COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus that emerged in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. As of October 2021, there have been 245,373,039 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 4,979,421 deaths globally. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the coronavirus family, which collectively cause respiratory and intestinal disease in humans and animals, with other prominent members of the family including Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus.
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus that emerged in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. As of 12 March 2021, there have been 117,799,584 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 2,615,018 confirmed deaths globally. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the coronavirus family, which collectively cause respiratory and intestinal disease in humans and animals, with other prominent members of the family including Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus. SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have originated from a horseshoe bat coronavirus, which either spread to humans directly or jumped via an intermediate host (possibly a pangolin), which may have facilitated transmission to humans.
Crohn’s disease involves inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and most commonly affects the terminal ileum or colon. Because Crohn’s disease can occur in various areas of the GI tract, disease activity and severity can vary widely over time, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe and depending on the location in the GI tract at which the disease is active.
Cystic fibrosis, caused by mutations in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein, is a rare and life-limiting genetic disorder that is characterized by thick, sticky mucus and pulmonary complications.
Dengue virus is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which are also known for causing other diseases including yellow fever, West Nile virus, and tick-borne encephalitis. There are four serologically distinct dengue viruses (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4), meaning that recovery from infection provides immunity against a specific serotype, but there is little to no cross-immunity towards other serotypes. As a result, a person can be infected multiple times in their lifetime, with subsequent infections being more likely to be severe due to a phenomenon called antibody-dependent enhancement of disease.
While it is not uncommon to experience feelings of sadness occasionally, in most people these emotions are usually fleeting and pass after a few days. When this manifests in a depressive disorder, a patient’s symptoms interfere with daily life and normal functioning. Depression is the leading cause of disability globally and can cause a multitude of symptoms, many of which are associated with impairment and, ultimately, decreased productivity
Diabetic nephropathy, also known as diabetic kidney disease, is caused by damage to small blood vessels which can cause the kidneys to be less efficient in their blood filtration role or to fail altogether.
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), which originates in the lymphatic system when B lymphocytes become enlarged and proliferate uncontrollably to form a tumor mass. DLBCL can arise de novo or as a progression or transformation from more indolent disease such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (in which case it is also known as Richter’s transformation) or follicular lymphoma (FL).
Dyslipidemia refers to any increase or decrease in lipid levels from defined normal parameters, with physicians particularly focusing on the treatment of elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) due to the well-established link between excessively elevated LDL-C and atherosclerosis. As such, LDL-C is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease, one of the world’s leading causes of morbidity and mortality, though differences in LDL particle morphology can also play a role. Other lipid level deviations in dyslipidemia include elevated triglycerides, low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), elevated total cholesterol, and elevated non-HDL-C, a marker of cholesterol in all atherogenic lipoproteins
Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures, and is one of the most common chronic neurological disorders globally. A seizure is a transient manifestation of signs and/or symptoms, including a disturbance of consciousness, emotion, behavior, or motor function, which occurs because of abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
Stomach or gastric cancer (GC) refers to any cancer arising in the lining of the stomach. The vast majority (95%) of these cancers are adenocarcinomas, and can be further grouped by anatomic origin. The clearest etiological distinction exists between adenocarcinomas of the gastric cardia (the anterior edge of the stomach surrounding the entry point of the esophagus), and those arising in the other anatomical subsites of the stomach – the fundus, body, pylorus, and the antrum. In most cases, gastric adenocarcinomas will begin in the muscularis mucosae and submucosa, then invading deeper lamina of the gastric wall.
Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are defined as any cancer that begins in cells of the oral cavity, pharynx, nose, sinuses, or salivary glands. These cancers are grouped together due to historical similarities in etiology, disease presentation, and manifestation. The vast majority of these cases (90%), collectively referred to as head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), appear in squamous epithelial cells lining the mucous membranes of these regions. The exception to this is salivary gland cancer, which can appear in any of the salivary glands’ diverse cell types.
Hemophilia is a rare, inherited X chromosome-linked bleeding disorder in which deficiencies in clotting factors prevent blood from clotting normally. Injuries therefore result in prolonged periods of bleeding. There are two types of hemophilia, A and B, with similar signs and symptoms but different genetic defects.
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV), a hepacivirus belonging to the Flaviviridae family. HCV infects hepatocytes and is the leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer (HCC). Approximately 15−45% of people infected with HCV will spontaneously clear the virus, but the remaining 55−85% will develop chronic HCV infection. For those chronically infected with HCV, the risk of cirrhosis increases by 15–30% within 20 years.
Liver cancers can be differentiated based on the cell types they affect. The most common form of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which accounts for 80–90% of liver cancer cases. HCC affects hepatocellular cells, or hepatocytes, which are the most abundant cell type in the liver and are responsible for the liver’s primary functions, such as bile production, protein synthesis, and detoxification. This differentiates HCC from other types of liver cancer such as cholangiocarcinoma, which affects the epithelial cells lining the bile ducts, and angiosarcoma, which affects the endothelial cells lining blood vessels of the liver.
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