Top 10 Deadliest Diseases

One of the most tragic parts of being human is being afflicted by diseases with high morbidity and mortality. Here is our list of top 10 deadliest diseases ever known to man.
1.    AIDS; 25 million from 1981 to present
AIDS is a mix of infections and complications as a result of progressive damage to the body’s immune system caused by HIV. AIDS is now considered a pandemic.

2.    Influenza; 36,000 deaths annually
Influenza, which is more commonly known as flu, is a highly infectious disease that is caused by influenza virus. Transmission of the disease is by airborne and through physical contact.

3.    Spanish Flu, 1918-19; 100 million deaths
The flu pandemic that happened in 1918 is termed as a category 5 flu pandemic which was caused by the flu virus strain A with subtype H1N1.


4.    Bubonic Plague; 250 million deaths
This disease outbreak was mainly caused by fleas and rodents infected with Xenopsylla cheopsis. Humans were infected after being bitten by an affected rodent.

5.    Malaria; 2.7 million deaths annually
Malaria is an infectious disease which is vector-borne. The causative agent is the protozoan parasites. It is a common disease in the sub-tropics and tropical regions.


6.    Ebola; 160,000 deaths from 2000 to present
The Ebola virus was first isolated in1976 from the dual outbreaks that occurred in Zaire and Sudan. It is a zoonotic disease as it affects lowland apes as well as humans.

7.    Cholera; 12,000 deaths from 1991 to present
The epidemic or Asiatic cholera is a very serious type of diarrheal ailment caused by Vibrio cholera. The mode of transmission is by ingesting contaminated food and water.

8.    Smallpox; Population drop from 12 million to 235,000
Smallpox is a highly contagious viral disease that has two variants. The V major has a 35% mortality rate while the less severe V minor has a 1% mortality rate.

9.    Polio, 10,000 deaths from 1916 to present
Polio or infantile paralysis is a viral disease that is transmitted through the fecal-oral course.


10. Black Death; 75 million deaths
The Black Plague is the one of the most serious pandemic outbreak in modern history. It was believed to have started in Central Asia and affected Europe during the 13th century.

ADHD

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD and Hyperkinetic Disorder, is a very commonly diagnosed disorder in young children. The psychiatric community has come under great scrutiny for over diagnosing ADHD when in fact the true problem is a lack of discipline. True cases of ADHD are less common, but can be very serious and require attention and constant treatment and monitoring.

A child who may be exhibiting signs of ADHD must exhibit symptoms for a period of six months or longer that exceeds expectations for their age and intelligence. Symptoms of ADHD include symptoms such as excessive forgetfulness, failure to acknowledge those who speak to him due to constant distraction, failure to finish tasks, makes repeated careless errors, chronically loses items which are important, fails to follow through on directed tasks due to distraction, and failure to sustain enjoyable activities. Children also must exhibit an inability to sit still, to resist impulses, and can not control their desires, which often leads to serious behavioral outbursts. These symptoms must take place in more than one setting before diagnosis of ADHD is accurate.

Addiction

There is a significant difference between a drug addiction and a drug dependency. Addiction is a mental and physical dependency on a substance while dependency is the body’s natural response to having a medication introduced for a period of time, which creates the body’s belief that it needs the substance to function normally.

Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to spot a drug addiction is someone in the earliest and most treatable stages. The signs and symptoms of drug addiction include but are certainly not limited to mood swings, withdrawal, weight loss (sometimes weight gain when marijuana is the drug of choice) lying, unexplained absence from work or school, drastic behavioral changes, and discoloration of skin. However, crystal methamphetamine user will show severe physical changes in very short periods of time including sudden and extreme tooth decay, severe weight loss, and sores all over their skin and face where they have picked or cut themselves believing they had to remove something from under their skin.


