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Resistance has developed in multiple global hotspots and rapidly spread geographically medicine 2632 purchase 200 mg topamax overnight delivery. Definition Carbapenem antibiotics penetrate the bacterial cell wall to inhibit wall synthesis and kill the bacteria symptoms quitting weed order topamax visa. Administered by intravenous injection, they are broadly active against complicated, serious gram-negative and -positive infections, including those caused by Enterobacteriaceae. The first carbapenem, thienamycin, was discovered in 1976 and ultimately became the parent to more than 80 subsequent drugs in the class. Infectious Diseases and Conditions with an endoscope used for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Broadly, Enterobacteriaceae are a normal part of the microbial environment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms of infection reflect the presence of these organisms where they do not belong: fluid accumulation of pneumonia when found in the lungs, or fever and weakness with bloodstream infections. People who are carriers of resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae typically have no symptoms. A test called a modified Hodge test can be used to determine whether the bacteria are resistant to different treatments, including carbapenems: resistance is indicated when bacterial growth on the test continues in the presence of the antibiotic. Chromogenic culture studies like ChromAgar, which identify bacteria (including difficult-to-treat resistant bacteria) by recognizing certain enzymes, may be useful to diagnose resistant infection, particularly in low-resource areas. A more recent treatment option that works against many resistance mechanisms is tigecycline, a tetracycline approved in 2005. New carbapenem-like agents, called tribactams, are tricyclic beta lactam compounds with a penem or other backbone. Prevention Because treatment options are so limited, detection and prevention of resistant infection are vital. Such prevention still relies on hand hygiene, surface cleaning, contact precautions, and isolation. Antimicrobial stewardship, to more carefully select appropriate antibiotic regimens that avoid fostering resistant organisms, is also encouraged. The future holds the not only the possibility of new antibiotic treatment options, but also vaccines in development to prevent commonly resistant infections from Enterobacteriaceae pathogens like E. Detection of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae by chromogenic screening media. One particularly famous case is that of Typhoid Mary, who may have infected over 50 people before being quarantined. Other varieties of ticks are carriers of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. Mosquitoes may carry the Plasmodium protozoan and introduce it into humans through bites, thus causing malaria in those persons. Similarly, mosquitoes may carry the yellow fever virus and several encephalitis viruses. Transmission of these diseases to humans typically occurs in tropical regions of Africa, South Asia, and parts of South America. In the United States, mosquitoes may transmit West Nile Virus to humans after the insects have fed on infected birds. Tularemia, caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, is transmitted to humans who are bitten by infected ticks and deer flies. People may also acquire tularemia from handling infected rabbits and rodents, drinking contaminated water, and inhaling contaminated dust. Carriers Category: Transmission Also known as: Vectors Definition A carrier is an intermediary, usually an insect or an arthropod, that transfers pathogenic microbes from an infected host to another living thing, including a human. For example, a mosquito or tick may be carrying bacteria or viruses (pathogens) from a sick bird or rodent. When the mosquito or tick bites someone, the pathogens enter the body through the break in the skin. These pathogenic microbes cause infection in the recipient, but they do not make the carrier ill. Infectious Diseases and Conditions Prevention and Outcomes Vector-borne diseases may be prevented by limiting exposure to mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and fleas.

