Health and Fitness

 Nocardiosis OVERVIEW What Is Nocardiosis? Nocardiosis is a rare infection caused by the Nocardia asteroides bacterium. This type of bacteria can be found in the soil and water of regions around the world. People may become infected with this bacteria when they inhale it or when the bacteria enter an open wound. The infection can’t be spread from one person to another. Nocardiosis most commonly occurs in the lungs, but it may spread to other areas of the body, such as the: *skin *digestive system *brain *kidneys *heart *eyes *bones Though nocardiosis can develop in anyone, the condition is much more likely to affect people with very weak immune systems. An immune system may become compromised as a result of: *cancer *diabetes *lung disease *HIV *AIDS *a bone marrow or organ transplant *the long-term use of steroid medications In the United States, it’s estimated that 500 to 1,000Trusted Source cases of nocardiosis occur each year. In about 60 percent of these cases, the infection i...

 Tuberculosis Overview What is TB? Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria that are spread from person to person through the air. TB usually attacks the lungs, but it can also attack and damage any part of the body, such as the brain, kidneys, or spine. A person with TB can die without treatment.  Symptoms Latent TB: A person with latent TB will have no symptoms, and no damage will show on a chest X-ray. However, a blood test or skin prick test will indicate that they have TB infection. Active TB: An individual with TB disease may experience a cough that produces phlegm, fatigue, a fever, chills, and a loss of appetite and weight. Symptoms typically worsen over time, but they can also spontaneously go away and return. Early warning signs A person should see a doctor if they experienceTrusted Source: a persistent cough, lasting at least 3 weeks phlegm, which may have blood in it, when they cough a loss of appetite and weight a general feeling of fatigue and being unwe...

Listeria Infection Overview Listeria infection is a foodborne bacterial illness that can be very serious for pregnant women, people older than 65 and people with weakened immune systems. It's most commonly caused by eating improperly processed deli meats and unpasteurized milk products. Healthy people rarely become ill from listeria infection, but the disease can be fatal to unborn babies, newborns and people with weakened immune systems. Prompt antibiotic treatment can help curb the effects of listeria infection. Listeria bacteria can survive refrigeration and even freezing. So people who are at higher risk of serious infections should avoid eating the types of food most likely to contain listeria bacteria. Symptoms If you develop a listeria infection, you might have: *Fever *Chills *Muscle aches *Nausea *Diarrhea Symptoms might begin a few days after you've eaten contaminated food, but it can take 30 days or more before the first signs and symptoms of infection begin. If the ...

 Myopathy OVERVIEW What is myopathy? Myopathy refers to diseases that affect skeletal muscles (muscles that connect to your bones). These diseases attack muscle fibers, making your muscles weak. Are there different types of myopathies? Myopathy can be categorized by its cause. Basically, myopathies are separated into two categories: inherited and acquired. Inherited myopathies Inherited myopathies are those that you’re born with, often from inheriting an abnormal gene mutation from a parent that causes the disease. Conditions that are inherited myopathies include: Congenital myopathies Symptoms of congenital myopathies usually start at birth or in early childhood, but may not appear until the teen years or even later in adulthood. Congenital myopathies are somewhat unique compared with other inherited myopathies, as weakness typically affects all muscles (not just proximal [closest to the center of your body] ones) and is often not progressive. Mitochondrial myopathies Mitochondria...

  Myasthenia gravis Overview Myasthenia gravis (my-us-THEE-nee-uh GRAY-vis) causes muscles under your voluntary control to feel weak and get tired quickly. This happens when the communication between nerves and muscles breaks down. There's no cure for myasthenia gravis. Treatment can help with symptoms. These symptoms can include weakness of arm or leg muscles, double vision, drooping eyelids, and problems with speaking, chewing, swallowing and breathing. This disease can affect people of any age, but it's more common in women younger than 40 and in men older than 60. Symptoms Muscle weakness caused by myasthenia gravis gets worse when the affected muscle is used. Because symptoms usually get better with rest, muscle weakness can come and go. However, the symptoms tend to progress over time. They usually reach their worst within a few years after the disease begins. Myasthenia gravis may affect any of the muscles that you can control. Certain muscle groups are more commonly aff...

 Grover's Disease OVERVIEW Grover’s disease is a rare, temporary skin condition. It causes sudden red, raised, blistery, and sometimes very itchy spots that form around the middle of the body. The rash is most often seen in middle-aged men. Another name for this condition is transient acantholytic dermatosis (TAD). Who Gets It? Grover’s disease usually happens in men over 50. However, women sometimes get it, too.Symptoms For most people with Grover’s disease, the most disruptive symptom is intense itching at the rash location. Not everyone experiences itching, but for those that do, the itching can become so severe that it interferes with daily activities and sleep quality. Speaking to Medical News Today, Dr. Adam Friedman, an associate professor of dermatology at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, stated, “Both the itch and the clinical appearance can have a tremendous impact on quality of life and be quite disabling.” Scratching the itch also worsens th...

 Neuroblastoma Overview Neuroblastoma is a cancer that develops from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body. Neuroblastoma most commonly arises in and around the adrenal glands, which have similar origins to nerve cells and sit atop the kidneys. However, neuroblastoma can also develop in other areas of the abdomen and in the chest, neck and near the spine, where groups of nerve cells exist. Neuroblastoma most commonly affects children age 5 or younger, though it may rarely occur in older children. Some forms of neuroblastoma go away on their own, while others may require multiple treatments. Your child's neuroblastoma treatment options will depend on several factors. Symptoms Signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma vary depending on what part of the body is affected. Neuroblastoma in the abdomen — the most common form — may cause signs and symptoms such as: *Abdominal pain *A mass under the skin that isn't tender when touched *Changes in bowel habits, such as diarr...

 Factor XI Deficiency Summary Factor XI deficiency is a rare genetic bleeding disorder caused by reduced levels and insufficient activity of a blood protein called factor XI. Factor XI is a clotting factor. Clotting factors are specialized proteins that are essential for proper clotting, the process by which blood solidifies like glue to plug the site of a wound to stop bleeding. Individuals with factor XI deficiency do not bleed faster or more profusely than healthy individuals, but, because their blood clots poorly, they may have difficulty stopping the flow of blood from a deep or surgical wound. This may be referred to as prolonged bleeding or a prolonged bleeding episode. The severity of symptoms in factor XI deficiency can vary from one person to another and is not clearly related to the blood factor XI level. In most patients, prolonged bleeding episodes only occur after surgery, dental procedures or trauma. Bleeding tendencies in factor XI deficiency are unpredictable and i...