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Pathognomonic Signs of Communicable

Diseases

Posted in November 1st, 2008byjeanette in Health & Nutrition

Pathognomonic is a sign or symptom that is so characteristic of a disease that it makes the

diagnosis. Pathognomonic (pronounced patho-no-monic) comes from the Greek

pathognomonikos meaning skilled in judging diseases. As it is very important to know howto assess characteristic manifestations of some communicable diseases at an early stage, here are

the pathognomonic signs and symptoms of some common communicable diseases.

y AIDS opportunistic and malignant manifestations, T4 below 200/dl. (Opportunisticinfection - infection that occurs because of a weakened immune system. Opportunistic

infections are a particular danger for people with AIDS. The HIV virus itself does notcause death, but the opportunistic infections that occur because of its effect on theimmune system can.)

y Amoebiasis bloody mucoid stool.y Ascariasis vomiting, passing out of worm.y Candidiasis cheeselike discharge.y Chicken pox vesiculopopular lesions.y Cholera rice-watery stool.y Dengue/Hemorrhagic Fever Hermans sign. It appears on the upper and lower

extremities, purplish or violaceous red with blanched areas about 1 cm or less in size.y Diptheria pseudomembrane, a localized inflammatory process; Grayish-white,

leathery consistency.y Enterobiasis nocturnal itchiness.y Filariasis - Elephantiasis.y German Measles/Rubella Forscheimers spots, a mild enanthem of petechial lesions.y Gonorrhea thick purulent discharge.y Herpes Zoster lesions follow peripheral nerve pathway.y Leptospirosis orange eyes.y Malaria fever and chills.y Measles/Rubeola Kopliks spots, little spots inside the mouth. The spots look like a

tiny grains of white sand, each surrounded by a red ring. They are found especially on the

inside of the cheek (the buccal mucosa) opposite the 1st and 2nd upper molars.y Meningitis nucchal rigidity.y Mumps swollen parotid glands.y Pertussis paroxysmal coughs ending with whoop.y Pneumonia rusty sputum.y Polio flaccid paralysis, weakness or paralysis and reduced muscle tone without other

obvious cause (e.g., trauma).y Rabies hydrophobia, a morbid fear of water. Because of this name, many people think

that rabies makes one afraid of water. In fact, this is not the case (although rabies does

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cause mental confusion of other kinds). The name hydrophobia comes from the fact thatanimals and people with rabies get spasms in their throat muscles that are so painful that

they cannot eat or drink, and so will refuse water in spite of being very thirsty.y Scabies weeping itch.y Scarlet Fever raspberry tongue.y

Syphilis painless chancre or ulceration.y Tetanus locked jaw or trismus.y Tuberculosis initially ASYMPTOMATIC.y Typhoid Fever 3 cardinal signs: ladderlike fever, rose spots, spleenomegaly

(enlargement of spleen beyond its normal size).