COME IN CONTACT WITH THE BLOOD, OPEN SORES, OR BODY FLUIDS OF SOMEONE WHO HAS THE HEPATITIS B VIRUS. MODE OF TRANSMISSION : A. SEX. YOU CAN GET IT IF YOU HAVE UNPROTECTED SEX WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS IT AND YOUR PARTNER’S BLOOD, SALIVA, SEMEN, OR VAGINAL SECRETIONS ENTER YOUR BODY. B. SHARING NEEDLES. THE VIRUS SPREADS EASILY VIA NEEDLES AND SYRINGES CONTAMINATED WITH INFECTED BLOOD. C. ACCIDENTAL NEEDLE STICKS. HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND ANYONE ELSE WHO COMES IN CONTACT WITH HUMAN BLOOD CAN GET IT THIS WAY. D. MOTHER TO CHILD. PREGNANT WOMEN WITH HEPATITIS B CAN PASS IT TO THEIR BABIES DURING CHILDBIRTH. BUT THERE’S A VACCINE TO PREVENT NEWBORNS FROM BECOMING INFECTED.  INCUBATION PERIOD: VACCINE 75 DAYS ON AVERAGE HEPATITIS B VACCINE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS : WHEN YOU’RE FIRST INFECTED, THE WARNING SIGNS INCLUDE: A. JAUNDICE. (YOUR SKIN OR THE WHITES OF THE EYES TURN YELLOW, AND YOUR PEE TURNS BROWN OR ORANGE.) B. LIGHT-COLORED POOP C. FEVER D. FATIGUE THAT PERSISTS FOR WEEKS OR MONTHS E. STOMACH TROUBLE LIKE LOSS OF APPETITE, NAUSEA, AND VOMITING F. BELLY PAIN LABORATORY TEST : A. HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN AND ANTIBODY (HBSAG). ANTIGENS ARE PROTEINS ON THE HEPATITIS B VIRUS. ANTIBODIES ARE PROTEINS MADE BY YOUR IMMUNE CELLS. THEY SHOW UP IN YOUR BLOOD BETWEEN 1 AND 10 WEEKS AFTER EXPOSURE. IF YOU RECOVER, THEY GO AWAY AFTER 4 TO 6 MONTHS. IF THEY’RE STILL THERE AFTER 6 MONTHS, YOUR CONDITION IS CHRONIC. B. IF YOUR DISEASE BECOMES CHRONIC, YOUR DOCTOR MIGHT TAKE A TISSUE SAMPLE FROM YOUR LIVER, CALLED A BIOPSY.  TREATMENT: A. ENTECAVIR ( BARACLUDE ) THIS IS THE NEWEST DRUG FOR HEPATITIS B. YOU CAN TAKE IT AS A LIQUID OR TABLET. B. TENOFOVIR (VIREAD) THIS DRUG COMES AS A POWDER OR TABLET. IF YOU TAKE IT, YOUR DOCTOR WILL CHECK OFTEN TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN’T HURT YOUR KIDNEYS. C. LAMIVUDINE (3TC, , EPIVIR A/F, EPIVIR HBV, HEPTOVIR). IT COMES AS A LIQUID OR TABLET YOU TAKE ONCE A DAY. MOST PEOPLE DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. BUT IF YOU TAKE IT FOR A LONG TIME, THE VIRUS MIGHT STOP RESPONDING TO THE DRUG.  TREATMENT: D. ADEFOVIR DIPIVOXIL ( HEPSERA ). THIS DRUG, WHICH YOU TAKE AS A TABLET, WORKS WELL FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T RESPOND TO LAMIVUDINE. HIGH DOSES CAN CAUSE KIDNEY PROBLEMS. E. INTERFERON ALFA ( INTRON A, ROFERON A, SYLATRON). THIS MEDICINE BOOSTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM. YOU TAKE IT AS A SHOT FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS. IT DOESN’T CURE THE DISEASE. IT TREATS LIVER INFLAMMATION. LONG-ACTING INTERFERON, PEGINTERFERON ALFA2A (PEGASYS, PEGASYS PROCLICK) CAN ALSO HELP. THIS DRUG CAN MAKE YOU FEEL BAD ALL OVER OR DEPRESSED, AND IT CAN AND ZAP YOUR APPETITE. IT ALSO LOWERS YOUR WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT, WHICH MAKES IT HARDER TO FIGHT OFF INFECTION 4. HEPATITIS C - IS A VIRAL INFECTION THAT CAUSES LIVER INFLAMMATION, SOMETIMES LEADING TO SERIOUS LIVER DAMAGE. - CAUSATIVE AGENT : HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) - INCUBATION PERIOD : 2 WEEKS TO 6 MONTHS MODE OF TRANSMISSION : HEPATITIS C IS USUALLY SPREAD WHEN BLOOD FROM A PERSON INFECTED WITH THE HEPATITIS C VIRUS ENTERS THE BODY OF SOMEONE WHO IS NOT INFECTED.... PEOPLE CAN BECOME INFECTED WITH THE HEPATITIS C VIRUS DURING SUCH ACTIVITIES AS: SHARING NEEDLES, SYRINGES, OR OTHER EQUIPMENT TO PREPARE OR INJECT DRUGS. VACCINE : A. THERAPEUTIC VACCINE TRIAL. THE STUDY POPULATION IN THIS TRIAL CONSISTS OF PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE CHRONIC HEPATITIS C. