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Since opportunistic infections can cause severe disease, much emphasis is placed on measures to prevent infection. Such a strategy usually includes restoration of the immune system as soon as possible, avoiding exposures to infectious agents, and using antimicrobial medications ("prophylactic medications") directed against specific infections.
An abscess caused by opportunistic S. aureus bacteria. Some species of Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are part of the normal skin microbiota and typically reside on healthy skin or in the nasopharyngeal region. Yet these species can potentially initiate skin infections. Streptococcal infections include sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. [8]
These opportunistic infections often involve hospital-acquired infections among patients already combating another condition. [ 8 ] Infectivity involves pathogen transmission through direct contact with the bodily fluids or airborne droplets of infected hosts, indirect contact involving contaminated areas/items, or transfer by living vectors ...
Although the host may not be experiencing symptoms, the virus can still be passed on to others. It is also possible for the infection to become symptomatic after this incubation period. Whether the host is showing symptoms or not, opportunistic infections can take advantage of the weakened immune system and cause further complications. [20]
They also do not show a recognizable common source of infection. [ note 1 ] In the discussion of non-infectious diseases , a sporadic disease is a non-communicable disease (such as cancer ) which occurs in people without any family history of that disease or without any inherited genetic predisposition for the disease (change in DNA which ...
When the HIV infection becomes life-threatening, it is called AIDS. People with AIDS fall prey to opportunistic infections and die as a result. [60] When the disease was first discovered in the 1980s, those who had AIDS were not likely to live longer than a few years. There are now antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) available to treat HIV infections.
Specific-pathogen-free (SPF) is a term used for laboratory animals that are guaranteed free of particular pathogens. Use of SPF animals ensures that specified diseases do not interfere with an experiment. For example, absence of respiratory pathogens such as influenza is desirable when investigating a drug's effect on lung function.
The endemic mycotic infection talaromycosis primarily affects those who are immunocompromised. [4] Invasive opportunistic mycoses may also occur in immunocompromised people; these include aspergillosis, mucormycosis, Cryptococcus neoformans. [4] Cancer can also cause fever of unknown origin.