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Scarlet fever

Alternative Names : Scarlatina

Definition:
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by infection with the group A Streptococcus bacteria (the same bacteria that causes strep throat).Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics. The term scarlatina may be used interchangeably with scarlet fever, though it is commonly used to indicate the less acute form of scarlet fever that is often seen since the beginning of the twentieth century.
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It can affect people of any age. However, it’s most common between the ages of six and 12.

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Symptoms:

The time between becoming infected and having symptoms is short, generally 1 – 2 days. The illness typically begins with a fever and sore throat.

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The rash usually first appears on the neck and chest, then spreads over the body. It is described as “sandpapery” in feel. The texture of the rash is more important than the appearance in confirming the diagnosis. The rash can last for more than a week. As the rash fades, peeling (desquamation) may occur around the fingertips, toes, and groin area.

The common signs and symptoms that give scarlet fever are as follows:

*Red rash. The rash looks like a sunburn and feels like sandpaper. It typically begins on the face or neck and spreads to the trunk, arms and legs. If pressure is applied to the reddened skin, it will turn pale.

*Red lines. The folds of skin around the groin, armpits, elbows, knees and neck usually become a deeper red than the surrounding rash.

*Flushed face. The face may appear flushed with a pale ring around the mouth.

*Strawberry tongue. The tongue generally looks red and bumpy, and it’s often covered with a white coating early in the disease.

The rash and the redness in the face and tongue usually last about a week. After these signs and symptoms have subsided, the skin affected by the rash often peels. Other signs and symptoms associated with scarlet fever include:

*Fever of 101 F (38.3 C) or higher, often with chills

*Very sore and red throat, sometimes with white or yellowish patches

*Difficulty swallowing

*Enlarged glands in the neck (lymph nodes) that are tender to the touch

*Nausea or vomiting

*Headache

*Abdominal pain

*Bright red color in the creases of the underarm and groin (Pastia’s lines)

*Chills

*General discomfort (malaise)

*Muscle aches

*Sore throat

*Swollen, red tongue (strawberry tongue)

Causes:
Scarlet fever is caused by the same type of bacteria that cause strep throat. In scarlet fever, the bacteria release a toxin that produces the rash and red tongue.

The infection spreads from person to person via droplets expelled when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The incubation period — the time between exposure and illness — is usually two to four days.

Risk Factors:
Children 6 to 12 years of age are more likely than are other people to get scarlet fever. Scarlet fever germs spread more easily among people in close contact, such as family members or classmates.

Complications:
If scarlet fever goes untreated, the bacteria may spread to the:

*Tonsils
*Sinuses
*Skin
*Blood
*Middle ear

Rarely, scarlet fever can lead to rheumatic fever, a serious condition that can affect the:

*Heart
*Joints
*Nervous system
*Skin

Diagnosis:
Diagnosis of scarlet fever is clinical. The blood test shows marked leukocytosis with neutrophilia and conservated or increased eosinophils, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (both indications of inflammation), and elevation of antistreptolysin O titer. Blood culture is rarely positive, but the streptococci can usually be demonstrated in throat culture. The complications of scarlet fever include septic complications due to spread of streptococcus in blood and immune-mediated complications due to an aberrant immune response. Septic complications—today rare—include ear and sinus infection, streptococcal pneumonia, empyema thoracis, meningitis and full-blown sepsis, upon which the condition may be called malignant scarlet fever.

Immune complications include acute glomerulonephritis, rheumatic fever and erythema nodosum. The secondary scarlatinous disease, or secondary malignant syndrome of scarlet fever, includes renewed fever, renewed angina, septic ear, nose, and throat complications and kidney infection or rheumatic fever and is seen around the eighteenth day of untreated scarlet fever.

The rash is the most striking sign of scarlet fever. It usually begins looking like a bad sunburn with tiny bumps, and it may itch. The rash usually appears first on the neck and face, often leaving a clear unaffected area around the mouth. It spreads to the chest and back, then to the rest of the body. In body creases, especially around the underarms and elbows, the rash forms classic red streaks (on very dark skin, the streaks may appear darker than the rest of the skin). Areas of rash usually turn white (or paler brown, with dark complected skin) when pressed on. By the sixth day of the infection, the rash usually fades, but the affected skin may begin to peel. Usually there are other symptoms that help to confirm a diagnosis of scarlet fever, including a reddened sore throat, a fever at or above 101 °F (38.3 °C), and swollen glands in the neck. Scarlet fever can also occur with a low fever. The tonsils and back of the throat may be covered with a whitish coating, or appear red, swollen, and dotted with whitish or yellowish specks of pus. Early in the infection, the tongue may have a whitish or yellowish coating. Also, an infected person may have chills, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

When scarlet fever occurs because of a throat infection, the fever typically stops within 3 to 5 days, and the sore throat passes soon afterward. The scarlet fever rash usually fades on the sixth day after sore throat symptoms started, and begins to peel (as above). The infection itself is usually cured with a 10-day course of antibiotics, but it may take a few weeks for tonsils and swollen glands to return to normal.

