Hepatitis: A Largely Unknown Disease as a Health Threat in Much of the World


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By Blandina Steinhauslin, AILO Florence and Linda Harvan, FAUSA

Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver, which is the largest solid organ in the body and helps digest food, store energy, and remove poisons. Viruses cause most cases of hepatitis, but other infections, toxic substances (alcohol, recreational drugs and certain prescription medicines) and autoimmune diseases can also cause hepatitis. Viral...

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Getting Older: Osteoarthritis

Getting Older: Osteoarthritis

By Blandina Steinhauslin, AILO Florence

 

Arthritis is very common; however, it is not one single disease. Rather, it is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions.

Of these, osteoarthritis is a condition that usually appears in people over 40 years of age...

The Impact of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) on Women’s Health

by Orla Blundell, AWG Languedoc-RoussillonF

Key Facts and Figures:

  • Worldwide, there are more than 1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) acquired every day.
  • Each year, there are an estimated 357 million new infections.
  • More than 30 different bacteria, viruses and parasites are known to be transmitted through sexual contact.
  • 8 of these pathogens are linked to the greatest incidence of sexually transmitted...
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Has Poliomyelitis Been Eradicated?

Has Poliomyelitis Been Eradicated?

by Blandina Steinhauslin, AILO Florence

Polio in a few words

Polio (poliomyelitis) is a highly infectious viral disease. The poliovirus invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis in a matter of hours. Polio is spread through person-to-person contact. When a child is infected with wild poliovirus, the virus enters the body through the mouth and...

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Diagnosis: Human Trafficking

Diagnosis: Human Trafficking

By Mary Adams, AWC The Hague

Violence against women is major health problem and a violation of women’s human rights. When the United Nations announced the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals agenda, in SDG 5 (Gender Equality) they included target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking...

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Alternative or Complimentary Medicines

Alternative or Complimentary Medicines

By Sylvia Behrman, AILO Florence

Many people world-wide use health care that is outside mainstream Western medicine. These are called alternative or complimentary practices. Practices used together with conventional medicine are called complimentary and ones used instead of conventional medicine are called alternative.

Your doctor needs to know exactly what treatments you are taking, including herbal...

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