shaneperry0101/health-chatbot huggingface dataset:
Question: How to prevent Parasites - Babesiosis ?
Answer: Steps can be taken to reduce the risk for babesiosis and other tickborne infections. The use of prevention measures is especially important for people at increased risk for severe babesiosis (for example, people who do not have a spleen). Avoiding exposure to tick habitats is the best defense.
Babesia microti is spread by Ixodes scapularis ticks, which are mostly found in wooded, brushy, or grassy areas, in certain regions and seasons. No vaccine is available to protect people against babesiosis. However, people who live, work, or travel in tick-infested areas can take simple steps to help protect themselves against tick bites and tickborne infections.
During outdoor activities in tick habitats, take precautions to keep ticks off the skin.
- Walk on cleared trails and stay in the center of the trail, to minimize contact with leaf litter, brush, and overgrown grasses, where ticks are most likely to be found.
- Minimize the amount of exposed skin, by wearing socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck the pant legs into the socks, so ticks cannot crawl up the inside of the pants. Wear light-colored clothing, to make it easier to see and remove ticks before they attach to skin.
- Apply repellents to skin and clothing. Follow the instructions on the product label. - Products that contain DEET (N,N-diethylmetatoluamide) can be directly applied to exposed skin and to clothing, to help keep ticks away (by repelling them). The product label includes details about how and where to apply the repellent, how often to reapply it, and how to use it safely on children.
- Permethrin products can be applied to clothing/boots (not to skin), actually kill ticks that come in contact with the treated clothing, and usually stay effective through several washings.
After outdoor activities, conduct daily tick checks and promptly remove any ticks that are found. Thorough, daily tick checks are very important. The I. scapularis nymphs that typically spread B. microti are so small (about the size of a poppy seed) that they are easily overlooked. But they usually must stay attached to a person for more than 36-48 hours to be able to transmit the parasite.
- Remove ticks from clothing and pets before going indoors.
- Conduct a full-body exam for ticks. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of the body. Be sure to check behind the knees, between the legs (groin/thighs), between the toes, under the arms (armpits), around the waist, inside the belly button, the back of the neck, behind and in the ears, as well as in and around the scalp, hairline, and hair. Remember to check children and pets, too.
Remove ticks that are attached to the skin as soon as possible, preferably by using pointed (fine-tipped) tweezers. Grab the tick’s mouth parts close to the skin, and slowly pull the tick straight out (with steady outward pressure), until the tick lets go.
More on: Removing Ticks
More on: Ticks
Question: what are the signs and symptoms of rabies?
Answer: The first symptoms of rabies may be very similar to those of the flu including general weakness or discomfort, fever, or headache. These symptoms may last for days.
There may be also discomfort or a prickling or itching sensation at the site of bite, progressing within days to symptoms of cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, agitation. As the disease progresses, the person may experience delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, and insomnia.
The acute period of disease typically ends after 2 to 10 days. Once clinical signs of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal, and treatment is typically supportive.
Disease prevention includes administration of both passive antibody, through an injection of human immune globulin and a round of injections with rabies vaccine.
Once a person begins to exhibit signs of the disease, survival is rare. To date less than 10 documented cases of human survival from clinical rabies have been reported and only two have not had a history of pre- or postexposure prophylaxis.
Question: what is the risk for my pet for Rabies ?
Answer: Any animal bitten or scratched by either a wild, carnivorous mammal or a bat that is not available for testing should be regarded as having been exposed to rabies.
Unvaccinated dogs, cats, and ferrets exposed to a rabid animal should be euthanized immediately. If the owner is unwilling to have this done, the animal should be placed in strict isolation for 6 months and vaccinated 1 month before being released.
Animals with expired vaccinations need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Dogs and cats that are currently vaccinated are kept under observation for 45 days.