Anyone can have an addiction to drugs, whether it is street drugs or prescription medication. There are people who are more susceptible, but t. Risk factors for drug addiction are both typical and atypical. Teens with addictive personalities who are experiencing severe stress are more likely to try and become addicted to drugs. Often unsupervised teens are likely to try drugs, and may or may not end up addicted to them. Depression is the most common cause of drug addiction. Drug use can alter the reality long enough to provide temporary relief from a problem or unhappy life. Other people such as home makers, professionals, and doctors are at risk due to boredom, depression, or extreme pressure to stay awake and perform on command. People who are introduced to drugs by their friends are likely to continue in their company and eventually begin drug use alone.

Drug use can be detected when behaviors are suspicious and a blood or urine test can be used to determine whether the behaviors are drug related. Most drugs stay in the system anywhere from three days to three months, depending on the drug. Often addicts can be confronted in a hospital setting and will simply admit to drug use and provide a list of drugs which they have used within the last six months to a year.

Untreated drug addiction can lead to serious complications including loss of employment or dropping out of school, crime, jail time, severe illness, homelessness, and death. Not all drug addictions end up with such serious consequences, which can make it harder to convince a drug addict to quit. Some drug addicts have been able to negotiate the world while maintaining their drug addiction.

Drug addiction treatment varies, but most people with a drug addiction do need to spend at least thirty days in a rehabilitation facility. There are medications that can help to interrupt the addiction process by alleviating the pleasure associated with drug use. Many drug users are prescribed a daily dose of methadone, a prescription drug which is also addictive. The theory is that is the symptoms of withdrawal from street drugs or painkillers can be alleviated, the source of the drug addiction can be treated and then the dose of methadone can gradually be reduced. Methadone allows the drug addict to function normally while receiving treatment. Therapy and counseling are an intimate part of recovery. Without adequate treatment, drug users are likely to relapse. Therapy and rehabilitation facilities are part of the treatment plan.

The addict needs to have a desire to quit the drug use he or she has become so dependant upon. Without a desire, the addict is likely to relapse at the first available opportunity. Many drug addicts have to find themselves in nearly intolerable pain before deciding to deal with their drug addiction.

Coping with drug use requires counseling for the addict as well as the family members and those affected by the chronic drug use. In therapy, friends and family members will learn to lovingly set limits in dealing with an addict’s drug use.

New discovery may aid treatment of Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries

A novel discovery by researchers at University of Minnesota may provide new insights into how the spinal cord controls walking, and this may pave the way for developing treatments for diseases of the central nervous like Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injuries.

Led by Joshua Puhl, Ph. D., and Karen Mesce, Ph. D., in the Departments of Entomology and Neuroscience, the study has found a possibility that the human nervous system, within each segment or region of spinal cord, may have its own “unit burst generator” to control rhythmic movements such as walking.

The researchers chose to study a simpler model of locomotion in the medicinal leech, and this uncovered the residing spots of these unit burst generators and it also showed that each nerve cord segment has a complete generator.

It was discovered that a neuron triggers to set off a chain reaction that gives rise to rhythmic movement and the moment those circuits are turned on, the body essentially goes on autopilot.

The researchers mainly focused on the segmented leech for study as they have fewer and larger neurons, making them easier to study.

“For most of us, we can chew gum and walk at the same time. We do not have to remind ourselves to place the right leg out first, bring it back and do the same for the other leg. So how does the nervous system control rhythmic behaviors like walking or crawling,” said Mesce.

The study also discovered that dopamine, a common human hormone, can turn each of these complete generator units on.

“Because dopamine affects movement in many different animals, including humans, our studies may help to identify treatments for Parkinson’s patients and those with spinal cord injury,” said Mesce.

The study was published online in the Journal of Neuroscience. (ANI)

Sars

What is Sars?

Sars stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. It is a new illness that emerged in the Far East early in 2003, first in southern China, then spreading to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Canada and more than 20 other countries.

It is believed to be caused by a new strain of Corona virus - a family of viruses which has been linked to the common cold.

By the middle of April, it had killed more than 150 people worldwide and infected more than 3,000 more.

What are the symptoms, and how is it treated?

The most obvious symptoms of Sars are breathing problems. Patients develop a high temperature (more than 38 degrees), dry cough, and severe respiratory symptoms follow swiftly.

