Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Acanthamoeba Microscopic Free-living Amoeba

Acanthamoeba is a microscopic free-living amoeba that can cause infections rare but serious eye, skin and central nervous system.

The amoeba is found all over the world in the environment in water and soil. The amoeba can be transmitted to the eye through the use of contact lenses, cuts or sores on the skin or be inhaled into the lungs. Most people will be exposed to Acanthamoeba during their lifetime, but few become ill from this exposure.


The three diseases caused by Acanthamoeba are:

Acanthamoeba keratitis – An infection of the eye that typically occurs in healthy persons and can result in permanent visual impairment or blindness.

Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis (GAE) – A serious infection of the brain and spinal cord that typically occurs in persons with a compromised immune system.

Disseminated infection – A widespread infection that can affect the skin, sinuses, lungs, and other organs independently or in combination. It is also more common in persons with a compromised immune system.

Monday, July 18, 2011

ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences Learning

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study is one of the largest investigations ever guided on to assess associations between childhood maltreatment and later-life health and well-being. The study is a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente's Health Estimation Clinic in San Diego.



More than 17,000 Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) members undergoing a comprehensive physical examination took to provide detailed information about their childhood experience of abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction. To date, more than 50 scientific articles have been issued and more than100 conference and workshop presentations have been made.

The ACE Study findings propose that certain experiences are major risk factors for the leading causes of illness and death as well as poor quality of life in the United States. Progress in preventing and recovering from the nation's worst health and social problems is potential to benefit from understanding that many of these problems arise as a consequence of adverse childhood experiences.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Child Maltreatment Prevention

kid maltreatment includes all types of abuse and neglect of a child under the age of 18 by a parent, caregiver, or different person in a custodial role (e.g., clergy, coach, teacher).



There are four common types of abuse:

1. Physical Abuse

2. Sexual Abuse

3. Emotional Abuse

4. Neglect

CDC’s research and programs work to understand the problem of kid maltreatment and prevent it before it begins.