Hepatitis

Hepatitis is a disease that causes inflammation of the liver. It can be either acute (lasting less than six months) or chronic (lasting more than six months).

Several viruses are known to cause hepatitis. Common forms of viral hepatitis include Hepatitis A, B, and C:

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)

SARS is caused by the SARS coronavirus (SARS CoV). There are a large number of coronaviruses linked to infections in humans and animals.
There are two recognised human coronaviruses that cause mild respiratory infections, such as the common cold . This type of virus can also include strains that cause more severe illnesses, such as SARS.
SARS originated in the Guangdong province of southern China in 2002. The infection quickly spread to other countries (a pandemic), and resulted in more than 8,000 cases and 774 deaths before the virus was eventually brought under control.

Symptoms of SARS

SARS has flu-like symptoms that usually begin 2-10 days after infection. They include:

• high temperature (fever) of 38ºC (100.4ºF) or above
• fatigue (extreme tiredness)
• headaches
• chills
• muscle pain
• loss of appetite
• diarrhoea

Between 3-7 days after the start of these symptoms, the infection will begin to affect your respiratory system (lungs and airways). This will lead to additional symptoms such as:

• a dry cough
• breathing difficulties
• an increasing lack of oxygen in the blood, which can be fatal in the most severe cases

The SARS pandemic

It is thought a strain of the coronavirus usually only found in small mammals mutated, enabling it to infect humans.
The SARS infection quickly spread from China to other Asian countries. There were also a small number of cases in several other countries, including four in the UK, plus a significant outbreak in Toronto, Canada.
The SARS pandemic was eventually brought under control in July 2003, following a policy of isolating people suspected of having the condition, and screening all passengers travelling by air from affected countries for signs of the infection.
During the period of infection, there were 8,098 reported cases of SARS and 774 deaths. This means that the virus killed about 1 in 10 people who were infected. People over 65 years of age were particularly at risk, with over half dying from the infection in this age group.
In 2004, there was another small SARS outbreak, linked to a medical laboratory in China. It was thought to have been the result of someone coming into direct contact with a sample of the virus, rather than being caused by animal-to-human or human-to-human transmission.

How SARS is spread

SARS is an airborne virus, which means it is spread in a similar way to flu and the common cold
The SARS virus is spread in small droplets of saliva coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person. Infection can occur if someone else breathes in the droplets.
SARS can also be spread indirectly if an infected person touches surfaces, such as door handles, with unwashed hands. Someone who touches the surface may also become infected.
The SARS virus may also be spread through an infected person's faeces (stools). For example, if they do not wash their hands properly after going to the toilet, they may be able to pass the infection on to others.
Evidence from the SARS pandemic in 2002/03 showed that people living with or caring for someone with a known SARS infection were most at risk of developing the infection themselves.

Treatment for SARS

There is currently no cure for SARS, but research to find a vaccine is ongoing.
A person suspected of having SARS should be admitted to hospital immediately and kept in isolation under close observation.
Treatment is mainly supportive and may include:

• assisting with breathing using a ventilator to deliver oxygen
• antibiotics to treat bacteria that cause pneumonia
• antiviral medications
• high doses of steroids to reduce swelling in the lungs

There is little in the way of scientific evidence to show that these treatments are very effective. The antiviral medication, ribavirin, is known to be ineffective at treating SARS.

Prevention advice

You should avoid travelling to areas of the world where there is an uncontrolled SARS outbreak.
To reduce your risk of becoming infected, avoid direct contact with people with SARS (until at least 10 days after their symptoms have gone).
To avoid spreading the infection, it is important to follow the prevention advice outlined below:

• wash your hands thoroughly using an alcohol-based hand detergent
• cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough
• avoid sharing food, drink and utensils
• regularly clean surfaces with disinfectant

In some situations, it may be appropriate to wear gloves, masks and goggles to help prevent the spread of SARS.

Future SARS outbreaks

Although the threat of SARS to public health seems to have passed, international health officials continue to remain vigilant. The World Health Organization (WHO) monitors countries throughout the world for any unusual disease activity.
Therefore, if another SARS outbreak were to occur, it should be possible to limit the spread of infection using the same measures implemented during the 2002/03 pandemic (see above).

Eye pain symptoms and causes

Dry, sore eyes

Sore eyes combined with a dry, gritty feeling could be caused by dry eye syndrome. Constantly sore and dry eyes may even water more, as the eyes respond to the dryness and irritation with excess tears. See the information on dry eyes and watery eyes for more details.

Itchy, red, sore eyes

Allergies and eye infections can both cause your eyes to feel sore, red and itchy. Often, itchy or irritated eyes can become sore after excessive rubbing. The eye infection conjunctivitis is a particularly common cause of sore, red eyes. Contact lens irritation can also cause sore, red eyes.

