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Algae: What Are The Symptoms of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning?
Algae: What Are The Symptoms of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning?
Diagnosis:
The mouse assay used for ASP testing is the same as for PSP. The relative potency of
ASP toxins appear to be less than PSP. In addition, involuntary scratching of
shoulders with hind legs by the mice was noted and is not typical of PSP. HPLC
analysis can quantify domoic acid from contaminated shellfish in ASP episodes.
As with many of the marine toxin induced diseases, the initial or index case(s) are
often the tip of the iceberg. Therefore any suspected cases of ASP should be reported
to the appropriate public health authorities for follow up to ascertain other cases and
to prevent further spread. And every effort should be made to obtain contaminated
materials and their source.
Since an estimated concentration of 200 ug/g wet weight domoic acid appeared to
affect some consumers, with a safety factor of 0.1 applied, Canada has set a
concentration of domoic acid of 20 ug/g wet weight above which shellfish commercial
operations should be closed. Finally, this epidemic has lead to new attention to the
diatoms, especially the appearance of the mucilage from diatoms with species of
Nitzschia. There is no antidote. In severe cases, oral rehydration is recommended.
Prevention of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning
victim is awake and alert and has eaten ciguatera toxin-containing fish
example, mannitol[Osmitrol]).
Amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep) and gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise,
Avoid alcohol, fish, nuts, and nut oils after exposure to ciguatera toxin
Nursing intervention
Severe cases require hospitalization for intravenous fluids.
Immediate medical attention is necessary for all cases because the
3. Prevention
Causes
● brevetoxins
Symptoms
● slurred speech, nausea, vomiting
Prevention:
Monitoring of dinoflagellate cell counts; avoid toxic shellfish; no antitoxin available
Treatment:
Supportive care
Fluid replacement
Administration of sedatives
Pain mitigation
Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning
Causes:
Dinophysis spp
Symptoms:
Prevention:
Treatment
Supportive care; may require ventilator support (PSP) or extended rehabilitation (DASP)
electrolyte replacement
protothecosis is a rare infection caused by members of the genus Prototheca.
Diagnosis
Detection of characteristic structures observed on histopathologic examination of tissue
Treatment
1. Antifungals
► Ketoconazole
► Itraconazole
► Fluconazole
► Conventional amphotericin B
► Liposomal amphotericin B
2. Surgical excision
DIAGNOSIS
Isolation
Clinical Laboratory Findings
Cytologic Examination
Molecular Techniques
Prevention:
improving management
conditions, such as not
using muddy lodging areas,
culling infected
animals that may shed organisms
in their faeces
and serve as a source of infection,
and using teat
dips after milking
improving management
conditions, such as not
using muddy lodging areas,
culling infected
animals that may shed organisms
in their faeces
and serve as a source of infection,
and using teat
dips after milking
improving management
conditions, such as not
using muddy lodging areas,
culling infected
animals that may shed organisms
in their faeces
and serve as a source of infection,
and using teat
dips after milking
improving management
conditions, such as not
using muddy lodging areas,
culling infected
animals that may shed organisms
in their faeces
and serve as a source of infection,
and using teat
dips after milking
improving management
conditions, such as not
using muddy lodging areas,
culling infected
animals that may shed organisms
in their faeces
and serve as a source of infection,
and using teat
dips after milking
improving management
conditions, such as not
using muddy lodging areas,
culling infected
animals that may shed organisms
in their faeces
and serve as a source of infection,
and using teat
dips after milking
Improving management
conditions, such as not using
muddy lodging areas
Tingling
numbness around the mouth which can spread to the face, neck, arms and legs.
How is it diagnosed?
clinical symptoms
urine test
How is it treated?
supportive care
breathing support
How is it prevented?
3. should not eat uncooked shellfish (for example, "raw" oysters) to
prevent exposure to bacterial and viral diseases, cooking does not
destroy the poisons in contaminated shellfish. There are no
antidotes for these shellfish poisons.
Nursing intervention
5. If possible keep samples of the shellfish that may be tested later for toxins.
In some cases, your doctor may take a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. A biopsy
involves scraping off a very small portion of a bump in the mouth. The sample is then
sent to a laboratory, where it’ll be tested for the presence of C. albicans.
If oral thrush is in your esophagus, your doctor likely will perform more procedures to
ensure an accurate diagnosis. These can include a throat swab culture and
an endoscopy.
During a throat swab culture, your doctor will use a cotton swab to take a tissue
sample from the back of your throat. The sample will then be sent to a laboratory for
analysis.
Endoscopy involves the use of a thin tube with an attached light and camera. This is
called an endoscope. Your doctor will insert the endoscope through your mouth and
into your esophagus to examine the affected area. They may also remove a sample of
tissue for inspection.
