Aurora magazine

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the Treponema pallidum bacterium. The first testimonies date back to the sixteenth century and are probably the origin of the Americas. Its incidence in the West dropped towards the end of 1800, with a new peak since World War I. New diagnostic methods and antibiotics have reduced the incidence after World War II. It is, however, spreading again in recent years, especially in developing countries.

Syphilis has a long course and no obvious clinical manifestations, which often causes late diagnosis. The typical symptoms of the disease are ulcers that are formed in the genital and oral area, often mistaken for the symptoms of other diseases. If suspicious wounds are found, then it is good to analyze the materials taken from them. Diagnostic tests detect the presence of antibodies to the Treponema disease or bacterium. In pregnancy, the test should be performed in the first weeks of gestation, together with other prenatal screening tests.

If untreated, syphilis attacks the nervous system and arterial vessels, leading to mental disorders and sometimes death. It is therefore important to periodically use the appropriate diagnostic test and, if successful, to undergo an antibiotic therapy. Depending on the stage of the disease and its severity, the intake of penicillin is more or less prolonged. During treatment, you must also abstain from any sexual activity.

The disease is transmitted sexually, through contact with infected wounds. The most frequent cases of contagion are during the early stages when people are unaware of their illness. To minimize the risk, it is best to use the condom for any sexual contact

The Virginia Department of Health reports an increase of 40% of syphilis cases between 2015 and 2016. The trend is common across the United States and is a symptom of a general decline in attention to sexually transmitted diseases. According to doctors, the danger is spread not only among adults, but also among newborns, at risk from mother-to-childhood contagion. For this reason, prenatal screening is more important than ever.

Syphilis has symptoms similar to those of various types, which makes diagnosis often complicated. The main features of the disease are epidermal rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, and sores in the genital area. If untreated, syphilis can cause permanent damage to both the person and a possible offspring.

The transmission of mother syphilis in childhood is called congenital syphilis and may be lethal for infants. According to Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, in the United States cases of congenital syphilis have increased by 6% between 2014 and 2015. The worsening of cases of sick infants contributes to the increase in the overall incidence of disease. It is also a symptom of lowering prevention levels.

The number one rule remains to use the necessary preventive measures against sexually transmitted diseases. In pregnancy, a prenatal screening pathway may also include tests for syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. In this way it is possible to take the necessary measures to ensure mother and child health.

Source: dailypress.com

Systemic lupus erythematosus (LES) is an autoimmune disease, involving at least 4 different organs. The most striking signs are skin rashes and excessive sunlight sensitivity. Renal and joint problems are very common, as well as severe anemia. The most affected are women, especially between the ages of 15 and 40. It is a sporadic disease, but you may experience cases of familiarity.

The causes of lupus are still unclear. It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system recognizes the body's components as enemies. It produces antibodies that attack organs and damage them, most of them irreversibly. Some research has highlighted a deficit in the mechanisms that regulate inflammatory processes and excess T-lymphocytes that cause them. However, you still do not know what triggers the immune system's aggression.

The main symptoms of lupus are cutaneous and mucous: butterfly rashes on the face that affect cheeks and nose are the most characteristic symptom. Sensitivity to the sun also causes erythematous lesions in the most exposed areas. Sick patients often suffer from fever and widespread tiredness, also linked to the involvement of the hemopoetic system, which includes anemia and platelet deficiency. Arthritis, kidney problems and concentration deficits are other common symptoms.

Lupus is a disease that involves the whole body, easy to confuse with other pathologies. The first suspicion of illness comes from the presence of at least four clinical manifestations typical of the disease. The safest way to confirm the diagnosis is, however, a renal biopsy, to look for ANA or positive anti-DNA.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a neuromuscular disease caused by the absence of dystrophin. Diprophin is a protein present on the surface of muscle cells, where it is associated with a variety of other proteins. His main task is to unite the cell matrix and the cytoskeleton, the cell skeleton. Additionally, the protein monitors some genes linked to the pathogenesis of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, such as oxidative stress and fibrosis.

The first symptoms of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy appear between 2 and 6 years. Children who suffer begin late to walk and usually do it on the tips. They are struggling to get up, jump and make stairs. The particular gait causes an enlarged calf and scoliosis.

As the child grows, the absence of dystrophin causes a progressive weakening of the muscle fibers. The muscles are replaced by fibrous scars incapable of contracting. Within 12 years, the death of muscle tissue involves arms and legs. Fibrosis also involves heart and respiratory muscles, resulting in cardiac and respiratory complications.

The main cause of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy is a genetic abnormality in chromosome X. For this reason, it is almost always manifested in males, which have only one copy. Females, on the other hand, are healthy carriers. In a third of cases, the anomaly is not hereditary, but caused by a new mutation.
If there are cases of family disease, it is possible to carry out prenatal screening tests to check the health of the fetus. If this is not the case, the diagnosis is performed by clinical observation and examinations that test muscle conditions. Ultimately, molecular analysis of the dystrophin gene is crucial for a muscle tissue sample.

At the moment there is no cure. However, there are treatments that improve the quality of life of patients