| tropical mask | A bronze-coloured pigmentation, probably produced by hormone imbalance, occurring in gradually increasing areas on the face, neck, and chest in persons exposed continuously to the tropical sun; similar to chloasma of the temperate zone, but intensified because of strong sunlight. Synonym: tropical mask. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| tropical measles | <infectious disease, virology> A disease of uncertain character, somewhat resembling rubella, occurring in southern China. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tropical medicine | <study> The branch of medicine concerned with diseases, mainly of parasitic origin, common in tropical and subtropical regions. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tropical myositis | A disease observed in Samoa and in tropical Africa, marked by pains in the extremities, fever of a remittent or intermittent type, and abscesses in the muscles in various parts of the body (may result in death from sepsis); causative organisms are Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes, but usually the disease is associated with parasitic infections. Synonym: bungpagga, lambo lambo, tropical myositis, tropical pyomyositis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tropical pyomyositis | A disease observed in Samoa and in tropical Africa, marked by pains in the extremities, fever of a remittent or intermittent type, and abscesses in the muscles in various parts of the body (may result in death from sepsis); causative organisms are Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes, but usually the disease is associated with parasitic infections. Synonym: bungpagga, lambo lambo, tropical myositis, tropical pyomyositis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tropical sore | Infection with promastigotes (leptomonads) of Leishmania tropica and of leishmaniasis major inoculated into the skin by the bite of an infected sandfly, Phlebotomus (commonly P. Papatasi); it is endemic in parts of Asia Minor, northern Africa, and India, and is known by innumerable names, each indicating its locality (e.g., Aleppo, Baghdad, Delhi, or Jericho boil; Aden ulcer; Biskra button); the ulcer begins as a papule that enlarges to a nodule and then breaks down into an ulcer. Two distinctive clinical and epidemiological diseases are recognised, the more common and widespread zoonotic rural disease with a moist acute form, caused by L. Major, with reservoir rodent hosts; and an urban, anthroponotic, dry, chronic form of leishmaniasis caused by leishmaniasis tropica, without a reservoir host, and now largely controlled. See: zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. Synonym: juccuya, Old World leishmaniasis, tropical sore. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tropical splenomegaly | A chronic disease, occurring in India, Assam, China, the area formerly known as the Mediterranean littoral areas, the Middle East, India, Pakistan, China, South and Central America, Asia, Africa caused by Leishmania donovani and transmitted by the bite of an appropriate species of sandfly of the genus Phlebotomus or Lutzomyia; the organisms grow and multiply in macrophages, eventually causing them to burst and liberate amastigote parasites which then invade other macrophages; proliferation of macrophages in the bone marrow causes crowding out of erythroid and myeloid elements, resulting in leukopenia, and anaemia, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly which are characteristic, along with enlargement of lymph nodes; fever, fatigue, malaise, and secondary infections also occur; different strains of leishmaniasis donovani occur; leishmaniasis infantum in Eurasia, leishmaniasis chagasi in Latin America. Synonym: Assam fever, black sickness, Burdwan fever, cachectic fever, Dumdum fever, kala azar, tropical splenomegaly. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tropical splenomegaly syndrome | A syndrome characterised by persistent splenomegaly, exceptionally high serum IgM and malaria antibody levels, and hepatic sinusoidal lymphocytosis; believed to be a disturbance in the T-lymphocyte control of the humoral response to recurrent malaria. Synonym: tropical splenomegaly syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tropical typhus | See Typhus, scrub. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tropical ulcer | The lesion occurring in cutaneous leishmaniasis, tropical phagedenic ulceration caused by a variety of microorganisms, including mycobacteria; common in northern Nigeria. Synonym: tropical sore. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adult-onset diabetes | <disease> An often mild form of diabetes mellitus of gradual onset, usually in obese individuals over age 35; absolute plasma insulin levels are normal to high, but relatively low in relation to plasma glucose levels; ketoacidosis is rare, but hyperosmolar coma can occur; responds well to dietary regulation and/or oral hypoglycaemic agents, but diabetic complications and degenerative changes can develop. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alimentary diabetes | Glycosuria developing after the ingestion of a moderate amount of sugar or starch, which normally is disposed of without appearing in the urine, because rate of intestinal absorption exceeds capacity of the liver and the other tissues to remove the glucose, thus allowing blood glucose levels to become high enough for renal excretion to occur. Synonym: alimentary diabetes, digestive glycosuria. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alloxan diabetes | Experimental diabetes mellitus produced in animals by the administration of alloxan, which damages the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas. (05 Mar 2000) |
| brittle diabetes | <endocrinology> A term used when the blood glucose (sugar) level often swings quickly from high to low and from low to high and is somewhat unstable. (13 Nov 1997) |
| bronzed diabetes | A genetic disease in which the body takes in too much iron from food, this causes excess iron to be deposited in the liver and heart and other organs, eventually leading to organ failure and death. This illness is called bronze diabetes because the kidneys often fail, leading to symptoms similar to those found with diabetes mellitus, and because the deposition of iron into the skin makes the person look like he or she has an all-over tan. It used to be believed that this disease was rare and mainly affected people of Caucasian descent, butin recent years scientists have realised it is more common and affects a wide range of ethnic groups. Some believe that this genetic defect actually helps people (especially women) survive in areas where malnutrition is widespread and iron is scarce in food. Regular venesection may help people suffering from this disease. (09 Oct 1997) |