Author: Vicky Lai

Primary biliary cholangitis, previously known as primary biliary cirrhosis, is a chronic autoimmune disease where the bile duct of the liver is slowly destroyed. This disorder usually is most prominent in ages 45 to 65 and mostly affects women.  1. What is Primary Biliary Cholangitis? Bile is a fluid that is produced in the liver. It travels to the small intestine via the bile duct that allows functional transport of bile for the digestion of fat and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. When primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) damages the bile duct, bile is unable to…

Measles is an extremely infectious and highly contagious viral disease that affects all ages. Despite the availability of a vaccine, more than 140,000 deaths occurred globally in 2018, mostly in children under five. Before measles vaccinations were available, measles epidemics occurred every 2 to 3 years. The WHO also reported that the vaccine has decreased measles deaths by 73% and prevented 23.2 million deaths from occurring in 2018. What are measles? Measles, also known as rubeola, is one of the most contagious infectious diseases known. The measles virus is from the paramyxovirus family. Transmission  The measles virus is transmitted through…

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death caused by infectious diseases in the world and accounts for 15% of deaths of children under the age of five. Pneumonia is most prevalent in South Asia and infection can be caused by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria or fungi. Infants under the age of two and elderly above the age of 65 are most at risk. What is pneumonia? Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection that occurs when the air sacs of the lungs become inflamed and swollen with pus and fluid, which makes breathing difficult and painful.  Types of pneumonia (by…

Dengue is a worldwide significant tropical infection that causes up to 100 to 400 million cases of infections per year and about 25 thousand deaths and is especially prevalent in developing tropical countries in Southeast Asia. The global incidence of dengue has surged exponentially in recent years and nearly half of the world’s population is at risk of disease.   Read on to find out more about this disease. What is dengue? Dengue is a mosquito vector-borne viral infection caused by the arbovirus, dengue virus (DENV).  Transmission   Humans serve as the primary reservoir for dengue and mosquitoes acquire the virus when…

For many years, scientists have thought of the mother’s immune system to be repressed during pregnancy to facilitate the growth of the foetus. Pregnant mothers tend to face altered or weakened immune systems and increased susceptibility to infections.  Infection can be especially dangerous during pregnancy and can cause serious problems such as blindness, learning difficulties and heart complications in babies.  Read on to find out how immune system abnormalities and infections affect mother and baby.  What is the immune system doing in pregnancy?  For the developing embryo to be implanted, foetal cells need to actively invade the lining of the…

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is caused by an infection developing in the female’s upper genital tract that is usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection. Diagnosis of the disease is very challenging as it usually presents together with symptoms of other diseases. Serious complications include infertility and ectopic pregnancies. The annual incidence of approximately 1 million women each year in the united states are diagnosed with PID each year.  Read on to find out more about PID! What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease? PID is a broad spectrum of inflammatory disorders that affect the upper female genital tract – uterus, fallopian…

Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection that infects both men and women. It causes infections in the genitals, throat and rectum and is common in those aged 15 to 25. Majority of women never experience any symptoms, but men are more likely to experience severe symptoms.  Epidemiology Gonococcal infection in women is less common than chlamydial infections. Gonorrhoeal infections are especially high in endemic areas of Southeast Asia and in the sex worker population.  The detection and treatment of chlamydia and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) control programmes, safe sex, elimination of gonococcal and chlamydial infection from the sex industry have…

Like genital herpes, chlamydia is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmissible infection (STI) worldwide with an annual global incidence of more than 90 million cases. The asymptomatic nature of this disease and long-term complications due to undiagnosed infections have rendered this disease to be a major public health issue worldwide.  Aetiology  Many genital infections with chlamydia are asymptomatic. More than 70 percent of women with cervicitis are asymptomatic and half of them will have endometriosis, and risk developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) as a result of undiagnosed infections. Other complications include chronic pelvic infections, tubal damage, risk of…

Herpes simplex virus-2, also known as HSV-2, is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections throughout the world and is exclusively sexually transmitted, causing genital herpes. HSV-2 has caused a significant disease burden globally, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) reporting more than 23 million new cases each year. Infection with HSV-2 is lifelong.  Introduction to the Herpes Virus  Herpes is a contagious viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of herpes simplex virus infections. HSV-2 mainly responsible for genital herpes. The herpes virus is a large, enveloped DNA virus that infects a…

Allergies affect up to 20 percent of the world’s population. The severity of allergies varies amongst individuals and can range from a minor reaction to life-threatening complications.   What is an allergy? An allergy is the reaction of the immune system to a substance (allergen) in the environment that is usually harmless, such as pollen, food stings and medication. Substances that trigger allergic reactions are known as allergens.  What causes an allergic reaction? An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system interprets a foreign substance or allergen as harmful. This leads the development of symptoms following exposure. These allergic reactions can…