In rare cases, scarlet fever may develop from a streptococcal skin infection like impetigo. In these cases, the person may not get a sore throat.

Treatment:
Other than the occurrence of the diarrhea, the treatment and course of scarlet fever are no different from those of any strep throat. In case of penicillin allergy, clindamycin or erythromycin can be used with success. Patients should no longer be infectious after taking antibiotics for 24 hours. People who have been exposed to scarlet fever should be watched carefully for a full week for symptoms, especially if aged 3 to young adult. It is very important to be tested (throat culture) and if positive, seek treatment.

A drug-resistant strain of scarlet fever has emerged in Hong Kong, accounting for at least two deaths in that city – the first such in over a decade. The mutant strain of the bacterium is about 60% resistant to the antibiotics, says Professor Kwok-yung Yuen, head of Hong Kong University’s microbiology department. This is compared to a previous strain of the disease, which demonstrated a 10-30% resistance. This new strain may have spread to neighboring Macau and mainland China.

Prognosis:
With proper antibiotic treatment, the symptoms of scarlet fever should get better quickly. However, the rash can last for up to 2 – 3 weeks before it fully goes away.

Prevention :
Bacteria are spread by direct contact with infected people, or by droplets exhaled by an infected person. Avoid contact with infected people.

Children should be taught  to practice the following healthy habits:

*Wash  hands. Show your child how to wash his or her hands thoroughly with warm soapy water.

*Don’t share dining utensils or food. As a general rule, your child shouldn’t share drinking glasses or eating utensils with friends or classmates. And that rule applies to food, too.

*Cover your mouth and nose. Tell your child to cover his or her mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing to prevent the potential spread of germs.If your child has scarlet fever, wash his or her drinking glasses, utensils and, if possible, toys in hot soapy water or in a dishwasher.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/scarlet-fever/DS00917
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_fever
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/scarletfever1.shtml
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000974.htm
http://www.umm.edu/imagepages/19082.htm
http://www.healthofchildren.com/S/Scarlet-Fever.html
http://sigma.ontologyportal.org:4010/sigma/Browse.jsp?kb=SUMO&term=ScarletFever

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Herbs & Plants

Parnassia palustris

Botanical Name :Parnassia palustris
Family: Celastraceae
Genus: Parnassia
Species: P. palustris
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Celastrales

Common Names :Grass Of Parnassus, Marsh grass of Parnassus, Mountain grass of Parnassus, Alaska grass of Parnass, Northern Grass-of-Parnassus, and Bog-star

Habitat :Parnassia palustris is native to  Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, Greece and temperate Asia.  It grows in wet moorland, marshes and raised bogs to quite a high altitude.

Description:
An evergreen perennial herb with prominent white blossom. Leaves are all basal except for the single, ovate, sessile leaf (or bract) usually present near or below the middle of the stem. Basal leaves ovate, heart-shaped, tapering to the base, up to 1½” long, smooth, without teeth, on stalks up to 4″ long. Single stem leaf usually cordate and clasping. Stem is upright, slender, unbranched, to 1½’ tall, smooth, bearing a single leaf or bract about 1/3 the way up the stem. Roots to 8″ depth Flowers are white and showy, solitary on the stem, up to 1″ across. Sepals 5, green, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, ¼”-½” long, with 5-7 veins. Petals are  5, white, free from each other, ovate to obovate, up to ½” long, not fringed, with 3-13 veins. Typically 1½-2 times as long as sepals. Stamens are 5 fertile, many sterile. Ovary is  more or less superior (within blossom)  Fruit is  an ovoid, 4-valved capsule, up to ½” long, subtended by persistent sepals.  Seed are numerous, tiny, oblong, and angular.

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Cultivation:
Succeeds in moist peaty soils or in spongy bogs. Requires an alkaline soil. Plants can be naturalized in marshy grass.

Propagation :
Seed – sow as soon as it is ripe in late autumn in a cold frame in pots of soil that are standing in shallow water. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring.

