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A disease with an abrupt onset and, usually, a short course.

Also known as the Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disorder characterized by progressive symmetrical paralysis and loss of reflexes, usually beginning in the leg, with in most cases nearly complete or complete recovery. The Guillain-Barre syndrome is not associated with fever. There is paralysis involving more than one limb, most commonly the legs, and that paralysis is progressive. There is areflexia (loss of…

The body’s initial reaction to infection by the HIV virus. Acute HIV infection is a flu-like syndrome that occurs immediately after a person contracts HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus 1, the agent that causes AIDS). The syndrome is characterized by fever, sore throat, headache, skin rash and swollen glands (lymphadenopathy). This syndrome precedes seroconversion — the development of detectable antibodies to HIV in the blood as a result of the infection.…

One of a group of kidney diseases characterized by the abrupt onset of inflammation and proliferation of the glomeruli, microscopic structures within the kidney that are responsible for filtering the blood and producing urine. Acute glomerulonephritis can result in long-term damage or may resolve, depending upon the cause and severity. Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis is the prototype…

A rare condition of the nervous system that causes the muscles and reflexes of the body to weaken. Viruses, toxins, and genetic disorders can all cause acute flaccid myelitis. Viruses that can cause the condition or similar symptoms include poliovirus, non-polio enteroviruses, adenovirus, or West Nile virus. The exact cause of most cases is not definitively known. However, development of acute flaccid…

Abbreviated AFLP, liver failure in late pregnancy, usually of unknown cause. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), frequent thirst (polydipsia), increased urination (polyuria), headache, and altered mental state. Laboratory features of AFLP include low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), elevated liver enzymes, and low levels of blood platelets. Untreated AFLP can cause complete liver failure, bleeding due to impaired blood clotting,…

A rapidly progressive infection causing inflammation of the epiglottis (the flap that covers the trachea) and tissues around the epiglottis that may lead to abrupt blockage of the upper airway and death. The infection is usually caused by bacteria. The inflamed epiglottis mechanically obstructs the airway and impairs the breathing process. The onset of epiglottitis is generally rather sudden. Sore throat and hoarseness, frequently…

A spectrum of conditions involving chest discomfort or other symptoms caused by lack of oxygen to the heart muscle (the myocardium). The unification of these manifestations of coronary artery disease under a single term reflects the understanding that these are caused by a similar pathophysiology (sequence of pathologic events) characterized by erosion, fissuring, or rupture of a pre-existing plaque, leading…

Delirium refers to a state of severe confusion and rapid changes in brain function that comes on suddenly. It can be associated with hallucinations and hyperactivity, and the sufferer is inaccessible to normal contact. Delirium can occur due to a wide variety of causes, including head injury, drug use or withdrawal, poisonings, brain tumors, infections, and metabolic disturbances. A urinary tract infection or pneumonia,…

Inflammation of the breathing tubes within the lungs (bronchial tubes or bronchi) as a result of an infection (viral or bacterial) or a chemical irritant (such as smoke or gastric acid reflux). The inflammation causes swelling of the lining of these breathing tubes, narrowing the tubes and promoting secretion of inflammatory fluid. Most commonly, acute bronchitis is due to a viral infection.…