Lockjaw occurs more in older people, where there is inadequate immunization and in agricultural women in contact with animal manure. Developing countries also have an increasing number of neonatal lockjaw cases because of inadequate immunization of pregnant women.

Tetanus generally spreads in unvaccinated people through contaminated cuts or deep wounds. Even surgical procedures, clean wounds, insect bites, intravenous drug use and dental infections can lead to tetanus in unvaccinated people. However tetanus does not spread from person to person.

Symptoms

Its symptoms include stiffness that starts at the jaw and neck, and progresses to other body parts. The patient experiences difficulty in swallowing, spasms, fever, sweating and rigidity of their abdominal muscles.

While the incubation period for the tetanus bacterium is usually 8 days, it may range from 3 days to 3 weeks. However in case of heavily contaminated wounds, the incubation period is shorter.

Complications

Complications that may arise are vocal cord or respiratory muscle spasms that restrict breathing, spinal or long bone fractures that occur from stiff muscles, abnormal heartbeats, coma, increased blood pressure, an infection, clotting in lung blood vessels and pneumonia. Death may also occur, especially in patients above 60 years of age, and in unvaccinated people.

Treatment options

In case of clean and minor wounds, a tetanus texoid-containinng vaccine is sufficient treatment. However in case of severe wounds, the patient may require a tetanus immune globulin TIG in addition to a vaccine.

Supportive care and therapy may be required to control severe spasms if there is any development in the disease. A tetanus attack does not in any way result in immunity to the disease. There is always a chance of second attacks occurring, so it is better to get immunized after recovery.

There is a new treatment option available for tetanus patients, the TENS unit. This is an instrument with electrodes that emit small, pulsating currents. The unit is placed on the skin near the TMJ joints, wherein this current creates jaw-muscle stimulation, decompresses joints and relaxes muscles.

Tetanus vaccine

The tetanus vaccine, tetanus toxoid has been in use for many years in combination vaccines like DTP and DT. Besides this vaccination at childhood, everyone should get a tetanus booster shot every ten years. It is only through a high level of immunization in the community is it possible to prevent tetanus, and its spread.

Today we would like to speak to you about plague and the various forms associated with it. You would also be told about the symptoms and treatment of plague, so please read on and be well informed for the same.

Types of plagues found around

1. Bubonic Plague is a manifestation of the bacterial disease which is caused when Bacterium Yersinia Pestis attacks. This type of plague is often found around and attacks humans when they are allowed an entry using the human body skin. The infection then makes it way through and reaches the lymphatics; such cases are noticed with patients who suffer from flea borne attacks, say doctors. This bacterial manifestation comes from fleas and rats which use it as a source to survive. Animals and humans can be attacked by this disease from flea bites and rat bites, says a source. If you take a look at the history of plagues since time immemorial, one would find entire civilizations being wiped out due to the disease.
2. Have you heard of the BLACK DEATH PLAGUE, which happened in the mid 1300’s in china? Such a plague affects mostly rats and rodents, but when you have fleas around, the disease can be transmitted to humans and animals as well, through flea bites. When individuals are affected by this plague, others get it as well. Symptoms for the same would be swelling of the lymph glands, fever, etc.

Talking of symptoms here is what we want to share with you

1. Swelling of lymph nodes within three to seven days of the bite from fleas, rats, rodents or even being exposed to bacteria.
2. Fever
3. Headaches
4. Chills in the body
5. Swollen features and
6. Weakness of the body

How does one treat a plague condition?

Once the diagnosis for the plague is done, patients are isolated and the state health officials, local or otherwise should be informed at once. Lab tests should be started on the patient at once, blood samples and cultures should be done and the lymph nodes should be examined as well.

There are certain medicines and antibiotics to be used when plague is detected early, such as gentamycin and streptomycin, which are very effective. If you or someone you know has any of the symptoms mentioned above, it would be wise to rush to the nearest doctor’s clinic and get a diagnosis done. Not that we hope it comes out to be true, we want you to be protected and safe at all times, so prevention is always better than cure. We wish you a happy and a very healthy life ahead.

History:

Leprosy is known to affect people for more than 4000 years. DNA of man found in tombs near Jerusalem was proven of suffering prom leprosy and were dated to 1-50CE. It was in the late 17^th century when leprosy was exploding in the form of an epidemic in countries like England, Norway and Iceland. It has been estimated by “WHO” that around 3, million people were adversely affected by leprosy around the world.

