...African sleeping sickness is a parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma protozoa that is passed to humans through a bite of the tsetse fly. They are large biting flies that populate much of the tropical parts in Africa. A bite from a tsetse fly is usually painful and most likely will develop into a red sore, they are also referred as a chancre. Fever, irritability, extreme fatigue, severe headaches, swollen lymph nodes, and aching muscles and joints are common symptoms of sleeping sickness. Some people may develop a skin rash in the infected area. Progressive confusion, personality changes, and other neurologic problems that occur after an a infection has invaded the central nervous system. If it is left untreated the infection will become...
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...African Trypanosomiasis is a systemic parasitic disease, which is caused by a protozoan Trypanosoma brucei and is transmitted to humans and animals by the bite of the tsetse flies which obtained the infection from humans and animals. Also known as African Sleeping Sickness, it is one of the most significant and abandoned tropical infections. Discovered in Africa during the period of 1894 – 1910, African Trypanosomiasis was identified by Sir David Bruce, Joseph Everett Dutton, Aldo Castellani, J.W.W. Stephens and H.B. Phantham. This infection occurs in two forms, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. “During the period of 1894 – 1910, the cause of the sleeping sickness in humans and cattle was discovered. David Bruce identified trypanosomes in the blood of affected cattle and established that healthy game animals were host reservoirs of the disease. Trypanosoma brucei was identified in 1899 and in 1902 Joseph Everett Dutton along with Robert Ford were first to identify Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in a European patient. In 1903, working along with Bruce, Aldo Castellani identified trypanosomes in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with sleeping sickness. In 1910, J.W.W. Stephens and H.B. Phantham first described Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (3).” Trypanosoma brucei is the protozoan that causes West African Sleeping Sickness and East African Sleeping Sickness. T. brucei has antigentic variations. Thus, by the time the body builds...
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...In the article called, "Sleeping sickness parasite has a weak spot in its tail," written by Catherine Brahic was an acknowledging article. I have learned a lot about sleeping sickness. What I have learned from this article was that sleeping sickness which is also known as the African sleeping sickness is a parasitic disease of people and animals. Sleeping sickness is caused by an infection in the brain and spinal cord. This disease develops slowly and if treatment is delayed, it usually proves to be fatal (Dr. Charlie Easmon). Catherine Brahic has stated that about 50,000 people in African have died every year due to the sleeping sickness. Scientists have found a way to attack the sleeping sickness parasite by weakening its "tail." Imagine a disease that starts with a fly's bite and ends in death? This disease is caused by tsetse flies. Once it has given humans their bite it run through the human's bloodstream. Flagellate reproduces in the bloodstream and can also migrate into the nervous system. Keith Gull at the University of Oxford, UK, and his colleagues have made a surprising discovery: flagella also play a crucial role in Trypanosoma brucei cell division (Roxanne Khamsi).Trypanosoma brucei can last several years until it finally develops into a coma. If the nervous system is affected, the patient can no longer be cured and eventually dies. These diseases, which only affect people in poor countries has to come to a stop it has become a huge issue in these countries where...
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...1. INTRODUCTION Tse-tse flies have been recognized to be the sole vector of the cyclical transmission of trypanosome, the causative agent of African animal trypanosommiasis (AAT) or nagana in livestock and sleeping sickness or Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) in humans (Simarro et al.., 2003). (Moloo 1993) places the number of species and subspecies of tse-tse fly at 31 and are under the genus Glossina of the family Glossinidae (Buxton 1955). Of this number only 8-10 species are considered to be of economic importance (Vreysen et al…, 2012). Tse-tse flies are said to occur in 38 African countries covering up to 40% of the continent (almost 10 million km2) (Adly el at.., 2012). Amongst these countries, the Human sleeping sickness is caused...
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...Even though he “is sympathetic to those who would use genetic engineering to alleviate sickness”, former biologist and Human Genetics Alert director David King believes that “genetic engineering is a risky endeavor with no assurance of safety”. Gene altering can be tested on rats and monkeys millions of times but how it will affect a human will not be known until you actually test it on one. Also, not everyone is the same. Messing with someone’s genetic makeup could produce negative effects. There are even negative effects considered in the novel Brave New World. One of the main characters, Lenina, is a vaccination worker at the Hatchery and Conditioning Centre and after having a stressful day “she...couldn’t remember” if she had given one of the embryos “its sleeping sickness injection” (Huxley 187). After one person’s careless mistake, it caused a helpless person to be vulnerable to the African sleeping sickness disease. People would have to be able to determine how genes will be altered effectively and without error. Machines break down and people make mistakes so how would this be...
