| Akureyri disease | An epidemic disease characterised by stiffness of the neck and back, headache, diarrhoea, fever, and localised muscular weakness; restricted almost exclusively to adults, affecting women more than men; probably viral in origin. Synonym: Akureyri disease, benign myalgic encephalomyelitis, epidemic myalgic encephalomyelitis, Iceland disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| Albers-Schonberg disease | The formation of abnormally dense bone, as opposed to osteoporosis. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Albert's disease | Achillobursitis involving inflammation of the bursa between the Achilles tendon and the os calcis. Synonym: Swediauer's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Albright's disease | <syndrome> The abnormal development of multiple bones, hormonal disorder and brownish skin lesions. (27 Sep 1997) |
| alcoholic liver disease | <gastroenterology> Alcoholic cirrhosis is a condition of irreversible liver disease due to the chronic inflammatory and toxic effects of ethanol on the liver. In cirrhosis, the liver cells are replaced by fibrous scar tissue. Fibrosis leads to the development of portal hypertension. The development of cirrhosis is directly related to the duration and quantity of alcohol consumption. The manifestations of cirrhosis are related to the liver's inability to not adequately remove waste products from the bloodstream and the effects of portal hypertension. (15 Nov 1997) |
| aleutian mink disease | A slow progressive disease of mink caused by the aleutian mink disease virus. It is characterised by poor reproduction, weight loss, autoimmunity, hypergammaglobulinaemia, increased susceptibility to bacterial infections, and death from renal failure. The disease occurs in all colour types, but mink which are homozygous recessive for the aleutian gene for light coat colour are particularly susceptible. (12 Dec 1998) |
| aleutian mink disease virus | A species of parvovirus that causes a disease in mink, mainly those homozygous for the recessive aleutian gene which determines a desirable coat colour. (12 Dec 1998) |
| alexander disease | <radiology> Dysmyelinating disease, rare, sporadic, usually presents in 1st year, gradual enlargement of head (Differential diagnosis: Canavan disease), retardation, convulsion, spasticity CT findings: decreased density of white matter, frontal lobe predominance, with or without dilated lateral ventricles Diagnosis: brain biopsy (12 Dec 1998) |
| Alexander's disease | A rare, fatal central nervous system degenerative disease of infants, characterised by psychomotor retardation, seizures, and paralysis; megaloencephaly is associated with widespread leukodystrophic changes, especially in the frontal lobes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alkali disease | A term applied to various animal poisonings of plant and mineral origin in arid regions under the belief that they were caused by the ingestion of alkaline waters; e.g., botulism of wild ducks, caused by feeding on decayed vegetation in nearly dried-up lakes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Almeida's disease | <microbiology> A chronic fungal infection caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. It is characterised by primary pulmonary lesions with dissemination to many visceral organs. Common findings include ulcerative granuloma lesions to the buccal mucosa (inner lining of the cheek) and nasal mucosa that extend to the surrounding skin. Generalised lymphangitis is also typical. More commonly seen in South America and the tropics. (15 Nov 1997) |
| Alpers disease | Familial progressive spastic paresis of extremities with progressive mental deterioration, with development of seizures, blindness and deafness, beginning during the first year of life, and with destruction and disorganization of nerve cells of the cerebral cortex. Synonym: Alpers disease, Christensen-Krabbe disease, progressive cerebral poliodystrophy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alpha chain disease | A vague or indefinite term; could be used for alpha-heavy-chain disease (a lymphoplasma cell proliferative disease usually seen in Mediterranean men, characterised by intestinal involvement with steatorrhoea, often progressive with fatal outcome) or a thalassaemia (a genetic abnormality in the alpha globin chain of haemoglobin). (05 Mar 2000) |
| altitude disease | A condition that results from prolonged exposure to high altitude. Symptoms include a continuous dry cough, shortness of breath, poor exercise tolerance, dizziness, headache, sleep difficulty, anorexia, confusion, fatigue and a rapid pulse. Treatment includes the immediate movement to a lower altitude. Prophylaxis has been accomplished successfully with the use of acetazolamide (Diamox). (27 Sep 1997) |
| alzheimer disease | A degenerative organic mental disease characterised by progressive brain deterioration and dementia. The disease was originally described as dementia, presenile occurring in persons under the age of 65 (as opposed to dementia, senile with onset at or after 65); however, onset may occur at any age. There is no pathophysiological nor clinical distinction between the two stages of onset of alzheimer's. Women appear to be affected twice as frequently as men. It is characterised pathologically by the triad of senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuropil threads. (12 Dec 1998) |