What is psittacosis? Psittacosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium, Chlamydophila psittaci, that is transmitted from birds to humans. The bacteria used to be previously known as Chlamydia psittaci. It is not a commonly seen infection in the general population and bird handlers are at the greatest risk of >> Read More ...
What is Histoplasmosis? Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection of the lung, which may spread throughout the body via the bloodstream, after inhaling the spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Most people who come in contact with the spores do not contract the infection unless they have a weakened immune system or if >> Read More ...
The 2014 outbreak of Ebola has caused a global scare, but this viral disease is not new. It was first identified in 1976, and it most likely has existed for far longer. Since 2000, there has been an outbreak almost every year. However, the current outbreak seems to be a worldwide concern as it is far more widespread than >> Read More ...
Humans have co-existed with animals for millenia. Pets primarily provide companionship and the dog, cat and bird are by far the most common pets for these reasons. Despite the fact that we live so closely with these animals, it is not entirely without any health risk. There are several infectious diseases that humans can >> Read More ...
Large numbers of travelers are visiting developing countries, like India. Studies show that 50-75% of travelers to the tropics and sub-tropics (including India) report some health problem during their stay or after leaving the country which they visited although most of the health problems are minor and only about 5% >> Read More ...
Yaws is not a widely known disease and does not occur in the USA but this does not make it insignificant to Americans. With global travel patterns yaws should be a concern for every traveler and in particular for children. It can be transmitted through direct skin contact and may lead to severe disfigurement and >> Read More ...
What is nocardiosis? Nocardiosis is an infectious disease caused by the Nocardio group of bacteria that are found in soil. It can also infect animals, especially horses and cows. Human nocardiosis is a rare condition but can be extremely dangerous in a person with a weakened immune system. The infection may be localized to >> Read More ...
The summer months bring out many tiny insects that feed on human blood and skin. One of these is known as chiggers. It is not as well understood as ticks or mosquitoes but chiggers is a relatively common problem especially for the outdoor explorer. Although chiggers is considered relatively harmless in North America, some >> Read More ...
Oral and genital herpes are well known viral infections caused by two types of the same virus known as the herpes simplex virus. There is no cure for this viral infection and it affects people throughout the world. However, antiviral drugs can manage the condition in terms of duration and >> Read More ...
There are many types of skin diseases that can affect a person irrespective of their HIV status. Similarly, HIV-positive patients are prone to various skin diseases that are unrelated to HIV infection. However, there are number of HIV-related skin diseases that have to be considered as these conditions are more likely to >> Read More ...