Symptoms the symptoms of dermatophytosis vary according to the type of fungus involved and the location of the infection symptoms herpes order topamax once a day. All cause inflammation that can be mild to severe treatment associates purchase topamax master card, and many cause varying degrees of itchiness. Screening and Diagnosis the diagnosis of dermatophytosis is made by the presence of fungi in skin, nail, and scalp scrapings seen Salem Health under microscopy or by the isolation of fungi in culture. Information obtained during the patient history and physical examination, such as the appearance of the lesion, travel history, animal contacts, and race, are also helpful in diagnosing dermatophytosis. Treatment and Therapy the treatment of dermatophytosis varies according to the type of infection. Antibiotics may also occasionally be necessary to treat secondary bacterial infections that occur as a result of scratching. In the case of tinea capitis, treatment often includes oral antifungal agents such as griseofulvin, terbinafine, and itraconazole, and a medicated shampoo to reduce the spread of infection. Prevention and Outcomes Dermatophytosis can be transmitted by direct contact with infected people and animals and by indirect contact with organisms on exfoliated skin or hair found in the environment. Reducing or eliminating exposure to infected hosts and contaminated objects, such as combs, shoes, and locker room floors, can help prevent dermatophytosis. Prompt treatment can also help prevent the spread of the organisms to other parts of the body and to other people. The battle against malaria is fought on two fronts: with mosquito control and with effective antimalarial medication. The other major goal of malaria control campaigns is the widespread availability and use of artemisinin drugs to treat malaria. Although older malaria drugs, such as quinine and chloroquine, are inexpensive and available in most developing countries, the malaria parasites have developed resistance to these drugs, rendering them ineffective in many areas of the world. Artemisinin drugs, though more expensive, are much more effective as long as they are used in combination with a second drug; otherwise, resistance will quickly develop. For children younger than five years of age in these countries, infectious diseases cause almost 70 percent of deaths. Poverty, lack of education, inadequate or absent clean water and sanitation systems, crowded living conditions, unsafe sex, limited health care facilities, and lack of vaccines lead to the disproportionate burden of infectious diseases in the developing world. The chronic infectious disease-related disabilities suffered by adults in their prime working years leads to more poverty, continuing the cycle for the next generation. Malaria Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted by the bite of the female Anopholes mosquito, which is endemic to more than one hundred countries, including areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America, South America, India, and parts of India and Oceania. International funding continues to go to agencies working on wider access to artemisinins. Culturally and socially, females lack the ability to protect themselves from diseases transmitted by male sex partners or by rape, which is a widespread practice in some areas. Transmission also occurs through breast milk, which is the only economical way to nourish infants in many impoverished areas. More complicated and probably more effective regimes require girls and women to take multiple drugs during late pregnancy and until breast-feeding ends, but these practices have been difficult to implement in many areas. Outside Africa, growing areas of concern are in Asia, especially in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Both factors contribute to the increase in new infections and incompletely treated infections. Prevention has focused on safer-sex practices and the empowering of girls and women to avoid sexually transmitted infection. Diarrheal Illness and Measles Diarrheal illness and its nearly inevitable complications of dehydration and malnutrition are large contributors to the disease burden in developing countries, particularly in children younger than age five years. Diarrhea can be caused by many types of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, but it is mostly a result of impure drinking water and fecal contamination of the living environment.

This study determined the differences between plastic diapers and cloth diapers with plastic "overpants" on fecal contamination of toys and commonly handled items symptoms hypothyroidism buy generic topamax 100mg on-line. Usually this unbalance is caused by the invasion of bacteria symptoms quotes purchase topamax 200mg, viruses, or other pathogens (disease-causing organisms). The immune system responds to the invasion by increasing metabolism (body processes) to promote healing and by increasing the production of white blood cells to destroy invading pathogens; this, in turn, raises body temperature. Risk Factors Because fever is such a common response to disease, all persons experience a fever at one time or another. The largest risk factor for fever is exposure to pathogens, especially bacteria and viruses. Sun exposure and dehydration (lack of adequate fluids in the body) are also risk factors for fever. Young children and older adults have more difficulty with regulating body temperature and often experience more fevers than do other age groups. Screening and Diagnosis Different types of thermometers can be used to determine if a person has an abnormally high body temperature. Thermometers are designed to obtain an accurate temperature from a particular area of the body, such as the mouth, rectum, axilla (armpit), or forehead. These tools range in complexity from a simple plastic strip that changes colors to indicate fever when placed on the forehead to electronic digital devices that are used either in the ear or in the mouth. Basic clinical thermometers are slender glass tubes filled with colored alcohol or mercury that reacts to heat. Treatment and Therapy Usually, treatment of fever involves treating the underlying cause. Rest and light blankets will help to keep the feverish person comfortable until the fever passes. Increasing the intake of cool liquids, such as water and juice, will help the person to avoid dehydration. Aspirin, acetaminophen (such as Tylenol), and ibuprofen (such as Advil) are nonprescription drugs that reduce fever and aches. Prevention and Outcomes Because fever is a natural immune process, it is impossible to prevent. However, persons with a fever, especially the very young and the old, should be closely monitored because very high fevers can cause tissue damage, organ failure, and death. One should consult a doctor if experiencing any of the following symptoms: elevated temperature by thermometer reading, sweats, chills, and widespread body aches. The patient can help the doctor by taking his or her own temperature several times a day. One should take all preventive measures recommended by public health departments when traveling to developing countries or countries in tropical regions. Persons with occasional, short visits to tropical or subtropical countries with a history of the disease are at very low risk. There have been no reported cases originating in the United States in recent years. Persons who are infected may have no symptoms or may never develop clinical symptoms. Swelling of the scrotum in men may occur due to infection with one of the causative worms. There is a decreased function of the lymph system, making it difficult for the body to fight infection.

