Introduction Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases known to afflict humans, with descriptions of the disease present in sixth century BCE Indian texts. It is caused by Mycobacterium leprae ( M. leprae ), the organism first identified by the…
Tuberculosis in all its forms remains a challenging clinical problem and a public health issue of considerable magnitude. Each year there are an estimated 10 million new cases of active disease worldwide and 1.3 million deaths attributable to tuberculosis. In…
Spirochetes cause a broad range of human illnesses, including relapsing fever, yaws, pinta, leptospirosis, and periodontal disease. Although leptospirosis and relapsing fevers can cause severe headaches and myalgias in conjunction with high fever and severe systemic illness, two spirochetal infections…
Acute bacterial infections of the central nervous system (CNS) include meningitis, brain abscess, subdural empyema, epidural abscess, and septic intracranial thrombophlebitis. The etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of each of these bacterial infections are discussed in this chapter. Acute…
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The vast majority of injuries are classified as “mild” using current diagnostic criteria, and concussion is considered the mildest form of TBI. Concussion and mild TBI (mTBI)…
Thermoregulatory System Mammals maintain their core body temperature within a narrow range despite exposure to a broad range of environmental temperatures. This thermoregulation is achieved by activating a set of thermoeffector systems that generate or dissipate heat, as necessary. Basal…
Occupationally related disorders are commonly due to injury or to working conditions that involve physical strain, such as hand-arm vibration or performing the same movement repetitively. These disorders are not the focus of the present chapter, which is concerned instead…
Recreational drug use can lead to neurologic problems stemming from both acute intoxication and chronic use, and physicians must be aware of these complications when faced with any patient presenting with neurologic symptoms. The landscape of drug use has shifted…
Who could have foretold, from the structure of the brain, that wine could derange its functions? Hippocrates (c. 460 BCE to 370 BCE) Alcohol is the most commonly used recreational psychoactive substance worldwide. While moderate drinking may be beneficial to…
Adverse drug reactions are a common and important cause of morbidity and hospital admission and are a major burden on the healthcare budget. Drug reactions commonly involve the nervous system, causing a variety of disorders that may be serious and…