24. INFECTIONS (PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH IN USE FOR MEDICINE)

PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH IN USE FOR MEDICINE

24. INFECTIONS

A	Fever A medical student has made some language notes on a case report. Case 45 A 24 year-old man presented with a fever which he had had for three days. On the third day he had had a severe attack of fever with sweating and rigors. The only past history of relevance was hepatitis four years earlier and glandular fever (infection with Epstein-Barr virus) at the age of 18. He had returned from Africa three weeks previously. fever = pyrexia (also remember PUO – pyrexia of unknown origin) fever also known as temperature – ‘I’ve got a temperature’ adjectives = feverish/febrile and pyrexial opposite = afebrile/apyrexial Some symptoms of fever sweating rigors (severe shivering and sensation of coldness also known as chills)
B	Microorganisms Infections differ from other diseases in a number of aspects: 1 Most importantly, they are caused by living microorganisms – such as viruses or bacteria – that can usually be identified, thus establishing the aetiology early in the illness. Many of these organisms, including all bacteria, are sensitive to antibiotics and most infections are potentially curable, unlike many non-infectious degenerative and chronic diseases. 2 Communicably is another factor which differentiates infections from non-infectious diseases. Transmission of pathogenic organisms to other people, directly or indirectly, may lead to an outbreak or epidemic. 3 Finally, many infections are preventable by hygienic measures, by vaccines, (especially live attenuated vaccines such as rubella vaccine) or by drug prophylaxis (for example, chloroquine to prevent malaria). Microorganisms include bacteria, fungi, protozoa (such as the parasite that causes malaria). Another general word for these pathogens is microbes. Patients often refer to microbes as germs or bugs. Notice the common expressions for acquiring an infectious disease: Could he have caught/picked up some disease from the  dog? I think I’ve caught the flu bug that’s going around.
C	Source and spread of infection Here is an extract from a medical textbook. Infection may originate from the patient (endogenous), usually from skin, nasopharynx or bowel, or from outside sources (exogenous). Often another person who may be either suffering from an infection or carrying a pathogenic microorganism. Carriers  are usually healthy and may harbour the organism in the throat (for example, diphtheria), bowel (salmonella), or blood (hepatitis B or HIV). Non-human sources of infection include water (e.g. cholera), milk (e.g. tuberculosis), food (e.g. botulism), animals (e.g. rabies), birds (e.g. psittacosis) and also the soil (e.g. legionella – Legionnaires’ disease). The incubation period is the period between the invasion of the tissues by pathogens and the appearance of clinical features of infection. The period of infectivity is the time that the patient is infectious to others.

24.1	Match the two parts of the sentences. Look at A,B, and C opposite to help you.                                                                          1 1988 saw the UK lunch of live attenuated. a period ranging from four days to many months. 2 Chickenpox (varicella) is a common infectious. b rigors, myalgia and general malaise. 3 Rabies has an incubation c become carriers of the virus. 4 The patient remained febrile d infectious during the catarrhal stage. 5 He was admitted with a four-day history of influenza-type symptoms of fever with e disease of childhood. 6 Quite a proportion of patients who recover from hepatitis B f of AIDS. 7 The central part of Africa is in the midst of an epidemic g of B, burgdorferi from animal to man by ixodid ticks. 8 Measles (rubeola) is most h with peaks of temperature of 39,50 C. 9 Lyme disease is caused by transmission i pyrexia of unknown origin. 10 PUO stands for j measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine
24.2	Complete the case report on the patient in A opposite. Look at A, B, and C opposite to help you. Case 45 On examination, he looked unwell. His pulse rate was 100/minute. He had a palpable spleen. The combination of (1) ___________ and (2) ___________ in a patient who had recently returned from Africa strongly suggests a diagnosis of malaria. The (3) ___________ period is usually 10-14 days. In this case, the patient admitted he had not been talking (4) ___________ regularly. The diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of (5) ___________ in his blood film.
24.3	Complete the sentences. Look at A, B and C opposite to help you. 1 An infection which can be treated successfully with antibiotics is ______________ 2 Another word for an epidemic is an ______________ 3 Bacteria and viruses are examples of ______________ 4 Someone whose temperature is normal is ______________ 5 The common infection with Epstein-Barr virus is known as______________ over to you Cases of HIV infection reach record high in the UK (The times, 25 November 2005) Describe the situation with regard to HIV in your country. What measures are being taken to control it?

                             

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