Human Diseases

Definition Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO), also known as Devic’s disease, is an autoimmune disorder in which immune system cells and antibodies primarily attack the optic nerves and the spinal cord. NMO occurs when your body’s immune system reacts against its own cells in the central nervous system, mainly in the optic …

Definition Paralysis is the inability – whether temporary or permanent – to move a part of the body. In almost all cases, paralysis is due to nerve damage, not to an injury to the affected region. For instance, an injury in the middle or lower regions of the spinal cord …

Scoliosis – Definition Scoliosis is a condition involving an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine. It can be caused by congenital, developmental, or degenerative problems, but most cases of scoliosis actually have no known cause called idiopathic scoliosis. Scoliosis usually develops in the thoracic spine or the thoracolumbar area of …

Centronuclear Myopathy – Definition Centronuclear myopathy is a hereditary muscle disease associated with the incomplete development of muscle cells, which causes muscle weakness. There are three forms of the disease with different degrees of severity and patterns of inheritance which are X-linked, autosomal recessive, and autosomal dominant. The conditions manifest …

Introduction – Leishmaniasis Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by the Leishmania parasite. This parasite typically lives in infected sand flies. You can contract it from a bite of an infected sandfly. The sand flies that carry the parasite typically reside in tropical and subtropical environments. There are several different …