Small mammals such as squirrels, rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, chipmunks, rabbits, and hares are almost never found to be infected with rabies and have not been known to cause rabies among humans in the United States. Bites by these animals are usually not considered a risk of rabies unless the animal was sick or behaving in any unusual manner and rabies is widespread in your area.
However, from 1985 through 1994, woodchucks accounted for 86% of the 368 cases of rabies among rodents reported to CDC. Woodchucks or groundhogs (Marmota monax) are the only rodents that may be frequently submitted to state health department because of a suspicion of rabies. In all cases involving rodents, the state or local health department should be consulted before a decision is made to initiate postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).
Is there rabies in my area?
Each state collects specific information about rabies, and is the best source for information on rabies in your area. In addition, the CDC publishes rabies surveillance data every year for the United States. The report, entitled Rabies Surveillance in the United States, contains information about the number of cases of rabies reported to CDC during the year, the animals reported rabid, maps showing where cases were reported for wild and domestic animals, and distribution maps showing outbreaks of rabies associated with specific animals.
Question: what are public health agencies doing to prevent or control botulism?
Answer: Public education about botulism prevention is an ongoing activity. Information about safe canning is widely available for consumers. Persons in state health departments and at CDC are knowledgeable about botulism and available to consult with physicians 24 hours a day. If antitoxin is needed to treat a patient, it can be quickly delivered to a physician anywhere in the country. Suspected outbreaks of botulism are quickly investigated, and if they involve a commercial product, the appropriate control measures are coordinated among public health and regulatory agencies. Physicians should immediately report suspected cases of botulism to their state health department.
For information and quidelines on canning foods at home: USDA Home Canning Guide
Question: Who is at risk for Parasites - Leishmaniasis? ?
Answer: Leishmaniasis is found in people in focal areas of more than 90 countries in the tropics, subtropics, and southern Europe. The ecologic settings range from rain forests to deserts. Leishmaniasis usually is more common in rural than in urban areas, but it is found in the outskirts of some cities. Climate and other environmental changes have the potential to expand the geographic range of the sand fly vectors and the areas in the world where leishmaniasis is found.
Leishmaniasis is found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica.
- In the Old World (the Eastern Hemisphere), leishmaniasis is found in some parts of Asia, the Middle East, Africa (particularly in the tropical region and North Africa, with some cases elsewhere), and southern Europe. It is not found in Australia or the Pacific islands.
- In the New World (the Western Hemisphere), it is found in some parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America. It is not found in Chile or Uruguay. Occasional cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis have been acquired in Texas and Oklahoma.
The number of new cases per year is not known with certainty. For cutaneous leishmaniasis, estimates of the number of cases range from approximately 0.7 million (700,000) to 1.2 million (1,200,000). For visceral leishmaniasis, estimates of the number of cases range from approximately 0.2 million (200,000) to 0.4 million (400,000). The cases of leishmaniasis evaluated in the United States reflect travel and immigration patterns. For example, many of the cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis in U.S. civilian travelers have been acquired in common tourist destinations in Latin America, such as in Costa Rica.
Overall, infection in people is caused by more than 20 species (types) of Leishmania parasites, which are spread by about 30 species of phlebotomine sand flies; particular species of the parasite are spread by particular sand flies. The sand fly vectors generally are the most active during twilight, evening, and night-time hours (from dusk to dawn).
In many geographic areas where leishmaniasis is found in people, infected people are not needed to maintain the transmission cycle of the parasite in nature; infected animals (such as rodents or dogs), along with sand flies, maintain the cycle. However, in some parts of the world, infected people are needed to maintain the cycle; this type of transmission (human—sand fly—human) is called anthroponotic. In areas with anthroponotic transmission, effective treatment of individual patients can help control the spread of the parasite.
Question: How to diagnose Parasites - Leishmaniasis ?
Answer: Various laboratory methods can be used to diagnose leishmaniasis—to detect the parasite as well as to identify the Leishmania species (type). Some of the methods are available only in reference laboratories. In the United States, CDC staff can assist with the testing for leishmaniasis.
