Chronic Pancreatitis : Risk Factors

Acute pancreatitis is swelling (inflammation) of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach. It releases digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon.

Understanding PancreatitisIf your pancreas suddenly becomes irritated or inflamed, you haveacute pancreatitis.Acute pancreatitis is often very painful. Emergency medical treatment is usually needed.Symptoms of Acute PancreatitisSevere pain in your...

A virus is an infectious agent, often highly host-specific, consisting of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat.

Viruses are familiar from the common diseases they cause: colds and flu, for instance. But what are they, and how do they cause sickness?

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that affects the lungs, digestive system, sweat glands, and male fertility. Its name derives from the fibrous scar tissue that develops in the pancreas, one of the principal organs affected by the disease.

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive tract. It is one of the most common type of chronic lung disease in children and young adults, and may result in early death.

Detailed information on cystic fibrosis, including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and genetics

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that affects the lungs , digestive system , and sweat glands, and causes infertility in males. Its name derives from the fibrous scar tissue that develops in the pancreas , one of the principal organs affected by the disease.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that affects the lungs, digestive system, sweat glands, and male fertility. Its name derives from the fibrous scar tissue that develops in the pancreas, one of the principal organs affected by the disease.

A genetic disorder that causes a thick mucus to build up in the respiratory system and in the pancreas, a digestive organ. People with cystic fibrosis are highly susceptible to respiratory infections and are typically malnourished due to the malfunctioning of the pancreas. One of every 25 babies born in the United States is affected with cystic fibrosis, the most common fatal genetic disease in the nation. The average life expectancy of people with cystic fibrosis is 29 years. Only 10% of people with the disease survive into their 30s. Ninety-five percent of cystic fibrosis deaths are caused by lung complications; the other 5% are due to liver failure. Most cases of cystic fibrosis are caused by a defective gene that must be carried by both parents to produce a child with cystic fibrosis. It is estimated that one in every 20 Americans carries the defective gene. When two carriers have a child, there is one in two chance the child will carry the gene but not have cystic fibrosis, one in four chance the child will not even have the gene, and one in four chance the child will have cystic fibrosis. In most cases, cystic fibrosis is diagnosed by the age of three. Repeated colds and respiratory infections, coughing, and abnormally low weight gain may be present from birth. Other problems such as pneumonia or asthma may precede the diagnosis. Some children become very ill and survive for only a few years. In 1989, a team of researchers located the defective cystic fibrosis gene, which causes production of a defective version of an important protein called the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTCR), which performs a crucial function in airway and pancreas cells. The protein works as a pump within the cell membrane, regulating the movement of sodium and chloride (the components of salt) in and out of cells. In people with cystic fibrosis, however, this pump does not work and water is retained within the cells, depriving the tissues of much-needed moisture. A dry, sticky mucus builds up in the airway and the pancreas, obstructing breathing and interfering with digestive processes. The mucus also clogs sweat glands and salivary glands. People afflicted with cystic fibrosis have trouble breathing and are highly susceptible to bacterial infections of the lungs. Normally, bacteria are expelled from the lungs by coughing and the movement of thin mucus up the airways to the throat where the bacteria are expelled. But in people with cystic fibrosis the mucus is too thick to be moved and bacteria are able to inhabit the lungs and cause infection. Children with cystic fibrosis often become infected with such bacteria as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Hemophilus pneumoniae, and Staphylo coccus aeureus. Adults are most susceptible to Pseudomonas aeurginosa. A rare type of bacteria, Pseudomonas cepacia, currently infects people with cystic fibrosis at alarming rates. P. cepacia causes a severe infection and hastens lung damage, leading to earlier death. In addition to lung disease, people with cystic fibrosis have digestive disorders due to the thick mucus that clogs the pancreas. The pancreas secretes enzymes during digestion that break down food so that the body can absorb nutrients. But with cystic fibrosis, this function is impaired. People with the disease are typically thin and malnourished due to malabsorption of nutrients. Liver disease and diabetes may also occur with cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is diagnosed with a "sweat test," a simple procedure that measures the amount of salt in the patient's perspiration. A high level of salt indicates cystic fibrosis. Currently no definitive cure for cystic fibrosis exists. Treatment of the disease focuses on alleviating symptoms caused by the build-up of mucus. To combat the lung infections that accompany cystic fibrosis, many people with the disease periodically take courses of antibiotics as a preventive measure. Some people undergo a course of antibiotics four times a year. Mucus in the l

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that affects the lungs, digestive system, sweat glands, and male fertility. Its name derives from the fibrous scar tissue that develops in the pancreas, one of the principal organs affected by the disease.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that affects the lungs, digestive system, sweat glands, and male fertility. Its name derives from the fibrous scar tissue that develops in the pancreas, one of the principal organs affected by the disease.

