Parasites

Phonetic exercise: parasite [‘pærəsaits], malaria [mə’leəriə], scabies [‘skeibi:z]

Make a report on parasites according to the plan below:

Ectoparasites: live on the surface of the host. Epiparasite: a parasite that feeds on another parasite. Parasitoids: organisms whose development occurs inside or on the surface of another organism, resulting in the death of the host.

Parasitic diseases: echinococcosis, Lyme disease, malaria, pediculosis, scabies.

FUNGI

Phonetic exercise: yeasts [‘ji:sts], molds [məuldz], pathogenic [,pæθəu’d3enik], fungus [‘fΛŋgəs], fungi [‘fΛŋgai]

Make a report on viruses according to the plan below:

Definitions of fungi or funguses: a large group of organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds. Pathogenic fungi: fungi that cause disease in humans or other organisms. Parasitic diseases: fungal pneumonia, meningitis, histoplasmosis. Beneficial use of fungi: industrial production of antibiotics, vitamins, and anti-cancer and cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Infectious diseases

Influenza

Phonetic exercise: infectious [in‘fek∫əs], infections [in‘fek∫ənz], virus [‘vaiərəs], viral [‘vaiərəl], cough [ko:f], throat [θrəut], severe [si’viə], discomfort [dis’kΛmfət], asthma [‘æsmə, ‘æsθmə, ‘æzmə]

Make a report on influenza according to the plan below:

Definition: an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses), that affects birds and mammals.

Signs and symptoms: chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness/fatigue and general discomfort, nasal congestion, body aches, especially joints and throat, irritated, watering eyes, reddened eyes, skin (especially face), mouth, throat and nose, nausea and vomiting, particularly in children.

Risk groups: children, the elderly, asthmatics, diabetics or in people who have asthma, diabetes, people with heart disease, immuno-compromised people.

Transmission: through the air by coughs or sneezes.

Mobidity and mortality rates: between 250,000 and 500,000 people every year, up to millions in some pandemic years. According to the World Health Organization: "Every winter, tens of millions of people get the flu. Most are only ill and out of work for a week, yet the elderly are at a higher risk of death from the illness…” Influenza reaches peak prevalence in winter. Approximately 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations are directly associated with influenza every year in the United States.

Treatment: Antiviral drugs can be used to treat influenza, with neuraminidase inhibitors being particularly effective.

Prevention: Vaccinations against influenza are usually made available to people in developed countries.

Hepatitis

Phonetic exercise:

liver [‘livə], hepatitis [,hepə‘taitis], inflammation [,inflə’mei∫n], characterized [‘kæktəraizd], aversion [ə’və:∫n], ascites [ə’saiti:z], glandular [‘glændjulə], hepatocytes [‘hepətəsaits], cirrhosis [si’rousis], infectious [in‘fek∫əs], tissue [’tisju:, ’ti∫ju:], virus [‘vaiərəs], viral [‘vaiərəl], fecal [‘fi:kl], oral [‘:rl], route [ru:t], serum [‘siərəm], asymptomatic [ə,simptə’mætik], chronic [‘krnik], scar [‘ska:], cirrhosis [si’rousis], excess [ik’ses], excessive [ik’sesiv], alcohol [‘ælkə‘hl], alcoholic [,ælkə‘hlik], malaise [mə‘leiz, mæ‘leiz], nausea [‘n:siə], abdomen [‘æbdəmen], abdominal [æb’dminl], diarrhea [‚daiə‘riə, ‚daiə‘ri:ə], headache [‘hedeik], jaundice [‘d3:ndis], discomfort [dis‘kΛfət], polymerase [‘pliməreis], diet [daiət], interferon [‚intə‘fiərn]

Make a report on hepatitis according to the plan below:

Definition: an inflammation of the liver characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ.

Classification: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, etc.

Hepatitis A: formerly known as infectious hepatitis: an acute infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), which is most commonly transmitted by the fecal-oral route via contaminated food or drinking water.

Hepatitis B: an infectious illness caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) which infects the liver of humans, originally known as "serum hepatitis".

Hepatitis C: an infectious disease affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The infection is often asymptomatic, but once established, chronic infection can progress to scarring of the liver (fibrosis) and advanced scarring (cirrhosis) which is generally apparent after many years.

Alcoholic hepatitis: hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) due to excessive intake of alcohol. Drug induced hepatitis.

Symptoms, signs, clinical manifestations, clinical features: symptoms of acute hepatitis: nonspecific flu-like symptoms: malaise, muscle and joint aches, fever, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and headache; more specific symptoms; profound loss of appetite, aversion to smoking among smokers, dark urine, yellowing of the eyes and skin (i.e., jaundice) and abdominal discomfort, tender hepatomegaly (swelling of the liver), lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes), etc. Symptoms of chronic hepatitis: malaise, tiredness and weakness, jaundice, enlargement of the liver, weight loss, easy bruising and bleeding tendencies, peripheral edema (swelling of the legs) and accumulation of ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity), etc.

Evaluation: History: a personal medical history, a medication history, a family history, an alcohol consumption history, an infectious disease history, a social history, an occupational history, history of IV drug abuse, a history of inhaled substance usage such as cocaine, a history of piercings or tattoos, etc.

Physical examination: observation, percussion, and palpation.

Instrumental evaluation: for hepatitis A: detection of HAV-specific IgM antibodies in the blood, liver enzyme alanine transferase (ALT); for hepatitis B: serum or blood tests, antibody tests, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests; for hepatitis C: serological blood tests, HCV antibody tests, RNA testing, genotype testing, etc. Treatment for hepatitis A: no specific treatment for hepatitis A: rest, avoidance of fatty foods, avoidance of alcohol, a well-balanced diet, and staying hydrated; for hepatitis B: antiviral drugs, interferon, for hepatitis C: interferon based therapy.