How is oral thrush treated?
Treatment for oral thrush varies depending on your age and overall health. The
purpose of treatment is to prevent the growth and spread of the fungus.
Once treatment begins, oral thrush usually goes away within a couple of weeks.
However, oral thrush may return again in the future. A complete cure is more likely if
you have a healthy immune system and are free of other diseases.
If you have recurring cases of oral thrush and are otherwise healthy, your doctor will
evaluate you for an underlying condition that’s causing the thrush.
Medical treatments
Home remedies
Use a saltwater mixture to rinse your mouth. To make a saltwater rinse, mix
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water.
Eat unsweetened yogurt to help restore and maintain healthy levels of good
bacteria.
When a breastfeeding infant has oral thrush, both the mother and infant should be
treated to prevent a cycle of retransmission. Treatment in these cases may include the
following:
Use an antifungal medication for the baby and an antifungal cream for the
mother’s breasts, such as terbinafine (Lamisil) or clotrimazole (Lotrimin). Wipe the
cream off the breast before feeding your baby to prevent it from getting in their
mouth.
Rinse pacifiers, bottle nipples, and all pieces of a breast pump in a solution of
half water and half vinegar. Allow the items to air-dry. You can also wash these in
hot water in the dishwasher, and allow to dry in the sun.
Use nursing pads to prevent the fungus from spreading to clothes.
Infants who develop oral thrush also may get a severe diaper rash.
difficulty feeding
fussiness
irritability
Babies with oral thrush can transmit it to their mothers during breastfeeding. Mothers
and their infants can get caught in a cycle of transmission. If you’re breastfeeding and
your breasts contract the fungus, you may experience:
Diseases that attack your immune system, such as leukemia and HIV, also increase
your risk for oral thrush.
Diabetes, another illness that affects your immune system, can contribute to oral
thrush as well. If you have uncontrolled diabetes, you may have a high level of sugar
in your saliva. One theory is that C. albicans can then use this extra sugar to fuel its
growth in your mouth.
The same fungus that causes oral thrush also causes yeast infections, so pregnant
women with a vaginal yeast infection can occasionally pass a yeast infection to their
baby during delivery. Learn more about yeast infections during pregnancy.
have diabetes, anemia, or HIV
have an illness that causes dry mouth
take antibiotics or corticosteroids
use chemotherapy, radiation, or drugs to treat cancer
wear dentures
smoke cigarettes
recently had an organ transplant, which increases the risk of fungal infection
In some cases, your doctor may take a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. A biopsy
involves scraping off a very small portion of a bump in the mouth. The sample is then
sent to a laboratory, where it’ll be tested for the presence of C. albicans.
If oral thrush is in your esophagus, your doctor likely will perform more procedures to
ensure an accurate diagnosis. These can include a throat swab culture and
an endoscopy.
During a throat swab culture, your doctor will use a cotton swab to take a tissue
sample from the back of your throat. The sample will then be sent to a laboratory for
analysis.
Endoscopy involves the use of a thin tube with an attached light and camera. This is
called an endoscope. Your doctor will insert the endoscope through your mouth and
into your esophagus to examine the affected area. They may also remove a sample of
tissue for inspection.
Tinea Capitis
Causes
Fungi called dermatophytes cause ringworm of the scalp. Fungi are
organisms that thrive on dead tissue, such as fingernails, hair, and the outer
layers of your skin. Dermatophytes prefer warmth and moisture, so they thrive
on sweaty skin. Overcrowding and poor hygiene increase the spread of
ringworm.
Ringworm spreads easily, especially among children. You can get ringworm
from touching the skin of an infected person. If you use combs, bedding, or
other objects that have been used by an infected person, you’re also at risk.
House pets, such as cats and dogs, can spread ringworm, too. Farm animals
like goats, cows, horses, and pigs can also be carriers. However, these
animals might not show any signs of infection.
Symptoms
The most common symptom of ringworm is itchy patches on the scalp.
Sections of hair may break off near the scalp, leaving scaly, red areas or bald
spots. You may see black dots where the hair has broken off. Left untreated,
these areas can gradually grow and spread.
brittle hair
painful scalp
swollen lymph nodes
low-grade fever
In more severe cases, you may develop crusty swellings called kerion that
drain pus. These can lead to permanent bald spots and scarring
Your doctor may also take a skin or hair sample to confirm the diagnosis. The
sample is then sent to a lab to determine the presence of fungi. This involves
looking at your hair or a scraping from a scaly patch of scalp under a
microscope. This process may take up to three weeks.
Treatment
Your doctor will probably prescribe fungi-killing oral medication and medicated
shampoo.
