What is Yaws?  Yaws is a type of bacterial infection that can cause chronic disability and disfiguring when left untreated. It is a rare childhood disease that affects the skin, bone and cartilage.  It is caused by a bacteria that causes syphilis. However, yaws is not a venereal or sexually transmitted disease.  Yaws is a disease mainly found in tropical forests area with warm and humid conditions. It is also noted in the areas where there is lack of proper sanitation or are located far away from the health services such as the rural areas which are deprived of the primary health care facilities. What are the causes of Yaws?  Yaws is caused by a bacteria named Treponema. The subspecies name is pertenue.  Treponema palidum is a bacteria that can cause, endemic syphilis, pinta, beejel and yaws.  The bacteria grows slowly and gradually and affects the skin bone and cartilage of the infected child.  What are the risk factors for Yaws?  The following a...

FUNGAL INFECTIONS Fungal infections, as the term implies the infections caused by fungi(singular: fungus) are called fungal infections.  There are multiple fungal infections depending on the type of fungus involved in causing infections such as ringworm infection, histoplasmosis Learning points We are going to learn: What is a fungal infection? What are the different types of  fungal infections? What are the causes of fungal infection? How do we get fungal infections? What are the common symptoms of fungal infections? How are the fungal infections treated? Are fungal infections treatable? What are the preventive steps or measures to stay free from fungal infections? What is a fungal infection? A fungal infection refers to any disease that is caused by the attack of fungus in the body, or body surface, especially skin.  It can affect the internal as well as the external body parts, the later being more common and contagious in nature.    Now some of you mig...

Baby colic: Does your baby have baby colic? Introduction: Baby colic is the most common complaint seen among the babies characterised by the unstoppable crying and fussiness over a specific period. The reason remains unknown as even after feeding the baby full, it does not stop crying and it continues for around two to three hours unstoppable. The condition usually becomes a state of frustration for the mommies as nothing tries to soothe their babies. It may add-up to their stress and burden as well as make them depressed.   Baby colic is seen after three to six weeks of age and continues till the sixth month of age. The causes are only cited as assumptions such as abdominal discomfort, accumulation of the flatus in the baby’s stomach, intestinal cramps, etc. In rare cases only, there may be an involvement of any underlying organic diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract or some nervous system defects.  What are the signs and symptoms of baby colic?  It may be actu...

LET US KNOW WHAT IS ANEMIA?  Anemia is defined as a hematological disorder arising due to the decrease in the amount of red blood cells or erythrocytes. RBCS or erythrocytes are responsible for carrying oxygen to the various parts of the body. The red colored pigment in RED blood cells is called Hemoglobin which acts as a carrier of Oxygen in the blood to supply throughout the body. Decrease in the values of hemoglobin help to diagnose anaemia.   When a person becomes anaemic, his body receives less oxygen and thus the person experiences weakness and lethargy. The person who is anaemic gets off tired very soon than the healthier ones. What is the role of hemoglobin in our blood?    Role of hemoglobin in the Red blood cells is significant and thus the maintenance of the normal level of hemoglobin levels in blood becomes the major requisite to correct anaemia. What is the normal value range of hemoglobin in the blood for men and women?  In Men. the normal range ...