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General Illness Information Medical Term: Dysentery, Bacillary ( Shigellosis) Common Name: None Specified Description: Bacillary dysentery is a bacterial infection of the mucosal surface of the intestines, that results in severe diarrhea and is caused by Shigella bacteria. It has a 1-4 day incubation period. It is a contagious infection, occurs in epidemics and occurs more frequently in the summer and fall. The infection is spread by contact with feces…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Diarrhea, Acute Common Name: None Specified Description: Diarrhea is an increase in the frequency of bowel movements, or increased stool liquidity or increase in the volume. Normally, stool is 60 to 90 percent water: diarrhea mainly results when the percentage exceeds 90. Diarrhea is considered to be acute, when there is passage of three or more loose stools in a 24 hour period, and lasts…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Diverticulosis, Diverticulitis Common Name: None Specified Description: Divertculosis is the presence of small, sac-like swellings or pouches (diverticula) in the walls of the large intestine. Diverticula may appear anywhere in the large intestine but they are most common in the sigmoid colon, the last part of the large intestine before the rectum. A diverticula bulges at a point of weakness, usually where an artery penetrates…

General Illness Information Common Name: DERMATITIS, CONTACT Medical Term: Non-specified Description: Acute or chronic skin irritation caused by direct contact with an external substance (chemical or allergen) that causes an inflammatory reaction in the skin. It is a very common skin condition . Lesions are most often on exposed parts. Causes: In about 80% of the cases, it is due to excessive exposure to soaps, detergents and organic solvents. Others…

General Illness Information Common Name: ECZEMA (Dermatitis, atopic) Medical Term: Eczema Description: It is a chronic, itchy inflammation of the upper layers of the skin. May be associated with other allergic disorders, such as asthma or hay fever and may have family members with these conditions. There are 3 phase: Infantile phase – birth to two years; Childhood phase – two years to puberty;  Adult phase – after puberty. It…

General Illness Information Common Name: Cushing’s Disease, Cushing’s syndrome. Medical Term: Cushing’s Disease, Cushing’s syndrome Description: Clinical abnormalities associated with chronic exposure to excessive amounts of cortisol. Causes: The most frequent cause is prolonged use of  steroid medications (Cortisone, or ACTH) Other causes: ACTH-secreting pituitary tumor Ectopic ACTH production (e.g., small-cell carcinoma of lung, bronchial carcinoid) Endogenous ACTH-independent hypercortisolism: Adrenal adenoma Adrenal carcinoma Macro/micro nodular hyperplasia of the adrenal gland….

General Illness Information Common Name: Cystic Fibrosis Medical Term: Cystic Fibrosis, CF Description: An inherited disease of the exocrine glands, primarily affecting the Gastro-intestinal and respiratory systems, and usually characterized by chronic obstructive lung disease, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and abnormally high sweat electrolytes. Causes: Autosomal recessive genetic defect. Prevention: In prenatal situations Genetic counseling; Prenatal diagnosis for future pregnancies. For complications: For respiratory infections – maintain pertussis and measles immunity;…

General Illness Information Medical Term: CYSTITIS IN FEMALES Common Name: Bladder Infection Description: A common problem in women who are otherwise healthy. Caused by inflammation or infection of the urinary bladder. It is particularly common during the reproductive years.  3-8% of women have bacteriuria at any given time and 30% of females have at least one urinary tract infection (UTI). Causes: Commonest cause is bacteria in the vagina that travel to…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Multiple Sclerosis Common Name: None Specified Description: Chronic, slowly progressive, neurological disease characterized by myelin loss in the brain and spinal cord, causing neurological symptoms. Myelin is the tissue that covers the brain and the spinal cord. It usually begins in young adulthood (ages 20 to 40), is more common in females, and is more prevalent in cooler climates. A third of all affected patients have…

General Illness Information Medical Term: Muscular Dystrophy Common Name: None Specified Description: A group of inherited muscular disorders, especially of the extremities, pelvis, and hips.  It is characterized by progressive muscle weakness.  It typically presents in boys aged 3 to 7 years. There are 9 forms of Muscular Dystrophy, with the major 2 being Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy and Becker’s Muscular Dystrophy.  These are inherited through the X-chromosome, affect only males,…