Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites, Cryptosporidium, that can live in the intestine of humans and animals and is passed in the stool of an infected person or animal. Both the disease and the parasite are commo...

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when you...

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when you...

Fabry disease is caused by the lack of or faulty enzyme needed to metabolize lipids, fat-like substances that include oils, waxes, and fatty acids. The enzyme is known as ceramide trihexosidase, also called alpha-galactosidase-A. A mutation in the...

Definition of gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis (often referred to as the "stomach flu," however, it is not related to the influenza virus. Gastroenteritis is a nonspecific term for various inflammatory problems in the gastrointestinal tract...

Glucose-galactose malabsorption is an inherited metabolic disorder characterized by the small intestine's inability to transport and absorb glucose and galactose (simple sugars or monosaccharides). Glucose and galactose have very similar chemical ...

Fabry disease is a rare genetic disorder of fat (lipid) metabolism characterized by a deficiency of the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A (previously known as ceramide trihexosidase). The disorder belongs to a group of diseases known as lysosomal stora...

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a condition caused by the abnormal destruction of red blood cells. The damaged red blood cells clog the filtering system in the kidneys, which can lead to life-threatening kidney failure. HUS usually deve...

Hereditary spherocytic hemolytic anemia is a rare blood disorder characterized by defects within red blood cells (intracorpuscular) that result in a shortened survival time for these cells. Red blood cells (erythrocytes) normally circulate for a f...

Urticaria pigmentosa is a rare skin disorder that is a localized (cutaneous) form of mastocytosis. Some clinicians suggest that urticaria pigmentosa is the childhood form of mastocytosis. Mast cells are specialized cells of connective tissue that ...

A norovirus is a small virus that contains RNA and is surrounded by a protein coating. By sequencing the RNA, scientists have discovered that there are many different types of norovirus. Originally, strains were named based on the city in which th...

Trichinosis (trik-ih-NO-sis), sometimes called trichinellosis (trik-ih-nuh-LOW-sis), is a type of roundworm infection. These roundworm parasites (trichinella) use a host body to live and reproduce. These parasites infect animals such as bears, cou...

Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. It is a serious illness that can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. Symptoms of typhoid fever include high fever, weakness, stomach pain, headache, and loss of a...

Whipple disease is a rare disease resulting from bacterial infection that leads to inadequate absorption of nutrients (malabsorption) from the intestine. It is believed to result from infection with bacteria known as Tropheryma whippelii. The infe...