Other laboratory studies that may help in diagnosis include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antibody detection asthma medications 7 letters discount topamax online mastercard, electron microscopy medicine head order topamax 100mg fast delivery, and polymerase chain reaction. Diagnosis of arthropod-borne diseases frequently relies on serology, detection of underlying anemia, and identification of protozoa in blood or in a blood smear. Trichomoniasis is frequently diagnosed by doing a wet mount of vaginal secretions. Immunoflourescent antibody staining and culture are more sensitive, but they could delay diagnosis. Skin scrapings from cutaneous leishmaniasis may be examined microscopically or may be cultured for diagnosis. Treatment and Therapy Treatment for most protozoan diseases requires specific antiprotozoal medication. In cases of intestinal protozoa causing dehydration, intravenous rehydration therapy is an important aspect of treatment. Some medications used in the treatment of intestinal protozoan infections include iodoquinol, paromomycin, metronidazole, tinidazole, quinacrine, furazolidone, tetracycline, nitazoxanide, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Toxoplasmosis may be treated with the antimalarial medication pyrimethamine and the antibiotic sulfadiazine. Infectious Diseases and Conditions Prevention and Outcomes It is not possible to completely prevent the wide spectrum of protozoan diseases. The best hope for prevention is through education and through public heath efforts to provide safe water supplies. Arthropod-borne protozoal diseases may be prevented by avoiding endemic areas, by wearing protective clothing, by using insecticides, by sleeping in screened areas, and, in the case of malaria, by taking medications to prevent infection. Chapter 35 of this classic reference text gives a complete review of the most common types of protozoan diseases. Pseudomonas Category: Pathogen Transmission route: Direct contact, inhalation Definition Pseudomonas is a member of the group of pseudomonads, which are gram-negative, rod-shaped, obligately aerobic, bacilli that include similar organisms in the genus Burkholderia. Natural Habitat and Features the pseudomonads are commonly found in soil or water, where they play a significant role in the degradation of organic material. In humans, they are part of the normal skin flora and are found in intestinal and respiratory passages; they are generally considered to be harmless saprotrophs. Pseudomonads are distinguished from the enteric bacteria, which they physically resemble (as strictly aerobic and with a nonfermentative metabolism) and because they use the enzyme cytochrome oxidase in their respiratory pathways. Some species also produce the greenish pigment pyoverdin, which fluoresces in the presence of ultraviolet light. Pathogenicity and Clinical Significance Pseudomonas is considered a harmless organism in healthy persons. However, in persons with compromised immune systems, it becomes an opportunistic pathogen. It also becomes a pathogen if introduced into areas of the body that are generally sterile. Under these conditions, the production of pigments by the bacterium results in a bluish-green pus. Infections may be difficult to treat because the organism frequently exhibits resistance to antibiotics. The infection in adults has the potential to become severe, while in infants the danger significantly increases as the organism may pass into the bloodstream. Urinary tract infections too are not uncommon under these conditions, and as many as 15 percent of such nosocomial infections are caused by Pseudomonas. A variety of factors are involved in the pathogenic properties of Pseudomonas once it is introduced into the body. Pili, protein extensions on the cell surface, allow the bacterium to attach to tissues. Once the bacterium has begun to colonize, it secretes several types of enzymes that are damaging to the host.

