Conditions & Diseases, NIE-POI
Whether we like it or not, living things are susceptible to any number of illnesses and conditions that can threaten or harm the health of those afflicted. Bacteria, viruses, and other microbiological agents are obvious challenges to health. Human disease may be acute, chronic, malignant, or benign, and it is usually indicated by signs and symptoms such as fever or vomiting. Additionally, diseases may be communicable (contagious) or noncommunicable; of the latter, the four major types identified by the World Health Organization are cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus.
Conditions & Diseases Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Niemann-Pick disease
Niemann-Pick disease, inherited metabolic disorder in which a deficiency of the enzyme sphingomyelinase impairs......
night blindness
night blindness, failure of the eye to adapt promptly from light to darkness that is characterized by a reduced......
nitrogen narcosis
nitrogen narcosis, reversible change in consciousness produced by nitrogen gas when it is breathed under increased......
nocardiosis
nocardiosis, chronic systemic bacterial disease of humans and many other animals originating in the respiratory......
nosebleed
nosebleed, an attack of bleeding from the nose. It is a common and usually unimportant disorder but may also result......
notifiable disease
notifiable disease, any of various health conditions that, upon detection, are required to be reported to public......
nutritional disease
nutritional disease, any of the nutrient-related diseases and conditions that cause illness in humans. They may......
- Introduction
- Carbohydrates, Deficiencies, Malnutrition
- Vitamin K Deficiency, Causes, Symptoms
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency, Anemia, Symptoms
- Iodine Deficiency, Goiter, Hypothyroidism
- Dehydration, Water Deficiency, Electrolyte Imbalance
- Deficiency, Malnutrition, Absorption
- Alcoholism, Deficiencies, Malnutrition
- Dietary Fat, Deficiencies, Malnutrition
- Hypertension, Diet, Risk Factors
- Diabetes, Metabolic Disorders, Nutrition
- Obesity, Weight Control, Diet
- Food-Drug Interactions
- Foodborne Illnesses
nystagmus
nystagmus, involuntary back and forth, up and down, or circular movements of the eyes that are often described......
obesity
obesity, excessive accumulation of body fat, usually caused by the consumption of more calories than the body can......
obsessive-compulsive disorder
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), type of mental disorder in which an individual experiences obsessions or compulsions......
obstetric fistula
obstetric fistula, abnormal duct or passageway that forms between the vagina and a nearby organ. This type of fistula......
occupational disease
occupational disease, any illness associated with a particular occupation or industry. Such diseases result from......
occupational injury
occupational injury, any health problem or bodily damage resulting directly from activities undertaken at the workplace.......
Oedipus complex
Oedipus complex, in psychoanalytic theory, a desire for sexual involvement with the parent of the opposite sex......
oligomenorrhea
oligomenorrhea, prolonged intervals between menstrual cycles. Menstruation is the normal cyclic bleeding from the......
Olympics: A Survey of Banned Substances
The use of performance-enhancing drugs among athletes competing in the Olympic Games is not new—as early as 1904,......
onchocerciasis
onchocerciasis, filarial disease caused by the helminth Onchocerca volvulus, which is transmitted to humans by......
ophthalmoplegia
ophthalmoplegia, paralysis of the extraocular muscles that control the movements of the eye. Ophthalmoplegia usually......
oral cancer
oral cancer, disease characterized by the growth of cancerous cells in the mouth, including the lips. Oral cancer......
orchitis
orchitis, inflammation and swelling of the testes as a result of infection or physical injury. The testes are a......
orotic aciduria
orotic aciduria, hereditary metabolic disorder characterized by an anemia with many large immature red blood cells,......
Osler-Rendu-Weber disease
Osler-Rendu-Weber disease, hereditary disorder characterized by bleeding from local capillary malformations. In......
osteoarthritis
osteoarthritis, disorder of the joints characterized by progressive deterioration of the articular cartilage or......
osteochondroma
osteochondroma, solitary benign tumour that consists partly of cartilage and partly of bone. Osteochondromas are......
osteochondrosis
osteochondrosis, relatively common temporary orthopedic disorder of children in which the epiphysis (growing end)......
osteoclastoma
osteoclastoma, bone tumour found predominantly at the end of long bones in the knee region, but also occurring......
osteogenesis imperfecta
osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), rare hereditary disease of connective tissue characterized by brittle bones that......
osteoma
osteoma, small, often solitary bone tumour found mainly on bones of the skull. Osteomas usually appear in late......
osteomalacia
osteomalacia, condition in which the bones of an adult progressively soften because of inadequate mineralization......
