Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome : AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease caused by a virus called HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). The illness alters the immune system, making people much more vulnerable to infections and diseases. This susceptibility worsens as the disease progresses. HIV is found in the body fluids of an infected person (semen and vaginal fluids, blood and breast milk). The virus is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy, delivering the baby during childbirth, and through breast feeding. HIV is transmitted primarily via unprotected sexual intercourse (including anal and oral sex), contaminated blood transfusions, hypodermic needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. Some bodily fluids, such as saliva and tears, do not transmit HIV. Drugs for HIV infection 1. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor - Zidovudine, abacavir, didanosine, emtricitabine, lamivudine, stavudine, and tenofovir. 2. Protease inhibitors - amprenavir, atazanavir, fosamprenavir (a pro-drug of amprenavir), indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, and tipranavir. 3. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors - efavirenz and nevirapine 4. Drug which inhibits HIV from fusing to the host cell - Enfuvirtide


Hepatitis B : Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. It is a major global health problem. It can cause chronic liver disease and chronic infection and puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. The virus is transmitted by exposure to infectious blood or body fluids such as semen and vaginal fluids, while viral DNA has been detected in the saliva, tears, and urine of chronic carriers. Perinatal infection is a major route of infection in endemic (mainly developing) countries. Other risk factors for developing HBV infection include working in a healthcare setting, transfusions, dialysis, acupuncture, tattooing, sharing razors or toothbrushes with an infected person, travel in countries where it is endemic, and residence in an institution. Transmission In highly endemic areas, HBV is most commonly spread from mother to child at birth, or from person to person in early childhood. Perinatal or early childhood transmission may also account for more than one third of chronic infections in areas of low endemicity, although in those settings, sexual transmission and the use of contaminated needles, especially among injecting drug users, are the major routes of infection. The hepatitis B virus can survive outside the body for at least seven days. During this time, the virus can still cause infection if it enters the body of a person who is not protected by the vaccine. The hepatitis B virus is not spread by contaminated food or water, and cannot be spread casually in the workplace. The incubation period of the hepatitis B virus is 75 days on average, but can vary from 30 to 180 days. The virus may be detected 30 to 60 days after infection and persists for variable periods of time. Symptoms Most people do not experience any symptoms during the acute infection phase. However, some people have acute illness with symptoms that last several weeks, including yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In some people, the hepatitis B virus can also cause a chronic liver infection that can later develop into cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer. More than 90% of healthy adults who are infected with the hepatitis B virus will recover and be completely rid of the virus within six months. Treatment There are seven medications licensed for treatment of hepatitis B infection in the United States. These include antiviral drugs lamivudine, adefovir, tenofovir, telbivudine and entecavir and the two immune systemmodulators interferon alpha-2a and PEGylated interferon alpha-2a. Prevention The hepatitis B vaccine is the mainstay of hepatitis B prevention. WHO recommends that all infants receive the hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours. The birth dose should be followed by 2 or 3 doses to complete the primary series. In most cases, 1 of the following 2 options is considered appropriate: 1.a 3-dose schedule of hepatitis B vaccine, with the first dose (monovalent) being given at birth and the second and third (monovalent or combined vaccine) given at the same time as the first and third doses of DTP vaccine; or 2.4 doses, where a monovalent birth dose is followed by 3 monovalent or combined vaccine doses, usually given with other routine infant vaccines. The complete vaccine series induces protective antibody levels in more than 95% of infants, children and young adults. Protection lasts at least 20 years and is possibly lifelong.


Kaposi’s sarcoma : Kaposi's sarcoma is a cancerous tumor of the connective tissue, and is often associated with AIDS. Kaposi's sarcoma is a cancer that causes patches of abnormal tissue to grow under the skin, in the lining of the mouth, nose, and throat or in other organs. The patches are usually red or purple and are made of cancer cells and blood cells. The red and purple patches often cause no symptoms, though they may be painful. If the cancer spreads to the digestive tract or lungs, bleeding can result. Lung tumors can make breathing hard. Before the HIV/AIDS epidemic, KS usually developed slowly. In HIV/AIDS patients, though, the disease moves quickly. Treatment depends on where the lesions are and how bad they are. Treatment for HIV itself can shrink the lesions. However, treating KS does not improve survival from HIV/AIDS itself. Symptoms The tumors most often appear as bluish-red or purple bumps on the skin. They are reddish-purple because they are rich in blood vessels. The lesions may first appear on the feet or ankles, thighs, arms, hands, face, or any other part of the body. They also can appear on sites inside the body. Other symptoms may include: • Bloody sputum • Shortness of breath Treatment Treatments include: • Antiviral therapy against HIV • Combination chemotherapy • Freezing (cryotherapy) • Radiation therapy


