Endemic typhus (murine typhus): caused by Rickettsia typithis is transmitted by the bite of the rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis), causing headaches, chills, fever, body and joint pain, as well as red spots for approximately fifteen days. There are records of this disease only in the states of the Southeast region.
Typhus epidemic (exanthematous typhus): caused by Rickettsia prowazekiiits transmitting agent is the body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis). The bacteria released along with the feces of these arthropods penetrate the body through injuries caused by scratching. Thus, they cause a high and persistent fever, in addition to reddish spots on the body. Brill-Zinsser disease, characterized by impairment of the immune system, is a complication that can appear years later, with the potential to cause the patient’s death.
Trachoma: inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea caused by Chlamydia trachomatis; being one of the main causes of blindness in individuals in developing countries. Chronic in nature, it causes tearing, photophobia, obstruction of vision and the appearance of follicles in the upper eyelid. The healing of this inflammatory process alters the conformation of the eyelashes, allowing them to scratch the cornea, leading to long-term vision loss. Its transmission occurs through eye-to-eye contact or contaminated hands; or indirectly, through clothing or mosquitoes that have had previous contact with the eyes of affected individuals.
Tuberculosis: caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, also known as Koch’s bacillus, compromises the lungs, causing coughing, fever, fatigue and, in more advanced cases, bloody sputum. Responsible for the death (and many productions) of Brazilian writers, such as 脕lvares de Azevedo, Castro Alves, Casimiro de Abreu and Manuel Bandeira, it can be prevented through vaccination and treatment of patients, as its transmission occurs through inhalation of respiratory droplets eliminated by them.
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THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH WARNS:
Self-medication can have unwanted and unforeseen effects, as the wrong medicine not only does not cure it but can worsen health.
By Mariana Araguaia
Graduated in Biology
Team
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Tuberculosis
Monera Kingdom – Kingdoms of the Living World – Biology –