Pericarditis : Causes

Pericarditis is usually a complication of viral infections, most commonly echovirus or coxsackie virus. Less frequently, it is caused by influenza or HIV infection. Infections with bacteria can lead to bacterial pericarditis (also called purulent ...

Pericarditis is an inflammation of the two layers of the thin, sac-like membrane that surrounds the heart. This membrane is called the pericardium, so the term pericarditis means inflammation of the pericardium.

Adenoviruses are small infectious agents that cause upper respiratory tract infections, conjunctivitis , and other infections in humans. Adenoviruses were discovered in 1953.

Adenoviruses are DNA viruses (small infectious agents) that cause upper respiratory tract infections, conjunctivitis , and other infections in humans. Adenoviruses were discovered in 1953.

Detailed information on adenovirus infections, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention

Bacteria are prokaryotes (unicellular organisms with no membrane-enclosed nucleus) with simple structures that typically range in size from about 0.5 to 20 micrometers.

Knowing whether your infection is caused by a virus or a bacterium makes a difference in how it is treated.

How do you know if you have a sinus infection? Harvey B. Simon, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Health Sciences Technology Faculty at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the founding editor of Harvard Men's Health Watch (www.health.harvard.edu) and the author of six consumer health books, including The Harvard Medical School Guide to Men's Health (Simon and Schuster, 2002) and The No Sweat Exercise Plan. Lose Weight, Get Healthy and Live Longer (McGraw-Hill, 2006). Dr. Simon practices at the Massachusetts General Hospital; he received the London Prize for Excellence in Teaching from Harvard and MIT.

Enteric cytopathic human orphan (ECHO) viruses are a group of enteroviruses that produce varying symptoms including rashes, respiratory illness, croup-like syndromes, and nonspecific fevers.

Fungi are types of parasitic plants that include molds, mildew, and yeast. A fungal infection is an inflammatory condition in which fungi multiply and invade the skin, the digestive tract, the genitals, and other body tissues, particularly, the lungs and liver.

Detailed information on fungal skin infections, including Candidiasis, Tinea Infections, and Tinea Versicolor

The dermatophytes are molds that can invade the stratum corneum of the skin or other keratinized tissues derived from epidermis, such as hair and nails. They may cause infections (dermatophytoses) at most skin sites, although the feet, groin, scalp, and nails are most commonly affected. 1 The dermatophytes are among the earliest microorganisms that were found to cause infections in humans.

Fungal infections of the skin are among today ' s most common infectious diseases, and they occur worldwide. Superficial fungus infections fall into three broad categories: the dermatophytes (ringworm), tinea versicolor, and cutaneous candidiasis (yeast infection).

Detailed information on fungal infections of the skin, including candidiasis (yeast infection), tinea infection (ringworm), and tinea versicolor

Open heart surgery is any surgery where the chest is opened and surgery is performed on the heart. The term "open" refers to the chest, not the heart itself. The heart may or may not be opened, depending on the type of surgery. The definition of open heart surgery becomes confusing in light of new procedures being performed on the heart through smaller incisions. There are some new surgical procedures being performed that are done with the heart still beating. Minimally invasive heart surgery (MIDCAB, OPCAB, RACAB), including robotic-assisted heart surgery, is still considered open heart surgery. However, these procedures are being used in some patients as an alternative to open heart surgery requiring the heart-lung machine. See also: Angioplasty of the heart; Atrial septal defect repair; Cardiac transplant; Coarctation of the aorta repair; Congenital heart defect corrective surgery; Heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft - CABG; Heart transplant; Heart valve prosthesis; Heart valve surgery; Heart-and-lung transplant; Hypoplastic left heart repair; Minimally invasive heart surgery (MIDCAB, OPCAB, RACAB; Patent ductus arteriosus ligation; PDA ligation; Prosthetic heart valves; Tetralogy of Fallot repair; Total anomalous pulmonary venous return correction; Transplant of the heart; Transplant of the heart and lungs; Transposition of great vessels repair; Tricuspid atresia repair; Truncus arteriosus repair; Valve replacement; Ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair.

Heart surgery for congenitaal defects consists of a variety of surgical procedures that are performed to repair the many types of heart defects that may be present at birth and can go undiagnosed into adulthood. Purpose Heart surgery for congenital defects is performed to repair a defect, providing improved blood flow to the pulmonary and systemic circulations and better oxygen delivery to the body.

It’s great if you can keep your heart healthy—by not smoking, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular physical activity. But what if you end up needing heart surgery? What should you know about the procedure?

Almost three years ago I had triple bypass surgery and mitral valve replacement. I did so having only one lung. It feels like the operation somehow harmed my lung, making it harder to breathe. Can heart surgery do this?