Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0086543 (cataract)
 29,165 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Qatar is one of the rapidly developing Gulf States. Its life style is rapidly changing from a seminomadic to a more settled urban one. This is the first study of the causes of economic blindness (6/60) in Qatar. It embraces 3,072 patients (70% males and 30% females). The most common causes in those under 40 years of age were trachoma, infectious diseases, retinal diseases, trauma and congenital malformations. After 40 years, cataract and glucoma occupy the second and third commonest causes after trachoma. Thus, a proper antitrachoma campaign will cut down the incidence of blidness by 50%. Control of individual behavior and antenatal caution in prescribing medicines can reduce the risk of trauma and congenital malformations. Cataract is not preventable, but early detection of glaucoma delays the damage of ocular tissues. This is the same with systemic disease.
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PMID:Survey of major blinding conditions in Qatar. 40 75

Chlorofluorocarbon-11 (CFC11) lasts for an average of 74 years in the atmosphere, CFC12 for an average of 111 years, and CFC113 for an average of 90 years. Every CFC molecule destroys thousands of molecules of stratospheric ozone. Recently, the extent of the Antarctic ozone hole has been recognized. The depletion of stratospheric ozone may lead to increase ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. UV-B radiation has many damaging effects on human health, such as snow blindness, cataract and skin cancer. UV-B radiation also suppresses the immune defenses against certain infections. While it is difficult to estimate the numerical effect on the basis of epidemiologic data in the U.S. A., UNEP and WHO estimate that for every 1% decrease in stratospheric ozone, there will be between a 0.3 to 0.6% increase in cataract. They also estimate that for every 1% depletion of ozone, the incidences of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma will increase 2.7, 4.6 and 0.6%, respectively. There is also concern that increased UV-B radiation might lead to an increase of the incidence and severity of infectious diseases due to suppression of the immune system. Since the data on UV-B exposure are extremely limited, it is necessary to confirm the incidence rate of skin cancer in various countries in relation to UV-B exposure.
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PMID:[Risk evaluation of stratospheric ozone depletion resulting from chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) on human health]. 209 28

The long term results of 28 HLA 1-haploidentical donor kidney transplant recipients receiving preoperative lymphocyte deletion through thoracic duct drainage and low dose of steroid and azathioprine immunosuppressive treatment were presented. The number of removed lymphocytes was 129.9 +/- 38.1 x 10(9) (mean +/- SD) and the duration of thoracic duct drainage pretreatment was 35 +/- 4 days. Graft survival was 96% at 3 months through 2 years, 89% at 3 years and 84% at 5 years. Patient survival was 100% at 3 months through 2 years and 96% at 3 years through 5 years. Fifteen acute rejection crises were observed in 13 patients within the first 3 months postoperatively. There was no irreversible rejection in the first 3 months. Four chronic rejections were observed in 4 patients. Life-threatening infectious disease was observed in 5 patients, diabetes mellitus in 2 and cataract in 4. These results indicated that the reduction of the dose of steroid in post transplant period might have beneficial effects on the long term graft survival of HLA 1-haploidentical kidney transplant patients receiving TDD pretreatment and the conventional immunosuppressive treatment.
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PMID:[Thoracic duct drainage pretreatment in living related kidney transplantation--long-term results of low dose steroid and azathioprine immunosuppression]. 232 18

After 30 years of efforts for the prevention and treatment of blindness, the prevalence of blindness in Guangdong Province decreased from 0.64% of the 60's, 0.62% of the 70's, to 0.35% of the 80's. The prevalence of blindness was found to rise with age, i.e. 38.60% in people over 50 years and 34.40% in people under 20 years in the 60's. The figures became 78.02% and 12.74% respectively in the 80's, and always higher in women than in men. The leading cause of blindness was cataract, representing 36.00% of the blind in the 60's, 41.18% in the 70's, and 63.05% in the 80's. The authors that treatment of cataract was important for reducing the prevalence of blindness, while glaucoma, infectious diseases and trachoma should also not be overlooked.
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PMID:[Changing prevalence of blindness in 30 years in Guangdong Province]. 239 Aug 95

Using the catamaran boat "Canvas-Back" during May 1987, a whole-population ocular survey utilizing modern equipment and ophthalmic subspecialists was conducted on one of the atolls (Wotje) in the Marshall Islands. A relatively low prevalence of ocular pathology, especially of cataract, infectious disease, and nutritional blindness was found. A far greater need exists for refractive services than for surgical ophthalmic care. The only exception is related to the high incidence of hyperglycemia, which indicates that greater efforts in the treatment and prevention of retinopathy are required.
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PMID:Project Canvas-Back in the Marshall Islands. 261 18

Twenty seven cases of actionomycotic mycetoma caused either by Actinomadura madurae or Actinomadura pelletierii have been described. Infection by A. madurae has been more common than A. pelletierii. Left foot in A. madurae and right foot in A. pelletierii infections were involved more commonly in adult males, whereas right foot of the females was frequently affected in A. madurae infection. Large, soft, white grains in A. madurae and small, firm, red grains in A. pelletierii were consistently seen. Deep hematoxylin stained grains with scalloped margin and prominent eosinophilic club in A. madurae and such deep stained grains with smooth margin and horizontal cracks appearing as portions of a spherical mass in A. pelletierri were diagnostic. Large numbers of plasma cells and Russel bodies were also characteristic of A. madurae infection. Both the grains were stainable with Von Kossa method for calcium. Bone changes were similar in both the infections. Oral tetracycline produced soft tissue and bone resolution to almost normalcy in those who regularly consumed the drug any time from 2 to 6 years. Mild glucose intolerance, facial hyperpigmentation and urticaria were the side effects observed in a few. Two patients developed cataract following tetracycline therapy. The value of medical therapy with oral tetracycline in Actionomadura mycetomas is emphasized.
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PMID:A clinico-pathological study of actinomycotic mycetomas caused by Actinomadura madurae and Actinomadura pelletierii. 357 38

