Tropical viral infections

Viral Tropical Infections

© 2005 The Medicine Publishing Company Ltd 18 MEDICINE 33:7 Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes. It causes more illness and death than any other arboviral infection, and its control is a priority for the WHO. Dengue viruses are flaviviruses closely related to yellow fever virus and Japanese encephalitis virus. There are four serotypes (1, 2, 3 and 4). Infection with one seroty...

Studies on Avian Viral Infections in Iran

Protozoal Tropical Infections

© 2005 The Medicine Publishing Company Ltd 50 MEDICINE 33:8 Different species of the protozoan Trypanosoma are of similar appearance (Figure 1), and all are termed ‘kinetoplastids’ because they move using a flagellum that obtains energy from a mitochondrion called a plastid. However, trypanosomes also differ in many ways, including aspects of their molecular and cellular biology, their transmis...

Bacterial Tropical Infections

© 2005 The Medicine Publishing Company Ltd 31 MEDICINE 33:7 Diphtheria is caused by superficial infection of the respiratory tract or skin with toxin-producing strains of the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The organisms do not actively invade deep tissue or the blood, but multiply locally, producing diphtheria toxin. This results in necrosis of the mucosal cells and production of a thic...

Tropical Gastrointestinal Infections

Diarrhoea and vomiting syndromes lasting less than two weeks are classified as acute gastroenteritis. In healthy individuals, who receive adequate rehydration therapy, the disease is generally self-limiting. It is an extremely common syndrome in the developing world and a major cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in infants and young children. The clinical features in association wit...