Detailed information on autosomal recessive inheritance, including cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and Tay Sachs disease

Detailed information on preventing unintentional injuries

Statistics relating to unintentional injuries

Scrapes and sprains are a fact of life for most children, so it’s good to know what to do when they come home with a minor injury.

Trampolines are popular. Thousands of children are rocketing skyward, and trampoline injuries are also on the rise.

Children in households where a parent lives with another unrelated adult are at much greater risk of death from an injury suffered in the home.

Detailed information on neurological trauma in children

Psychiatric diagnosis may be neglected in emergency rooms, where, in addition, people of color are less likely to be diagnosed with a pyschiatric condition than whites.

Hyperparathyroidism is excessive production of parathyroid hormone (PTH) by the parathyroid glands. See also: Primary hyperparathyroidism; Secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Detailed information on hyperparathyroidism, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment

Detailed information on hyperparathyroidism, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment

Hyperparathyroidism is the overproduction by the parathyroid glands of a hormone called parathyroid hormone (parathormone). Parathyroid glands are four pea-sized glands located just behind the thyroid gland in the front of the neck. Parathyroid hormone (parathormone) helps regulate the levels of calcium and phosphorus in the body.

Parathyroid glands are four pea-sized glands located just behind the thyroid gland in the front of the neck. The function of parathyroid glands is to produce a hormone called parathyroid hormone (parathormone), which helps regulate calcium and phosphorous in the body. Hyperparathyroidism is the overproduction of this hormone.

Mumps is a contagious disease that leads to painful swelling of the salivary glands. The salivary glands produce saliva, a liquid that moistens food and helps you chew and swallow. See also: Salivary gland infections

Detailed information on mumps, including symptoms, diagnosis, complications, and treatment

Detailed information on mumps, including symptoms, diagnosis, complications, and treatment

Detailed information on MMR vaccines, including possible risks

Mumps is a relatively mild short-term viral infection of the salivary glands that usually occurs during childhood.

Figure 1 Mumps is an acute infectious disease caused by a paramyxovirus. Humans are the only known natural host. Mumps disease is usually mild, characterized by fever and swelling of one or both parotid salivary glands. The parotiditis usually develops an average of sixteen to eighteen days after direct contact, through the nose or mouth, with the saliva of an infected individual. In approximately 20 to 40 percent of cases, however, mumps disease occurs asymptomatically or with an uncharacteristic presentation. Even though mumps is regarded as a fairly benign disease in the twenty-first century, in the prevaccine era mumps caused much morbidity and mortality in the United States. In 1967, mumps accounted for over one-third of encephalitis cases and one death occurred out of approximately 20,000 mumps cases. Mumps infection during pregnancy is not associated with birth defects, but infection during the first trimester is associated with a greater occurrence of fetal death. Other conditions caused by mumps include meningitis, orchitis, mastitis, pancreatitis, neuritis, arthritis, nephritis, thryroiditis, pericarditis, and deafness. Mumps parotiditis occurs equally among males and females. Severe mumps disease, however, such as encephalitis, has been observed to occur more frequently among boys than girls. Other gender-specific manifestations are also influenced by age. After puberty, orchitis commonly occurs among males, though sterility rarely results. Among post-pubescent females, mastitis is a common manifestation. Mumps infection can be confirmed by isolation of the virus from throat swabs, urine, or spinal fluid. Blood tests to detect antibodies to mumps virus can be used to differentiate between a current mumps infection and a previous infection. Skin testing is not reliable. In countries without mumps vaccination, epidemics occur every two to five years, affecting most frequently those ages five to nine. Mumps disease exhibits seasonally with more cases occurring during the winter and spring. Historically, mumps outbreaks occur in situations where individuals are grouped together, such as military camps, prisons, boarding schools, and aboard ships. In community outbreaks, school-aged children are often infected first and then infect family members at home. The mumps virus was first identified in 1934. By 1948 a killed virus vaccine was licensed, but it was later discontinued because it did not produce long-lasting immunity. The current mumps vaccine in the United States is a live, attenuated vaccine (the Jeryl-Lynn strain) licensed in December 1967. Since introduction of the Jeryl-Lynn mumps vaccine, the reported number of mumps cases in the United States has decreased dramatically, from over 150,000 in 1968 to 387 cases in 1999 (see Figure 1). The availability of this vaccine, the use of the combination measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine beginning in 1986, and the two-dose recommendation in 1989 of MMR has immunized many children who would have otherwise have developed mumps disease. L AURIE K AMIMOTO ( SEE ALSO : Communicable Disease Control ; Immunizations )

