Health Topics for the letter "A"

Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) describes a group of conditions with set symptoms. AFP is identified by the sudden weakening or loss of muscle tone in children less than 15 years old, without a clear cause.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a tropical mosquito that is part of the Aedes species. It is capable of transmitting several viruses, including Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. These mosquitoes are small and have a black and white pattern on their legs and other parts of the body.

The Aedes albopictus mosquito is a tropical mosquito that is part of the Aedes species which is capable of transmitting Zika virus. Although this species of mosquito, also known as the Asian tiger mosquito, is capable of transmitting viruses including Zika, it is not the species that is responsible for the majority of human cases of Zika virus infection in the Caribbean, South America and Florida. That species is the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Amebiasis is an infection caused by a parasite, called Entamoeba histolytica.  It lives in the feces (poop) of a person.  Most infections occur in a person’s stomach and intestines (gastrointestinal tract).  In some people, the disease may occur in the liver, lungs, skin, and other parts of the body.

If you’re bitten or scratched by a domestic animal (your own, a stray or someone else’s), a wild animal or directly exposed to a bat (bite, scratch, or the bat has touched or landed on you):

Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) disease in which a person’s airways are inflamed, making it difficult to breathe. The airways become more inflamed when “triggers” are inhaled, which can cause them to produce more mucous and may also cause the muscles around the airway to tighten.

The following information will provide an overview of key facts about asthma, and will outline helpful tips for managing students in the classroom with an asthma diagnosis.