Tissue specimens—such as from skin sores (for cutaneous leishmaniasis) or from bone marrow (for visceral leishmaniasis)—can be examined for the parasite under a microscope, in special cultures, and in other ways. Blood tests that detect antibody (an immune response) to the parasite can be helpful for cases of visceral leishmaniasis; tests to look for the parasite itself usually also are done.
More on: Resources for Health Professionals: Diagnosis
Question: What are the treatments for Parasites - Leishmaniasis ?
Answer: Before considering treatment, the first step is to make sure the diagnosis is correct.
Treatment decisions should be individualized. Health care providers may consult CDC staff about the relative merits of various approaches. Examples of factors to consider include the form of leishmaniasis, the Leishmania species that caused it, the potential severity of the case, and the patient's underlying health.
The skin sores of cutaneous leishmaniasis usually heal on their own, even without treatment. But this can take months or even years, and the sores can leave ugly scars. Another potential concern applies to some (not all) types of the parasite found in parts of Latin America: certain types might spread from the skin and cause sores in the mucous membranes of the nose (most common location), mouth, or throat (mucosal leishmaniasis). Mucosal leishmaniasis might not be noticed until years after the original sores healed. The best way to prevent mucosal leishmaniasis is to ensure adequate treatment of the cutaneous infection.
If not treated, severe (advanced) cases of visceral leishmaniasis typically are fatal.
More on: Resources for Health Professionals: Treatment
Question: How to prevent Parasites - Leishmaniasis ?
Answer: No vaccines or drugs to prevent infection are available. The best way for travelers to prevent infection is to protect themselves from sand fly bites. To decrease the risk of being bitten, follow these preventive measures:
Avoid outdoor activities, especially from dusk to dawn, when sand flies generally are the most active.
When outdoors (or in unprotected quarters):
- Minimize the amount of exposed (uncovered) skin. To the extent that is tolerable in the climate, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks; and tuck your shirt into your pants. (See below about wearing insecticide-treated clothing.)
- Apply insect repellent to exposed skin and under the ends of sleeves and pant legs. Follow the instructions on the label of the repellent. The most effective repellents generally are those that contain the chemical DEET (N,N-diethylmetatoluamide).
When indoors:
- Stay in well-screened or air-conditioned areas.
- Keep in mind that sand flies are much smaller than mosquitoes and therefore can get through smaller holes.
- Spray living/sleeping areas with an insecticide to kill insects.
- If you are not sleeping in a well-screened or air-conditioned area, use a bed net and tuck it under your mattress. If possible, use a bed net that has been soaked in or sprayed with a pyrethroid-containing insecticide. The same treatment can be applied to screens, curtains, sheets, and clothing (clothing should be retreated after five washings).
More on: Insect Bite Prevention
Question: How to diagnose Parasites - Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma infection) ?
Answer: The diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is typically made by serologic testing. A test that measures immunoglobulin G (IgG) is used to determine if a person has been infected. If it is necessary to try to estimate the time of infection, which is of particular importance for pregnant women, a test which measures immunoglobulin M (IgM) is also used along with other tests such as an avidity test.
Diagnosis can be made by direct observation of the parasite in stained tissue sections, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or other biopsy material. These techniques are used less frequently because of the difficulty of obtaining these specimens.
Parasites can also be isolated from blood or other body fluids (for example, CSF) but this process can be difficult and requires considerable time.
Molecular techniques that can detect the parasite's DNA in the amniotic fluid can be useful in cases of possible mother-to-child (congenital) transmission.
Ocular disease is diagnosed based on the appearance of the lesions in the eye, symptoms, course of disease, and often serologic testing.
Question: What are the treatments for Parasites - Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma infection) ?
Answer: Healthy people (nonpregnant)
Most healthy people recover from toxoplasmosis without treatment. Persons who are ill can be treated with a combination of drugs such as pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, plus folinic acid.