Mumps is a relatively mild short-term viral infection of the salivary glands that usually occurs during childhood. Typically, mumps is characterized by a painful swelling of both cheek areas, although the person could have swelling on one side or no perceivable swelling at all. The salivary glands are also called the parotid glands; therefore, mumps is sometimes referred to as an inflammation of the parotid glands (epidemic parotitis). The word mumps comes from an old English dialect word that means lumps or bumps within the cheeks.

A viral infection that causes swelling of the salivary glands, the glands that produce saliva in the mouth, for which there is a vaccine available. Most children are immunized against mumps when they receive the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) at about 15 months and between 11 and 12 years of age. {See immunization for recommended schedule.) The mumps virus is transmitted by airborne droplets, spread when an infected person (or an uninfected carrier) coughs or sneezes. The virus infects a person by passing through the respiratory system and settling in the salivary glands, most often the parotid gland located in front of the ear and just above the jawline. Most infected people—though not all—experience swelling on the side of one or both cheeks, and the area will be sensitive to the touch. Eating will cause pain, since it stimulates the salivary glands. Infected individuals may also have a fever lasting from three to five days. In addition to swelling of the salivary glands, there may be some swelling in the joints and, in boys, of the testes. Contagious period: An infected individual is contagious for several days before the swelling of the glands becomes apparent, and will continue to be contagious for at least ten days after the first sign of swelling (or until the swelling is completely gone). Treatment: There is no specific treatment for mumps, aside from rest, drinking liquids, and taking acetaminophen for fever. Citrus and other strong flavors that stimulate the salivary glands should be avoided. Foods that are soft and easy to chew and swallow are recommended to minimize the demands on the infected glands. Other infections besides mumps can cause inflammation of the salivary glands. If a child who has been immunized against mumps (or one who has previously had mumps) presents mumps-like symptoms, a pediatrician should be contacted to determine the cause.

Mumps is a relatively mild, short-term viral infection of the salivary glands that usually occurs during childhood. Typically, mumps is characterized by a painful swelling of both cheek areas, although the person could have swelling on one side or no perceivable swelling at all. The salivary glands are also called the parotid glands, therefore, mumps is sometimes referred to as an inflammation of the parotid glands (epidemic parotitis). The word mumps comes from an old English dialect, meaning lumps or bumps within the cheeks.

If a person had a mild case of the mumps (only on one side) as a child, can he or she get the disease again?

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body. Most of your body's fat is stored as triglycerides.

Detailed anatomical description of the prostate gland, including simple definitions and labeled, full-color illustrations

Detailed anatomical description of the prostate gland, including simple definitions and labeled, full-color illustrations

Detailed anatomical description of the prostate gland, including simple definitions and labeled, full-color illustrations

Detailed information on male growth and development

Drug interactions are changes in the effect of one drug due to the effect of either another drug taken at the same time (drug-drug interactions) or food consumed while the drug is being taken (drug-food interactions).

Drug allergies are a group of symptoms caused by allergic reaction to a drug (medication.

Detailed information on different types of drug rashes, including acne, exfoliative dermatitis, fixed drug eruption, hives, morbiliform/maculopapular rash, purpuric eruptions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome

A drug allergy is an adverse reaction to a medication, often an antibiotic, that is mediated by the body's immune system. A drug sensitivity is an unusual reaction to a drug that does not involve the immune system.

If you want to be fully informed, you should read the fine print connected with any drug that you intend to use.

Drug metabolism is the process by which the body breaks down and converts medication into active chemical substances.

Detailed information on food-drug interactions

Can the high blood pressure drugs Vasotec and Toprol affect the libido?

Exploring the causes and treatment for loss of taste, which may result from years of taking high blood pressure medications.

A guide to information available online and in print about the side effects of prescription drugs.

Chemotherapy and radiation treatments save lives. They also can bring a variety of temporary but unpleasant side effects.

Also known as cholelithotomy, gallstone removal is the medical procedure that rids the gallbladder of calculus buildup.

Open gallbladder removal is surgery to remove the gallbladder.

Transhepatic biliary catheterization is a surgical procedure during which a catheter is inserted into the bile duct to relieve an obstruction.

A biliary stent is a plastic or metal tube that is inserted into a bile duct to relieve narrowing of the duct (also called bile duct stricture).