Giardiasis
Well, phooey! Last week we finally found out that our two new kittens have giardiasis, which is an intestinal infection caused by a parasite–giardia (see photo below…it looks like a harmless balloon with a scary face, but it’s actually a microscope image of this nasty little intestinal parasite)–which can be transmitted to humans, too, especially, eek, those with an immunodeficiency.
Eh. I have to be super careful. And I have been…
How we found out about the giardiasis is a long messy (and smelly!!!) story that I’ll spare you. Luckily, the kittens have responded well to the anti-giard...
Source: Margaret's Corner - November 22, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Margaret Tags: Blogroll Source Type: blogs
Answer to Case 439
Answer:Giardia!This lovely kite by Florida Fan was also identified as:Giardia kitelia, Giardia flier,andGiardia lampshadiaBe sure to check out all of the fantastic parasite creations that were submitted for my 10-year celebration. (Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites)
Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites - March 20, 2017 Category: Parasitology Source Type: blogs
Answer to Case 413
Answer:Giardia duodenalis,akaG. lamblia, G. intestinalisThis uncommon preparation of a common parasite nicely demonstrates how the morphologic features remain apparent despite the unfamiliar stain. As you can see from the images,Giardiatrophozoites are mostly Gram negative, with visible nuclei and flagella. (Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites)
Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites - September 12, 2016 Category: Parasitology Source Type: blogs
Case of the Week 400
Welcome to our 400th Parasite Case of the Week! To celebrate the 400th case, I thought I would dedicate this post to education in parasitology and share with you 5 of my favorite parasite teaching tools.1. Embed arthropods and worms in casting resin, using products purchased at your local arts and crafts store. I've used Castin' Craft in the past, but there are other options out there as well. Here is one of my creations - adult Ixodes scapularis ticks (in different stages of engorgement) in a small petri dish:Embedded arthropods are great for teaching because they are durable (e.g. their legs don't fall off from bein...
Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites - June 14, 2016 Category: Parasitology Source Type: blogs
Test your medicine knowledge: 22-year-old man with diarrhea and weight loss
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 22-year-old man is evaluated for diarrhea and weight loss. The patient has a 3-week history of foul-smelling, large-volume, watery stools associated with abdominal bloating. There is no visible blood or mucus in the stools. He reports a 4.5-kg (10-lb) weight loss, which he attributes to a poor appetite. One month before symptoms developed, he took a 2-week hiking trip along the Appalachian Trail, where he slept in primitive camp sites without running water. His girlfriend, who accompanied him on the trip, is w...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - September 12, 2015 Category: Journals (General) Authors: mksap Tags: Conditions GI Infectious disease Source Type: blogs
50 Cent Origami Microscope for Third-World Diagnostics
No, Curtis James Jackson III didn’t decide to invest in science and sponsor a microscope. It’s an actual microscope that costs around $0.50 USD to produce ($1 for higher magnification), and can be assembled in under 10 minutes. The Foldscope, developed by the Prakash Lab at Stanford University, provides over 2,000X magnification with submicron resolution, weighs 8.8 grams, fits in a pocket, is battery-powered for up to 50 hours on a single button cell, and is rugged enough to withstand being dropped from three stories or being stomped on by a mad scientist’s boot.
Once assembled, the Foldscope is operated...
Source: Medgadget - March 11, 2014 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Ben Ouyang Tags: Diagnostics Genetics Pathology Public Health Source Type: blogs
Post #39 Vomiting and Diarrhea (Gastroenteritis) in Children: A Practical Guide
It certainly looks, sounds and smells awful, but vomiting and diarrhea are rarely dangerous.Vomiting, not to be confused with spitting up, is the expulsion of food from the stomach. Spitting up is more of a laundry problem than a medical problem, and kids who spit up do not become dehydrated. Diarrhea is a little harder to define, because watery stools are fairly common and most healthy individuals will experience it from time to time for reasons which do not qualify as diarrhea.Frequent stools can be normal too, especially in breast-fed babies, who might dirty the diaper every time they feed, up to 12 times a ...
Source: A Pediatrician's Blog - July 13, 2013 Category: Pediatricians Source Type: blogs
Notifiable diseases in the US for 2011
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a summary of notifiable diseases in the US for the year 2011. These statistics are collected and compiled from reports sent by state health departments and territories to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).
According to the CDC, a notifiable disease is one for which regular, frequent, and timely information regarding individual cases is considered necessary for the prevention and control of the disease. The list of nationally notifiable infectious diseases is dynamic, as new diseases are added and others deleted as incidence declines...
Source: virology blog - July 9, 2013 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Information CDC centers for disease control notifiable disease viral virology virus Source Type: blogs
Guest post: Kevin Carpenter on his new microbial photo exhibit at the Exploratorium in SF #SoCool
Special guest post from Kevin Carpenter who has microbe photos featured at the Exploratorium.
One of my colleagues who does research on the microbes that live in the hindguts of lower termites once remarked that interesting organisms can be found in the most unusual of places. And the lower termite hindgut, by almost anyone’s estimation, is certainly an unusual place. It is also a fascinating place for anyone interested in biology, ecology, evolution, biochemistry, or beautiful natural forms and patterns.
Since my undergraduate days in the early 90s, I have had a deep interest in the tree of life, especially eukaryote...
Source: The Tree of Life - April 24, 2013 Category: Medical Scientists Authors: Jonathan Eisen Source Type: blogs
USMLE Questions – Characteristic Disease Findings
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is designed to emphasize knowledge of clinical scenarios and clinical pearls, even on Step I. Listed below are some commonly encountered disease findings and characteristics.
Feature
Disease
45, X chromosome
Turner’s syndrome
5-HIAA increased in urine
Carcinoid syndrome
Aganglionic rectum
Hirschsrpung’s disease
Apple-core sign on barium enema
Colon cancer
Arched back (opisthotonos)
Tetanus
Argyll-Robertson pupil
Syphilis
Ash leaf on forehead
Tuberous sclerosis
Auer rods
Acute myelogenous leukemia
Austin Flint murmur
Aortic regurgitation...
Source: Inside Surgery - January 18, 2013 Category: Surgeons Authors: Editor Tags: Surgpedia USMLE diseases findings VMA water hammer pulse Source Type: blogs