Sharp eye pain

An injury to the eye or trauma can often cause sharp or stabbing eye pain. In extremely rare cases, sharp or stabbing eye pain can be a symptom of a much more serious condition, such as a brain tumour or aneurysm. However, a much more common cause is simply a headache or migraine that feels as if it is directly behind the eye.
If you experience sudden eye pain combined with blurred vision, haloes around lights, nausea or vomiting, it could be symptom of acute closed-angle glaucoma. This is a medical emergency, and you should seek medical attention straight away.

Dull eye pain

If you experience a dull, aching eye pain, or pain that feels deep within your eye, it may simply be caused by eye strain or overuse of your eyes. However, if the pain does not subside, it could be a symptom of a more serious condition or eye disease such as glaucoma.

How is brain cancer prevented?

Although there is no way to prevent brain cancers, early diagnosis and treatment of tumors that tend to metastasize to the brain may reduce the risk of metastatic brain tumors. The following factors have been suggested as possible risk factors for primary brain tumors: radiation to the head, HIV infection, and environmental toxins. However, no one knows the exact causes that initiate brain cancer, especially primary brain cancer, so specific preventive measures are not known. Although web sites and popular press articles suggest that macrobiotic diets, not using cell phones, and other methods will help prevent brain cancer, there is no reliable data to support these claims.

What is metastatic brain cancer?

Cancer cells that develop in a body organ such as the lung (primary cancer tissue type) can spread via direct extention, or through the lymphatic system and/or through the bloodstream to other body organs such as the brain. Tumors formed by such cancer cells that spread (metastasize) to other organs are called metastatic tumors. Metastatic brain cancer is a mass of cells (tumor) that originated in another body organ and has spread into the brain tissue. Metastatic tumors in the brain are more common than primary brain tumors. They are usually named after the tissue or organ where the cancer first developed (for example, metastatic lung or breast cancer tumors in the brain, which are the most common types found). Occasionally, an abbreviated name may be used that often confuses people; for example, "small cell brain cancer" actually means "small cell lung cancer that has metastasized to the brain." People should not hesitate to ask their doctor about any terms they do not understand.

What is brain cancer?

Brain cancer is a disease of the brain in which cancer cells (malignant) arise in the brain tissue. Cancer cells grow to form a mass of cancer tissue (tumor) that interferes with brain functions such as muscle control, sensation, memory, and other normal body functions. Tumors composed of cancer cells are called malignant tumors, and those composed of mainly noncancerous cells are called benign tumors. Cancer cells that develop from brain tissue are called primary brain tumors while tumors that spread from other body sites to the brain are termed metastatic or secondary brain tumors. Statistics suggest that brain cancer occurs infrequently and is likely to develop in about 23,000 new people per year with about 13,000 deaths as estimated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and American Cancer Society.
Not all brain tumors are alike, even if they arise from the same type of brain tissue. Tumors are assigned a grade depending on how the cells in the tumor appear microscopically. The grade also provides insight as to the cell's growth rate. NCI lists the following grades:

Adenovirus 14 (Ad14)

Adenovirus 14 (Ad14) facts

• Adenovirus 14 (Ad14) is termed the killer cold virus because of the high incidence of hospitalizations and deaths attributed to the viral strain.
• Ad14 viruses are passed person to person or picked up from items touched by infected people and then initially invade cells in the eye, nose, or mouth that subsequently allow further spread to other body organs.
• Symptoms and signs resemble those of a cold (cough, runny nose, mild fever) for about three to five days; the majority of people clear the disease, but up to about 40% may need hospitalization with severe symptoms of pneumonia, and shortness of breath; other organ related symptoms may develop such as eye, bladder, and GI problems.
• Ad14 is presumptively diagnosed by history, physical exam, X-ray, and in association with other Ad14-diagnosed patients in the community; definitive diagnosis is completed with isolation of the virus from the patient, a rising titer of antibodies against Ad14, immunofluorescence of Ad14 virus particles in tissues, or fluids and PCR tests.
• Treatments are mainly supportive; antivirals have been used by some clinicians but there are no studies that prove efficacy, only case reports.
• Complications of Ad14 are related to the severity of infection; the majority of patients have no complications but hospitalized patients may have mild to serious complications which are related to the organ system most damaged (eyes, GI tract, bladder and most notably, lung problems such as ARDS that may lead to death).
• The majority of patients have an excellent prognosis; however, about 40% of infected patients may have a wide range of suboptimal outcomes, depending on the severity of the Ad14 infection.
• Ad14 infections can be reduced or prevented by careful hygiene methods; there is no vaccine currently available against Ad14.