Medicinal Uses:

The whole plant is astringent, slightly diuretic, sedative, tonic and vulnerary. A decoction is occasionally used as a mouthwash in the treatment of stomatitis. The dried and powdered plant can be sprinkled onto wounds to aid the healing process. The plant is harvested in the summer or autumn and can be dried for later use. A distilled water made from the plant is an excellent astringent eye lotion.

A decoction of the plant is occasionally used as a mouthwash in the treatment of stomatitis. The dried and powdered plant can be sprinkled onto wounds to aid the healing process. A distilled water made from the plant is an excellent astringent eye lotion.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/aquatics/parnassia.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parnassia_palustris
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_FGH.htm

http://www.pinguicula.org/images/plantes/Parnassia_palustris(HR).jpg

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Parnassia+palustris

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Herbs & Plants

Ranunculus pennsylvanicus

Botanical Name : Ranunculus pennsylvanicus
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Ranunculus
Species: R. pensylvanicus
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Ranunculales

Synonyms : Ranunculus pensylvanicus

Common Names:Pennsylvania Buttercup, Bristly Buttercup,Bristly Crowfoot

Habitat : Ranunculus pennsylvanicus   is native to Northern N. America – Labrador to Alaska and south to Colorado. It grows  in  the   wet meadows, alluvium, ditches etc. Stream banks, bogs, moist clearings, depressions in woodlands from sea level to 1700 metres

Description:
Ranunculus pennsylvanicus is an    annual/perennial   herbs, or woody climbers  growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) with acrid  sap.  Leaves usually alternate, sometimes opposite; simple or compound, with clasping or dilated base; stipules none. Flowers    hypogynous, actinomorphic or sometimes zygomorphic, bisporangiate or occasionally monosporangiate; perianth of similar
segments or differentiated into calyx and corolla; capels usually  separate; stamens numerous. Fruit an achene, follicle or berry. It is in flower from Jun to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.

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The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.It requires moist or wet soil.

Cultivation:
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in most areas of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a moist loamy soil. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes.

Propagation :
Seed – sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.

Edible Uses: Leaves – cooked. The leaves contain toxins but in too low a concentration to be harmful.

Medicinal Uses:The plant is rubefacient. It is used to raise blisters

Other Uses :
The entire plant can be boiled to yield a red dye. It is mixed with the bark of bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) which acts to fix the colour. The entire plant can be boiled with rushes (Juncus spp) or flags (Iris spp and Acorus calamus) to colour them yellow for use in making mats, baskets etc.

Known Hazards : Although no specific record of toxicity has been found for this plant, many if not all members of this genus are poisonous. These toxins can be destroyed by heat or by drying. Many if not all plants in this genus also have a strongly acrid juice that can cause blistering to the skin.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://www.kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/1936/V17N04_106.pdf?sequence=1
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ranunculus%20pennsylvanicus
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm
http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/gilaflora/ranunculus_pennsylvanicus.html

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Herbs & Plants

Beaked willow

Botanical Name : Salix bebbiana
Family: Salicaceae
Genus: Salix
Species: S. bebbiana
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Malpighiales

Common Names:  Beaked willow, Long-beaked willow, Gray willow, and Bebb’s willow.

Habitat :Beaked willow is indigenous to Canada and the northern United States, from Alaska and Yukon south to California and Arizona and north-east to Newfoundland and New England.

Description:
Beaked willow plant is typically a large, fast-growing, multi-stemmed shrub or small, shrubby tree capable of forming dense colonial thickets. It can be found in loose, saturated soils such as that on riverbanks, lakesides, swamps, marshes, and bogs. It is capable or tolerating heavy clay and rocky soils, making it highly adaptable and durable. It is a dominant species in many marshland areas in its native range.
CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
Leaves are alternately arranged, simple, anICKd ovate in shape, widest near the midrib and narrowing to a tapering base and pointed tip. The leaf edges are serrated, with large, coarse, irregular teeth, a characteristic that distinguishes the species from other willows, which have  much finer serrations on their leaves. The leaves are dull blue green in color and smooth in texture when mature; new leaves are coated in downy hairs. The leaves are up to 5 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. Like other willows, this plant is dioecious, with male and female plants producing small, dangling catkins. Female flowers yield spherical seeds covered in long, threadlike fibers that help them disperse on the wind. The plant also spreads via vegetative reproduction, sprouting from the base of the stem or from segments of root, and by layering, allowing the plant to form colonies of clones.

Medicinal Uses:
A poultice of the chewed root inner bark has been applied to a deep cut. The shredded inner bark has been used as sanitary napkins to ‘heal a woman’s insides’. A poultice of the damp inner bark has been applied to the skin over a broken bone. A decoction of the branches has been taken by women for several months after childbirth to increase the blood flow.  A poultice of the bark and sap has been applied as a wad to bleeding wounds.  The fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin, which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge.

