The return of acute rheumatic fever in young adults

Article Abstract:

Since the 1950s the incidence of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) has declined significantly and ARF was considered rare by the mid-1980s. Some attribute the decline of ARF to a decrease in the virulence of the streptococci bacteria and some feel that penicillin is the primary reason. Others think that a combination of factors is responsible. However, since 1986 a number of outbreaks have occurred intermittently in school children and some professionals anticipant more outbreaks in the future. ARF is a disease associated with group A beta hemolytic streptococci, characterized by high fevers and may result in serious heart or kidney damage. A study was conducted of ten cases of ARF in young men in the military which occurred between Dec 1986 and Jul 1987. The Jones Criteria were used to confirm the diagnoses and some common patterns emerged from the examination of this cluster group of young men. All ten ARF patients exhibited symptoms of severe polyarthritis (inflammation of more than one joint), anemia (insufficient hemoglobin to fulfill the body's need for oxygen), and high fever. In making the diagnoses of ARF severe polyarthritis was considered a primary indicator of the disease. Three of the ten young men exhibited symptoms of carditis, inflammation of the heart muscle. Among the ten subjects, 60 percent had a previous history of streptococcal pharyngitis. It was found that the most effective treatment continues to be isolation (separation from uninfected persons) of the infected individuals and therapy with the antibiotic benzathine penicillin.

Case studies, Complications and side effects, Rheumatic heart disease, Rheumatic fever, Rheumatic fever in children

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Cats and toxoplasmosis risk in HIV-infected adults

Article Abstract:

HIV-infected individuals may have little risk of contracting toxoplasmosis from cats provided they exercise care when changing the litter box. Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma, and is one of the opportunistic infections that can afflict HIV-infected individuals. Consequently, they are often told to avoid cats because the protozoan can be transmitted in feces. A survey of cat ownership among 12 HIV-infected individuals who developed antibodies to Toxoplasma - indicating they had become infected - found that only one owned a cat. Cat owners infected with HIV who are negative for Toxoplasmosis should change the litter box frequently and wash their hands afterwards.

Health aspects, HIV patients, Disease transmission, Domestic cats, Cats, Toxoplasmosis

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Reliability of a history of previous varicella infection in adults

Article Abstract:

Adults with chickenpox are probably incorrect when they report a previous episode of the disease. Chickenpox, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, causes subsequent immunity that can be measured in the blood, so a second infection is uncommon. In a study of twenty military personnel with varicella who reported chickenpox during childhood, blood tests were performed on serum samples collected before the adult chickenpox infection. None of the 19 available samples showed evidence of prior infection. They probably suffered another illness with skin lesions and mistook it for varicella.

Evaluation, Diagnosis, Testing, Medical history taking, Varicella-zoster virus, Chickenpox

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