× Didn't find what you were looking for? Ask a question
Top Posters
Since Sunday
5
o
5
4
m
4
b
4
x
4
a
4
l
4
t
4
S
4
m
3
s
3
New Topic  
3tsmom3 3tsmom3
wrote...
Posts: 8
Rep: 0 0
9 years ago
Compare and contrast African sleeping sickness and primary amebic meningoencephalopathy
Read 1051 times
1 Reply

Related Topics

Replies
wrote...
9 years ago
African sleeping sickness

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of stage 1 (early or hemolymphatic stage) disease may include the following:

Painless skin chancre
Intermittent fever (refractory to antimalarials), general malaise, myalgia, arthralgias, and headache
Generalized or regional lymphadenopathy
Facial edema
Transient urticarial, erythematous, or macular rashes 6-8 weeks after onset
Skin lesions (trypanids)

Symptoms of stage 2 (late or neurologic stage) disease may include the following:

Persistent headaches (refractory to analgesics)
Daytime somnolence followed by nighttime insomnia
Behavioral changes, mood swings, or depression
Loss of appetite, wasting syndrome, and weight loss
Seizures (more common in children)

Physical findings in stage 1 (early or hemolymphatic stage) disease may include the following:

Indurated chancre at bite site
Trypanids in light-skinned patients
Lymphadenopathy
Fevers, tachycardia, irregular rash, edema, and weight loss
Organomegaly, particularly splenomegaly

Physical findings in stage 2 (late or neurologic stage) disease may include the following:

CNS manifestations (irritability, tremors, increased muscle rigidity and tonicity, ataxia, hemiparesis)
Kerandel sign
Behavioral changes consistent with mania or psychosis, speech disorders, and seizures
Stupor and coma
Psychosis
Sensory disorders

Diagnosis

Although general laboratory studies may be helpful, a definitive diagnosis of African trypanosomiasis requires actual detection of trypanosomes.

Significant laboratory abnormalities include the following:

Anemia
Hypergammaglobulinemia
Low complement levels
Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Thrombocytopenia
Hypoalbuminemia

Primary amebic meningoencephalopathy

Amebic meningoencephalitis, an extremely rare and sporadic central nervous system (CNS) infection, is caused by free-living amoebae; specifically, Naegleria fowleri and Balamuthia mandrillari s ,as well as species of Acanthamoeba and Sappinia.

Typically, N fowleri produces primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), which is clinically indistinguishable from acute bacterial meningitis. The other amoebae cause granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE), which is a more subacute or chronic infection. The presentation of GAE can mimic a brain abscess, aseptic or chronic meningitis, or CNS malignancy.

New Topic      
Explore
Post your homework questions and get free online help from our incredible volunteers
  1111 People Browsing
Related Images
  
 1436
  
 281
  
 279
Your Opinion