Other Uses:
This is the most important species of diamond willow, a type of willow which produces fine, colorful wood used for carving. The twigs and branches are used by Native Americans for basket weaving and arrowmaking.

Many parts of the plant are consumed by animals, especially domestic cattle, which find the foliage a palatable forage.

This species readily hybridizes with several other species of willow.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salix_bebbiana
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm
http://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/herbarium/trees/salbeb01.htm

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Health Alert

Listen to Your Body

Neanderthal cave men and women had tremendous physical prowess. They excelled in all kinds of physical activities. We, on the other hand, do not do everything — we are selective and specialise. We choose and pick our jobs, and this means we repeat some tasks, day after day. As a result, certain muscles and joints in our bodies get overused, while others atrophy from disuse. This has resulted in a spate of new diseases and diagnoses, namely, repetitive stress injuries or RSIs.


RSIs are a common affair in the computer era. Be it a student or senior citizen, computers have infiltrated everyone’s lives. People who had perhaps never imagined that they would need a computer — including housewives, schoolteachers, clerks, typists and salespersons in shops — are now forced to rely on the new technology. Everyone is busy using computers for work, browsing the Internet or playing games, or using the tiny keyboard on a mobile phone for repeated text messaging. These persistent rapid movements do not give the joints and muscles sufficient time to recover, resulting in inflammation, swelling and eventual damage. In children and teenagers, the growing ends of the bones are particularly susceptible.

Early signs of injury are stiffness of the neck, tingling, numbness or pain radiating to the arms, and feelings of weakness or fatigue. The fingers and arm joints may start to “trigger”. They get fixed painfully in a bent position and then get released with a painful internal pop.

Long hours in front of the computer take a toll on the eyes as well. Eyestrain can cause headaches, neck pain and transient blurring of vision.

An unfit workforce naturally means loss of man hours. A new science has thus evolved to tackle this problem. It is called ergonomics or the scientific study of people and their working conditions, especially to improve effectiveness. An ergonomically designed workplace goes a long way in reducing RSIs.

The seating arrangement is important while using a computer. Since people vary in height, the entire workforce cannot use similar chairs. A one-size-fits-all policy cannot be followed unless the height is adjustable. Chairs should also have a contoured back support. The feet should reach the floor comfortably. To check if the height of a chair is correct, place a pencil on the legs while sitting. It should slide towards the body, not away from it.

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PROPER SEATING ARRANGEMENT WHILE WORKING  ON COMPUTER

The monitor should be placed at eye level, directly in front (not to a side), at an arm’s length from the eyes. If reading at this distance is a problem, increase the font size. The keyboard needs to be placed directly in front of the monitor. If it is angulated to a side, the eyes have to keep adjusting for different distances. Elbows should be placed close to the side of the body to prevent the wrists from bending. The fingers and wrists should remain at a 90-degree angle to the upper part of the arm.

Even if your work is hectic and engrossing, you should walk around or at least stretch your arms and legs every half an hour. If your work requires long hours on the computer, do static, seated exercises (you can get the information on the Internet).

To make it easier on the eyes, the lighting in the room should be soft, from the side and not directly overhead or from the back. You should also take eye breaks from time to time. Focus on a finger held a few inches in front of the face and then on something far in the distance and then back to the finger. Take eye breaks throughout the day. Consciously blink, as prolonged computer use can result in infrequent blinking and dry eyes.

Sports activities can also cause RSIs. If you walk or jog for an hour every day, you need to prevent RSIs to your lower limbs. Warm ups and cool downs taught in school are excellent. Unfortunately, these stretches are often forgotten or done half-heartedly as they seem unnecessary and time-consuming. They are vital to condition and prepare the muscles for exercise and for adequate recovery. To prevent repetitive injuries, it is also important at any age to try and vary the daily exercise. Alternate walking or running with bicycling or swimming so that different groups of muscles are used.

While exercising, wear appropriate footwear. Walking and jogging require running shoes or cross trainers, not Hawaii chappals or rubber sandals. Children require footwear suitable to the sport they are playing. Inexpensive, stiff plastic shoes or playing football barefoot can result in an injury.

Listen to your body and seek prompt medical advice for any discomfort during work, sports or leisure activities. Don’t concentrate on work alone. Incorporate aerobic exercises and stretches into your lifestyle. The benefits of regular exercise are immeasurable. Immunity and resistance to disease increase and the improvement in overall flexibility and strength can help prevent crippling RSIs.

Source: The Telegraph (kolkata, India)

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