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIAL IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER EACH VACCINE IS SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL AT REDUCING EVIDENCE OF HEPATITIS C IN PARTICIPANTS' BLOOD. COMPLETION OF THIS TRIAL IS EXPECTED IN 2020. IN 2020, STUDIES INVOLVING THERAPEUTIC VACCINES FOR HEPATITIS C (HCV) WERE ONGOING, BUT NO DEFINITIVE CURATIVE VACCINE HAD EMERGED B. PROPHYLACTIC (PREVENTIVE) VACCINE TRIAL. THIS TRIAL INVOLVES PEOPLE AT HIGH RISK OF BECOMING INFECTED WITH HEPATITIS C. ITS PURPOSE IS TO DETERMINE THE SAFETY OF THE TWO VACCINES AND FIND OUT WHETHER PARTICIPANTS RECEIVING EITHER VACCINE ARE LESS LIKELY TO BECOME INFECTED WITH THE HEPATITIS C VIRUS OVER A SIX-MONTH PERIOD THAN ARE PARTICIPANTS RECEIVING A PLACEBO (INACTIVE) VACCINE. THIS TRIAL HAS ALREADY ENROLLED A LARGE SAMPLE OF PARTICIPANTS SYMPTOMS : LONG-TERM INFECTION WITH THE HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) IS KNOWN AS CHRONIC HEPATITIS C. CHRONIC HEPATITIS C IS USUALLY A "SILENT" INFECTION FOR MANY YEARS, UNTIL THE VIRUS DAMAGES THE LIVER ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LIVER DISEASE.  E. YELLOW DISCOLORATION I. SWELLING IN YOUR LEGS A. BLEEDING EASILY OF THE SKIN AND EYES J. WEIGHT LOSS (JAUNDICE) B. BRUISING EASILY K. CONFUSION, DROWSINESS F. DARK-COLORED URINE C. FATIGUE AND SLURRED SPEECH G. ITCHY SKIN (HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY) D. POOR APPETITE H. FLUID BUILDUP IN YOUR L. SPIDER-LIKE BLOOD VESSELS ABDOMEN (ASCITES) ON YOUR SKIN (SPIDER ANGIOMAS)  DIAGNOSIS: SCREENING FOR HEPATITIS C a. HEALTH OFFICIALS RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE AT HIGH RISK OF EXPOSURE TO HCV GET A BLOOD TEST TO SCREEN FOR HEPATITIS C INFECTION. b. TESTS FIR LIVER DAMAGE DOCTORS TYPICALLY USE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING TESTS TO ASSESS LIVER DAMAGE IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C. a. MAGNETIC RESONANCE ELASTOGRAPHY (MRE). A NONINVASIVE ALTERNATIVE TO A LIVER BIOPSY , MRE COMBINES MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING TECHNOLOGY WITH PATTERNS FORMED BY SOUND WAVES BOUNCING OFF THE LIVER TO CREATE A VISUAL MAP SHOWING GRADIENTS OF STIFFNESS THROUGHOUT THE LIVER. STIFF LIVER TISSUE INDICATES THE PRESENCE OF FIBROSIS, OR SCARRING OF THE LIVER, AS A RESULT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS C. B. TRANSIENT ELASTOGRAPHY. ANOTHER NONINVASIVE TEST, TRANSIENT ELASTOGRAPHY IS A TYPE OF ULTRASOUND THAT TRANSMITS VIBRATIONS INTO THE LIVER AND MEASURES THE SPEED OF THEIR DISPERSAL THROUGH LIVER TISSUE TO ESTIMATE ITS STIFFNESS. C. LIVER BIOPSY. TYPICALLY DONE USING ULTRASOUND GUIDANCE, THIS TEST INVOLVES INSERTING A THIN NEEDLE THROUGH THE ABDOMINAL WALL TO REMOVE A SMALL SAMPLE OF LIVER TISSUE FOR LABORATORY TESTING. TREATMENT : A. ANTIVIRAL MEDICATIONS HEPATITIS C INFECTION IS TREATED WITH ANTIVIRAL MEDICATIONS INTENDED TO CLEAR THE VIRUS FROM YOUR BODY. THE GOAL OF TREATMENT IS TO HAVE NO HEPATITIS C VIRUS DETECTED IN YOUR BODY AT LEAST 12 WEEKS AFTER YOU COMPLETE TREATMENT. 5. HEPATITIS D IS A VIRAL INFECTION THAT CAUSES LIVER INFLAMMATION AND DAMAGE. INFLAMMATION IS SWELLING THAT OCCURS WHEN TISSUES OF THE BODY BECOME INJURED OR INFECTED. INFLAMMATION CAN DAMAGE ORGANS. CAUSATIVE AGENT : HEPATITIS D VIRUS (HDV) VACCINE : THERE IS NO VACCINE FOR HEPATITIS D INCUBATION PERIOD : HDV SUPER INFECTION: 2-8 WEEKS; HBV AND HDV CO-INFECTION: 45- 160 DAYS SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS : A. YELLOW SKIN AND EYES (JAUNDICE) B. STOMACH UPSET C. PAIN IN YOUR BELLY D. THROWING UP E. FATIGUE F. NOT FEELING HUNGRY G. JOINT PAIN H. DARK URINE I. LIGHT-COLORED STOOL DIAGNOSIS A. BLOOD TEST TO DIAGNOSE HEPATITIS D. B. ELASTOGRAPHY, A SPECIAL ULTRASOUND THAT MEASURES THE STIFFNESS OF YOUR LIVER. C. A LIVER BIOPSY, IN WHICH A DOCTOR USES A NEEDLE TO TAKE A SMALL PIECE OF TISSUE FROM YOUR LIVER. A PATHOLOGIST WILL EXAMINE THE TISSUE UNDER A MICROSCOPE TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF DAMAGE OR DISEASE. DOCTORS TYPICALLY USE LIVER BIOPSY ONLY IF OTHER TESTS DON’T PROVIDE ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT THE LIVER DAMAGE OR DISEASE. TREATMENT : IF YOU HAVE HDV, YOU MAY NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR WHO WORKS WITH DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT, INCLUDING THE LIVER, SUCH AS A GASTROENTEROLOGIST. DOCTORS CALLED HEPATOLOGISTS SPECIALIZE EVEN FURTHER AND TREAT ONLY LIVER DISEASE. THERE’S NO CURE YET FOR HDV. UNTIL DOCTORS COME UP WITH BETTER OPTIONS, THE DRUG PRESCRIBED MOST OFTEN IS PEGYLATED INTERFERON ALFA (PEG-IFNA). PEG-IFNA DOESN’T WORK WELL FOR EVERYONE. IT CAN ALSO CAUSE MANY SIDE EFFECTS, LIKE LACK OF ENERGY, WEIGHT LOSS, FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS, AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES LIKE DEPRESSION. 