Some patients need to be put on a ventilator to keep them breathing while their bodies fight the infection. Four in every hundred people who develop Sars do not survive.

Most of those who have died have been older, or had pre-existing health problems which increased their vulnerability - but some younger, healthy people have died.

Patients suspected of having Sars are given a combination of antibiotics and antiviral drugs, which have produced an improvement in some patients, although their precise effectiveness is uncertain.

There is no vaccine for the virus that causes Sars, although a diagnostic test has been developed.

How can I catch it?

The virus appears to be transmitted less easily than conventional influenza - although the resulting illness can become more severe.

It appears to be passed on by "close contact" with an infected person, perhaps carried in large droplets thrown out when the infected person sneezes or coughs.

There has been concern about transmission within passenger aircraft. The latest advice suggests that those at risk of infection would need to be seated within a couple of rows of the infected person, with no evidence of risk to people sitting elsewhere on the plane.

People in the Far East have attempted to protect themselves by wearing face masks - it is uncertain how much genuine protection these offer against the virus.

Should I avoid any particular areas?

The areas worst hit by Sars are Hong Kong, and the Guangdong province of southern China.

In late March 2003, the World Health Organization advised people to restrict non-essential travel to Hong Kong or Guangdong. The UK government agreed with this advice. This was only intended to be temporary advice until outbreaks in these locations were under control.

Travellers should check the websites of the World Health Organization and, in the UK, either the Health Protection Agency or Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the latest advice.

All travellers to areas heavily affected by Sars should be aware of this and take account of the problem in their travel plans. Some countries have been screening passengers arriving from Sars-hit areas for early signs of the illness.

I have some of these symptoms. What should I do?

If you have recently returned from South East Asia and suffer from any of the following symptoms - sudden onset of fever (>38° C), together with respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing within 10 days of return

Rabies

What is rabies?

Rabies is an encephalitis, or brain disease, which is caused by the rabies virus.

It is a fatal condition caused after being bitten by an infected animal, usually a rabid dog or a bat.

There is a vaccination against the disease, but once symptoms of rabies have developed the condition is almost always fatal - and the few people who have survived have suffered serious long-term disabilities.

Which countries am I most at risk?

Most countries of the world have rabies and there are only a few, including Britain, the Antarctic and Australia, which have been declared rabies free.

But anyone bitten by a bat in the UK should still seek medical advice.

The last case of rabies in the UK was in November 2002, when a conservation worker was bitten by a rabid bat.

But there have been no cases in the UK of rabies being transmitted by a dog over the last 100 years.

Travelling in developing countries is the most risky, particularly the more remote areas, as clinics do not always have supplies of the vaccine. The vaccine can be successful after a person has been bitten, if it is taken early enough.

What are the symptoms?

Rabies affects the central nervous system.

Initial symptoms can include anxiety, headaches and fever. As the condition progresses the patient will have spasms of their swallowing muscles, a fear of water and respiratory failure will set in.

How can I avoid rabies?

Travellers going to countries where rabies is endemic are advised to have the rabies vaccine. This is a safe and effective jab and should be considered by anyone who is bitten or scratched by a warm blooded animal in a country with rabies.

Travellers abroad are advised to steer clear of animals, particularly stray or unattended dogs.

Leishmaniasis

What is it?

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease spread through bites from sandflies.

It affects about 12 million people globally, most of them in south or central America, Africa and the Middle East.

There are three sorts of leishmaniasis, which vary in severity.

The most dangerous is "visceral leishmaniasis", which is also known as black fever. This is nearly always fatal if it is left untreated.

It spreads into the spleen, bone marrow and liver and attacks and destroys the immune system.

Another type, "mucocutaneous leishmaniasis", produces disfiguring lesions which destroy the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and throat.

"Cutaneous leishmaniasis" tends to cause sores on the skin. Some people have had up to 100 and these can vary in size from 2cm to 3cm in diameter.

How can I avoid it?

As the disease is spread by the sandfly the best way to avoid it, is to avoid getting bitten.

The sandfly bites mainly at night so travellers should use a good insect repellent, they should also sleep under insect nets with a very fine mesh.

