| disease, plummer's | Toxic multinodular goiter, a condition in which the thyroid gland contains multiple lumps (nodules) that are overactive and produce excess thyroid hormones. This condition is also known as Parry's disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| disease, polycystic kidney | Genetic (inherited) disorders characterised by the development of innumerable cysts in the kidneys filled with fluid that replace much of the mass of the kidneys and reduce kidney function leading to kidney failure. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, polycystic ovarian | An hormonal problem that causes women to have a variety of symptoms including irregular or no periods, acne, obesity and excessive hair growth. Women with PCO are at a higher risk for uterine cancer (endometrial cancer), diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. With proper treatment, risks can be minimised. PCO is also known as Stein-Leventhal syndrome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, quincke's | This is angioneurotic oedema (or angioedema), a form of localised swelling of the deeper layers of the skin and fatty tissues beneath the skin. Hereditary angioneurotic oedema (or hereditary angioedema) is a genetic form of angioedema. Persons with it are born lacking an inhibitor protein (called C1 esterase inhibitor) that normally prevents activation of a cascade of proteins leading to the swelling of angioedema. Patients can develop recurrent attacks of swollen tissues, pain in the abdomen, and swelling of the voice box (larynx) which can compromise breathing. The diagnosis is suspected with a history of recurrent angioedema. It is confirmed by finding abnormally low levels of C1 esterase inhibitor in the blood. Treatment options include antihistamines and male steroids (androgens) that can also prevent the recurrent attacks. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, refsum's | A genetic disorder of the fatty acid phytanic acid which accumulates and causes a number of progressive problems including polyneuritis (inflammation of numerous nerves), diminishing vision (due to retinitis pigmentosa), and wobbliness (ataxia) caused by damage to the cerebellar portion of the brain (cerebellar ataxia). (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, ritter | This is the scalded skin syndrome, a potentially serious side effect of infection with the Staph (Staphylococcus) bacteria that produces a specific protein which loosens the cement holding the various layers of the skin together. This allows blister formation and sloughing of the top layer of skin. If it occurs over large body regions it can be deadly (just like a large surface area of the body having been burned). It is necessary to treat scalded skin syndrome with intravenous antibiotics and to protect the skin from allowing dehydration to occur if large areas peel off. The disease occurs predominantly in children under 5 years of age. It is known formally as Staphyloccoccal scalded skin syndrome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, sixth | A viral disease of infants and young children with sudden onset of high fever which lasts several days and then suddenly subsides leaving in its wake a fine red rash. The causative agent is herpes virus type 6 so the disease is known as Sixth Disease. Also known as Exanthem subitum (sudden rash), Pseudorubella, Roseola, Roseola infantilis, and Roseola infantum. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, stein-leventhal | See Disease, polycystic ovarian. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, still's | Also known as systemic-onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and systemic-onset juvenile chronic arthritis. Still's disease presents with systemic (bodywide) illness including high intermittent fever, a salmon-coloured skin rash, swollen lymph glands, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and inflammation of the lungs (pleuritis) and around the heart (pericarditis). The arthritis may not be immediately apparent but it persists after the systemic symptoms are gone. Disease, Still's, adult-onset: Although Still's disease was first described in children, it is known to occur in adults. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, subclinical | An illness that stays below the surface of clinical detection. A subclinical disease has no recognizable clinical findings. As distinct from a clinical disease which has clinical signs and symptoms that can be recognised. Many diseases are subclinical before surfacing as clinical diseases. For examples: diabetes, hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, tsutsugamushi | Scrub typhus, a mite-borne infectious disease caused by a microorganism, Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, characteristically with fever, headache, a raised (macular) rash, swollen glands (lymphadenopathy) and a dark crusted ulcer (called an eschar or tache noire) at the site of the chigger (mite larva) bite. This disease occurs in the area bounded by Japan, India, and Australia. Known also as mite-borne typhus and tropical typhus. