Tag: microbiology

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Anal Itch Can Drive you Embarrassingly Crazy

Anal itch or some people may call it rectal itch is also known as pruritus ani (proo-rí-tus a-ní). It is a fairly common condition. Most people think that the reason they cannot stop scratching their butt is because of hemorrhoids. But hold your breath or your gas (so to speak), there is more to itchy butt than you think.

There are several benign conditions which can cause anal itch. Conditions to keep in mind are hemorrhoids, fecal incontinence of varying magnitude and severity, anal fistulae and condyloma (anal warts). Anal fissures are very painful but may be a cause of anal itch in chronic cases.

Other benign conditions which can cause anal itch are contact dermatitis, fungal infections, diabetes, pinworm infections, psoriasis and seborrhea (dermatitis of the oil glands).

A common cause of anal itch is excessive moisture in the area. Moisture may be due to perspiration or a small amount of residual stool around the anus. Itching can be made worse by scratching, vigorous cleansing of the area or overuse of topical treatments. Use of dry rough toilet paper can be another source of itch. You might as well use sand paper (just kidding!).

In some individuals, itching can be caused by eating certain foods, smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages, especially beer and wine. Examples of food items associated with anal itch are coffee, tea, carbonated beverages, milk products, tomatoes and tomato products such as Ketchup, cheese, chocolate and nuts. That is hell of a list. If you are over indulging in any of these items then you may know where the problem lies.

Cleanliness is next to godliness, so once a person develops the itch there is a tendency to wash the area vigorously and frequently with soap and a washcloth. This almost always makes the problem worse by damaging the skin and washing away protective natural oils. God will not be happy with that.

What about cancer? Yes, we have to keep that condition in mind. You may recall, Farrah Fawcett, one of the Charlie’s Angels, was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006. She died in June of this year.

Be aware of the condition but do not panic. Anal cancer is fairly uncommon. It accounts for about one to two per cent of gastrointestinal cancers. About 4,000 new cases of anal cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S.A., about half in women.  Approximately 600 people will die of the disease each year.

Anal cancer is commonly associated with the human papilloma virus (HPV). This virus causes warts in and around the anus and on the cervix in women.  It is associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer in women.

If you have anal itch, then talk to your doctor and get the area thoroughly checked. This includes a good history and a physical. Visual inspection of the anal area, a digital rectal examination and a scope test should be part of the examination. A biopsy of the area and stool test may be necessary. Once this is complete then the doctor (or a specialist) should be able to give you a diagnosis of the problem.

Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. Besides that there are things you can do. Try dietary modifications. Avoid moisture in the anal area by using cotton balls, gauze or corn starch powder. Avoid further injury to the area by avoiding soap of any kind and do not scrub the area. For hygiene, it is best to rinse with warm water and pat the area dry. Use wet toilet paper, baby wipes or a wet washcloth to blot the area clean. Never rub.

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Ten Reasons Why I Had H1N1 Vaccination

H1N1 influenza virus treatment collage. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)
H1N1 influenza virus treatment collage. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)

Recently, President Barack Obama declared swine flu a U.S. national emergency. His daughters, Malia (age 10) with Sasha (age 8) received their H1N1 vaccinations last week. The President and the First Lady will wait their turn as they do not meet the priority criteria. That did surprise me. I thought the world’s most powerful man would be protected first. But that is another story.

In Canada, our Prime Minister, first sounded hesitant, then changed his mind and said he plans to get the vaccine. About half of the Canadians are not sure if they would get the vaccine to prevent H1N1. What are they afraid of, side effects from the vaccine?

Except for taxes and death, there are no guarantees in life. If you are afraid of complications or dying from receiving the vaccine then look at the daily risks you take when you cross a street, drive a vehicle, fly in a plane, smoke like a chimney, drink alcohol, take any kind of medications (they all have some side effects), undergo surgery and I can go on and on.

So, here are 10 reasons why my family, my office staff and I had H1N1 vaccination (information provided here has been gathered from various very reliable sources):

1.To start with, the vaccine costs about $8 a dose. We, the tax payers, through the Federal and Provincial governments, are spending more than $400-million for the product plus the costs of administration.