Mold colonies are filamentous symptoms 5 days after iui buy generic topamax, slow growing doctor of medicine purchase genuine topamax on-line, leathery, flat to wrinkled, wooly, and cottony or smooth to velvety. Microscopic observation reveals transparent (hyaline) septate hyphae, that is, hyphae with partitioned cavities. Often, the hyphae are sterile and do not produce conidia, sporelike asexual reproductive bodies. If conidia are present, they are singlecell, oval, and truncated and with a broad base and round apex. Mold-to-yeast conversion requires an enriched medium, such as brain heart infusion agar (or broth). Before a bud detaches from the mother cell, secondary buds may form, producing short chains of yeast cells. When only single buds are observed, brasiliensis must be differentiated from Blastomyces dermatitidis. Pathogenicity and Clinical Significance Brasiliensis causes paracoccidioidomycosis. For the most part, cases of paracoccidioidomycosis are limited to areas where brasiliensis is native. Isolated cases occur in persons, including immigrants and migrants, who have traveled to or from endemic regions. The infection is acquired through inhalation of conidia, which are transformed into yeast cells within alveolar macrophages in the lungs. The development and degree of disease depends on the virility of the strain, the general health and immune status of the host, and, in adults, whether the host is a man or a woman. This appears to be so because fungal receptors bind to estrogen, the female sex hormone, but not to Salem Health androgen, the male sex hormone. For most infected persons, the first symptom of active disease is mucocutaneous lesions, especially of the mouth, nose, and throat, followed by respiratory symptoms, such as productive cough and shortness of breath. In addition to causing primary pulmonary infection, brasiliensis can also cause acute primary, chronic primary, and disseminated disease. In disseminated disease, the reticuloendothelial system, lymph nodes, and skin and mucous membranes can become involved. Involvement of the reticuloendothelial system can lead to the suppression of the activity of phagocytic monocytes in the spleen, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Immunocompromised persons are susceptible to the development of acute pulmonary and disseminated disease. Drug Susceptibility In vitro data on the susceptibility profile of brasiliensis are limited. Testing methods that have been used have had varying results, making meaningful comparisons difficult. In the past, sulfonamides, amphotericin B, and ketoconazole were used to treat infection caused by brasiliensis. Paracoccidioidomycosis is the only systemic fungal infection that is treated with sulfonamides. Itraconazole has replaced ketoconazole because it is better tolerated and more effective. Amphotericin B is reserved for persons with severe diseases who cannot tolerate oral medications. This type of infection primarily affects the lungs but may spread to other areas of the body and form ulcerations. Causes Brasiliensis is a dimorphic fungus that exists in mold or yeast form depending on the conditions. Once inside the body, the spores transform to yeast and disperse to other areas of the body (mouth, throat, skin, and lymph nodes). Risk Factors All ages can be affected by the disease; however, the majority of cases involve healthy males with an outdoor occupation or hobby, especially agricultural workers, coffee and tobacco growers, and hunters. Other factors, such as malnutrition, smoking, and alcoholism, increase the chance of acquiring paracoccidioidomycosis. Symptoms Symptoms of chronic pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis include cough, difficulty breathing, fever, weight loss, and fatigue.

The most common cases involve persons who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy symptoms meningitis buy topamax 200 mg otc. Inflammation of the mucosal surfaces (mucositis) causes a breakdown of the protective surfaces symptoms 8 months pregnant buy 100 mg topamax with amex, opening the door for oral bacteria. Because of compromised systemic defenses in these diseases, bacterial infections develop. Malnutrition, dehydration, and unsanitary conditions have been shown to contribute to these infections. Immunosuppressive drugs, smoking, and systemic diseases such as diabetes, kidney failure, and cancer increase the severity of disease. Viral mouth infections can be contracted from person to person through saliva droplets. Chronic disease and medications resulting in diminished immunity may increase the prevalence and severity of the infection. Symptoms Infections of the mouth may cause mucosal redness, ulcerations, bad breath, oral bleeding, altered taste sensation, and facial swelling. More severe symptoms include mouth pain, difficulty swallowing, swollen lymph nodes of the neck, fever, fatigue, and Infectious Diseases and Conditions destruction of facial tissue. Respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary, and cardiac symptoms can result from the spread of bacteria to internal organs. Screening and Diagnosis the superficial fungal infections such as those caused by Candida usually can be diagnosed through examination by a health care provider. In unclear cases, a swab of the lesions can be sent to a laboratory for identification. A culture of fungal lesions helps to direct treatment because antifungal sensitivities are established through this mechanism. Diagnosis of a mucosal bacterial mouth infection is achieved by a swab or biopsy of the lesions. Bacterial and viral infections of the salivary glands, gums, or periodontal structures are typically made by observation. In severe infections, rapid determination of the type and location of infection is critical to affective treatment. Most viral mouth infections can be diagnosed by observation, but a biopsy or smear of the lesion may be required to identify the virus. Also, antibody levels in the blood may assist in confirming the diagnosis of some viral infections. Treatment and Therapy Given that mouth infections can be quite painful, symptomatic relief is important. Analgesics such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen are used for mild to moderate pain. Oral topical anaesthetics such as dyconine and lidocaine can provide temporary relief of pain. Superficial oral candidal infections are treated with topical antifungal medications. Nystatin and clotrimazole lozenges, mouth rinses, and creams are typically sufficient. Severe or resistant cases of oral candidiasis are treated with intravenous antiviral medications. Fluconazole, amphotercin B, myconazole, and itraconazole were the first antifungal medications available. Treatment of uncomplicated bacterial infections of the oral mucosa, salivary glands, gums, and periodontal structures is primarily directed at symptomatic relief. Mouth rinses containing antiseptic solutions or anesthetics are helpful in reducing pain and healing time.