 Causes of Leprosy:

The main cause of leprosy is an agent known as Mycobacterium leprae. It is identified in 2008. This bacterium is intracellular, rod shaped. The bacterium is protected by cell membrane of waxy material. This agent is impossible to develop artificially. However, it has been possible to grow in animals. This method was used in 1960 by the chairman of US Leprosy Panel. Due to the resistance of this bacterium against medication, it is difficult to treat.

Threat factors:

The people living in areas with insufficient living conditions are facing leprosy threat more than others. As this disease is related to an immune system of a person. Therefore, inadequate living circumstance decrease, immune power of the body and can cause leprosy more easily.  These living conditions include a place to live, proper bedding, polluted water and soil, etc.

Prevention:

It has been observed that leprosy can be reduced with medication of rifampicin. However, the vaccination of BCG also prevents leprosy to a great extent. WHO along with efforts from ambassador have provided all progressive and under developed countries with free vaccination between years 1995 and 1999.

Forms of Leprosy:

There are two types of leprosy. These types include lepromatous and tuberculoid. The most server type of leprosy is lepromatous, which has adverse symptoms all over. However, both types are responsible for nerve damage in limbs and weakens muscles. People may lose their limbs as a result of long term leprosy.

Latest treatment for leprosy:

Three medicines have been developed recently to treat the leprosy and fight against the bacterial activity in the body. These medicines include: ofloxacin, Fluoroquinolone and minocycline.

Leprosy can be found in many countries all over the world due to different reason and climate conditions. In United States, there are approximately 100 cases are reported per year. Especially in areas like California, Hawaii, etc. The victim of this disease is needed to be isolated and well treated with medicine as soon as the first symptom of disease is appeared.

Means of Lead poisoning:

There are number of ways in which body can be poisoned with an element of lead. These include:

Polluted Environment:

Lead is common toxic, which can be found in the environment. You can find elements of lead in water, air and soil as well. People living near industrial areas, where industries are related to processing of lead batteries, lead metal recycling, etc.., are normally found lead poisoned. People in China demonstrated against government when around 2000 children were diagnosed as lead poisoned in August 2009.

Soil and water:

Soil containing lead elements is caused of lead poisoning in urban areas. There are a number of reasons for the presence of lead in soil like: use of pesticide, lead containing gasoline, paint residues, etc. Vegetables and fruits acquired from such soil can be sourced of increased lead intake. This soil lead can be consumed by water also. This increased lead in water caused water pollution also.

Hunting:

Normally, people use lead bullets while hunting. When these bullets penetrate the meat of animals, they dissolve lead in the meat. Consumption of this meat causes elevation of lead quantity in the human body.

Similarly using lead oriented products is also a source of lead poisoning. These products include Kohl in south Asia, lead based toys in China and Paint, etc.

Diagnosis of Lead Poisoning:

Lead poisoning can be diagnosed with the help of blood cells and bone structure. Altered structure of blood cells detected by the microscope and in children presence of intense lines within bones  can be detected by X-ray are evidence of increased level of lead in bodies.

Latest cure for Lead poisoning:

The first step in treatment for lead poisoning is the removal of elements of lead from blood. Afterwards with advancement if the field of medicine, doctors use medication for curing the disease. Latest medication used for treatment includes calcium-disodium or EDTA and Succimer or Chemet, which can be self administered also.

Prevention from Lead poisoning:

The basic way to avoid lead poisoning is to prevent from direct contact with lead containing products at the domestic and commercial level. The measures should be made by individual as well as health-related groups and government bodies.  Many authorities have reduced the allowed quantity of lead consumption like US environmental protection agency in October 2008 and Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directives by European Union.

Erectile dysfunction involves a large number of older men produced a negative impact on sexual activity. There are a number of systemic diseases and surgical treatments that may affect it. Its normal functioning requires the coordination of various factors, namely, psychological, hormonal, neurological, vascular, and so on.
Among the male sexual dysfunctions, which are expressed most often after 50 years, there are predisposing factors such as stress, social status, divorce or death of spouse, job loss, health problems, family problems, which, combined with normal physiological aging can produce psychopathological states such as depression.

Erectile dysfunction in men generates anger, disgust and anxiety, negative impact on libido and sexual activity.

Male sexual dysfunction may include:

ejaculatory disorders

The emission of semen from the prostate, seminal vesicles and vas deferens into the urethra and prostatic fluid propulsion antegradely through the urethra, is a complex and highly coordinated mechanism that is premature.

The closure of the bladder neck coincides with the release of fluid into the prostatic urethra prevents backflow, it may appear after some operations (transurethral resection of prostate, for example), neurogenic mechanisms in the diabetic or operations that section sympathetic fibers of the bladder neck.