Spiroplasma mirum (suckling mouse cataract agent) was studied in an epithelial cell line AG-4676, derived from rabbit eye lens. Rabbit eye lens is a natural target tissue of S. mirum infection. The organism grew rapidly in this cell line, reaching titers of 10(7) to 10(9) color change units per ml at 7 days after infection. This is the same level as that achieved in SP-4 medium designed specifically for S. mirum. No lag period was apparent in growth in AG-4676. S. mirum did not grow in Dulbecco minimal essential medium-10% fetal bovine serum, the medium for AG-4676, indicating the need for cells or a cellular product. S. mirum-infected AG-4676 cells exhibited vacuolization and granulation and an increase in polynucleation compared with uninfected controls (36/100 versus 14/100, P less than 0.001). Infection significantly decreased the growth rate of AG-4676, especially late in the growth cycle. In a representative experiment, growth of AG-4676 at 11 days was reduced from 9 X 10(5) to 2 X 10(4) cells by S. mirum infection. S. mirum grew to high titers in conditioned medium of AG-4676, obtained from cell-free supernatants of 1- to 5-day-old AG-4676 cultures. This growth promotion was not due to osmotic conditioning of the medium. Preliminary characterization of this growth promotion substance showed it to be active after 0.22-micron filtration, heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min, freezing and thawing, and dilution at 10(-1) but not 10(-2). AG-4676-propagated S. mirum produced death or cataracts in suckling Wistar rats at the same frequency (55/60, 91.7%) as SP-4-propagated organisms (60/65, 92.3%).
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PMID:Characterization of Spiroplasma mirum (suckling mouse cataract agent) in a rabbit lens cell culture. 664 63

It is known that ultraviolet-B light (UV-B) affects human health. In addition to deleterious effects on the skin and the eyes, such as erythema, photoageing, keratitis and cataract, UV-B is also able to impair the resistance against skin-associated tumours and infections. Our data implicate that UV-B can impair the resistance against certain non-skin-associated infections in rats, such as Listeria monocytogenes, Trichinella spiralis and Ratcytomegalovirus (RCMV). Rats, infected with T. spiralis, had an increased amount of T. spiralis larvae in their carcasses after UV-B exposure in comparison to control animals, indicating that the resistance to this parasite was decreased by UV-B. Exposure to UV-B caused an increase of RCMV load in the salivary gland 26 days after infection with this virus, indicating that especially the resistance against the second generation of viruses was impaired. In L. monocytogenes-infected rats, UV-B exposure caused an increased number of bacteria in the spleen, coupled to a decreased specific response of T lymphocytes to the bacteria. We conclude that UV-B radiation may affect the resistance against several non-skin-associated infectious diseases, which is probably caused by a defect in the specific lymphocyte response to the antigen.
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PMID:Effects of UV-B on the resistance against infectious diseases. 820 53

Onchocerciasis is commonly known as River Blindness and affects about 18 million people around the world. It is transmitted by black flies that breed in river and stream rapids and transmit the parasitic microfilariae, Onchocerca volvulus, to people who live and work near such rivers. Infection with the microfilariae results in blindness or visual impairment for 1 or 2 million people. The microfilariae migrate to superficial tissues and may invade any part of the eye and ocular structure. Living worms cause little damage, however, their death triggers a localized inflammation which can lead to blindness. Sclerosing keratitis, a severe corneal involvement, is the major cause of blindness from the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Onchocerciasis has estimated that 9% of the disease is found in Africa, the rest occur in Yemen and Latin America. Treatment with ivermectin is contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women, children under 5 years of age, asthmatics, and people with other diseases. The WHO Onchocerciasis Control Program in 11 countries of West Africa has eliminated the risk of onchocerciasis by aerial spraying of black fly breeding sites only from 1 country. A single annual oral dose (150 mg/kg) of ivermectin can reverse early lesions in the cornea. Ivermectin must be taken annually to sustain protection against blindness, thus its incorporation into primary health care along with malaria, AIDS, trachoma, xerophthalmia, and cataract is most cost effective. Nigeria and Tanzania have optometry schools, and optometrists can play a significant role in onchocerciasis control and blindness prevention programs by training local health care workers to distribute invermectin in vision screening programs.
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PMID:Onchocerciasis and other eye problems in developing countries: a challenge for optometrists. 824 90

Stratospheric ozone depletion threatens to increase exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation which is known to be a factor in a number of diseases. There is little doubt that cumulative exposure to UV radiation is important in the aetiology of non-melanoma skin cancers. Evidence is also strong for a link with cutaneous malignant melanoma, although here it appears to be intermittent intense exposure that is most damaging. More controversial is the view that exposure to solar radiation is a significant factor in ocular damage, particularly in the formation of cataracts. Earlier studies pointing to such an effect have been criticized and alternative aetiological hypotheses have been proposed. However, other studies do show an effect of UV exposure on cortical cataract. Concern is also growing that UV may be capable of activating viruses and have immunological effects that might exacerbate infectious disease. Very worrying is the possibility that UV exposure can activate the human immunodeficiency virus which might accelerate the onset AIDS. Any such health effects that have been observed in human populations are the result of exposure to existing, naturally occurring levels of UV radiation. There is, therefore, great concern about the possible exacerbation of these impacts as a result of increased exposure to UV radiation associated with stratospheric ozone depletion. However, any assessment of the nature and scale of such impacts on human health has to deal with several major problems and these are the focus of this paper. There are uncertainties about recent trends in stratospheric ozone and problems in the prediction of future changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Depletion of the ozone layer: consequences for non-infectious human diseases. 848 70


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