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, von recklinghausen's | Hereditary disorder characterised by cafe-au-lait (coffee-with-milk spots on the skin and a tendency to develop nerve tumours) also known as neurofibromatosis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease, werner-his | Named for the German physician Heinrich Werner (who did not describe Werner's syndrome) and the Swiss physician Wilhelm His, Jr. (who did describe the bundle of His in the heart), this is a louse-borne disease first recognised in the trenches of World War I (and so called trench fever), again a major problem in the military in World War II, seen endemically in Mexico, N. Africa, E, Europe, and elsewhere. The cause, Rochalimaea quintana, is an unusual rickettsia that multiplies in the gut of the body louse. Transmission to people can occur by rubbing infected louse feces into abraded (scuffed) skin or conjunctiva (whites of the eyes). Onset of symptoms is sudden, with high fever, headache, back and leg pain and a fleeting rash. Recovery takes a month or more. Relapses are common. Also called Wolhynia fever, shin bone fever, quintan fever, five-day fever, Meuse fever, His-Werner disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| disease-free survival | Period after successful treatment in which there is no appearance of the symptoms or effects of the disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| diseased | Afflicted with disease. "It is my own diseased imagination that torments me." (W. Irving) Synonym: See Morbid. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| bartter's disease | Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the juxtaglomerular cells, producing hypokalaemic alkalosis and hyperaldosteronism, characterised by absence of hypertension in the presence of markedly increased plasma renin concentrations, and by insensitivity to the pressor effects of angiotensin. It usually affects children, is perhaps hereditary, and may be associated with other anomalies, such as mental retardation and short stature. It is also called juxtaglomerular cell aplasia. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| Basedow's disease | <endocrinology> A common cause of hyperthyroidism thought to be caused by an underlying autoimmune mechanism. (27 Sep 1997) |
| basilar interstitial lung disease | <radiology> B bronchiectasis, A asbestosis, D drugs / DIP, L lymphangitic metastasis / LAM, A aspiration, S sarcoidosis, S scleroderma (12 Dec 1998) |
| batten disease | <disease> This congenital disorder strikes between the ages of 5 and 10, causing the afflicted child to suddenly go blind. The child begins to suffer fromseizures and mental deterioration, afflicted individuals typically diebefore the age of 20. The disease is caused by the accumulation of toxicproteins in nerve cells, the root of the disorder is a mutation of a geneon chromosome 16. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Batten-Mayou disease | Cerebral sphingolipidosis, late infantile and juvenile types. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bayle's disease | <neurology> Slight or incomplete paralysis. Origin: Gr. = relaxation (18 Nov 1997) |
| Bazin's disease | A type of panniculitis characterised histologically by the presence of granulomas, vasculitis, and necrosis. It is traditionally considered to be the tuberculous counterpart of nodular vasculitis, but is now known to occur without tuberculous precedent. It is seen most commonly in adolescent and menopausal women, is initiated or exacerbated by cold weather, and typically presents as one or more recurrent erythrocyanotic nodules or plaques on the calves. The nodules may progress to form indurations, ulcerations, and scars. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Bechterew's disease | Arthritis and osteitis deformans involving the spinal column; marked by nodular deposits at the edges of the intervertebral disks with ossification of the ligaments and bony ankylosis of the intervertebral articulations, it results in a rounded kyphosis with rigidity. Synonym: Bechterew's disease, poker back, Strumpell's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Becker's disease | An obscure South African cardiomyopathy leading to rapidly fatal congestive heart failure and idiopathic mural endomyocardial disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Begbie's disease | Localised chorea. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Beguez Cesar disease | Chediak-Higashi syndrome |
| Behcet's disease | <syndrome> A multisystem, chronic recurrent disease characterised by ulceration in the mouth and genitalia, iritis, uveitis, arthritis and thrombophlebitis. Often treated with immunosuppressive therapy (corticosteroids, chlorambucil). (27 Sep 1997) |
| Behr's disease | <syndrome> Adult or presenile form of heredomacular degeneration. Synonym: Behr's disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Berger's disease | <disease, nephrology> This is a form of glomerulonephritis that results from the deposition of circulating IgA antibody in the kidney tissues. Inflammation of the glomerulus (glomerulonephritis) is the result and may present as acute glomerulonephritis, chronic glomerulonephritis or rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. Berger's disease is usually detected in an individual with one or two bouts of haematuria (usually begins during or soon after a respiratory infection) and no other symptoms of renal disease. Only rarely, will Berger's disease permanently affect kidney function and progress to chronic renal failure. This renal disorder more commonly affects males in the 16-40 age group. (11 Jan 1998) |
| Bernard-Soulier disease | An autosomal recessive disorder of absent or decreased platelet membrane glycoproteins Ib, IX, and V (the receptor for factor VIII R. This deficiency can lead to a failure to bind von Willebrand factor, causing moderate bleeding. (05 Mar 2000) |