Tuberculosis When it comes to diseases that have shaped world history you cannot go past Tuberculosis (TB). Its footprint lingers in literature, it is found in ancient Neolithic remains and Egyptian mummies and we can even link the development of Kellogg’s Cornflakes with the health crazes that it triggered over the previous two centuries. Cause… Continue reading
In the 1980’s diagnosis with HIV was a death sentence. In 1995 in the USA, it was the highest cause of death in the age range 25-44 years. Nowadays HIV is a life sentence, but a relatively painless one. Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has ensured that the virus is kept locked away in the host DNA,… Continue reading
Animals have long been the most faithful friends of humans but what is more interesting to know is that they have been a model for scientific experimentation which helps humans to make better medication and cure. A recently published meta-analysis report by the team of Irvine C. in the journal “Clinical Infectious Diseases”, the authors… Continue reading
Like vaccinations for life-threatening diseases such as Hepatitis B and Tetanus, the HIV virus could be tackled more efficiently with the presence of a vaccination for this disease. Researchers have been successful in developing a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV which is now a leading development towards finally creating a vaccine. Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a… Continue reading
Syphilis is forever linked in my mind with Elizabethan times. It may even be responsible for them, as Henry the Eight was allegedly infected. Syphilis may have been responsible for the high incidence of miscarriage seen in his first wife, leading to his divorce, the creation of the Church of England and his infamous marriage… Continue reading
“We have received feedback from those with close links to HIV/AIDS patients, that some HIV positive persons deliberately spread the disease as a form of revenge on society.” Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and The Arts, and Health, 4th Singapore AIDS conference 2004. You would think that being diagnosed… Continue reading
We live in troubled times, medically speaking. The antibiotics that seemed so close to conquering the world of bacterial disease are failing. There is a very real possibility of a gonococcal superbug, resistant to all forms of antibiotic. As early as 2012 Dr. Gail Bolan, director of the Division of STD Prevention at the CDC… Continue reading
Cancer drug that can potentially help with HIV cure One of the more successful HIV treatment therapies being widely used is the HAART (Highly active antiretroviral therapy). This therapy works by suppressing the HIV viruses with drugs until they become almost undetectable, giving patients a chance to live virtually symptom-free for as long as they… Continue reading
There was a time, when lice were so much a part of daily life that a good infestation was considered a sign of good health. Bill Bryon in his masterpiece of domestic history “At Home” tells of people forming this idea due to body lice fleeing the heat of a feverish body and poets imagining… Continue reading
Recent advancements in technology and medical practices are helping curb the HIV pandemic that has haunted the globe for decades. HIV can never be completely eliminated from the body and this deadly virus infects 2 million people annually. Therefore, efforts are being made worldwide to: help those affected by the virus; help prevent the virus… Continue reading