The scratch test or skin prick is the first testing step: skin pricks are applied on the inner forearm treatment kidney cancer buy generic topamax from india. Both controls and each determinant are scratched onto the skin medicine hat jobs order topamax australia, spaced apart, and results are read 15 to 20 minutes later. A negative result, which suggests no allergy, is a wheal (a red circle around the prick) smaller than 3 mm; wheals 3 mm or larger are positive and suggest a penicillin allergy. The intradermal test is indicated when the prick test is negative and may be used when the test is positive or questionable to confirm the initial response. Injections are spaced 2 cm apart and can be placed at the inner forearm or the upper outer arm. Benzylpenicilloyl is the dominant cause of allergic reactions to penicillin in humans. Administration of this major determinant to trigger that immediate IgEmediated immune system reaction-but in a controlled, localized setting-is the basis of the allergy test. Instead of introducing penicillin to the blood and entire body, skin testing provokes the immune response only on a small area on top of or just under the skin. Side Effects Skin pricks of potential allergens are considered safe for most people, even with serious history of reactions. However, those with known anaphylaxis to penicillin within 5 years should avoid the test. Beyond the traditional measured wheal and flare, common local reactions include hives and swelling. Immediate local reactions are treated with antihistamines and corticosteroids; epinephrine should always be available during penicillin allergy testing in case of an anaphylactic reaction. Impact the removal of the penicillin allergy test from the market left a gap for practitioners, with no way to distinguish a true and potentially deadly drug allergy from cutaneous or other mild reactions like Infectious Diseases and Conditions rashes. Penicillin antibiotics Category: Treatment Definition Penicillin is a major subclass of beta-lactam antibiotics discovered in 1928 when a culture plate became contaminated with Penicillium notatum (now called P. This mold inhibited the Staphylococcus aureus that bacteriologist Alexander Fleming was culturing, and eventually the active ingredient, penicillin, was isolated. However, it took the work of other scientists to establish the practical properties of the drug, and Howard Florey and Ernst Boris Chain developed it as an antibiotic by performing clinical tests and creating a concentrated form in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Crystallographer Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin worked out the structure of the penicillin molecule in the late 1940s, allowing the development of synthetic versions of the drug. Mechanism of Action the beta-lactam ring is responsible for the antibacterial actions of the penicillins. Penicillins prevent the formation of peptidoglycan, a substance crucial to the structural stability of bacteria cell walls. Microorganisms that do not have a cell wall, such as Mycoplasma, are not susceptible to penicillins. These subclasses are natural penicillins, penicillinase-resistant penicillins, aminopenicillins, and extended spectrum penicillins. Two main factors differentiate the various penicillin products available from each other: resistance to staphylococcal penicillinase and spectrum of activity. Staphylococcal penicillinase is an enzyme in the beta-lactamase family that inactivates certain betalactam antibiotics. The natural penicillins (penicillins G and V) are narrow-spectrum antibiotics used against a number of gram-positive bacteria such as streptococci. They are not resistant to penicillinase and have only limited activity against staphylococci. Penicillin G (benzylpenicillin) is unstable in stomach acid and must be given as an immediate-action injection. When formulated as insoluble benzathine and procaine salts, it may be given as a long-acting intramuscular injection. The resistant penicillins (methicillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, and dicloxacillin) retain effectiveness against penicillinase-producing S. They do not, however, have a broad spectrum of activity and are only an improvement on natural penicillins in their activity against staphylococci. Even this advantage is diminishing over time with the development of methicillinresistant S. Salem Health Aminopenicillins possess a broader spectrum of activity and are effective against some gram-negative bacteria.

