Life Health Sciences – Science Rules it All

Fly is defined as severe respiratory infection that is spread by the flu viruses. Most kinds of flu are contagious since it is respiratory infection. The virus generally enters through nose, eyes or mouth and when you touch any of those you have the possibility of infection. Hence it is important to keep your hands germ free by washing them frequently with a hand wash. Clean hands prevent the spread of flu. The common symptoms of flu are fever, soreness, headache and fever.

There are four different types of flu, they are

As per the latest information according to WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION about the spread of Swine flu.Upto  This week, there have been more than 182,000 laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1, 1799 deaths, in 177 countries and territories have been reported to WHO. As more and more countries have stopped counting individual cases, particularly of milder illness, the case number is significantly lower than the actually number of cases that have occurred. However, through the WHO monitoring network, it is apparent that rates of influenza illness continue to decline in the temperate regions of the southern hemisphere, except in South Africa where pandemic influenza H1N1 appeared slightly later than the other countries of the region. Active transmission is still seen in some later affected areas of Australia, Chile and Argentina even as national rates decrease.

I am writing this post because the latest figures shows that the number of reported infections of H1N1 is close to 28,000 in 74 countries

How do I know if I have symptoms of Swine Flu? Are the swine flu symptoms of children the same as H1N1 symptoms adults? Let us know the answer to the question “Do I have symptoms of Swine Flu?”

Malaria is a disease known since ancient times – almost from 5^th century B.C. The word malaria actually means bad air it was believed that malaria is caused due to bad air. LEVERAN discovered the malaria parasite in the year 1880. MASON in the year 1894 predicted that mosquitoes might transmit malaria. SIR RONALD ROSS in the year 1897 confirmed that mosquitoes transmit malaria.

Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite called plasmodium. There are four distinct species of plasmodium – P.vivax (P stands for the word plasmodium), P.falciparum, P.malaria, P.ovale.

Filariasis is a disease seen allover the world. About 90 million people are affected with filariasis. Next to malaria, Filariasis is the major health problem in India. This disease is most common in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Gujarat. Two nematode worms called WACHERERIA BANCROFTI and WUCHERERIA MALAYI cause filariasis. Adult worm lives in lymph glands and lymph vessels of man.

Encephalitis is a mosquito borne disease. It is caused by a group of viruses known as arboviruses (viruses transmitted by arthropods). Twenty-five years ago, this disease was seen only in East Asian countries like Japan, China and Korea. It has spread to all the south Asian countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka etc. Encephalitis virus also affects several animals and birds in addition to human beings.

Pigs, cattle, poultry and other birds are the major vertebrate hosts for this virus. Infected animals do not show any signs of illness. However, they act as reservoirs and mosquitoes are the carriers. The virus mostly spreads from one animal to another animal from animal to man through the culex mosquitoes. However, these viruses do not spread from man to another man.

Measles is also known as Rubella. The word rubeola means red spots an Arab doctor called Abu Baqr gave the earliest description of measles. A virus called PARAMYXOVIRUS (RNA) causes this disease. Measles is the major cause for sickness and even death of children in our country. Symptoms for this disease are fever and cough followed a tropical rash. There is no carrier for this disease. The nasal discharge and the saliva of person affect with measles contain the virus, so the infection is by droplet infection. Children in the age group of 6months to 3 years are mostly affected. The virus is ready for infection approximately 4 days before and 5 days after the appearance of the rash. Incubation period is 10 days before the fever appears and 12 to 14 days before the rashes develop. The first symptoms are sick feeling, fever, sneezing, running nose, cough and rashes of eyes. This is followed by the appearance of rash. Rash first appears behind the ears and slowly spreads all over the body. After 3 or 4 days, rash and fever disappear and this indicates the termination of the disease. In some cases, effect of the infection may persist for longer period-there might be a reduction in the growth, mental deterioration and even paralysis. vaccination against measles reduces the incidence of the disease. Patient should be kept in isolation for one week from the time rash appears. This will reduce the spread of the disease.

Mumps is generally observed in children in the age groups of 5 to 15 years. A virus called MYXOVIRUS PAROTIDITS (RNA) causes mumps. The source of infection is a person infected with mumps. The disease spread mainly by droplet method of transmission or by direct contact with an infected person. Incubation period varies from 2 to 3 weeks. Usually, it is 18 days.

Jaundice is due accumulation of a yellow coloured pigment called bilirubin in blood and tissues. Bilirubin is formed from the haemoglobin when the old and worn out red blood cells are destroyed in the liver. Bilirubin is secreted in to the bile fluid by the liver cells (hepatocytes). Bile flows from liver into the gall bladder. In the gall bladder, bile is concentrated and stored. During digestion, bile secreted in to the duodenum. Bile is required for the emulsification and digestion of lipids during digestion in the intestine. Along with the digested food, bilirubin is absorbed in to the blood from the small intestine. From the blood, bilirubin is extracted by the kidney and is excreted through urine. Yellow colour of the urine is due to the presence of bilirubin and its metabolites.