Developments in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease
Zika virus is spread to humans by mosquito bites. Common symptoms of Zika virus disease include fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). A Zika virus infection is usually mild. Symptoms last from a few days to a week. Severe instances, requiring hospitalization, are infrequent. Initially, the news of Zika centered around an outbreak … Read more
Microbes cause disease, and include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. In the last century great strides in medicine were made in combating diseases caused by microbes. Antimicrobials have increased human life expectancy and decreased the ability of microbes to cause disease. Disease conditions that used to be fatal are now easily treated with antimicrobials. Unfortunately … Read more
Most individuals who are infected with HIV develop antibodies within three months of being infected. The two most common tests for HIV, the Western Blot (WB) and immunofluorescent assay (IFA), confirm HIV by testing for the presence of such antibodies. The rapid HIV tests, such as the Reveal HIV-1 Antibody Test and OraQuick Rapid HIV-1 … Read more