Caused by a tapeworm called Echinococcus that exists in the intestines of animals, Hydatid disease is prevalent in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in India. The tapeworms, which are about 7 millimetres in length, live in the small intestines of dogs. Its eggs are excreted in the dog faeces and contaminate the soil, vegetation and… [ Continue Reading ]
A major problem in tropical countries, malaria is caused by mosquitoes which act as hosts to the parasite. There are four types of parasites: Plasmodium vivax Plasmodium falciparum Plasmodium malarie Plasmodium ovale Of these, the Plasmodium Vivax, which is the most common, is transmitted to humans by the infected female Anopheline mosquito. Certain kinds of… [ Continue Reading ]
Tetanus, caused by the bacillus Clostridium Tetani, is quite rare in developed countries, but is still an endemic infection in India. The most common form of the disease, neonatal tetanus (newborns suffering from tetanus), has a fatality rate as high as 80 to 90 per cent. One has, however, noticed a decrease in the neonatal… [ Continue Reading ]
The fact that plague is transmitted by rodents and fleas has been known since ages. And, the drugs needed to fight the disease are easily available. Yet, over the past 20 years, the global fatality rate has been 9 per cent annually, says the World Health Organisation. Caused by the bacillus Yersania Pestis present in… [ Continue Reading ]
Another infectious disease, Hepatitis B, which is caused by a virus, occurs largely among newborns and young children. High risk group People who are more likely to contract the disease are surgeons, recipients of blood transfusions, health care and laboratory personnel, prostitutes, drug abusers, infant of a carrier mother. Source of infection Contaminated blood and… [ Continue Reading ]
An extremely infectious disease, Hepatitis A is caused by a virus which takes several weeks to disappear. The disease is, however, largely benign and is usually seen in children. The infection tends to be mild in young children and its clinical severity increases with the age of the person affected. Resistance The virus is resistant… [ Continue Reading ]
Typhoid fever is caused by an organism called Sulmonella Typhi which is transmitted from the faeces and urine of a disease carrier. And only lack of hygeine such as not washing hands before eating or cooking or consuming contaminated food can lead to typhoid. Clinically, it is characterised by continuous fever for three to four… [ Continue Reading ]
Food poisoning has become very common in recent years. This is largely due to the absence of control over the quality of food available in the market. A lot of people prefer packed foods and cold meat which can easily get contaminated. Be very careful when you are buying meat. Often, infected farm animals land… [ Continue Reading ]
Amoebiasis refers to harbouring the parasite Entamoeba histolytica with or without clinical manifestations. It is a common infection of the human gastro-intestinal tract and is quite common in India and other developing countries. Sometimes, it is also present outside the intestines and may affect the liver (liver abscess), lungs, brain, spleen and skin. Transmission Most… [ Continue Reading ]
Yellow Fever looks a lot like dengue haemorrhagic fever and is transmitted by Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. It also affects monkeys and other vertebrates and is caused by a virus called Flavivirus Fibricus. A patient suffering from yellow fever remains infective during the first three to four days of illness and a mosquito becomes infective after… [ Continue Reading ]
Children seem to grow at a fast pace and there comes a time when she seems ready for her...
You are feeling giddy and nauseus. Your menstrual cycle has been delayed. Things don’t seem quite right. You might...
What does creativity in education mean? It not only implies an original approach towards tackling the same old lessons...
My friend’s four-year-old daughter, Tania, loves the daycare centre she goes to. She enjoys the home environment, the laidback...
You often hear the phrase ‘balanced diet’ and its advantages, particularly for pregnant mothers and growing children. What does...
As a baby, Amit was a fast learner. At barely eleven months he could reel off the names of...
People’s attitude to the world of the disabled is changing rapidly. This is perhaps due to a greater understanding...
Last year, while holidaying in Europe, I conceived my first baby. I was not overjoyed, perhaps because both my...
Do you wonder why the shampoo that you have been using for the past five years suddenly makes your...
Every home needs a first aid kit! It’s a bit like insurance: you hope you’re not going to need...
