Ch. 10 Pathology

Tetanus

An acute bacterial disease also known as lockjaw. Bacteria found in soil, house dust, and both animals and humans. Can stay alive in soil more than 40 years. The spores enter the body through an open wound and attack the CNS by interfering with neural transmission. Onset 2 days and 2 months. Tetanic muscle contraction, starts near site of wound.

Typhus

An acute infectious disease transmitted to humans by fleas and lice. Rare, variety of rickettsia bacteria. Fleas from flying squirrel. Fever, headache, joint pain, abdominal pain, flu like symptoms, cough, nausea, vommitting, lasting about 2-3 weeks. Can cause CNS problems and death but usually treated.

Diphtheria

An acute infectious disease, very rare. Toxins create a reaction with the lining of the tonsils, pharynx, or nasal cavity that causes a characteristic pseudomembrane to form across the pharynx that can prevent breathing. Spreads through respiratory droplets. 2-5 days onset cough, fever, chills, blocking of airway. Vaccine.

Mumps

An acute, viral infection usually affecting children. Caused by paramyxovirus which is transmitted through respiratory droplets from an infected person who coughs or sneezes or through contact with urine, touching contaminated toys or surfaces. Onset of 12 to 25 days. Disease can last from a few days to a few weeks the most infectious stage is 3 days before the onset of the parotitis and 5 days after. Fever, fatigue, muscle aching, and loss of appetite.

Hantaviruses

Are RNA viruses transmitted by infected rodents or with rodent urine or feces. Most commonly is contracted when sweeping and inhale dust. In the US the disease is called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HPS is rare but deadly form. Hemorrhagic fever, kidney damage, pulmonary symptoms, and death. Incubation is 1 to 5 weeks. Fatigue, fever, headache, dizziness, pain in abdomen, low back, and lower extremities, hypoxia, hypotesion, SOB, cough, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. More than 50% of people infected die from respiratory failure.

Alcoholic hepatitis signs and symptoms

Ascites, nausea, fever, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, dry mouth, pallor, rapid and unexplained weight gain, trachycardia, anemia, confusion, hypertension, varices, bleeding in GI tract.

Gonorrhea

Bacterial STD, curable. Urethritis in men, and cervicitis in women. Urethritis starts with burning and whitish discharge upon urination and progresses to painful with yellowish, greenish discharge. Women signs and symptoms may go unnoticed and can lead to internal abscesses and infertility.

Syphilis

Bacterial STD, transmitted through contact with the open sores. Also called genital herpes. If undetected and untreated after a year a reddish brownish rash will appear on palms of hands and soles of feet and is also contagious. Can affect the nervous system. Life threatening without diagnosis and treatment.

Hepatitis B (HBV)

Can be viable up to 7 days outside of the body through body fluids. Is a DNA virus, blood borne pathogen, sexual contact. Can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months from contamination to develop. Loss of appetite, low-grade fever, joint and muscle pains and aches, and possible skin rash. Damage to liver from infection can lead to jaundice. Usually only a few weeks if acute.

Nosocomial infections

Causes are bacteria, viruses and fungi. Hospital-aquired infections. Fever, skin rash, fatigue and general malaise, and trachycardia.

Meningitis

Causes can be from viruses, bacteria, fungi, brain tumors, and drug allergies. Inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord. Lasts up to 2 weeks. Viral less severe, bacterial more severe. Fever, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, severe headaches, stiffness in neck, altered levels of consciousness, seizures, trachypnea, agitation, opisthotonus, and reduced appetite.

Varicella

Chickenpox. Is a common, highly infectious viral disease. Infection with the herpes zoster virus. Onset is 10 to 21 days. Highly contagious 2 days before rash and 5 days after. Transmitted through respiratory droplets or by contact with open rash. Mild fever, anorexia, cough, runny nose, sore throat, general malaise and rash.

Rocky mountain spotted fever

Eastern US, rickettsia bacteria transmitted through rocky mountain wood tick bites. Flu like symptoms and a rash that will appear after several weeks on the wrists and ankles. Long term complications include gangrene, loss of bladder control, movement disorders, hearing loss, and even paralysis of the LEs. Neuro symptoms encephalis, seizures, cranial nerve damage, blindness, and deafness. Most prevalent between april and september.