Newborn babies whose mothers have chlamydia or gonorrhea are at high risk for developing severe eye infection symptoms after flu shot 200mg topamax sale. The herpes simplex virus symptoms 4 days after ovulation cheap topamax 200mg fast delivery, which causes cold sores, can also infect the eye, leading to ulcers on the cornea. Recurring herpes infection in the eye can cause major destruction of retinal vessels, leading to vision damage. Herpes zoster is a virus that causes chickenpox and can be reactivated, causing shingles later in life. Eye infections often occur when the eyes are touched after a chickenpox Eye infections Category: Diseases and conditions Anatomy or system affected: Eyes, vision Definition Eyes are made up of different structures, and all are at risk of an attack from a range of bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi that can lead to inflammation and infection. Eye infections are usually diagnosed and described by the specific part of the eye involved or by the mechanism causing the infection. Mismanaged or unresolved eye infections are among the leading causes of blindness around the world. The most frequently occurring eye infection is infectious conjunctivitis, often called pinkeye, which is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane that lines the eyelids. Some common infections of the eye structures are blepharitis, an inflammation of the eyelid margins; scleritis, an infection of the sclera, the white outside-covering of the eye ball; iritis, inflammation of the iris, the colored part of the eye; keratitis, inflammation of the cornea, the transparent part of the sclera at the very front of the eye that covers the lens and iris; vitritis, an infection of the liquid inside the eye; chorioretinitis, an inflammation of the retina and its blood vessels; and endophthalmitis, serious inflammation of the inside of the eye. Like ocular infection by the herpes simplex virus, herpes zoster can also cause corneal ulcers and can lead to retinal tissue damage. Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection of the lungs, which is caused by the inhalation of spores. These fungal spores can travel through the body to the inside of the eyes, causing ocular histoplasmosis syndrome. The fungal infection can cause damage to the retina and, more specifically, to the macula, leading to reduced central vision, similar to macular degeneration. Histoplasmosis frequently occurs in river valleys around the world, and it has affected more than 90 percent of people in the southeastern United States. Most people infected with histoplasmosis have no symptoms, and only some develop ocular histoplasmosis syndrome. However, histoplasmosis remains a significant infectious cause of legal blindness for twenty to forty year olds in the United States. Endophthalmitis is a serious infection of the inside of the eye that could lead to blindness. All intraocular eye surgeries, such as cataract surgery or injectable treatments for age-related macular degeneration, carry a risk for endophthalmitis. Once the organisms are inside the eye cavity, inflammation starts to occur, usually reaching serious levels within about six weeks of the original surgical procedure. Other causes may be trauma or be bloodstream-related because of an infection in another part of the body. Washing contact lenses with tap water or using a homemade saline solution allows the ameba to adhere to the lens and wait for an opportunity to invade the eye. A tiny scratch or abrasion on the surface of the eye will provide ample opportunity for the ameba to get inside the cornea, multiply, and cause a painful destructive infection called acanthamoeba keratitis. Trachoma is a chronic and extremely contagious form of conjunctivitis caused by the Salem Health microorganism Chlamydia trachomatis. It is a leading cause of blindness around the world, most prevalent in developing countries or in disadvantaged populations. If the inflammation persists and is left untreated, the eyelid may turn inward, causing the eyelashes to rub on the surface of the eye and leading to the formation of painful scar tissue, resulting in irreversible blindness. Cellulitis is a serious skin infection that can affect the tissues surrounding the eye. It is caused most usually by a spread of infection from an adjacent facial wound, eyelid trauma, insect bite, sinusitis, or tooth infection. Risk Factors Eyes are frequently exposed to potential pathogens, therefore making them vulnerable to infection. Certain diseases, behaviors, and environments can increase the risk for these infections. Quite often, an eye infection accompanies another infection, disease, or health condition in the body. Normal contact lens wear that carefully follows the recommendations for care and cleaning does not pose a significant risk. Prolonged wear and inadequate cleaning limit oxygen exposure to the eye and expose the eye to harmful bacteria for extended periods.