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Health Online: Top 10 scariest Diseases of All time.
Health Online: Top 10 scariest Diseases of All time.: Top 10 Scariest diseases 1. Progeria. ...
Top 10 scariest Diseases of All time.
Top 10 Scariest diseases
1.
Progeria.
Progeria is an extremely rare genetic disorder in which symptoms resembling aspects of aging are manifested at a very early age. Those born
with progeria typically live to their mid teens to early twenties. Progeria was
first described in 1886 by Jonathan Hutchinson. It
was also described independently in 1897 by Hastings Gilford. The
condition was later named Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome. The word progeria comes from the Greek words
"pro" meaning "before" or "premature" and
"gēras, meaning "old age". Scientists are partly interested in
progeria as it might reveal clues about the normal process of aging.
2 Water allergy.
You people heard many types of
allergy but this disorder present with painful rashes that break out wherever water
touches the skin. Usually within an hour after contact with water, the sufferer
will end up with small wheals, which are raised, reddened areas also known as
papules. It’s an extremely rare disorder, with only 100 reported cases
worldwide. The diseases cant transfer from one person to another that’s why
doctors believed genetics components is involved. However, most cases take
place in separate families, with only a few happening to relatives. While some
cases can be quite gentle, most are extremely painful, with sufferers resorting
to either extremely short baths or none at all in order to avoid the pain.
3. Elephantiasis.
Elephantiasis is a condition characterized by
gross enlargement of an area of the body, especially the limbs. Other areas
commonly affected include the external genitals. Elephantiasis is caused by
obstruction of the lymphatic system, which results in the accumulation of a
fluid called lymph in the affected areas. Functioning as part of the immune
system, the lymphatic system helps to protect the body against infection and
disease. It consists of a network of tubular channels (lymph vessels) that
drain a thin watery as lymph from different areas of the body into
the bloodstream. Obstruction of these vessels results in the massive swelling
and gross enlargement characteristic of elephantiasis.
4. Clarkson’s desease.
It is due pores in the small blood vessels called
capillaries due to which fluid leakout into body spaces Although rare, the only way to
treat Clarkson's disease is to to inject fluids into the body to counter the
bloating. This is a problem in itself since it takes three full days for the
bloating to stop - and in the mean time it can lead to damage to vital organs
and tissues ultimately causing death.
5.Were wolf syndrome.
This disease is also know as Hypertrichosis. It
is the overproduction of hair anywhere on the body. Men and women, babies and
adults -- the condition doesn't discriminate. There are variations of the
disorder, some resulting in hair growth patterns that likely contributed to
ancient "wolfman" folklore. When present at birth, it's the result of
the fine, soft hair that covers a fetus
continuing to grow, instead of shedding before birth as it normally does. But
more often, it develops as a result of some genetics variation. There is no
effective cure for this diseases.
6.
FIBRODYSPLASICA OSSIFICANS PROGRESSIVA.
This disease which is due to some
genetics changes With fewer than 800 cases worldwide the disease which is
nearly impossible to treat. FOP causes the body's tissue repair systems to
stop working and it begins to heal damaged muscles, tendons and tissues by
turning them into bone. The new bones do not have flexible joints so once they
start to grow throughout the body it becomes nearly impossible for someone with
FOP to move. Cutting off the newly formed bones makes the problem even worse as
this causes the bone growth to run even more amok. Any knock to the body causes
more bones to being growing, thus causing a faster deterioration of the body.
In the most extreme instance, a man named Harry Eastlake managed to live up to
age 40 with FOP but by the end was completely immobile aside from his lips. Mr
Eastlake donated his body to science soon before his death and his skeleton
remains at the famous Mutter Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
7.
Necrotizing Fasciitis – Flesh eating bacteria.