Influenza

Flu, an acute viral disease affecting the upper respiratory tract. Droplet disease. Infectious from 1 day before start of symptoms to 5 days after symptoms. Wild birds can transmit virus A. The types are constantly changing and require constant vaccinations. Cough, high fever, sore throat, dyspnea, muscle aching, headache, diarrhea and vomiting, and general debility

Botulism

Food poisoning. Can be found in improperly canned, bottled, and prepared food. Onset ranges from 6 hours to 10 days. Abdominal cramping, double vision, dry mouth, nausea, respiratory problems. PT for weakness after recovery.

Rubella

German measles. Viral infectious disease that can cause fetal damage if contracted by woman during 20th week of pregnancy. Droplet disease, onset is 14 to 23 days infectious 1 week before rash and 1 week after. Fever, headache, lymphadenopathy (cervical), runny nose, conjunctivitis, pink and red dots on the face spreading to the trunk and limbs.

Toxic shock syndrome

Has been linked with many kinds of bacteria including pneumonia, osteomyelitis, and skin and gynecological infections, as well as infections from the use of tampons in women. High fever, hypotension, trachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias, diarrhea with abdominal pain, vomiting, sore throat, altered mental status including confusion, headaches, arthralgia and myalgia, and a body rash.

Variola signs and symptoms

High fever, severe headaches, and backaches, and a rash that starts off pink or red and turns into pus filled spots which then crust over, vomiting, severe diarrhea, hemorrhage, and extreme fatigue. Sometimes necrosis of organs such as intestines and lungs. 30% mortality.

Coryza

Irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose

Alcoholic hepatitis

Is a chronic and serious condition of the liver from extreme alcohol intake, women are more susceptible than men. The damage to the liver is caused by acetaldehyde one of the toxic by-products of the breakdown of alcohol by the liver.

Legionellosis

Is a respiratory disease and type of pneumonia, incubation is 2 and 14 days. Contaminated water droplets inhaled into lungs. High fever, chills, productive cough, headache and muscle ache. Milder form is called pontiac fever.

Malaria

Is a serious infectious disease transmitted by plasmodium parasite via the female anopheles mosquito. In subtropical climates such as mexico, south america, africa, and india. The parasites grow in the liver of the human. Incubates 6 to 10 days. Fever, chills, profuse sweating, GI disturbances, dizziness, back ache, muscle and joint pains, and cough. Complications include kidney failure, anemia, and cerebral malarial infection.

Hepatitis C (HCV)

Is a viral infection affecting the liver. Is an RNA virus transmitted by infected blood. Incubation period is approximately 6 or 7 weeks. Reduction of appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain and TTP over liver, muscle and joint pain. At risk for liver failure if chronic and can lead to death. PTA can help with arthritis or fibromyalgia.

Hepatitis A (HAV)

Is an acute liver diease also known as traveler's disease because it is prevalent in underdeveloped countries where sewage treatment facilities are nonexistent or poor. Is an RNA virus transmitted through contact with body fluids, feces, and ingestion of contaminated food and drinking water. The disease can transmit infection several months outside of the body and self incubates within 28 days.

Plague

Is an infectious bacterial disease infecting humans and animals. Most occurrences in new mexico, northern arizona, southern colorado and cali, nevada, and oregon. Can be transmitted from bite from infected animal or bite from infected animal flea. Swollen lymph nodes then become inflamed, necrotic and hemorrhagic. Fever, headaches, delirium, trachycardia, and meningitis. Can spread to internal organs.

Arthralgia

Joint pain.

Most common Nosocomial infections

MRSA, strep, ecoli, antrococci, and more.

Rubeola

Measles, highly infectious viral disease, RNA virus. Spread through droplets in air by coughing and sneezing. Replicates in lymph nodes then spreads throughout body. Onset 7 to 21 days , infectious period is 4 days before the rash and 4 days after it first appeared. Cant be vaccinated until 12 months old. Bright red skin rash, fever, photophobia, cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis.

HPV

Most common STD, 6 and 11 cause warts, and 16 and 18 cause cancer.