2.Without vaccine and antiviral medication, between 25 and 35 per cent of the Canadian population could become ill over a period of a few months. Of the people who get the H1N1 virus, about one in 1,000 will become gravely ill and have to be hospitalized. Out of those, one in five will die.

3.H1N1 is more serious disease than common cold or seasonal flu. It is unusual for common cold or seasonal flu to infect the lungs. It is usually confined to the nose and throat and may be the upper airway. H1N1 virus also infects the airway, but in some individuals, it continues to move down and infect the lungs. The H1N1 virus causes lung infection much more often and more completely, that is why some people have ended up in intensive care units or even died from complications of the virus.

4.I believe Health Canada when it says the vaccine is safe. There are no credible reports to the contrary. Health Canada says there have been no shortcuts taken in the approval process. We have been giving flu shots for decades and this is just another flu shot. Data from Europe says that this vaccine is safe and effective.

5.Adjuvant vs. non-adjuvant. The adjuvant vaccine is made up of two natural fats: vitamin E and squalene which is a molecule your body makes (the squalene in the vaccine comes from fish oil). The adjuvanted vaccine gives a better and faster immune response than the non-adjuvanted vaccine.

6.Is squalene a problem? Reports I have read says that our liver makes squalene all the time. It is a natural compound. It has never been scientifically linked to Gulf War syndrome, an illness reported by combat veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War – fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, eczema, and dyspepsia.

7.The preservative in the vaccine is thimerosol. Thimerosol has never been credibly linked to any health problems, including autism.

8.Nobody has died because of the vaccine. It takes about 10-14 days to develop immunity post vaccine. Influenza vaccines are not 100 per cent effective. It is possible to get H1N1 after the vaccination. However, chances are the symptoms will be milder. Getting the H1N1 vaccine does not mean you will not get sick this winter; there are other strains of flu and numerous other viruses and bacteria that circulate.

9.Pregnant women, whose immune systems are suppressed, are at high risk of complications from the flu. The World Health Organization says pregnant women should get non-adjuvanted vaccine where possible, but that an adjuvanted vaccine could be used if necessary. There are no studies to suggest that adjuvanted vaccine is harmful to pregnant women.

10.Benefits outweigh the risks of vaccination. So I did this to protect myself and the people around me.

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Mould

House Calls
By
Dr. Noorali Bharwani

You have just invested your life’s savings in a dream home. You have inspected the house thoroughly looking for possible problems. But you forget to check for mould.

It is said that virtually all buildings contain moulds, but some are mouldier than others. Moulds love the interior of the buildings where they can adapt to dry conditions but moulds cannot survive without some moisture. You wonder where the moisture comes from. The source could be a leaky basement, a dripping pipe or a roof in need of repair.

Painted walls and certain types of wallpapers can become overgrown by certain fungi, particularly in humid places such as showers. Moulds can be found in other places in the house. Sometimes you open the fridge and find mould spread over bread and cheese. Mould can be found on books and files as well.

Usually it is hard to know if your house is mouldy until somebody in the house complains of persistant allergies, headache, nausea or respiratory symptoms. A mouldy building can be a serious health hazard.

This brings us to the subject of fungus. Mould is a kind of fungus. Fungi are all around us. Not all fungi are harmful. The American Heritage Science Dictionary defines fungi as any of a wide variety of organisms that reproduce by spores, including the mushrooms, moulds, yeasts, and mildews. Spores can remain dormant for years. Some of the characteristics of fungi are:
-fungi absorb food by excreting enzymes that break down complex substances into molecules that can be absorbed into the hyphae
-the spores of most fungi grow a network of slender tubes called hyphae that spread into and feed off of dead organic matter or living organisms
-fungi can live in a wide variety of environments, fungal spores can survive extreme temperatures and fungi exist in over 100,000 species, nearly all of which live on land
-they can be extremely destructive, feeding on almost any kind of material and causing food spoilage and many plant diseases
-although fungi were once grouped with plants, they are now considered a separate kingdom.

The fungus grows best in moist, damp, dark places with poor ventilation and on skin that is irritated, weakened, or continuously moist. Most of the fungi are very helpful in the natural environment and only a few cause diseases in humans, plants and animals.

