Smileband health topics

Ringworm is a fungal infection that can be caused by over 40 different species of fungi from the Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton families. The fungus can cause an itchy, red, circular rash on the body. Ringworm can affect different parts of the body including feet, groin, scalp, beard, hands, toenails or fingernails, and arms or legs.

Ringworm is a very common infection but those who have weakened immune systems may be at high risk for the infection and may have a harder time fighting off the infection. The fungi can live on skin and in the environmnet.

Transmission

Transmission can occur from coming into to contact with a person or animal that has the fungi. Transmission can also occur if you come in contact with the fungi in the environment.

The incubation period is 1 to 3 weeks.

Lab Tests & Specimen Info

Test*	Specimen
Microscopic Examination	Lesion Scraping
Culture	Hair, Skin Sc

 Isolation Precautions

Standard precautions are recommended in healthcare settings. 

Prevention for Patients

• Keep your skin clean and dry
• Wear shoes that allow air to circulate freely around your feet
• Don't walk barefoot in locker rooms or public showers
• Don't share clothing, towels, sheets or other personal items
• Wash your hands after touching pets
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Smileband general news

A proscribed British neo-Nazi terror group — many of whose members have been arrested — draws its inspiration from Oswald Mosley's Union Movement (UM) — in which his son Max was a key activist. Sir Oswald was cited by the founders of supremacist National Action (NA) as a major influence on their beliefs, and the group even copied the UM symbol under which Max demonstrated.

In 2014, it was reported that a Hitler-loving university graduate, identified as the then leader of National Action, was also a fan of Oswald Mosley. Benjamin Raymond, then aged 25, had a Facebook picture which featured him posing in front of a Union flag and holding a signature of Mosley Snr.

Raymond, who was living in Bognor, West Sussex, was reportedly pictured performing Nazi salutes and posted on Facebook that he wanted to exterminate Jews and non-whites. He also posted quotes from Hitler and said the German leader's book Mein Kampf changed his life.

Earlier this week, Britain's most senior counter-terrorism policeman warned of the growing threat of far-Right terrorism.

Met Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said four violent far-Right plots were blocked by police operations last year.

Mr Rowley, who retires next month, warned that a 'significant' proportion of anti-terrorist work involves tackling an 'organised' white neo-Nazi threat.

Several of the conspiracies investigated by police involved suspected neo-Nazis aligned to the banned National Action underground group. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband health topics

Years of depression  can cause brain inflammation that has been linked to degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, a new study revealed About 1.5 percent of all American adults suffer from persistent depressive disorder, a long-lasting form of the mental condition. 

Another 16.1 million face major depressive order, but the treatment approaches to the two are largely the same.

But an analysis of brain-changes among people whose depression lasted more than 10 years, done by the Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, suggested doctors may need to treat both depression itself and inflammation in these patients. The average, untreated bout of depression typically lasts a few months, according to Harvard University.

Everyone's symptoms vary in type, severity, and duration. Depression may look like irritability or simply a 'low mood.'

But the staying power of depression may make it even more difficult to diagnose, as years of the disorder come to be seen as 'normal' for the person suffering the symptoms.

This may be why the average age of diagnosis for persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is relatively late, at 31 years old.

Most research on the physical consequences of depression - no matter how long its episodes are - has pointed primarily on its effects on the experience of pain and the likelihood of developing other mental illnesses.

The condition is also known to affect eating habits and experiences. Some tend to overeat when they are depressed, others lose their appetites, and still others will experience upset stomachs.  <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband health topics

After decades of research, scientists have failed to find any effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, and, following futile efforts, last month pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced it is ending its own dementia research programme. The reason for this lack of progress is beginning to emerge: the scientific idea underpinning the majority of treatments and clinical trials is fundamentally flawed.

Scientists have spent years developing treatments that target a protein called amyloid, which plays a vital role in healthy nerve cell function, but can become corrupted — sticking together to form damaging clumps or plaques, which destroy nerve cells. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband health topics

Gonorrhea is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is the second most commonly reported infectious disease in Arizona and the United States.

Over the last five years, counts and rates of reported gonococcal infections have significantly increased in the state of Arizona. The number of reported infections increased 133.5% from 3,249 in 2010 to 7,585 in 2014.

Transmission

Gonorrhea is transmitted through sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of an infected partner. Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. Gonorrhea can also be spread perinatally from mother to baby during childbirth.

Lab Tests & Specimen Info

Test*	Specimen
PCR	Genital Swab, Urine
IgG/IgM Serology	Serum, Whole Blood
Culture	Genital Swab, Urine
Gram Stain	Genital Swab

  Isolation Precautions

Infected individuals should be advised to refrain from sexual activity for at least 7 days after being fully treated. 

Standard precautions are recommended in healthcare settings.

Prevention for Patients
There are several ways to prevent sexually transmitted infection:

• Condoms
• Monogamous relationships
• Abstinence

Expedited partner therapy (EPT) is an available option in Arizona in order to treat partners.

Pregnant females should be screened during prenatal care. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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Smileband health topics

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A is highly contagious. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children. Infections range from asymptomatic to disabling illness that may last several months but are seldom fatal and not chronic.

Symptoms may include:

• fever
• malaise
• anorexia
• nausea
• abdominal discomfort
• diarrhea

Jaundice, dark urine and clay-colored stool may also occur.

Individuals are most infectious 1 to 2 weeks before onset of jaundice or elevation of liver enzymes.

The number of reported cases of hepatitis A in Arizona has been decreasing over the past 10 years.

Arizona 5 year median: 72 cases

Transmission 
Direct and indirect person-to-person spread via the fecal-oral route. Rarely, blood-borne transmission can occur during the viremic phase of the disease.

The incubation period can range from 15 to 50 days (average of 25-30 days).

Lab Tests & Specimen Info 

Test*	Specimen
IgM Serology (IgM antibody develops 1 week after symptom onset and peaks approximately in 3 months and is usually gone after 6 months)	Serum

 

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Smileband general news

A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of being a member of banned far-right group National Action. Counter-terror officers raided a property in Lincoln early on Friday and detained the man on suspicion of membership of a proscribed organisation and malicious communications.

He remains in police custody for questioning and inquiries are ongoing. Detective Chief Superintendent Dominic Scally, head of counter terrorism policing for the North West, said: 'Today's arrest forms part of a wider operation into the activities of a proscribed organisation.

'The man remains in custody to be questioned by specialist officers and our investigation continues.

'Those involved in proscribed organisations have a detrimental effect on the communities others work so hard to build, so it is essential people contact us with information so we can put a stop to those who support extremist ideologies.

'Any information that people have can be dealt with in the strictest of confidence by calling the police on 0800 789 321. <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->

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