6. HEPATITIS G : HEPATITIS G VIRUS IS SPREAD BY INFECTED BLOOD OR BLOOD PRODUCTS. IT CAN BE TRANSMITTED BY SHARING PERSONAL ITEMS CONTAMINATED WITH THE VIRUS, AND OTHER SIMILAR BEHAVIOURS INCLUDING FROM MOTHER-TO- NEWBORN CHILD AT BIRTH OR BY VARIOUS SEXUAL ACTIVITIES. Hepatitis F is a poorly defined hepatitis virus of uncertain significance. Hepatitis G is a member of the flavivirus family with limited homology to hepatitis C. Its significance as a cause of hepatitis is also unclear. Causative agent : The findings suggested that the cause of this hepatitis was a yet unidentified viral agent that was named GBV.... Serum taken in the acute stage of hepatitis from infected marmosets was found to contain two viral genomes: GBV- A and GBV-B belonging to closely-related viruses of the Flaviviridae family. Incubation Period : The incubation period of the virus after transfusion seems to be 14-20 days, and if hepatitis occurs, the illness is typically mild. Mode of Transmission : Hepatitis G virus is spread by infected blood or blood products. It can be transmitted by sharing personal items contaminated with the virus, and other similar behaviours including from mother-to-newborn child at birth or by various sexual activities. Vaccine :No Vaccine Signs and Symptoms : Most infected persons are asymptomatic. Diagnosis : Blood Test Treatment: There is currently no recommended 7. Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHFs) are a diverse group of animal and human illnesses in which fever and hemorrhage are caused by a viral infection. Causative Agent : VHFs may be caused by five distinct families of RNA viruses: the families Arenaviridae, Filoviridae, Bunyaviridae, Flaviviridae, and Rhabdoviridae. Incubation Period : CCHF virus – range is 1–12 days (usually 1–3 days). Mode of Transmission : Viruses causing hemorrhagic fever are initially transmitted to humans when the activities of infected reservoir hosts or vectors and humans overlap. The viruses carried in rodent reservoirs are transmitted when humans have contact with urine, fecal matter, saliva, or other body excretions from infected rodents. Vaccine : No vaccine Signs And Symptoms : a. fatigue, b. fever c. weakness d. dizziness e. muscle aches f. patients with more severe infections show bleeding under the skin, internal organs, or even from bodily orifices like the mouth, eyes, or ears. Diagnosis : Doctors diagnose VHFs with blood and urine tests. These tests allow a doctor to examine a sample of blood or urine to see if it contains proteins and antibodies associated with VHFs. Treatment : Medications. While no specific treatment exists for most viral hemorrhagic fevers, the antiviral drug ribavirin (Rebetol, Virazole, others) may help shorten the course of some infections and prevent complications in some cases. PARASITIC 1. Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans. People who get malaria are typically very sick with high fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like illness. Causative agent : Malaria is caused by single-celled protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Four species infect humans by entering the bloodstream: Plasmodium falciparum, which is the main cause of severe clinical malaria and death; Plasmodium vivax; Plasmodium ovale; and Plasmodium malariae. Incubation Period : The incubation period between infection with malaria by a mosquito bite and initial symptoms may range from one week to one year. Generally, the incubation period ranges from nine to 14 days for P. falciparum, 12-18 days for P. vivax, and 18-40 days for P. Mode of Transmission : Malaria is transmitted by the bite of an infective female Anopheles mosquito. Transfusion of blood from infected persons and use of contaminated needles and syringes are other potential modes of transmission. Congenital transmission of malaria may also occur. Vaccine : Malaria vaccine. Malaria vaccine is a vaccine that is