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...“TOXOPLASMOSIS” (toxoplasma gondii) Definition: Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. The infection is most commonly acquired from contact with cats and their feces or with raw or undercooked meat. Causative Agent: Toxoplasma Gondii, protozoan Means of Transmission: Orally and congenitally Reservoirs: Cats (preferred reservoir), birds and mammals (intermediate host), Humans (intermediate host) Diagnosis: "Fecal exams [in cats] are essentially useless, since the eggs they shed are only present in the feces for the first 2-3 weeks" (1). "The current lab test only indicates exposure to toxoplasmosis not the presence of an active infection." (1). "The history, signs of illness, and the supportive laboratory tests" will lead to a diagnosis (2). "A presumptive diagnosis may be made by demonstration of a fourfold or greater increase in antibody titers" (2). The uses of ELISA, western blot and latex agglutination tests have reliable results (4). Mainly the only people that really need to be tested for this disease are AIDS patients, immunosuppressed, and infants at birth. Symptoms: "Respiratory involvement is common in cats with both primary and secondary forms of the disease" (1). Fever, malaise, weight loss, and lack of appetite are common symptoms of this form (1). You have these symptoms in addition to vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal lymph node enlargement (1). Signs of Disease: The disease can become latent. All...
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... | | | African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness as many call it is a parasitic disease that can be contracted by either human or animals. The disease is transmitted by the tsetse fly which can be found all over Africa but the ones contaminated with the disease are found in region of sub-Saharan Africa. The disease has been said to have been in Africa since way back in the 14th century and one of the first epidemics that was recorded happened in 1901 in which a "devastating epidemic had erupted in Uganda, killing more than 250,000 people, about two-thirds of the population in the affected lake-shore areas" (CDC). According to the World Health Organization the disease covers 36 countries and 60 million people. The majority of the affected population live in remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa with little access to health care clinics which is why in these rural area the disease often goes untreated and misdiagnosed. The distribution of African trypanosomiasis is related to where the Tsetse fly lives which happens to be many parts of Africa. Not all species of Tsetse flies transmit the disease and there is no explanation of why...
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...safeness. Chagas uses vector control which is a pyrethroid insecticide around areas of infected. The strategy of SAFE for Trachoma is very cost-effective costing about six dollars a person for surgery. The strategy for Chagas, pyrethroid insecticide, cost about thirty seven dollars for infected zones. Both of these strategies are very cost-effective for a large range of affected population. There are current and ongoing research of cost-effective ways for both Chagas and Trachoma. The government and health organizations are finding new ways to prevent less DALYs. Unfortunately, many other tropical diseases aren’t as successful as Chagas and Trachoma. The prevention efforts of other tropical disease like Dengue, Leishmansiasis, and African Trypanosomiasis aren’t as successful as Chagas and Trachoma due to ineffective and costly efforts. Dengue isn’t as...
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...Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness, is a neglected vector-borne tropical disease occurring in 36 sub-Saharan African countries. The disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei which is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tsetse fly. Once injected, the parasite begins its life cycle and transforms into bloodstream trypomastigotes that swims around freely in tissue fluids unlike other protozoan parasites that typically invade the host cells. The disease present itself in two stages, the first haemeo-lymphatic stage where the trypanosomes proliferate in blood, lymph and subcutaneous tissues and a second meningo-encephalic stage where the parasite crosses the blood-brain barrier and infects the central nervous system (CNS). Since the second stage of the disease causes irreversible damage to the CNS and is lethal if left untreated, it is essential that diagnosis is made as early as possible. However, because of the complex clinical manifestation of HAT, diagnosis and treatment is very difficult. There are currently only four registered drugs available to treat the disease; suramin, pentamidine, eflornithine and melarsoprol, all of which are associated with different levels of toxicity....
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...The European Colonization of Africa In the late 20th century Africa was forcefully conquered and colonized by Europe. The accounts of this horrific colonization are revealed in Adam Hochschild's "King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa," which unveils the brutal nature of Belgium's conquest and colonization of the central African country Congo. This conquest began with Belgian King Leopold II, who grew up with minimal expressions of love and affection from his family. His emotional void was filled with an obsession for colonies and money. His thirst for expanding his own Belgian empire grew strong. He learned as much as one could about colonization and profit, and when he realized that no colonies were available for purchase, he knew he must use force. His eyes were set on Africa. "Only in Africa could Leopold hope to achieve his dream of seizing a colony, especially one immensely larger than Belgium" (Hochschild 61). As one of the greatest conquests in world history, along with the Jewish holocaust which killed 11 million people, the European conquest of Africa killed over 10 million people cutting the population of the Congo by at least half (Hochschild 233). In thoroughly understanding this tragic event in history, it is important to explore why Europe conquered and colonized Africa, how this conquer was accomplished, and Africa's response to it. Greed was at the center of King Leopold's European conquest and colonization of Africa...
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...Why zombie apocalypse preparedness is a valid pursuit By Kamau Chukwueneka We live in an increasingly unpredictable world. In this world there could at any time be a moment at which quick judgments and prior planning could easily mean the difference between life and death. One of the most inglorious types of “possible” disasters is the almost mythical Zombie Apocalypse. While there are a number of different origin stories and premises that herald the end of the human race one thing is absolutely clear. In the event of a zombie pandemic the only sure thing is multitudes of deaths, confusion, and probable anarchy. Even though the popular zombie archetypes probably fictional creatures and some say due to that fact it’s unnecessary to prepare for them, I would offer the idea that it would be better to be prepared for a possible fictional zombie apocalypse rather than ignore potential danger to ourselves and loved ones. As the Boy Scout motto goes, “Always be prepared.” Considering the fact that there are a number of diseases and man-made substances which closely resembles the results of the zombie pandemic on the human body I would say that it’s quite possible that there is potential for the eventual tragedy. For example there’s the situation that took place recently in Florida involving a man behaving erratically, running around naked under the haze of delusions and anxiety leading him to attack and eat another man’s face. This event was attributed to the use of a synthetic...
