Questions tagged [pathology]
The study of diseases, including their causes and effects.
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Can birds pass diseases to humans through contact surfaces?
My friend asked me the following question. She has a pigeon nesting on her window and the pigeon often touches the window, and my friend also sometimes touches the window (e.g. open and close it). The ...
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Difference between dysentery and bloody diarrhea
The difference between diarrhoea and dysentery is quite clear; but the appearance of blood in stool or bloody diarrhoea is a very confusing term when compared with dysentery. Are they different in the ...
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Are there any proteins not found in the brain that are affected by prions?
A prion is an abnormally folded protein that is capable of causing otherwise normal proteins to also misfold and become prions. They are responsible for causing diseases such as Kuru and Creutzfeldt–...
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Can HIV be transmitted via mosquitos?
It is known that HIV is usually transmitted by direct blood or body fluid contact between an infected individual and a healthy person (like blood transfusion or needle sharing):
Suppose a mosquito ...
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Why doesn't blood remain on a mosquito's proboscis in quantities that could spread blood-borne diseases?
We know that HIV can't be transmitted by mosquitos, and nor can other highly virulent viruses that are transmitted through blood and bodily fluid exchanges, such as Ebola (thankfully!).
Marcus Junius ...
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Are there any pathogenic archaeans?
Most textbooks seems to restrict pathogens to the domains bacteria and eukarya. Are there any pathogenic archaeans?
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Are “tremors” and “ tetanic contractions” the same thing?
Do these two expressions have the same meaning?
1- Tetanic contractions in the skeletal muscles
2- Rythmic shaking of the hands
(These two expressions are supposed to be two symptoms of Parkinson’s ...
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If Covid antibodies disappear after 2-3 months, will a vaccine still be effective?
It looks like there have been studies in China and also in Spain that suggest antibodies don't last very long or could disappear after some time. What does this mean for the effectiveness of a ...
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Could there be a pathogen which does not activate an immune response?
In order for the immune system to be stimulated to produce antibodies, there must be a surface protein of the invading pathogen which binds to a receptor on B cell surface somewhat loosely. We need ...
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How can I obtain a uniform bacterial sample?
I'm currently doing a research project wherein I will be testing the antibiotic resistance of a bacterial sample. Due to a risk of contamination during transport, I'm not allowed to request a uniform ...
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Explanation of the ‘cherry red spot' in Tay Sachs disease
In Tay Sachs disease, a hallmark symptom is a cherry red spot in the macula of the eye surrounded by a halo of white.
I understand that the ganglion cells, which are higher in numbers around the ...
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How is minimum infectious dose defined?
I'm a bit confused by the concept of a minimum infectious dose (MID). It seems from what my research so far has turned up, that while any dose greater than 0 could potentially cause an infection, for ...
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How can poliovirus and other pathogens lead to permanent conditions if the bodies adaptive immune system is still functioning? [closed]
Wont the lymphatic system eventually create antibodies that completely eliminate the virus in the body?
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What is the principle behind Microagglutination test (MAT)?
Could some one please help me understand the principle behind the MAT. Also, is it only used to detect leptospira or can it be used to detect other pathogens as well? Kindly share links to papers if ...
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Edema and hydrostatic pressure
I'm currently studying Robbins basic pathology, and I'm confused about a specific statement:
It states in the book that when hydrostatic pressure is low due to a lack of albumin synthesis, it leads ...
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Why is cancer not a communicable disease?
I read another question where the author is asking about the infectivity of viruses. In the same vein, I am curious why cancer is not a communicable disease.
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How a pathologist would analyse this H&E image?
I am working on a project which involves writing computer software to analyse histological images. A typical image looks like this:
It is a Hematoxylin and Eosin stained biopsy of breast cancer ...
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Why does a Urinary Tract Infection cause a strong, persistent urge to urinate?
There are plenty of articles on the fact the a urinary tract infection (UTI) causes frequent and urgent urination. For example; on this National Institutes of Health webpage.
My question is:
Why ...
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How do viral vaccines work?
I have read that a vaccine against a pathogen typically works by using a dead or weakened version of that pathogen and then inciting an immune response against the pathogen so that the immune system ...
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Can far-UVC light be safely used as germicide? (help understanding a paper)
I've been trying to familiarize myself with the literature on far UVC light as a germicide. My question mostly pertains to figure 4 of this paper. The paper investigates the efficacy of 207 nm light ...
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What differentiates diseases like Covid-19 and Polio from the common cold
Why are vaccines required for our body's immune system to destroy viruses that cause the likes of Covid-19 or Polio, while viruses that cause the common-cold are self-limiting (go away on their own)? ...
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Are there any diseases that can harm and kill flies and mosquitoes? [closed]
For decades I have heard about how flies and mosquitoes carry diseases around and infect humans and indirectly kill them in mass numbers. Somehow these diseases do not appear to harm these insects, I ...
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how the coronavirus was distinguished?
I have read a lot about the outbreak of the coronavirus, I know that in january scientists had already sequenced the viral genome.
How was the virus identified prior to the sequencing
Given that ...
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Why proximal muscle weakness is seen earlier than distal muscle weakness in Dermatomyositis?
It is said that in dermatomyositis(DM) , proximal muscle weakness is seen earlier than distal muscle weakness. It is also said that , DM is due to damage to small blood vessels contributing to muscle ...
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Is there a Zipf law in epidemiology?
Are there cases where Zipf Law appears in epidemiology?