Pregnant women, newborns, and infants
Pregnant women, newborns, and infants can be treated, although the parasite is not eliminated completely. The parasites can remain within tissue cells in a less active phase; their location makes it difficult for the medication to completely eliminate them.
Persons with ocular disease
Persons with ocular toxoplasmosis are sometimes prescribed medicine to treat active disease by their ophthalmologist. Whether or not medication is recommended depends on the size of the eye lesion, the location, and the characteristics of the lesion (acute active, versus chronic not progressing).
Persons with compromised immune systems
Persons with compromised immune systems need to be treated until they have improvement in their condition. For AIDS patients, continuation of medication for the rest of their lives may be necessary, or for as long as they are immunosuppressed.
More on: Resources for Health Professionals: Treatment
Question: How to prevent Parasites - Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma infection) ?
Answer: People who are healthy should follow the guidelines below to reduce risk of toxoplasmosis. If you have a weakened immune system, please see guidelines for Immunocompromised Persons.
Reduce Risk from Food
To prevent risk of toxoplasmosis and other infections from food:
- Freeze meat for several days at sub-zero (0° F) temperatures before cooking to greatly reduce chance of infection.
- Peel or wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating. - Wash cutting boards, dishes, counters, utensils, and hands with hot soapy water after contact with raw meat, poultry, seafood, or unwashed fruits or vegetables.
More on: Handwashing
The U.S. Government and the meat industry continue their efforts to reduce T. gondii in meat.
Reduce Risk from the Environment
To prevent risk of toxoplasmosis from the environment:
- Avoid drinking untreated drinking water.
- Wear gloves when gardening and during any contact with soil or sand because it might be contaminated with cat feces that contain Toxoplasma. Wash hands with soap and warm water after gardening or contact with soil or sand.
- Teach children the importance of washing hands to prevent infection.
- Keep outdoor sandboxes covered. - Feed cats only canned or dried commercial food or well-cooked table food, not raw or undercooked meats.
- Change the litter box daily if you own a cat. The Toxoplasma parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat's feces. If you are pregnant or immunocompromised: - Avoid changing cat litter if possible. If no one else can perform the task, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands with soap and warm water afterwards.
- Keep cats indoors.
- Do not adopt or handle stray cats, especially kittens. Do not get a new cat while you are pregnant.
Question: Who is at risk for Parasites - Hookworm? ?
Answer: Hookworm is a soil-transmitted helminth (STH) and is one of the most common roundworm of humans. Infection is caused by the nematode parasites Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. Hookworm infections often occur in areas where human feces are used as fertilizer or where defecation onto soil happens.
Geographic Distribution
The geographic distributions of the hookworm species that are intestinal parasites in human, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus, are worldwide in areas with warm, moist climates and are widely overlapping. Necator americanus was widespread in the Southeastern United States until the early 20th century.
Question: What are the treatments for Parasites - Hookworm ?
Answer: Anthelminthic medications (drugs that rid the body of parasitic worms), such as albendazole and mebendazole, are the drugs of choice for treatment of hookworm infections. Infections are generally treated for 1-3 days. The recommended medications are effective and appear to have few side effects. Iron supplements may also be prescribed if the infected person has anemia.
More on: Resources for Health Professionals: Treatment
Question: How to prevent Parasites - Hookworm ?
Answer: The best way to avoid hookworm infection is not to walk barefoot in areas where hookworm is common and where there may be human fecal contamination of the soil. Also, avoid other skin contact with such soil and avoid ingesting it.
Infection can also be prevented by not defecating outdoors and by effective sewage disposal systems.
Question: Who is at risk for Parasites - American Trypanosomiasis (also known as Chagas Disease)? ?
Answer: Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Infection is most commonly acquired through contact with the feces of an infected triatomine bug (or "kissing bug"), a blood-sucking insect that feeds on humans and animals.