Leishmaniasis is prevalent in about 90 tropical and subtropical countries around the world.

What do I do if I get it?

Anyone suffering from the symptoms of leishmaniasis, who has just returned from an area in which it is prevalent, should contact their GP immediately.

It is vital that people going to their doctor tell him where they have been travelling so that he can make an accurate diagnosis.

What is the treatment?

The treatment involves a series of about 30 days worth of injections, using a toxic drug to kill the parasite. The patient has to stay in hospital for the duration of their treatment.

Risk from Mobile Phones

Studies and surveys conducted by Australian Health Research Institute indicates that due to billions of times more in volume electromagnetic radiation emitted by billions of mobile phones, internet, intranet and wireless communication data transmission; almost one-third of world population (about two billions) will be a patient of ear, eye and brain cancer beside other major body disorders like heart ailments, impotency, migraine, epilepsy.

In addition, according to the reports, the tissues of children are tender and are likely to be more effected by use of any wireless gadget and devices and they should not be encouraged to use mobile phone.

Effects of electromagnetic radiation emitted mainly by mobile phones, mobile phone antenna, tower, mast, transmission tower, microwave oven, wireless devices, system and equipment.

These dangerous effects have been certified and confirmed repeatedly by many leading medical and scientific research institutions of the world including Ministries of health of various governments, W.H.O. and now have been admitted and confirmed by Govt. of India in their recent press releases.

The attached image shows and proves about the serious ill effects of E.M. radiation released by Radiation Nuclear and Safety Authority of FINLAND as to how E.M. radiation emitted by mobile phones damages the various body cells and causes incurable and fatal diseases.

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, impact the lives of millions and pose a growing public health challenge, particularly as more people approach older age. PHRI is part of a national collaborative network that examines possible factors contributing to neurodegenerative diseases.

The Honolulu Heart Program

The Honolulu Heart Program (HHP) was initially funded in 1965 through a contract from the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute as a prospective study of environmental and biological causes of cardiovascular disease among Japanese American men living in Hawaii. The original study involved a cohort of 8,006 men born between 1900 and 1919. The HHP, in concert with a similar study conducted in European-ancestry Americans in Framingham, Massachusetts, has been seminal in generating a body of knowledge which, when translated into public health strategies, has resulted in nearly a 90% reduction in age-specific rates of fatal stroke, and similar dramatic fall in fatal myocardial infarction – in less than a half century. The ongoing research and examination of the HHP cohort has led to hundreds of studies, publications, and presentations, as well as considerable international recognition.

The HHP has been the basis of a long and successful research collaboration between PHRI and the Kuakini Medical Center, continuing to this day. It is the longest study of its kind with original participants, now ranging in age from 87 to 106, and the focus has shifted to healthcare issues of aging. A wealth of information has been gathered from throughout the lives of the study’s participants on diet, lifestyle, physical activity, and genetics, information that is crucial to understanding what helps people achieve a healthy old age.

The Honolulu Asia Aging Study

One of the projects utilizing the HHP cohort is the Honolulu Asia Aging Study (HAAS). PHRI Investigators have utilized the unique HHP population to study diseases associated with aging such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. One of the most extraordinary aspects of the HAAS project is research on brain structure at death, based largely on microscopic studies of different types of disease lesions in more than 30 brain regions, linking these to clinically recognized declines in function during the final years of life, and to a variety of exposures and personal characteristics decades earlier.

The HAAS project operates at the leading edge of research on Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and the allied diseases that erode health, functioning, and personal identity in the final years of life. The autopsy represents the ultimate HHP/HAAS examination – the final contribution and definitive measure provided by our participants, generating maximum knowledge return on the investments of the men, their families, and the PHRI researchers. Through these contributions, and the intensive work of PHRI scientists, we are making real progress toward improving the longevity and health of our children, grandchildren, and future generations.

Neurotoxins and Neurodegenerative Disorders in Japanese-American Men Living in Hawaii

The goal of this epidemiologic and neuropathologic program is to determine neurotoxic and preventive/ameliorative risk factors for Parkinson’s disease (PD), Parkinsonism, and other neurodegenerative conditions. The research is an extension of the Honolulu Heart Program/Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (HHP/HAAS).

