DYSENTERY.

BACILLARY DYSENTERY. This infection of the large intestine is caused by bacteria of the shigella group. The severity of the condition depends on the organisms involved. It…

TYPHOID FEVER.

This type of enteritis is caused by the bacterium salmonella typhi,ingested in contaminated food and water. As human are it’s only host,it is acquired from an…

ÀPPENDICITIS.

The lumen of the appendix is very small and there is little room for swelling when it becomes inflamed. The initial cause of inflammation is…

PEPTIC ULCERATION.

Ulceration involves the full thickness of the gastrointestinal mucosa. It is caused by disruption of the normal balance between the corrosive effect of gastric juice…

ACUTE GASTRITIS

This is usually a response to irritant drugs or alcohol. The drugs most commonly implicated are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including aspirin,even at low doses,although many…

EDEMA/OEDEMA.

In oedema,excess tissue fluid accumulates,causing swelling. It may occur either in superficial tissues or deeper organs. SITES OF OEDEMA. When oedema is present in the…

GIGANTISM AND ACROMEGALY.

The most common cause  is prolonged hypersecretion of growth hormone(GH),usually by a hormone-secreting pituitary tumour. The conditions are only occasionally due to excess growth hormone…

CYSTITIS.

This is inflammation of the bladder and may be due to: Upward spread of microbes that are commensals of the bowel from the perineum via…

GLAUCOMA.

This is a group of conditions in which intraocular pressure rises due to impaired drainage of aqueous fluid through the scleral venous sinus(canal of Schlemm)…

CEREBRAL HYPOXIA.

Hypoxia may be due to: Disturbances in the autoregulation of blood supply to the brain. Conditions affecting cerebral blood vessels. When the main blood pressure…

SPLENOMEGALY DISORDER.

This is enlargement of the spleen,and is usually secondary to other conditions,eg.infections,circulatory disorder,blood diseases,malignant neoplasms. INFECTIONS. The spleen may be infected by blood-borne microbes or…

LYMPHOMAS.

These are malignant tumours of lymphoid tissue and are classified as either Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. HODGKIN’S DISEASE. In this disease there is progressive,painless enlargement…

LYMPHADENITIS.

Acute lymphadenitis(acute infection of lymph nodes)is usually caused by microbes transported in lymph from other areas of infection. The nodes become inflamed,enlarged and congested with…

HEART BLOCK.

Heart block occurs when normal impulse transmission is blocked or impaired. A common form involves obstruction of impulse transmission through the AV node, but conducting…

ARTERIOSSCLEROSIS.

This is a progressive degeneration of arterial walls,associated with ageing and accompanied by hypertension. In large and medium-sized arteries,the tunica media is infiltrated with fibrous…

PULSE.

The pulse is a wave of distension and elongation felt in an artery each time the left ventricle ejects blood into the system. Each contraction…

CERVICAL CARCINOMA.

Dysplastic changes,referred to as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN) begin in the deepest layer of the cervical epithelium,usually at the junction of the stratified squamous epithelium of…

GOUT

This condition is more prevalent in males than females and there is a familial tendency. It is caused by the deposition of sodium urate crystals…

OSTEOARTHRITIS.

This is a degenerative non-inflammatory disease that results in pain and restricted movement of affected joints. OSTEOARTHRITIS  is the more appropriate name but less commonly…

POLYARTHRITIS.

Polyartritis means inflammation of more than one joint. This group of autoimmune inflammatory arthritic diseases has many characteristics similar to rheumatoid arthritis but the rheumatoid…

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.

This is a chronic progressive inflammatory autoimmune disease mainly affecting peripheral synovial joints. It is a systematic disorder in which inflammatory changes affect not only…

OSTEOPOROSIS.

In this condition,bone density( the amount of bone tissue) is reduced because it’s deposition does not keep pace with resorption. Although the bone is adequately…

HYPERSENSITIVITY(ALLERY)

Allergy is powerful immune response to an antigen (allergen). The allergen itself is usually harmless (eg. house dust,animal dander,grass pollen). It is therefore usually the…

RENAL CALCULI.

Calculi(stones) form in the kidneys and bladder when urinary constituents normally in solution are precipitated. The solutes involved are usually oxalates and phosphates. Most originated…

NEPHROTIC SYNDROME.

This is not a disease in itself but is an important feature of several kidney diseases. The main characteristics are: Marked proteinuria. Hypoalbuminemia. Generalised oedema….

LIVER FAILURE.

This occurs when liver function is markedly impaired. It can be acute or chronic and may be the outcome of a wide variety of disorders,eg,…

HERNIAS

A hernia is a protrusion of an organ or part of an organ through a weak point or aperture in the surrounding structures. In those…

ADDISON’S DISEASE.

This is due to hyposecretion of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid hormones. The most common causes are development of autoantibodies to cortical cells,metastatic tumours and infections. Autoimmune…

PNEUMONIA

Pneumonia means infection of the alveoli. This occurs when protective processes fail to prevent inhaled or blood- borne microbes reaching and colonising the lungs. PREDISPOSING…

Emphysema

PULMONARY EMPHYSEMA. This usually develops as a result of long- term inflammatory conditions of irritation of the airways, eg in smokers or coal miners. Occasionally,it…

TUBERCULOSIS

This infection is caused by one of two similar forms of mycobacteria,the main one being mycobacterium tuberculosis. Humans are the main host. The microbes cause…

ASTHMA

Asthma is a common inflammatory disease of the airways associated with episodes of reversible over-reactivity of the airway smooth muscle. The mucous membranes and muscle…

DIABETES MELLITUS

This is the most common endocrine disorder and usually occurs when there is deficiency or absence of insulin or rarely impairment of insulin activity. Varying…

BRONCHIAL CARCINOMA

Primary bronchial carcinoma is a very common malignancy. The vast majority of cases in smokers and or those who inhale other people’s smoke( passive smokers)….

SHOCK

This occurs when the metabolic needs of cells are not being met because of inadequate blood flow. In effect,there is a reduction in circulatory blood…

EMOTIONAL PAIN

  Emotional pain is a complex issue impacting mental and physical health.Emotional pain is a type of distress that’s linked not a physical cause but…

PRE ECLAMPSIA

  Pre eclampsia is a serious medical condition that occur about midway through pregnancy (after 20 weeks ). People with pre eclampsia experience high blood…

PNEUMONIA

Is a form of acute respiratory infection that is most commonly caused by viruses or bacteria . Pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection…

ARTHRITIS

Gout is a painful condition caused by excess uric acid in the body. It’s characterized by sudden ,severe attack of pain ,swelling ,redness and tenderness…

CHICKEN POX

Chicken pox ,also called varicella ,is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella – zooster virus .This virus is a member of the herpes…

DIABETES

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin…

GONORRHOEA

Gonorrhoea is a preventable and curable sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium (Neisseria gonorrhoea),which is primarily transmitted through vaginal,oral or anal sex.Gonorrhoea is a…

SYPHILIS

Syphilis is a preventable and curable bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI).If untreated,it can cause serious health issues .Many people with syphilis do not have symptoms…

HEALTHY DIET

A healthy diet helps to protect against malnutrition in all it’s forms,as well as non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including diabetes ,heart disease,stroke and cancer. Unhealthy diet…