Paratyphoid Fever Contact Precautions Transmitted by the fecal-oral route, typhoid and paratyphoid fever are bacterial infections of the intestinal tract and bloodstream. Affected patients usually experience mild fever, malaise, anorexia,…

Parainfluenza Contact Precautions Droplet Precautions Parainfluenza refers to any of a group of respiratory illnesses caused by paramyxoviruses, a subgroup of the myxoviruses. Affecting both the upper and lower respiratory…

Otitis Media Otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear that may be suppurative or secretory, acute or chronic, persistent, or unresponsive. With prompt treatment, the prognosis for acute otitis…

Otitis Externa Otitis externa, also known as external otitis and swimmer’s ear, is inflammation of the skin of the external ear canal and auricle. The condition is most common in…

Opisthorchiasis Opisthorchis sinensis, also known as Clonorchis sinensis, is a trematode, or fluke, that causes infection in the liver. It is most commonly called the Chinese liver fluke. O. viverrini…

Norwalk Virus Infection Contact Precautions Norwalk virus, among a group called noroviruses, is a single-stranded RNA virus of the Caliciviridae family that causes acute gastroenteritis lasting 24 to 48 hours….

Nocardiosis Nocardiosis is an acute, subacute, or chronic bacterial infection caused by weakly gram-positive bacilli of the genus Nocardia—usually Nocardia asteroides. It can occur in cutaneous, lymphocutaneous, and subcutaneous forms…

Necrotizing Fasciitis Most commonly referred to as flesh-eating bacteria, necrotizing fasciitis is a progressive, rapidly spreading inflammatory infection located in the deep fascia that destroys fascia and fat with secondary…

Myocarditis Myocarditis is focal or diffuse inflammation of the cardiac muscle (myocardium). It may be acute or chronic and can occur at any age. In many cases, myocarditis fails to…