osteomyelitis
osteomyelitis, infection of bone tissue. The condition is most commonly caused by the infectious organism Staphylococcus......
osteonecrosis
osteonecrosis, death of bone tissue that may result from infection, as in osteomyelitis, or deprivation of blood......
osteoporosis
osteoporosis, disease characterized by the thinning of bones, with a consequent tendency to sustain fractures from......
osteosarcoma
osteosarcoma, most common bone cancer, primarily affecting the long bones, particularly those in the knee, hip,......
otitis
otitis, Inflammation of the ear. Otitis externa is dermatitis, usually bacterial, of the auditory canal and sometimes......
otitis externa
otitis externa, dermatitis of the external auditory canal and sometimes also of the exposed ear. The skin on these......
otitis media
otitis media, inflammation of the lining of the middle ear. Otitis media is one of the most common infections in......
otosclerosis
otosclerosis, ear disorder characterized by abnormal bone growth in the middle ear, typically affecting the stapes......
ovarian cancer
ovarian cancer, disease characterized by the abnormal growth of cells in the ovaries, the internal reproductive......
overhydration
overhydration, condition characterized by an excessive volume of water in the body. Overhydration occurs when the......
overweight
overweight, Body weight greater than the optimum. If moderate, it is not necessarily obesity, particularly in muscular......
Paget disease of bone
Paget disease of bone, chronic disease of middle age, characterized by excessive breakdown and formation of bone......
pancreatic cancer
pancreatic cancer, a disease characterized by abnormal growth of cells in the pancreas, a gland located behind......
pancreatitis
pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas, either acute or chronic. The disorder is most commonly caused by excessive......
pandemic
pandemic, outbreak of infectious disease that occurs over a wide geographical area and that is of high prevalence,......
panic attack
panic attack, sudden onset of intense apprehension, fear, or terror that occurs without apparent cause. A panic......
panic disorder
panic disorder, anxiety disorder characterized by repeated panic attacks that leads to persistent worry and avoidance......
pappataci fever
pappataci fever, acute infectious febrile disease caused by a phlebovirus (family Bunyaviridae) and producing temporary......
paragonimiasis
paragonimiasis, infection caused by parasitic trematodes of the genus Paragonimus. Infection most commonly is with......
paralysis
paralysis, loss or impairment of voluntary muscular movement caused by structural abnormalities of nervous or muscular......
paranoia
paranoia, the central theme of a group of psychotic disorders characterized by systematic delusions and of the......
parasitic disease
parasitic disease, in humans, any illness that is caused by a parasite, an organism that lives in or on another......
parathyroid adenoma
parathyroid adenoma, disorder characterized by loss of mineral materials from the skeleton, the development of......
paratyphoid fever
paratyphoid fever, infectious disease caused by any of several organisms: Salmonella paratyphi (paratyphi A), S.......
paresis
paresis, psychosis caused by widespread destruction of brain tissue occurring in some cases of late syphilis. Mental......
parkinsonism
parkinsonism, a group of chronic neurological disorders characterized by progressive loss of motor function resulting......
patent ductus arteriosus
patent ductus arteriosus, congenital heart defect characterized by the persistence of the ductus arteriosus, a......
pectus excavatum
pectus excavatum, a chest deformity caused by depression of the breastbone, or sternum. Pectus excavatum is generally......
pedophilia
pedophilia, in conventional usage, a psychosexual disorder, generally affecting adults, characterized by sexual......
pellagra
pellagra, nutritional disorder caused by a dietary deficiency of niacin (also called nicotinic acid) or a failure......
pelvic inflammatory disease
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), general acute inflammation of the pelvic cavity in women, caused by bacterial......
pemphigus
pemphigus, a group of skin diseases characterized by large blisters that appear on the skin and mucous membranes.......
Pendred’s syndrome
Pendred’s syndrome, hereditary metabolic condition that is characterized by deafness and defective incorporation......
pentosuria
pentosuria, inborn error of carbohydrate metabolism, characterized by the excessive urinary excretion of the sugar......
peptic ulcer
peptic ulcer, lesion that occurs primarily in the mucous membrane of the stomach or duodenum (the upper segment......
pericarditis
pericarditis, inflammation of the pericardium, the membranous sac that encloses the heart. Acute pericarditis may......
perichondritis
perichondritis, rare inflammation of the perichondrium, the membrane that covers the cartilage of the outer ear.......
periodic paralysis
periodic paralysis, any of the forms of a rare disorder that is characterized by relatively short-term, recurrent......