Leukemia : Leukemia is cancer of the blood or bone marrow (which produces blood cells). A person who has leukemia suffers from an abnormal production of blood cells, generally leukocytes (white blood cells). The word Leukemia comes from the Greek leukos which means "white" and aima which means "blood". The DNA of immature blood cells, mainly white cells, becomes damaged in some way. This abnormality causes the blood cells to grow and divide chaotically. Normal blood cells die after a while and are replaced by new cells which are produced in the bone marrow. The abnormal blood cells do not die so easily, and accumulate, occupying more and more space. As more and more space is occupied by these faulty blood cells there is less and less space for the normal cells - and the sufferer becomes ill. Quite simply, the bad cells crowd out the good cells in the blood. Causes Experts say that different leukemias have different causes. The following are either known causes, or strongly suspected causes: ? Artificial ionizing radiation ? Viruses - HTLV-1 (human T-lymphotropic virus) and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) ? Benzene and some petrochemicals ? Alkylating chemotherapy agents used in previous cancers ? Maternal fetal transmission (rare) ? Hair dyes ? Genetic predisposition - some studies researching family history and looking at twins have indicated that some people have a higher risk of developing leukemia because of a single gene or multiple genes. ? Down syndrome - people with Down syndrome have a significantly higher risk of developing leukemia, compared to people who do not have Down syndrome. Experts say that because of this, people with certain chromosomal abnormalities may have a higher risk. ? Electromagnetic energy - studies indicate there is not enough evidence to show that ELF magnetic (not electric) fields that exist currently might cause leukemia. The IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) says that studies which indicate there is a risk tend to be biased and unreliable. Signs and symptoms Common leukemia Signs and symptoms include: • Fever or chills • Persistent fatigue, weakness • Frequent or severe infections • Losing weight without trying • Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen • Easy bleeding or bruising • Recurrent nosebleeds • Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae) • Excessive sweating, especially at night • Bone pain or tenderness Classification The first type of classification is by how fast the leukemia progresses: • Acute leukemia. In acute leukemia, the abnormal blood cells are immature blood cells (blasts). They can't carry out their normal work, and they multiply rapidly, so the disease worsens quickly. Acute leukemia requires aggressive, timely treatment. • Chronic leukemia. This type of leukemia involves more mature blood cells. These blood cells replicate or accumulate more slowly and can function normally for a period of time. Some forms of chronic leukemia initially produce no early symptoms and can go unnoticed or undiagnosed for years. The second type of classification is by type of white blood cell affected: • Lymphocytic leukemia. This type of leukemia affects the lymphoid cells (lymphocytes), which form lymphoid or lymphatic tissue. Lymphatic tissue makes up your immune system. • Myelogenous (my-uh-LOHJ-uh-nus) leukemia. This type of leukemia affects the myeloid cells. Myeloid cells give rise to red blood cells, white blood cells and platelet-producing cells. Types of leukemia The major types of leukemia are: • Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). This is the most common type of leukemia in young children. ALL can also occur in adults. • Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). AML is a common type of leukemia. It occurs in children and adults. AML is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults. • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). With CLL, the most common chronic adult leukemia, you may feel well for years without needing treatment. • Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). This type of leukemia mainly affects adults. A person with CML may have few or no symptoms for months or years before entering a phase in which the leukemia cells grow more quickly. Medications Chemotherapy for leukemia is usually a combination of drugs. This is because different drugs attack leukemia cells in different ways. The combination also helps keep the leukemia cells from becoming resistant to any one drug. Medicine choices For acute leukemia Your treatment plan will include the kind of medicine that works best for the specific type or subtype of leukemia that you have. • Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) may be treated with chemotherapy medicines (asparaginase, clofarabine, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, methotrexate,nelarabine, or vincristine) and corticosteroids (dexamethasone or prednisone). • Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) may be treated with chemotherapy medicines (cytarabine, daunorubicin, idarubicin, or mitoxantrone).


Melanoma: : A form of cancer that begins in melanocytes (cells that make the pigment melanin). It may begin in a mole (skin melanoma), but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines. Often the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole. Most melanomas have a black or black-blue area. Melanoma may also appear as a new mole. It may be black, abnormal, or "ugly looking." Treatment Surgery is the first treatment of all stages of melanoma. Other treatments include chemotherapy and radiation, biologic, and targeted therapies. Biologic therapy boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.