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...Microbiology Homework Assignment – Microbial/Bacteria/Viral Diseases Directions: Answer each question. Be sure to answer the ENTIRE question. See numbers in parentheses ( ) for point values. You must handwrite your answers in the space provided. In addition to answering the questions, you will be graded 5 points based on the neatness of your submitted work (including your handwriting). If I cannot read the answer, you will get 0 points for the question. If you use another source (website, journal article, etc.) to help you answer a question, you must cite it. 1. Name and describe the 3 types of symbiosis. (6) * Mutualism- a relationship between two species of organisms in which both benefit from the association. * Commensalism- a type of relationship between two species of a plant, animal, fungus, etc., in which one lives with, on, or in another without damage to either. * Parasitism- a relation between organisms in which one lives as a parasite on another. 2. Pick one of the types of symbiosis and find an example and describe it (using your textbook or the internet). (2) * Example of Commensalism: Remarkable cases occur of commensalism between certain crabs and sea-anemones, and they betoken much intelligence. 3. You want to prove that the Mycoplasma bacterium is the cause of tuberculosis. Describe how you would prove this using Koch’s postulates. (4) * The microorganism or other pathogen must be present in all cases of disease ...
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...Adlerian Approach with Abby Sylvia Montalvo Walden University Adlerian Approach with Abby The therapeutic approach in the case profile of a client named Abby after an assessment is given, and a summary is developed based on the information collected is the Adlerian approach. According to the COUN 6722 study notes, Abby is a 57 year-old African American women who came into the office seeking counseling. Abby works part-time as a free-lance editor. Abby has a bachelor’s degree in literature. Abby is married to her husband Ron who was diagnosed two months ago. Abby has a difficult time accepting that her husband was diagnosed with cancer (Walden University, 2012). She cannot cope with the situation, therefore Ron’s brother is the one who takes him to have his treatments, and to his doctor’s appointments. Abby is depressed, and spends her time crying, sleeping, has lost her appetite, and feels fatigued. She feels guilty that she is not supportive toward her husband (Walden University, 2012). Abby has always believed to be hopeless throughout her life. She has low self-esteem, and believes that everyone around her has a better life than she does, though she has lived comfortably. Abby has expressed that she suffered from migraine headaches in her twenties, which has become worse over the years (Walden University, 2012). Doctors have prescribed medications for the migraines, which has not been effective. Abbey claims that she drinks alcohol two...
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...Culture-bound syndrome The term culture-bound syndrome was included in the fourth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) which also includes a list of the most common culture-bound conditions (DSM-IV: Appendix I). Included in DSM-IV-TR (4th.ed) the term cultural-bound syndrome denotes recurrent, locality-specific patterns of abnormal behavior and troubling experience that may or may not be linked to a particular DSM-IV-TR diagnostic category. Many of these patterns are naturally considered to be illnesses, or at least afflictions, and most have local names. Although presentations conforming to the major DSM-IV-TR categories can be found throughout the world, the particular symptoms, course, and social response are very often influenced by local cultural factors. In contrast, cultural-bound syndromes are generally limited to specific societies or culture areas and are localized, folk, diagnostic categories that frame coherent meanings for certain repetitive, patterned, and troubling sets of experiences and observations. In medicine, a culture-specific syndrome or culture-bound syndrome is a combination of psychiatric and somatic symptoms that are considered to be a recognizable disease only within a specific society or culture. There are no objective biochemical or structural alterations of body organs or functions, and the disease is not recognized in other cultures. While a substantial portion of mental...
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...southeastern Zambia. In the 18th century, Portuguese explorers following the routes of Swahili-Arab slavers from the coast into the interior became the first known European visitors. After the Zulu nation to the south began scattering its neighbors, victims of the Difaqane (forced migration) began arriving in Zambia in the early 19th century. Squeezed out of Zimbabwe, the Makalolo people moved into southern Zambia, pushing the Tonga out of the way and grabbing Lozi territory on the upper Zambezi River. Zambia is a land locked country with a population 12,935,368. Kenneth Kaunda, a militant former schoolteacher, took over the leadership of the Africans from the more moderate Nkumbula and in 1959 formed a new party, the United National Independence Party (UNIP). Following a massive civil disobedience campaign in 1962, Africans were given a larger voice in the affairs of the protectorate. On 24 October 1964 Northern Rhodesia became independent as the Republic of Zambia, with Kaunda as its first president; he was reelected in 1968 and 1973. The main problems faced by Kaunda in the first decade of independence were uniting Zambia's diverse peoples, reducing European control of the economy, and coping with white-dominated Southern...
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