Biology Today — May 2017

3. Trypanosomiasis
   or African
   sleeping
   sickness

Trypanosoma

gambiense

Biting of tse tse fly

(Glossina sp.)/ Weeks or

months

Swelling of lymphatic

glands, recurrent fever,

anaemia, patient falls

asleep

Pentamidine, atoxyl,

tryparsamide, germanin

4. Kala-azar or
   Dum-dum fever

Leishmania

donovani

Bite of sandfly

Phlebotomus argentipes /

3-6 months

High fever, spleen

enlargement, anaemia,

darkening of skin

Sodium antimony tartrate,

glyconate, urea stebamine,

neostibosan

Helminthic Diseases

• Helminths are animals that belong to the Phylum Platyhelminthes (flatworms) and Nematoda (roundworms).

• Many parasitic forms of this group, popularly known as parasitic worms are endoparasites of gut and blood in human body
and cause various diseases called as helminthiasis.
Table: Helminthic diseases
Disease Pathogen Mode of transmission Symptoms Prevention /
Treatment

1. Taeniasis Taenia solium (Pork
   tapeworm), Taenia
   saginata (Beef
   tapeworm)

Raw or under- cooked pork

or beef

Abdominal pain, nausea,

anaemia, indigestion,

epilepsy

Pork or beef to be cooked

properly before eating /

Camoquin and atabrin

2. Ascariasis Ascaris lumbricoides Contaminated fruits,
   vegetables, food or water,
   etc., containing Ascaris
   eggs

Muscular pain, fever,

anaemia, blockage of

intestinal passage

Preventing exposure to

unhygienic conditions/

Chenopodium oil,

tetrachloroethylene

3. Filariasis
   (Elephan-
   tiasis)

Wuchereria bancrofti,

W. malayi

Bite of Culex mosquito Swelling of feet, legs,

thighs, scrotal sacs, breast

Take precautions

against mosquito bites/

Albendazole,

hetrazan,diethyl

carbamazine (DEC)

4. Ancylosto-
   miasis

Ancylostoma

duodenale

Juveniles penetrate through

skin of hands and feet

Gastrointestinal

disturbances, anaemia,

nervous disorders.

Proper sanitation

and hygiene/

Tetrachloroethylene and

carbon tetrachloride

Fungal Diseases

• The fungal diseases of man are either mycoses (caused by infection of fungi) or toxicoses (caused by toxic fungal
metabolites).
Table : Fungal disease
Disease Pathogen Mode of transmission/
Incubation period

Symptoms Control measure/

Treatment

Ringworm

(Tinea)

Microsporum Direct contact or by soil Infect skin, hair and nails Drugs like griseofulvin and

miconazole inhibit infection

NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

• These diseases are not transmitted from infected persons to healthy persons.

• Some of the non-communicable diseases are discussed below:

• Diabetes mellitus or hyperglycemia is the most common endocrine disorder of the pancreas which is caused when
  either insulin is produced insufficiently (insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) or becomes non functional (non-insulin
  dependent diabetes mellitus). In both disorders, the blood glucose concentration is elevated above the normal range.
  Glucose is excreted in urine, resulting in excessive urination and dehydration of body tissues.