Despite
not being the biggest killer out there Necrotizing Fasciitis is just scary. In
this disease the bacteria start eating flesh after some trauma if the wound get
infected by group A streptococcus and
the skin might start to change color, and blisters form around the outside of
the cut, while inside your tissues are slowly dying as toxins are released by
this, now, thriving bacterial colony. Eventually this colony will grow up your
arm and reach your torso where, if you haven’t
received medical help, you have a 30% chance of surviving. The worst
thing about Necrotizing Fasciitis is its ability to spread extremely fast, so
fast in fact that even if you do receive medical attention in time, your
chances of survival are still extremely low. And if you do survive the
infection you will more likely than not be permanently scarred for the rest of
your life.
8. Neurofibromatosis.
Neurofibromatosis (NF)
is a group of three conditions in which tumors grow in the nervous
system. Small lumps arise all over
the skin and distort shape of the patient and cause severe disability for the patient
.genetics plays important role in this disease and prognosis depend upon the
stage in which patient present.
9. Leprosy.
Leprosy is a contagious infection
that causes inflammation in the skin, eyes, nerves and respiratory tract. It is
contracted from exposure to a certain type of bacteria called Mycobacterium.
This disease has been discussed in my religious scriptures. Symptoms can
actually go unnoticed for years resulting in poor eyesight the loss of feeling
in the limbs or infected area. As people lose feeling in their limbs, wounds
and infections occur and eventually they may lose parts of their body. Leprosy
has been around for thousands of years and in the old days they used to
quarantine anyone with leprosy into leper colonies so the disease would not
spread. Nowadays due to effective treatment it is very rare to find this
disease.
1o. Tree Man syndrome.
Epidermodysplasia
verruciformis (EV), also known as tree man illness, is an extremely
rare hereditary skin disorder associated with a high risk of skin cancer. It is characterized by abnormal susceptibility to human papillomaviruses (HPVs) of the skin and resulting
massive number of warts which look like twig coming out of tree. No curative
treatment is found yet.
By Dr Aamir Iqbal
Thursday 23 March 2017
Hepatitis B vaccination understanding and its prevention.
HBV Immunization
Routine infant immunization. Additional immunization
strategies include prevention of peri-natal transmission. First dose of HBV
vaccine should be given as soon as possible after birth to prevent peri-natal
transmission.
Age of vaccination is an important factor in the immunogenicity
of HBV vaccine.
Schedule:
First injection at any given time. Second injection
one month after the first one. Third injection six months after the first
injection.
HB vaccine is administered through intra-muscular
route in the antero-lateral aspect of thigh or deltoid.The standard
pediatric dose is 0.5ml.
Other preventive measures:
While handling human blood, body fluids universal
precautions should be used. There should be good personal hygiene, strict
surveillance and control measure to limit transmission. Some people
are apparently healthy yet they are eligible for treatment.Other
strategy should include a program targeting HBV preventive efforts including
vaccination for high risk groups.
By Dr Aamir Iqbal and Dr Nisar
Hepatitis B.Everything you must know about.
Hepatitis B is a serious liver disease,
caused by hepatitis B virus. The disease is transmitted through human body
fluids such as blood and serum. It is an alarming public health problem worldwide.
Its methods of transmission include through mother to baby (perinatal), sexual contact
and the use of improper injection techniques.
Epidemiology:
Prevalence
of chronic HBV infection continues to be high, ranging over 10% in some Asian
and Pacific countries. In the
Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, an estimated 2–5% of the general population is chronically infected. 0.5% in the United States and northern European
countries . The current global estimate of the number of HBV infected
individuals is 350 million.Out of these 25-30% Western would die as a
consequence of the infection.
Epidemiology in
Pakistan:
Pakistan
is highly endemic with HBV. With nine million people infected with
HBV. and its infection rate is on a steady rise. The reason may be the lack of proper health facilities, poor
economical status and less public awareness about the transmission of major
communicable diseases including HBV.