used to prevent malaria. The only approved vaccine as of 2015 is RTS,S, known by the trade name Mosquirix. It requires four injections, and has a relatively low efficacy. Signs And Symptoms : a. shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe b. high fever c. profuse sweating d. headache e. nausea f. vomiting g. abdominal pain h. diarrhea Diagnosis : To diagnose malaria, your doctor will likely review your medical history, conduct a physical exam and order blood tests. Blood tests are the only way to confirm a malaria diagnosis. Certain blood tests can help your doctor by showing: a. The presence of the parasite in the blood, to confirm that you have malaria b. Which type of malaria parasite is causing your symptoms c. If your infection is caused by a parasite resistant to certain drugs d. Other blood tests help determine whether the disease is causing any serious complications. Treatment Malaria is treated with prescription drugs to kill the parasite. The types of drugs and the length of treatment will vary, depending on: a. Which type of malaria parasite you have b. The severity of your symptoms c. Your age d. Whether you're pregnant e. Medication The most common antimalarial drugs include: a. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). ACTs are, in many cases, the first line treatment for malaria. There are several different types of ACTs. Examples include artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem) and artesunate-amodiaquine. Each ACT is a combination of two or more drugs that work against the malaria parasite in different ways. b. Chloroquine phosphate. Chloroquine is the preferred treatment for any parasite that is sensitive to the drug. But in many parts of the world, the parasites that cause malaria are resistant to chloroquine, and the drug is no longer an effective treatment. Other common antimalarial drugs include: a. Combination of atovaquone and proguanil (Malarone) b. Quinine sulfate (Qualaquin) with doxycycline (Vibramycin, Monodox, others) c. Mefloquine d. Primaquine phosphate 2. Toxoplasmosis - Is a disease that results from infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, one of the world's most common parasites. Infection usually occurs by eating undercooked contaminated meat, exposure from infected cat feces, or mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy. Incubation Period : In adults, the incubation period for T. gondii infection ranges from 10 to 23 days after the ingestion of undercooked meat and from five to 20 days after the ingestion of oocysts from cat feces. FIGURE 1. Pathways for Toxoplasma gondii infection. Mode of Transmission : Animal-to-human (zoonotic) transmission. They become infected by eating infected rodents, birds, or other small animals. The parasite is then passed in the cat's feces in an oocyst form, which is microscopic.... A Toxoplasma- infected cat that is shedding the parasite in its feces contaminates the litter box. Vaccine : The most advanced application of the Vaxinano's technology is the first vaccine against toxoplasmosis, supported by valuable results on mice, sheep and primates. Infecting 2.5 billion of the world's population, Vaxinano is ready to reach the human vaccination market. Signs and symptoms : a. fatigue b. headache c. body aches d. fever e. swollen lymph nodes (glands in your neck Diagnosis : The diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is typically made by serologic testing. A test that measures immunoglobulin G (IgG) is used to determine if a person has been infected.... Diagnosis can also be made by direct observation of the parasite in stained tissue sections, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or other biopsy material Treatment : Most healthy people don't require toxoplasmosis treatment. But if you're otherwise healthy and have signs and symptoms of acute toxoplasmosis, your doctor may prescribe the following drugs: a. Pyrimethamine (Daraprim). This medication, typically used for malaria, is a folic acid antagonist. It may prevent your body from absorbing the B vitamin folate (folic acid, vitamin B-9), especially when you take high doses over a long period. For that reason, your doctor may recommend taking additional folic acid. Other potential side effects of pyrimethamine include bone marrow suppression and liver toxicity. b. Sulfadiazine. This antibiotic is used with pyrimethamine to treat toxoplasmosis. 