Infection can also occur from:
- mother-to-baby (congenital),
- contaminated blood products (transfusions),
- an organ transplanted from an infected donor,
- laboratory accident, or
- contaminated food or drink (rare)
Chagas disease is endemic throughout much of Mexico, Central America, and South America where an estimated 8 million people are infected. The triatomine bug thrives under poor housing conditions (for example, mud walls, thatched roofs), so in endemic countries, people living in rural areas are at greatest risk for acquiring infection. Public health efforts aimed at preventing transmission have decreased the number of newly infected people and completely halted vectorborne transmission in some areas. Infection acquired from blood products, organ transplantation, or congenital transmission continues to pose a threat.
By applying published seroprevalence figures to immigrant populations, CDC estimates that more than 300,000 persons with Trypanosoma cruzi infection live in the United States. Most people with Chagas disease in the United States acquired their infections in endemic countries. Although there are triatomine bugs in the U.S. , only rare vectorborne cases of Chagas disease have been documented.
More on: Triatomine Bugs
Question: How to diagnose Parasites - American Trypanosomiasis (also known as Chagas Disease) ?
Answer: The diagnosis of Chagas disease can be made by observation of the parasite in a blood smear by microscopic examination. A thick and thin blood smear are made and stained for visualization of parasites. However, a blood smear works well only in the acute phase of infection when parasites are seen circulating in blood.
Diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease is made after consideration of the patient's clinical findings, as well as by the likelihood of being infected, such as having lived in an endemic country. Diagnosis is generally made by testing with at least two different serologic tests.
Question: What are the treatments for Parasites - American Trypanosomiasis (also known as Chagas Disease) ?
Answer: Treatment for Chagas disease is recommended for all people diagnosed with an acute infection, congenital infection, and for those with suppressed immune systems, and for all children with chronic infection. Adults with chronic infection may also benefit from treatment.
For cardiac or gastrointestinal problems resulting from Chagas disease, symptomatic treatment may be helpful. Patients should consult with their primary health care provider. Some patients may be referred to a specialist, such as a cardiologist, gastroenterologist, or infectious disease specialist.
In the U.S., medication for Chagas is available only through CDC. Your health care provider can talk with CDC staff about whether and how you should be treated.
More on: Resources for Health Professionals: Antiparasitic Treatment
Question: How to prevent Parasites - American Trypanosomiasis (also known as Chagas Disease) ?
Answer: In endemic areas of Mexico, Central America, and South America improved housing and spraying insecticide inside housing to eliminate triatomine bugs has significantly decreased the spread of Chagas disease. Further, screening of blood donations for Chagas is another important public health tool in helping to prevent transfusion-acquired disease. Early detection and treatment of new cases, including mother-to-baby (congenital) cases, will also help reduce the burden of disease.
In the United States and in other regions where Chagas disease is now found but is not endemic, control strategies are focused on preventing transmission from blood transfusion, organ transplantation, and mother-to-baby.
Question: Who is at risk for Nocardiosis? ?
Answer: The bacteria that cause nocardiosis are commonly found in soil and water.
You could become sick with nocardiosis if:
- You inhale (breathe in) the bacteria
- Bacteria gets into an open wound or cut
In rare cases, infection can occur during surgical procedures.
Fortunately, nocardiosis is not spread person to person, so being around someone who has the disease will not make you sick.
Question: What are the symptoms of Nocardiosis ?
Answer: The symptoms of nocardiosis vary depending on which part of your body is affected.
Nocardiosis infection most commonly occurs in the lung. If your lungs are infected, you can experience:
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Night sweats
- Cough
- Chest pain
- Pneumonia
When lung infections occur, the infection commonly spreads to the brain. If your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) is infected, you can experience:
- Headache
- Weakness
- Confusion
- Seizures (sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain)
Skin infections can occur when open wounds or cuts come into contact with contaminated soil. If your skin is affected, you can experience:
- Ulcers
- Nodules sometimes draining and spreading along lymph nodes