infection

Examples of infection in the following topics:

• Infection

  • An infection is the invasion of tissues by disease-causing microorganisms; two common infections of the skin are athlete's foot and herpes.
  • Hosts normally fight infections themselves via their immune system.
  • Pharmaceuticals can also help fight infections.
  • Hygiene plays an important role in managing an athlete's foot infection.
  • Oral herpes is the most common form of infection.

• Gonorrhea

  • Gonorrhea (also colloquially known as the clap) is a common human sexually transmitted infection.
  • Such infection is asymptomatic in 90% of cases, and produces a sore throat in the remaining 10%.
  • The infection is transmitted from one person to another through vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
  • Men have a 20% risk of getting the infection from a single act of vaginal intercourse with an infected woman.
  • Women have a 60–80% risk of getting the infection from a single act of vaginal intercourse with an infected man.

• Chlamydia

  • Chlamydia infection is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in humans caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
  • Chlamydia infection (from the Greek meaning "cloak") is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in humans caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis .
  • The term Chlamydia infection can also refer to infection caused by any species belonging to the bacterial family Chlamydiaceae.
  • Chlamydia infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide; it is estimated that about 1 million individuals in the United States are infected with chlamydia.
  • Chlamydial infection of the neck of the womb (cervicitis) is a sexually transmitted infection which is asymptomatic for about 50-70% of women infected with the disease.

• Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

  • A sexually transmitted infection is passed between people during unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner.
  • While in the past, these illnesses have mostly been referred to as STDs or VD, in recent years the term sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has been preferred, as it has a broader range of meaning; a person may be infected, and may potentially infect others, without having a disease.
  • Some STIs can also be transmitted via the use of IV drug needles after its use by an infected person, as well as through childbirth or breastfeeding.
  • As may be noted from the name, sexually transmitted infections are transmitted from one person to another by certain sexual activities, rather than being actually caused by those sexual activities.
  • Common sexually transmitted infections include: gonorrhea, syphillis, chlamydia, genital warts, genital herpes, the human papillomavirus (HPV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

• Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

  • Candidal vulvovaginitis is an infection of the vagina's mucous membranes caused by Candida albicans.
  • Candidal vulvovaginitis or vaginal thrush is an infection of the vagina's mucous membranes by Candida albicans .
  • Up to 75% of women will have this infection at some point in their lives, and approximately 5% will have recurring episodes.
  • During pregnancy, the Candida fungus is more prevalent (common), and recurrent infection is also more likely.
  • Frequency of sexual intercourse appears to be related to the frequency of infections, however infections often occur without sex.

• Syphilis

  • Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.
  • Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum .
  • Secondary syphilis occurs approximately four to 10 weeks after the primary infection.
  • The brain and spinal cord become infected with the syphilis bacterium, Treponema pallidum, during the secondary stage of infection and can remain latent for 10 to 20 years after the initial infection.
  • If adequate treatment is not administered, the infection progresses to the secondary stage.

• Aging and the Digestive System

  • Aging can result in changes of the digestive system due to decreased nerve sensitivity, loss of muscle, and increased infection rate.
  • The changes associated with aging of the digestive system are largely caused by decreased nerve sensitivity, loss of muscle tone, and increased susceptibility to bacterial infection because of a weakened immune system.
  • periodontal disease, which is caused by bacterial infection and affects alveolar bone, periodontal ligament, cementum, and/or gingiva.
  • gastritis, which is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and can develop after traumatic injury or severe infections.
  • peptic ulcer disease, largely due to weakened immune systems unable to clear the bacterial infection.

• Shingles

  • The initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes the acute (short-lived) illness chickenpox which generally occurs in children and young people.
  • Once an episode of chickenpox has resolved, the virus is not eliminated from the body, but can go on to cause shingles—an illness with very different symptoms—often many years after the initial infection.
  • Years or decades after a chickenpox infection, the virus may break out of nerve cell bodies and travel down nerve axons to cause viral infection of the skin in the region of the nerve.
  • The virus may spread from one or more ganglia along nerves of an affected segment and infect the corresponding dermatome (an area of skin supplied by one spinal nerve) causing a painful rash.
  • Once vaccinated, most children will not become infected with the varicella zoster virus if exposed, and subsequently will not develop shingles later in life.

• Natural Killer Cells

  • NK cells provide rapid responses to virally infected cells and respond to tumor formation by destroying abnormal and infected cells.
  • NK cells use two cytolytic granule mediated apoptosis to destroy abnormal and infected cells.
  • Virus infected cells destroyed by cell lysis will release their replicated virus particles into the body, which will infect other cells, while apoptosis will destroy the virus particles as well.
  • Many cells release cytokines when infected with a virus as a result of cellular stress.
  • They serve to contain viral infections while the adaptive immune response is generating antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells that can clear the infection.

• Immunodeficiencies

  • An immunocompromised person may be particularly susceptible to opportunistic infections, as well as normal infections affecting the general population .
  • Humoral immune deficiency (with signs or symptoms depending on the cause) generally includes signs of hypogammaglobulinemia (decrease of one or more types of antibodies) with presentations including repeated mild respiratory infections, and/or agammaglobulinemia (lack of all or most antibody production) resulting in frequent severe infections and is often fatal.
  • A number of rare diseases feature a heightened susceptibility to infections from childhood onward.
  • The term immunodeficiency generally refers solely to the adverse effect of increased risk for infection.
  • HIV directly infects a small number of T helper cells, and also impairs other immune system responses indirectly.