Antifungal medication
stomach pain
itching
rash
hives
loss of taste or change in taste
allergic reaction
headache
fever
liver problems, in rare cases
Medicated shampoo
Your doctor may tell you to use this shampoo a couple times per week for a
month. Leave the shampoo on for five minutes, then rinse.
It can be hard to tell if an animal has ringworm, but a common sign of infection
is bald patches. Avoid petting any animals that have patches of skin showing
through their fur. Maintain regular checkups for all pets and ask your
veterinarian to check for ringworm.
Nursing intervention
3. Your child can usually return to school once they start treatment for
ringworm, but you should ask your doctor when it’s safe for them to
return.
4. Pets and other family members should be examined and treated if
necessary. This will help prevent reinfection.
5. Do not share towels, combs, hats, or other personal items with other
family members.
6. You can sterilize combs and brushes that belong to the infected person
by soaking them in bleach water. Follow the directions on the bleach
container for the proper dilution ratio.
7. Avoid petting any animals that have patches of skin showing through
their fur.
8. Maintain regular checkups for all pets and ask your veterinarian to check
for ringworm.
What causes athlete’s foot?
Athlete’s foot occurs when the tinea fungus grows on the feet. You can catch
the fungus through direct contact with an infected person, or by touching
surfaces contaminated with the fungus. The fungus thrives in warm, moist
environments. It’s commonly found in showers, on locker room floors, and
around swimming pools.
itching, stinging, and burning between your toes or on soles of your feet
blisters on your feet that itch
cracking and peeling skin on your feet, most commonly between your
toes and on your soles
dry skin on your soles or sides of your feet
raw skin on your feet
discolored, thick, and crumbly toenails
toenails that pull away from the nail bed
How is athlete’s foot diagnosed?
A doctor may diagnose athlete’s foot by the symptoms. Or, a doctor may order
a skin test if they aren’t sure a fungal infection is causing your symptoms.
A skin lesion potassium hydroxide exam is the most common test for athlete’s
foot. A doctor scrapes off a small area of infected skin and places it in
potassium hydroxide. The KOH destroys normal cells and leaves the fungal
cells untouched so they are easy to see under a microscope.
OTC medications
miconazole (Desenex)
terbinafine (Lamisil AT)
clotrimazole (Lotrimin AF)
butenafine (Lotrimin Ultra)
tolnaftate (Tinactin)
Some of the prescription medications your doctor may prescribe for athlete’s
foot include:
Home care
Your doctor may recommend that you soak your feet in salt water or
diluted vinegar to help dry up blisters.
Alternative therapy
Tea tree oil has been used as an alternative therapy for treating athlete’s foot
with some success. A study from 2002 reported that a 50 percent solution of
tea tree oil effectively treated athlete’s foot in 64 percent of trial participants.
Ask your doctor if a tea tree oil solution can help your athlete’s foot. Tea tree
oil can cause contact dermatitis in some people.
Prevention
There are several things you can do to help prevent athlete’s foot infections:
Wash your feet with soap and water every day and dry them thoroughly,
especially between the toes.
Wash socks, bedding and towels in water that’s 140°F (60°C) or higher.
Combining washing socks and application of OTC antifungal
recommendations should treat most cases of athlete’s foot. You can
disinfect your shoes by using disinfectant wipes (like Clorox wipes) or
sprays.
Put antifungal powder on your feet every day.
Don’t share socks, shoes, or towels with others.
Wear sandals in public showers, around public swimming pools, and in
other public places.
Wear socks made out of breathable fibers, such as cotton or wool, or
made out of synthetic fibers that wick moisture away from your skin.
Change your socks when your feet get sweaty.
Air out your feet when you are at home by going barefoot.
Wear shoes made of breathable materials.
Alternate between two pairs of shoes, wearing each pair every other
day, to give your shoes time to dry out between uses. Moisture will allow
the fungus to continue to grow.
Candidiasis of the Skin
(Cutaneous Candidiasis)
What causes candidiasis of the skin?
Candidiasis of the skin develops when the skin becomes infected
with Candida. A small amount of Candida fungi naturally live on the skin.
The rash can affect various parts the body, but it’s most likely to develop in
the folds of the skin. This includes areas in the armpits, in the groin, between
the fingers, and under the breasts. Candida can also cause infections in the
nails, edges of the nails, and corners of the mouth.
ringworm
hives
herpes
diabetes-related skin conditions
contact dermatitis
seborrheic dermatitis
eczema
psoriasis
Nursing intervention
2. Good idea to test them out on a small area first to check for an
allergic reaction or sensitivity.
3. The Candida cleanse is a special diet that severely restricts sugar,
refined flour, grains, dairy products, alcohol, and processed foods.
It allows mainly vegetables and herbs.