Rabies

Most common animals with rabbies include raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. Transmitted from the saliva of an infected animal. The disease then travels up to the brain along the nerve pathways and then spreads throughout the whole nervous system then affects the salivary glands and then they can spread infection. Symptoms start 3 to 7 weeks after bite. Flu like symptoms, mental confusion, paralysis, hallucinations, difficulty swallowing, hypersalivation, hydrophobia. Once it affects the brain, the disease is fatal.

Infectious mononucleosis

Most commonly found in teenagers and young adults. In europe and UK it is called glandular fever. Known as the "kissing disease" an acute disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or the cytomegalovirus. Incubation is 4-6 weeks. In the body for life, in dormant stage is thought to play a part in Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngleal carcinoma. Fever, sore throat, loss of appetite, headache, general feelings of fatigue, muscle aching and stiffness, swollen lymph nodes, sometimes rash.

West nile virus

Potentially serious viral infection affecting humans, mammals, and birds. Group of flavivirus, incubation period of 2-14 days. Only 20% of people infected actually develop symptoms fever, headache, stiff neck, and occasionally swollen lymph nodes. Can advance to neurological problems which PTAs can treat.

Tabes dorsalis

Progressive locomotor a taxia, associated with hands on the healthcare team.

Cytomegalovirus

STD related to herpes. Present in all body fluids, saliva, tears, etc. Close personal contact. Fever, fatigue, joint and muscle pains, sore throat, lymph node swelling, thrombocytopenia, enlarged spleen. If transmitted to baby can lead to low birth weight, small brain, respiratory problems, mental retardation, motor delay and movement coordination deficits, seizures, hearing and vision loss, jaundice, and CNS problems.

Chancroid

STD, incubation is 1-14 days, starts as a pustule that then opens up and turns into an ulcer. Fever, fatigue, inguinal lymph node swelling, may turn into an abscess. Curable.

Chlamydia

STD, transmitted parasite. Goes undetected in 75% of women and 50% of men, can cause PID, pain with urination, abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, low back pain, long term infection can cause infertility. Curable.

Variola

Smallpox, has been erradicated in 1977, but is preserved in labroratories around the world so is a threat for terrorism. Caused by variola virus. The disease is extremely infectious and spread by saliva droplets and by secretions from the skin rash on the bedding and clothing.

Opisthotonos

Spinal contraction as a result of muscle tetany.

AIDS signs and symptoms

Start out fluish, fever, sweating, diarrhea, headaches, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, blurred vision, swollen lymph nodes, SOB, cough, rash, weight loss, weakness, joint arthritis. Can impact neurological system.

Anthrax

The bacteria is commonly found in herbivorous animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and deer. Highly infectious, caused by cutaneous, inhalation, or intestinal. Most infections are caused by handling the meat or products of infected animals such as wool, leather, or meat. When transmitted through a skin lesion, looks like bug bite then develops into ulcer with necrotic center. Start out with cold symptoms then progresses to pulmonary problems. If intestinal, GI problems and systemic shock. Intestinal can be fatal.

Dengue fever

Viral infection transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito. Common in Southeast Asia. 1 person could contract this virus up to 4 times. Incubation period is 3 to 15 days. High fever, bradycardia, hypotension, fatigue, headaches, muscle and joint pain. Can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Most people must be hospitalized and can be fatal.

Yellow fever

Viral infectious disease affecting humans and monkeys. A flavivirus transmitted by several types of mosquitos. The incubation period is from 3 to 6 days. Fever, headache, backache, muscle pains, loss of appetire, nausea, vomiting, slow pulse, jaundice, abdominal pain, kidney problems, severe hepatitis, and hemorrhagic fever with bleeding from the mouth, nose, eyes, and stomach. Either have no symptoms or recover quickly within a few days. 50% die within 10 days and 50% fully recover.

Hepatitis A signs and symptoms

Vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, joint pain, dark colored urine, clay feces, and jaundice.

Pertussis

Whooping cough. Highly infectious bacterial upper respiratory tract infection. The disease main affects children under 2. Caused by gram negative bacteria bordetella pertussis/ parapertussis. Respiratory droplets, onset 4 to 21 days, first stage (catarral) 1-2 weeks cold like symptoms. After 2 weeks, hacking cough (paroxysmal stage) the third stage is the recovery stage and can last for weeks or months.

Diseases transmitted through mosquitos

Yellow fever, malaria, dengue, and west nile fever.