Otitis Media

Phages can sense bacterial DNA damage, which triggers them to replicate and jump ship. Viruses may be 'watching' you – some microbes lie in wait until their hosts unintentionally give them the signal to start multiplying and kill them. Especially after more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people picture a virus as a nasty spiked ball – essentially a mindless killer that gets into a cell and hijacks its machinery to create a gazillion copies of itself before bursting out. For many viruses, including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the "mindless killer" moniker is essentially true. However, there's more to virus biology than meets the eye. A suitable illustration is HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is a retrovirus that does not immediately go on a killing spree when it enters a cell. Instead, it integrates itself into your chromosomes and chills, waiting for the proper opportunity to command the cell to make copies of it and burst out to inf

Acute otitis media (AOM; middle ear infection) is very common in children — so common that one in four children will experience at least one infection by their tenth birthday ​[1]​ . The symptoms of AOM can be distressing for a child: they may experience earache; they may rub or pull on their ear; and they may experience non-specific symptoms, such as fever, crying and restlessness. The condition is also distressing for parents or carers, who may feel helpless when looking after them — sleepless nights and days off work and school are frequently reported as a direct result of AOM. The condition is much more common in children than in adults, since children have a shorter and more horizontal eustachian tube — the tube connecting the throat and middle ear. Inflammation and obstruction in this tube can lead to building pressure and accumulating fluid, which is then colonised by bacteria and viruses.  The infection can be bacterial in nature but is much more commonly caused by vir

Dear Mayo Clinic: I swim for exercise and relaxation. I try to get in the pool about three times a week. Recently, I have begun to have episodes where it feels like water is still in my ear. Then my ear becomes red and painful. A friend suggested I might have swimmer's ear. Is this something that is easy to treat? Do I need to stop swimming? Answer: Swimmer's ear is an infection in the outer ear canal, which runs from your eardrum to the outside of your head. It's often brought on by water that remains in your ear, creating a moist environment that aids the growth of bacteria. Swimmer's ear also is known as otitis externa, and it can affect people of any age. It also can affect those who do not spend time in the water, since it occurs because of bacteria invading the skin inside the ear canal. Excess moisture in the ear from heavy perspiration or prolonged humid weather also can be a culprit. Scratches or abrasions in the ear canal increase the risk of developing ot

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the dermis, a thick inner layer of skin. Cellulitis symptoms include redness, inflammation, and fever. If you don't take antibiotics for cellulitis treatment, you may experience complications, including a cellulitis abscess or perianal cellulitis, an infection around the anus. In rare cases, complications can be very severe, leading to necrotizing fasciitis, septicemia, and other life-threatening infections.  Learn more about cellulitis complications, including how to recognize symptoms and treatment options to avoid serious illness. Vadym Plysiuk / Getty Images Cellulitis Symptoms Cellulitis occurs when bacteria enter the middle layer of skin, known as the dermis. Soon after an infection takes hold, you'll notice cellulitis symptoms, including: A red and inflamed area on the skin Skin that is warmer than normal to the touch Skin that's painful to touch Red lines coming to and

Fungi are microorganisms that include many different species, such as mushrooms, yeasts, mildews, and molds. They're found in almost all environments, including the outdoors (e.g., soil, trees, plants), indoors (e.g., air, household surfaces), and even on and inside people (e.g., toenail fungus, yeast infections). Some fungi are harmless — think edible mushrooms, which are delicious and nutritious — while others can lead to illness or even death, such as Candida or Aspergillus . We know that environment and exposure to harmful fungi play a role in fungal sickness, but it's now believed that lifestyle and diet may play a role, too. In particular, researchers are looking into whether vitamin deficiencies can cause fungal infections. This article tells you about the current research on vitamin deficiencies and their potential roles in fungal infections. Fungal infections can happen to anyone, but they're especially common in people with compromised immune systems. Common fun

The first in a series of articles on the senses examines the nature of hearing and balance (equilibrium). This is a Self-assessment article and comes with a self-assessment test NT Self-assessment articles offer bitesize CPD and are accompanied by multiple-choice assessments with feedback. Test yourself on this article or click here to choose other subjects from the Self-assessment archive. Abstract This series of articles will examine the anatomy and physiology associated with the five major human senses. In this first article, we examine the nature of hearing and balance (equilibrium). The ability to detect sound and balance the human body is reliant on highly specialised sensory organs located in the inner ear. The cochlea is where the organ of Corti is located, which is responsible for detecting sound waves; the vestibule and semicircular canals detect physical movement and are responsible for the sense of balance. Citation: Knight J et al (2022) The senses 1: hearing, b

Introduction Adenoviral infections have a wide range of manifestations, depending on the patients' immunological status, ranging from asymptomatic to severe infection. The vast majority of cases in immunocompetent hosts are self-limited with rare fatal complications. Adenoviral infection in neonates is not frequent but may be life-threatening. Species A-F are responsible for the outbreaks. The serotypes have a different tissue tropism and thus cause different clinical manifestations. The dominant serotypes differ over time and among regions. Infants and neonates are susceptible to severe disease with fatal complications. Mortality rates may exceed 85% [1-7]. In neonates, the adenoviral transmission may be vertical and horizontal. Ronchi et al. demonstrate that horizontal transmission may be more likely when neonatal symptoms present in the neonatal mean age of 16 ± 8 days after delivery [8-9]. Adenovirus entry takes place by attachme