Diseases of Nervous System and the Eyes ( Bacteria, Virus, Parasites)

Leprosy “Hansen’s Disease”

Definition / Signs & Symptoms: Has two types: (1) Tuberculoid leprosy (2) Lepromatous leprosy It mainly affects the skin, mucous membrane, and peripheral nerves

Causative agent: Mycobacterium leprae

Transmissibility: Communicable

Meningitis

Definition / Signs & Symptoms: Involves inflammatory bacterial infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges) ; No specific treatment → Vaccination against some kinds

Causative agent: Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Listeria monocytogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae & Streptococcus pneumoniae

Transmissibility: Communicable

Tetanus “Lockjaw”

Definition / Signs & Symptoms: Rare disease due to widespread immunization. Not transmitted from person to person; Common 1st sign is muscular stiffness in jaw & neck, difficulty in swallowing, rigidly of abdominal muscles, spasms, sweating & fever → Penicillin & active immunization, DTP/ DTaP

Causative agent: Clostridium tetani

Transmissibility: Non-Communicable

Trachoma

Definition / Signs & Symptoms: Communicable disease of the eyes which may be transmitted by towels, handkerchiefs, or fingers.

Causative agent: Chlamydia trachomatis

Transmissibility: Communicable

Equine Viral Encephalitis

Definition / Signs & Symptoms: Rare but serious disease which can cause severe brain inflammation in equids (such as horses and donkeys) and people. Moderate to high mortality → NO Vaccines

Causative agent: Various arboviruses

Transmissibility: Non-Communicable

Poliomyelitis “Infantile Paralysis”

Definition / Signs & Symptoms: More common in infants and young children and occurs under conditions of poor hygiene; No specific treatment → Salk vaccine and Sabin vaccine

Causative agent: Poliovirus

Transmissibility: Communicable

Rabies

Definition / Signs & Symptoms: Fatal, acute viral encephalomyelitis of mammals, w/ mental depression, restlessness, headache, fever, malaise, paralysis, salivation, spasms of throat muscles induced by slight breeze / drinking water, convulsions, & death caused by respiratory failure → Human diploid cell vaccine (HDCV)

Causative agent: Rabies Virus (member of family Rhabdoviridae)

Transmissibility: Non-Communicable

 African trypanosomiasis “African Sleeping Sickness”

Definition / Signs & Symptoms: Early stages include intense headache, insomnia, anemia, local edema, and rash. Later stages include body wasting, falling asleep, coma, and death.

Causative agent: Trypanosoma brucei gambiense &Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense

Transmissibility: Communicable

American trypanosomiasis “Chagas disease”

Definition / Signs & Symptoms: Has acute phase (nodular lesions/furuncles – chagomas (on eyelids), may develop around the vector’s feeding site) and chronic phase (cardiac or gastrointestinal involvement, occasionally occur together; can be fatal)

Causative agent: Trypanosoma cruzi

Transmissibility: Communicable

V: Tsetse Flies

R: Humans, cattle and wild ungulates

Vector & Natural Reservoir  African trypanosomiasis “African Sleeping Sickness”

V: Kissing Bugs

R: Humans, armadillos, opossums, raccoons, woodrats, other rodents, & domestic dogs

Vector & Natural Reservoir of  American trypanosomiasis “Chagas disease”