periodontitis
periodontitis, inflammation of the soft tissues around the teeth, characterized by swollen tender gums (gingivitis),......
peritonitis
peritonitis, inflammation of the peritoneum, the membrane that lines the abdominal wall and then folds in to enclose......
pernicious anemia
pernicious anemia, disease in which the production of red blood cells (erythrocytes) is impaired as a result of......
peromelia
peromelia, congenital absence or malformation of the extremities, of rare occurrence until the thalidomide tragedy......
perseveration
perseveration, the repetitive and uncontrollable continuation of a thought, behavior, or response, even when it......
persistent depressive disorder
persistent depressive disorder, mental disorder characterized by symptoms of depression that are present for two......
personality disorder
personality disorder, any of a group of mental disorders characterized by enduring patterns of cognition, emotional......
pervasive developmental disorder
pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), term historically used in reference to any of a group of conditions characterized......
pharyngitis
pharyngitis, inflammatory illness of the mucous membranes and underlying structures of the throat (pharynx). Inflammation......
phenylketonuria
phenylketonuria (PKU), hereditary inability of the body to metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine. Phenylalanine......
pheochromocytoma
pheochromocytoma, tumour, most often nonmalignant, that causes abnormally high blood pressure (hypertension) because......
phlebitis
phlebitis, inflammation of the wall of a vein. Phlebitis may result from the infection of tissues adjacent to the......
phlebothrombosis
phlebothrombosis, formation of a blood clot in a vein that is not inflamed. Inactivity, such as bed rest during......
phobia
phobia, an extreme, irrational fear of a specific object or situation. A phobia is classified as a type of anxiety......
phosphorus deficiency
phosphorus deficiency, condition in which phosphorus is insufficient or is not utilized properly. Phosphorus is......
Pick disease
Pick disease, form of premature dementia caused by atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. It resembles......
pickwickian syndrome
pickwickian syndrome, a complex of respiratory and circulatory symptoms associated with extreme obesity. The name......
pineal tumour
pineal tumour, mass of abnormal tissue arising in the pineal gland and occurring most often in children and young......
Pinel, Philippe
Philippe Pinel was a French physician who pioneered in the humane treatment of the mentally ill. Arriving in Paris......
pinguecula
pinguecula, very common yellow-white nodule in the conjunctiva at the front of the eye, usually on the side of......
pinta
pinta, chronic tropical skin disease characterized initially by the appearance of dry, scaly papular lesions followed......
pituitary tumour
pituitary tumour, most common cause of enlargement of the sella turcica, the bone cavity in the head in which the......
placenta accreta
placenta accreta, abnormal adherence of the placenta to the wall of the uterus, so that it remains in the uterus......
placenta praevia
placenta praevia, implantation of the placenta at a point so low in the uterus that the placenta is close to the......
placental abruption
placental abruption, premature separation of the placenta from its normal implantation site in the uterus. The......
placental infarction
placental infarction, formation of yellowish white or bloodstained deposits of fibrin (a fibrous protein) on the......
plague
plague, infectious disease caused by Yersinia pestis, a bacterium transmitted from rodents to humans by the bite......
plantar fasciitis
plantar fasciitis, swelling or degeneration of the plantar fascia, the thick band of connective tissue that runs......
pleurodynia
pleurodynia, viral (coxsackie B) epidemic disease with an incubation period of two to four days, marked by a brief......
Plummer disease
Plummer disease, thyroid condition characterized by marked enlargement of the thyroid gland (goitre), firm thyroid......
pneumoconiosis
pneumoconiosis, any of many lung diseases caused by the inhalation of a variety of organic or inorganic dusts or......
pneumonia
pneumonia, inflammation and consolidation of the lung tissue as a result of infection, inhalation of foreign particles,......
poison
poison, in biochemistry, a substance, natural or synthetic, that causes damage to living tissues and has an injurious......
- Introduction
- Cell Membrane, Biochemistry, Transport
- Topical Skin, Biochemistry, Effects
- Dose, Exposure, Biochemistry
- Biotransformation, Toxicity, Antidotes
- Allergies, Toxins, Symptoms
- Carcinogenesis, Toxins, Chemicals
- Toxins, Venoms, Chemicals
- Herbicides, Toxicity, Chemicals
- Air Pollution, Chemicals, Health
- Drugs, Abuse, Biochemistry
- Plant Toxins, Phytotoxins, Alkaloids
- Animal, Zootoxins, Biochemistry
- Radiation, Toxicity, Effects
- UV Rays, Toxins, Health Effects