Laryngeal and Tracheal Infection
Introduction Although sometimes referred to as synonymous as ‘Croup’ there can be many causes, croup just being the most common. It can be a very serious acute situation, as inflammation…
Leishmaniasis
Organism Leishmania (protozoa) Transmission Via sandflies Leishmania anastigotes infect sandflies when they take them up with their blood meal. Pathogenesis The adult female sand ingests the pathogen in the form…
Leprosy
Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous disease Organism mycobacterium leprae = intracellular parasite. Incubation period tuberculoid = 2-5 years lepromatous = 8-11 years Transmission Spread in nasal discharges to the…
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis: also known as Weil's Disease Organism Spirochaete bacterium called Leptospira spp incubation: 7-14 days Transmission Via the urine of an infected animal (contagious as long as it is still moist) Rats, mice,…
Lumbar Puncture (LP)
Lumbar puncture is a procedure conducted to ascertain if there is an acute meningitis or sub arachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), to detect inflammation in the spinal cord (e.g. in multiple sclerosis)…
Lyme Disease
Organism Borrelia Burgdorferi (spirochaete) Incubation: 7-14 days Transmission Vector=ticks Animal hosts=deer/rodents Epidemiology Commonest vector borne illness in USA Focally endemic in woodland of north America - infections mostly occur in…
Malaria
Introduction Presentation can be vague, any or all of wide variety of symptoms. Always should be considered in unwell patients returning from or having passed though endemic areas Organism Parasite…
Measles
Introduction Now relatively rare in the UK Older children have more severe disease Caused by the Morbillivirus, which is a type of paramyoxovirus This is a single stranded, enveloped RNA…
Meningitis
Definitions Meningitis – although this technically only means inflammation of the meninges, it is usually taken to mean infection. Meningitis is far more common in infants and children than in…
Child with parotid swelling due to mumps
Mumps
Background Mumps is a NOTIFIABLE DISEASE in the UK Another viral respiratory tract infection. Caused by the mumps virus. Most common in winter/spring Spread by droplet infection Not as infectious…