| 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) |
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| 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) |
| Alzheimer's disease | <disease> A progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterised by loss of function and death of nerve cells in several areas of the brain leading to loss of cognitive function such as memory and language. The cause of nerve cell death is unknown but the cells are recognised by the appearance of unusual helical protein filaments in the nerve cells (neurofibrillary tangles) and by degeneration in cortical regions of brain, especially frontal and temporal lobes. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. (22 May 1997) |
| anaemia of chronic disease | <disease> A form of anaemia which develops as the result of a long-term infection or illness. Chronic diseases can interfere with red blood cell production in addition to shortening red blood cell life span in the body. Symptoms are largely due to the underlying disease. Haemoglobin and haematocrit are generally low. Iron studies may be low to normal. Red blood cell indices may usually normal. (27 Sep 1997) |
| anarthritic rheumatoid disease | Rheumatoid disease without arthritis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Anders' disease | <disease> A disease accompanied by painful localised fatty swellings and by various nerve lesions. It is usually seen in women and may cause death from pulmonary complications. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Andersen's disease | Familial cirrhosis of the liver with storage of abnormal glycogen; glycogenosis due to deficiency of 1,4-alpha-glucan branching enzyme, resulting in accumulation of abnormal glycogen with long inner and outer chains in liver, kidney, muscle, and other tissues. Synonym: Andersen's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| antibody deficiency disease | <syndrome> Any of a group of disorders associated with a defective antibody production due to defects in the B-type lymphocyte system or in T-type lymphocytes; chief manifestation is an increased susceptibility to infection by various microorganisms. See: agammaglobulinaemia, hypogammaglobulinaemia, immunodeficiency. Synonym: antibody deficiency disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anti-glomerular basement membrane disease | Glomerulonephritis, usually of a generalised proliferative crescent-forming histologic type with a rapidly progressive course, marked by circulating anti-gbm antibodies and linear deposits of immunoglobulin and complement along the glomerular basement membrane. When associated with pulmonary haemorrhage the condition is called goodpasture syndrome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| aortoiliac occlusive disease | Obstruction of the abdominal aorta and its main branches by atherosclerosis. (05 Mar 2000) |