3. Leishmaniasis - is a disease caused by an intracellular protozoan parasite (genus Leishmania) transmitted by the bite of a female phlebotomine sandfly. The clinical spectrum of leishmaniasis ranges from a self-resolving cutaneous ulcer to a mutilating mucocutaneous disease and even to a lethal systemic illness. Causative Agent : Leishmaniasis is a vector borne disease that is transmitted by sand flies and caused by obligate intracellular protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Incubation period : lasts from 2 weeks to several months and cases up to 3 years have been reported in Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis. In New World cutaneous leishmaniasis, the incubation period is usually 2–8 weeks. Vaccine : No Vaccine Mode of Transmission : Leishmaniasis is transmitted through the bite of female phlebotomine sandflies which bite humans and some animals, and take blood meals to feed the development of their eggs. When sandflies take blood meals from an infected person, they also become infected with the protozoa that cause leishmaniasis. Signs And Symptoms : a. weight loss b. weakness c. fever that lasts for weeks or months d. enlarged spleen e. enlarged liver f. decreased production of blood cells g. bleeding Diagnosis : a. diagnosis of leishmaniasis has been confirmed by isolating, visualizing, and culturing the parasite from infected tissue. b. For visceral disease, the parasite can be detected through direct evidence (amastigotes in tissue) from peripheral blood, bone marrow, liver, or splenic aspirates Treatment : The only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for the treatment of leishmaniasis are intravenous liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) for VL and oral miltefosine for CL, ML, and VL caused by particular species. 4. Filariasis : - is a parasitic disease caused by an infection with roundworms of the Filarioidea type. These are spread by blood-feeding insects such as black flies and mosquitoes. They belong to the group of diseases called helminthiases. Eight known filarial worms have humans as a definitive hosts. Causative Agent : The causative agents of lymphatic filariasis (LF) include the mosquito-borne filarial nematodes Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, B. timori An estimated 90% of LF cases are caused by W. bancrofti (Bancroftian filariasis). Incubation Period : The incubation period is known as the period between the entrance of the infective larva into the human host and the presentation of clinical symptoms or observable signs. This period of time is completely variable, and can be as short as 4 weeks or as long as 8-16 months (Reference 18). Vaccines :No Vaccine Filariasis and elephantiasis are related but not identical. Filariasis is the parasitic infection caused by roundworms, while elephantiasis is a severe, chronic condition that can result from lymphatic filariasis. Essentially, elephantiasis is a manifestation of lymphatic filariasis, characterized by extreme swelling and thickening of the skin and tissues, particularly in the limbs and scrotum. Mode of Transmission : The disease spreads from person to person by mosquito bites. When a mosquito bites a person who has lymphatic filariasis, microscopic worms circulating in the person's blood enter and infect the mosquito.... The adult worms mate and release millions of microscopic worms, called microfilariae, into the blood. Signs and symptoms : a. Fever. b. Inguinal or axillary lymphadenopathy. c. Testicular and/or inguinal pain. d. Skin exfoliation. e. Limb or genital swelling - Repeated episodes of inflammation and lymphedema lead to lymphatic damage, chronic swelling, and elephantiasis of the legs, arms, scrotum, vulva, and breasts. Treatment : Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC), which is both microfilaricidal and active against the adult worm, is the drug of choice for lymphatic filariasis.