Introduction
There are a number of infections that do not quite fit into the conventional categories of respiratory infections, fungal infections or parasitic infections. I have therefore combined them in this chapter as “other infectious diseases” to indicate that they are important, partially because of the recent media attention (anthrax, BSE), but partially because they seem to be playing an increasing role for various and sometimes unknown reasons (for instance Hanta virus, rabies or hepatitis C). The list below shows some common infections in this category. More detailed information about them can be found through the links from this page.
Common other infections difficult to classify
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Anthrax : caused by Bacillus anthracis, common in cattle, sheep, goats and horses; rare in humans, but can be deadly
Creutzfeld-Jakob disease : caused by BSE-prion; mad-cow disease is believed to be caused by the same prion (see text)
Hanta virus pulmonary syndrome : caused byhantavirus, high mortality of 50% to 75%
Lassa fever : caused by Lassa fever virus; natural reservoir is a house rat common in Africa (Mastomys natalensis)
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) :caused by JC virus, common in immune deficient patients (AIDS etc.)
Rabies : caused by rabies virus; in the U.S. rabid dogs and rabid bats are mostly the cause
SARS : caused by Urbani SARS-associated coronavirus; new strain of flu-like atypical pneumonia from China
Viral hepatitis : caused by hepatitis virus; there are different strains: A, B, C , D, E and G
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References
1. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 161.
2. TC Dixon et al. N Engl J Med 1999 Sep 9;341(11):815-826.
3. F Charatan BMJ 2000 Oct 21;321(7267):980.
4. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 43.
5. JR Zunt and CM Marra Neurol Clinics Vol.17, No.4,1999: 675-689.
6. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 162.
7. LE Chapman : Antivir Ther 1999; 4(4): 211-19.
8. HW Cho: Vaccine 1999 Jun 4; 17(20-21): 2569-2575.
9. DO Freedman et al. Med Clinics N. Amer. Vol.83, No 4 (July 1999): 865-883.
10. SP Fisher-Hoch et al. J Virol 2000 Aug; 74(15): 6777-6783.
11. Mandell: Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 5th ed., © 2000 Churchill Livingstone, Inc.
12. Goldman: Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 21st ed., Copyright © 2000 W. B. Saunders Company
13. PE Sax: Infect DisClinics of N America Vol.15, No 2 (June 2001): 433-455.
14. David Heymann, MD, Editor: Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, 18th Edition, 2004, American Public Health Association.