Candida is yeast like fungus which may cause athlete’s foot, vaginitis, thrush, or other infections. It can thrive in moist skin fold areas under the breasts, overhanging abdominal adipose tissues, groins, between fingers and toes, in the armpits and in the anus. Some of the fungi are dermatophytes which cause parasitic infections of the skin, hair, nails and adjacent mucous membranes.

Systemic fungal infections occur when spores are touched or inhaled. Such infections are most often in people taking antibiotics which kill off the bacteria that normally keep fungi at bay. This is also the case in people with endocrine disorders, immune diseases, and other conditions such as obesity, AIDS, tuberculosis, major burns, leukemia, and diabetes mellitus. Patients with systemic infection may have no symptoms or may have flu-like symptoms – coughing, fever, chest pain, chills, weight loss, and difficulty with breathing.

Certain fungi, such as mushrooms, can produce poisonous toxins that may prove fatal if ingested. Certain moulds can be highly toxic to humans. A condition called egotism is caused by eating bread prepared from rye infected with the fungus

Skin infection with fungus can be treated with antifungal skin ointment. Systemic fungal infection requires oral antifungal pills. Fungal infection can be prevented by keeping our body and the environment clean and healthy. And make sure your leaky roof is fixed.

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Germ Warfare: Fungus

Dear Dr. B: What is a fungus? What are the common fungi which cause illnesses in humans?

Answer: The American Heritage Science Dictionary defines fungi as any of a wide variety of organisms that reproduce by spores, including the mushrooms, moulds, yeasts, and mildews. Spores can remain dormant for years. Some of the characteristics of fungi are:
-fungi absorb food by excreting enzymes that break down complex substances into molecules that can be absorbed into the hyphae
-the spores of most fungi grow a network of slender tubes called hyphae that spread into and feed off of dead organic matter or living organisms
-fungi can live in a wide variety of environments, fungal spores can survive extreme temperatures and fungi exist in over 100,000 species, nearly all of which live on land
-they can be extremely destructive, feeding on almost any kind of material and causing food spoilage and many plant diseases
-although fungi were once grouped with plants, they are now considered a separate kingdom.

Fungi are all around us. The fungus grows best in moist, damp, dark places with poor ventilation and on skin that is irritated, weakened, or continuously moist. Most of the fungi are very helpful in the natural environment and only a few cause diseases in humans, plants and animals.

Candida is yeast like fungus which may cause athlete’s foot, vaginitis, thrush, or other infections. It can thrive in moist skin fold areas under the breasts, overhanging abdominal adipose tissues, groins, between fingers and toes, in the armpits and in the anus. Some of the fungi are dermatophytes which cause parasitic infections of the skin, hair, nails and adjacent mucous membranes.

Systemic fungal infections occur when spores are touched or inhaled, or there is an overgrowth of fungi in or on the body. Such infections are most often in people taking antibiotics which kill off the bacteria that normally keep fungi at bay. This is also the case in people with endocrine disorders, immune diseases, and other conditions such as obesity, AIDS, tuberculosis, major burns, leukemia, and diabetes mellitus. Patients with systemic infection may have no symptoms or may have flu-like symptoms – coughing, fever, chest pain, chills, weight loss, and difficulty with breathing.

Certain fungi, such as mushrooms, can produce poisonous toxins that may prove fatal if ingested. Certain moulds can be highly toxic to humans. A condition called egotism is caused by eating bread prepared from rye infected with the fungus.

Moulds are often found spreading over bread, cheese, books, and other things in the home and may be a menace to our health. Painted walls, particularly in humid places such as showers, can become overgrown by certain fungi. Certain types of wallpapers also serve as a source of nutrition for some moulds and may prove to be harmful. Virtually all buildings contain moulds depending on the amount of moisture present in the building. Moulds can cause headache, nausea or respiratory symptoms amongst the occupants of the building.

Skin infection with fungus can be treated with antifungal skin ointment. Systemic fungal infection requires oral antifungal pills. Fungal infection can be prevented by keeping our body and the environment clean and healthy.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!