Hepatitis
B Virus:
Hepatitis
B is a DNA Virus of the hepadnaviridae family of viruses. It replicates
within infected liver cells (hepatocytes). These virions are 30-42 nm in diameter. The nucleocapsid encloses the viral DNA and a DNA
polymerase that has reverse transcriptase activity. 14 protein of the virion coat is termed surface antigen
or HBsAg. It is sometimes extended as a tubular tail on one side of the virus
particle. The surface antigen is generally produced in vast excess, and is
found in the blood of infected individuals in the form of filamentous and
spherical particles. Filamentous particles are identical to the virion tails –
they vary in length and have a mean diameter of about 22nm. The outer surface
coat surrounds an inner protein shell, composed of HBc protein (hepatitis-B
core protein) or HbcAg (hepatitis B core antigen). This inner shell is referred
to as the core particle or capsid. Finally, the core particle surrounds the
viral DNA and the enzyme, DNA Polymerase.
Signs and Symptoms:
Any common symptoms
that might show up, are usually flu-like symptoms, including fever,
fatigue, muscle or
joint pain. Severe symptoms include yellow eyes and skin called jaundice and a
bloated or swollen stomach. Symptoms may last several weeks or
months. The illness lasts for a few weeks and then gradually improves in most affected people. A few people may have
more severe liver disease and
may die as a result. The infection may be entirely asymptomatic and may go
unrecognized.Symptoms outside of the liver are present in 1–10% of HBV-infected people. And
include serum-sickness–like
syndrome, acute necrotizing vasculitis, membranous glomerulonephritis,
and papular
acrodermatitis of childhood . It is not possible, on clinical
grounds, to differentiate hepatitis B from hepatitis caused by
other viral agents and, hence, laboratory confirmation of
the diagnosis is essential. They can be used to distinguish acute from chronic
infections. Laboratory diagnosis of hepatitis B infection focuses on the
detection of the hepatitis B surface antigen HBsAg.
Mode of Transmission:
The hepatitis B
virus is carried in the blood and other body fluids. The virus is present in
the blood, saliva, semen, vaginal secretions, menstrual blood, and to a lesser extent,
perspiration, breast milk, tears and urine of infected individuals. The highly
resilient virus, is easily transmitted through contact with infected body
fluids. Hepatitis B is also spread
by percutaneous or mucosal
exposure to infected blood and various body fluids. Sexual transmission of hepatitis B may occur. In addition, infection can occur during medical,
surgical and dental procedures,
tattooing, or through the use of razors and similar objects are contaminated
with infected blood.
Risk factors
associated with HBV infection:
Surgical
side:
Major risk factors in
surgical patients include re-use of contaminated syringes, contaminated
surgical instruments and blood products. in orthopedic patients
common risk factors are previous history of surgery or blood transfusion .
Major risk factors for health care workers are dental procedures, needle prick
and surgical procedures. History of dialysis for more than 2 years
is a risk factor for dialysis patients.
Non surgical side:
Major risk factors
for mother to infant transmission include increasing maternal age, number of
pregnancies, repeated injections and addiction.It is established
fact that HBsAg does not cross the placental barrier however; the infection in
children/newborns may occur at the time of birth or soon after birth. The
infants of HBV positive mothers must be vaccinated soon after birth and HBIG
immediately within 24 hours of birth.
Prevention:
Preventive strategies
for HBV infection include healthy blood transfusion services along with safe
sex., The hepatitis B vaccine is the mainstay of hepatitis B
prevention the complete vaccine series induces protective antibody levels in
more than 95% of infants, children and young adults. Protection lasts at least
20 years and is probably lifelong.Better training of healthcare
workers.All patients needing surgery should be screened for viral hepatitis
and there should be separate operation theatres facilities for patients..
In addition reuse of razors in many barber shops that may spread hepatitis in a
substantial number of individuals. and must be discouraged.
Treatment:
There
is no specific treatment for acute hepatitis B. Therefore, care is
aimed at maintaining comfort and adequate nutritional balance, including
replacement of fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea. Early antiviral treatment
may be required in fever than 1% of people, whose infection takes a very
aggressive course (fulminant hepatitis) or who are immunocompromised.
On the other hand, treatment of chronic infection may be necessary to reduce the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer.By Dr Aamir iqbal
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Hepatitis B is a serious liver disease, caused by hepatitis B v...