I ranked provinces of China by their coronavirus confirmed cases (2020-01-30 14:29):
4586, 428, 311, 278, 277, 200, 165, 162, 145, 142, 129,...
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Why is centriacinar emphysema more common in the upper lobes compared to the lower lobes?
I suspect it's because the upper lobes get less ventilated (the volume of their alveoli change less during respiration, and they receive less new air with each breath) compared to the lower lobes, and ...
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Why don't we build up an immunity to sore throat?
We often get sore throats once or twice a year, and it clears in a few days sometimes without any antibiotics. I was wondering why doesn't our body become immune after clearing a sore throat?
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Can a miRNA be upregulated and downregulated in the same disease
I am computational guy and hence apologies if the question is silly.
Can the same miRNA show upregulation and downregulation in the same disease? (Not in the same experiment, though). For e.g. can ...
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Can a pathogen be totally resistant to the human immune system?
Can a pathogenic organism be totally resistant to the human immune system? For the purpose of this question, the organism in question must cause a disease.
Examples of organisms that would qualify as ...
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Is there any biosafety level scale for plant pathogens?
Biosafety levels commonly defined on basis of human/animal pathogens, but what would be the biosafety levels for plant pathogens?
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Is there a minimum load below which an infectious agent will not cause disease?
Suppose a single smallpox virus is injected in an human adult's body. Will it cause disease in the host? Is there a minimum microbial load below which it will not cause disease?
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What disease does Saccharopolyspora erythraea cause?
For an examination assignment I have to find a disease caused by the bacterial species Saccharopolyspora erythraea, but I have searched the internet and have found no report of patients being infected ...
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Why do bulls-eye rashes look like they do?
People infected with Lyme Disease often present with an erythema migrans ("migrating redness") rash. Most often, these rashes are in the shape of a bulls-eye.
Rash image.
Presumably, this is a ...
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Species specific White Blood Cells (WBC) composition
In our ongoing immunology undergrad course I learnt that neutrophil primarily fights off bacterial infection and lymphocyte is produced in response to viral infection. I also learnt that neutrophil ...
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Why does this plum/apricot hybrid look like brains?
Why does this plum/apricot hybrid look like brains?
Notes:
Here's a photo of what a normal fruit on the tree looks like.
Location is Zone 5, east of Toronto.
There are about 20 other fruits on the ...
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Why does bed bugs not carry disease?
Whenever I look up this topic, all I get is articles that say "Bed bugs don't carry disease...", but they never explain why? Is it something in their saliva that kills microbes? Something in their ...
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Growth on raspberry cane: What is it?
I have raspberries growing in my garden.
One of the raspberry canes has some sort of growth on it.
Size: Approximately 2 inches long
Location: Zone 5; east of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date: April 4, ...
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If a ubiquitously ill species existed, would that more or less falsify evolution? [closed]
It is true that a lot of members of our, and most other species, suffer from cancer, but it is still not ubiquitous nor does it exist throughout the individual's life.
If a species existed, in which ...
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Why it is rare for person to get infected with two Pathogens?
Why is it rare for a person to have 2 (or more) infectious diseases (for example: Flu & Cold together at the same time)?
Although it's rare, it happens when the immune system is weak (e.g when ...
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Can cancers caused due to viruses be contagious?
Generally, viruses are infectious in nature and there are several cancer-causing viruses that are known (i.e. oncovirus)
My question is:
Are these oncoviruses infectious in nature? If so, what is the ...
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Can viruses pass through sweat pores?
I have read somewhere that viruses and other microbes can not penetrate skin but what about sweat pores? Can viruses pass through these pores?
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Can people with AIDS get tattoos?
When I do a Google search, most of the results are about whether or not people can get HIV / AIDS from getting a tattoo through dirt needles. I am, however, curious whether or not it is possible to ...
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Why do we have such a wide range of responses to pathogens and carcinogens?
I was reading an article recently debunking the idea of 'boosting' your immune system. It occurred to me that - presuming it's right - our immune systems are all pretty much the same (with the ...
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What properties of the pathogens of infectious diseases make recovered individuals susceptible to the disease?
I was wondering what properties of the pathogens of infectious diseases make these diseases more prone to making recovered individuals immediately susceptible to the disease? I was thinking that with ...
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Is autoimmune disease associated with self-reactive B cells?
I'm a bit of an amateur, so excuse what may be a very naive question, but I somewhat understand how B cells that are self-reactive (bind to endogenous epitopes) are selected out during development. I ...
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Why would taking antibiotics increase stamina and energy?
I often hear that people who are taking antibiotics experience wild fluctuations between feeling full of energy and completely alert but soon after feeling impossibly fatigued and sick.
Does this ...
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Odds of finding superbug in soil?
There are tons of soil, rock, etc. being dug up, dug into, and moved all around the world each day. Paleontologists likewise regularly excavate fossils and both buried and frozen specimens, and ...
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Alcohol effect on heart and vascular system
How does alcohol weaken heart muscles and why does it increase blood pressure both temporarily and long term? Is the long term effect due to increase of plaque or is it due to other effects?
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Does cataract condition cause red film when sun is shining?
Since two years ago I have a red film in my field of vision when the sunlight (or a white spot) is at the border (or even lightly behind) of the vision field, the red color is especially obvious at ...
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Can organ-accumulated iron get shed again?
Hemochromatosis can lead to an accumulation of iron in some organs. If the accumulated amount is not too high, will it go down again upon correction of blood iron levels?
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