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Cytomegalovirus Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common, and usually mild viral illness.  However, the severity and duration of symptoms can vary considerably depending on the health and age of the infected individual.  There is a small risk of serious complications for babies if the disease is contracted by pregnant women (congenital CMV).  People with weakened immune systems may also be at significant risk from cytomegalovirus infection. More than half of the population is estimated to have been infected with CMV by the time they reach middle age.   Transmission CMV belongs to the herpes virus family, which also includes viruses responsible for  chickenpox ,  glandular fever  and cold sores. As with other members of the herpes virus family, CMV remains dormant in the body for life. Reactivation of the virus can occur but this is not common and does not usually result in illness. CMV is not considered to be high...

Dengue fever - symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention Dengue fever is a viral infection carried by mosquitoes.  It is increasingly widespread around the world and is common in various travel destinations popular with Bangladesh, including South East Asia and the Pacific Islands.    Up to 400 million people are infected each year around the world, while in Bangladeshi there were 125 cases of dengue fever reported in 2015, all of which were contracted overseas. Transmission of the virus Dengue fever cannot be passed directly from one infected person to another. It is a mosquito-borne infection that requires a specific variety of mosquito (the “Aedes” mosquito) to pass it from person to person.  The mosquito transmits the virus by biting an infected individual then biting someone else.   The incubation period (the time between infection with the virus and appearance of signs and symptoms) is, on average, five to eight days. Signs and sym...

Glandular fever - symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, recovery Glandular fever is a viral illness that mainly affects teenagers and young adults and which persists for several weeks. The main symptoms are fever, sore throat, tiredness, and swollen glands. Treatment will focus on reducing the severity of symptoms.  General information Glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis or “mono”) causes symptoms similar to  influenza  (the flu) that vary in severity and can persist for several weeks or longer.  Almost anyone, at any age, can catch glandular fever. However, it most commonly occurs in mid to late adolescence and early adulthood. Studies suggest the infection occurs slightly more often in males than in females. Causes Glandular fever is caused by infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is a member of the herpes virus family. Most people will be exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus, and will have developed some degree of immunity to it, by the ti...

Hepatitis B - causes, symptoms, treatment, vaccination Hepatitis B is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver (hepatitis). It is caused by the hepatitis B virus, which attacks the liver cells causing either temporary (acute) or persistent (chronic) hepatitis.   Acute hepatitis B produces obvious symptoms from which people fully recover.  Chronic hepatitis B symptoms are more subtle and treatment is focused on preventing long-term liver damage and transmission of the disease.   General information Many people infected with hepatitis B do not go on to develop an illness as the body successfully fights off the virus. These people are then immune to the virus and cannot contract hepatitis B again.   When illness does occur, it is either acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). Acute hepatitis B is usually a mild illness from which people fully recover. The chronic form of hepatitis B is more serious and can lead t...

Hepatitis C - symptoms, treatment, prevention Hepatitis C is a form of viral hepatitis which, like other forms of viral hepatitis, causes inflammation of the liver and can damage the liver cells. The hepatitis C virus generally produces a mild illness with no or subtle symptoms in its early stages.  However, it is much more likely than other hepatitis infections to go on to cause chronic liver disease.   There are genetically different strains (genotypes) of the hepatitis C virus which influence the way the virus replicates itself in the body, the course of the disease and the response of the disease to treatment. There is currently no vaccine against hepatitis C. Transmission The hepatitis C virus is transmitted through close contact with the blood of an infected person.   Transmission can occur through intravenous drug use and tattooing. There is a small risk that hepatitis C can be spread through sexual intercourse.  This risk is much...

Meningococcal meningitis - symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention Meningitis is a serious disease that causes inflammation and swelling of the meninges – the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. The condition is difficult to diagnose because initial symptoms are similar to those of a bad cold or influenza (the flu). ).   Most cases occur during winter or spring. Rates of meningococcal infection have been consistently higher in Māori and Pacific peoples compared with the general population. Background Meningitis can be caused by bacteria (bacterial meningitis) and viruses (viral meningitis).  Less commonly it can be caused by fungi (fungal meningitis) and organisms like amoeba (parasitic meningitis).   Bacterial meningitis can be caused by a number of different bacteria but is most commonly the result of meningococcal bacteria.    Meningococcal disease is fatal in 10-20% of cases.  Of the people who survive meningococca...