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Menstruation; Whats happening to my body?

Contents [ hide ] Introduction Actually, what you are experiencing is a normal physiological process that begins once a girl reaches puberty. The first menstruation in a woman’s life is referred to as menarche , this could happen between the ages of 10 to 15 with most (the average) girls having theirs around age 12. It involves bleeding from the uterus at regular intervals. The end of menstruation is termed menopause , this usually happens between the ages of 45 to 55. Menstruation is therefore defined as the cyclical or monthly flow of blood and shedding of endometrium including mucus, some enzymes and unfertilized ovum. So, what really happens? Well in simple terms, it all begins with changes in hormones in the body. You can think of hormones as messengers that are sent by some organs of your body to tell other cells to do something. In this particular case, an organ called hypothalamus which is found in your brain begins the process. [Fast forward] The ovaries release f...
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Rabies; clinical features, treatment and prevention

Introduction

This is an acute notifiable and deadly communicable disease transmitted by a bite from an infected animal caused by rhabdovirus which is found in the saliva of infected animals (usually dogs, cats, foxes. wolves and bats).

Mode of transmission: this is by the bite of an infected mammal, most commonly stray (and also cats, wolves, and bats).

Photo by Boehringer Ingelheim

Incubation period: 9 - 90days.

Diagnosis: history of dog or bat bite plus neurological features

Clinical feature

  • Prodromal symptoms;
    • Itching and pain at the site of bite.
    • Fever.
    • Chills.
    • Malaise.
    • Headache.
  • Hydrophobia.
  • Involuntary movement and muscle spasms.
  • Hallucinations.
  • Very aggressive.
  • Paraplegia and loss of sphincter control.
  • Intense excitement.

Treatment

  1. Observe the biting animal if possible to see if the animal dies.
  2. Clean the wound.
  3. Give tissue-culture rabies vaccine on 0, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 90 days.
  4. Give anti-tetanus toxoid.
  5. Give rabies immune globulin (RIG) if possible (give around the wound). Discontinue treatment if the dog/mammal remains healthy for 10days.
  6. The patient should be sedated with diazepam if there is agitation and supplemented by chlorpromazine 50-lOOmg if necessary.

Prevention

  • Pre-exposure prophylaxis with human diploid cell strain vaccine.
  • Post-exposure prophylaxis with human rabies immunoglobulin.

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