A component of this project is to identify risk factors for PD and Parkinsonism and to confirm previous reports of an association between pesticide exposure and PD by examining the role of exposure to neurotoxins in occupations on sugar or pineapple plantations where pesticides or herbicides are used. The study also looks at self reported exposures to pesticides, metals, and other chemicals.

Results indicate that several organochlorines are detected more frequently in brains of men who also had Parkinson or Alzheimer changes at death. The organochlorine exposure in most of these brains took place as long as 30 years ago. We are beginning to examine the association of these levels with clinical endpoints (Parkinson’s disease, Parkinsonism, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive impairment) and continuing our evaluation of pathologically-detectable endpoints.

Risk Factors for Pathologic Markers of Parkinson's Disease Study

This study attempts to quantify two neuropathologic markers of specific neurodegenerative processes - neuronal loss in the substantia nigra and diminished striatal dopamine levels in the brains of 600 Japanese-American male descendents who were participants in the Honolulu Heart Program/Honolulu Asia Aging Study.

Parkinson’s Disease Neuroprotection Trial

Honolulu was selected to be one of the clinical centers for this multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial to determine whether two or more specific agents can provide neuroprotection in early Parkinson’s disease. Toxicity and tolerability of chosen agents will also be determined.

Mental Diseases

Mental illness is the invisible disability that carries such a stigma that those who suffer from it do not want to admit to it — or worse, they do not seek help. Not that help always comes to those in need. The recent shooting of a mentally handicapped man by the OPP in Elmvale, Ont. is an example of why.
It made up of nine MPPs, is currently touring around Ontario to listen to presenters and their personal struggles.
Many of the presenters who spoke echoed similar stories of misdiagnosis, lost jobs, lost education and the many disjointed holes in the health sector, policing and political departments.
One presenter at the Hamilton session last week spoke about second level lodging homes, where many of those who suffer mental health diseases are dumped. Those with schizophrenia are housed next to drug addicts, exacerbating the problems by having destructive relationships that at times lead to pregnancies.
Many of the children from these relations are born with crack addictions. The mothers, unable to care for themselves, are in no position to care for a child, which results in a ripple effect through the community.
Our social system is set up to deal with problems after the fact, when the police are called in.
Nothing in the medical or education field really sees and deals with the onset of mental illness. Behavioural habits first change on average during the early teenage years, leading even those who are closest to the victim to initially conclude it is a behaviour problem.
Many of the presenters stated that “it wasn’t until the police were called” that help finally came. But in most cases the story ends in tragedy. It is only the few who get real help.
So little information is shared between the health system, the education system and the social system that terrible holes are waiting for those with mental health issues to fall through the cracks.
Many patients or “clients” as they were referred to are arrested more than once. Those who did finally get the help needed to function in the community were simply lucky enough to bump into the right person with the right knowledge.
By and large, it was only because an immediate family member strove to educate themselves to be able to act as an advocate and caregiver that the situation had a positive ending.
What is needed, all presenters said, was more government funding for outreach workers, education, housing and transportation. Front line people like GPs, the police and teachers need more education on what to look for and how to help someone struggling with mental illness. Many parents pointed out that the medical sector often does not prescribe the right medicine in the right amounts. It is then up to the patient to correct this situation, when they are in a vulnerable state.
Currently, navigating through various sources of information is more than difficult. There should be an inventory of sources on the web and in phone books, so family and friends can easily get information and help and make contacts. Case workers must keep families in the loop of information and medical discussions. As things stand now, the patient is the only decision maker, which commonly leads to prescription risks or the stoppage of much needed balancing medicine.
Parents of children who suffer from mental illness want everyone to know that the best care is preventive solutions before a client gets arrested or shot for their behaviour. Currently the waiting lists for help extend from six months to over a year.
Mentally ill people cannot simply wait for an opening in a treatment centre.
First we need to reduce the stigma, especially in the way the media exploits these people for a sensational story