Diseases

West Nile virus

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic arbovirus belonging to the genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae. It is found in temperate and tropical regions of the world. It was first identified in the West Nile subregion in the East African nation of Uganda in 1937. Prior to the mid-1990s, WNV disease occurred only sporadically and was considered a minor risk for humans, until an outbreak in Algeria in 1994, with cases of WNV-caused encephalitis, and the first large outbreak in Romania in 1996, with a high number of cases with neuroinvasive disease. WNV has now spread globally, with the first case in the Western Hemisphere being identified in New York City in 1999; over the next five years, the virus spread across the continental United States, north into Canada, and southward into the Caribbean islands and Latin America. WNV also spread to Europe, beyond the Mediterranean Basin, and a new strain of the virus was identified in Italy in 2012. WNV is now considered to be an endemic pathogen in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and in the United States, which in 2012 has experienced one of its worst epidemics. In 2012, WNV killed 286 people in the United States, with the state of Texas being hard hit by this virus, making the year the deadliest on record for the United States.

West syndrome

West syndrome is characterized by a specific type of seizure (infantile spasms) seen in infancy and childhood. This syndrome leads to developmental regression and causes a specific pattern, known as hypsarrhythmia (chaotic brain waves), on electroencephalography (EEG) testing. The infantile spasms usually begin in the first year of life, typically between 4-8 months. The seizures primarily consist of a sudden bending forward of the body with stiffening of the arms and legs; some children arch their backs as they extend their arms and legs. Spasms tend to occur upon awakening or after feeding, and often occur in clusters of up to 100 spasms at a time. Infants may have dozens of clusters and several hundred spasms per day. Infantile spasms usually stop by age five, but may be replaced by other types of seizures. Many underlying disorders, such as birth injury, metabolic disorders, and genetic disorders can lead to these spasms, making it important to identify the underlying cause. In some children, no cause can be found.

Western equine encephalitis

Western equine encephalitis: An infectious disease caused by an arbovirus (Alphavirus - Togaviraidae) and transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The infection primarily attacks that central nervous system and severity can range from asymptomatic to severe complications and even death in rare cases.

Westphal disease

Westphal disease: A condition that is closely associated with Huntington's disease and is a clinical variant of it.

Weyers acrofacial dysostosis

Weyers acrofacial dysostosis (medical condition): A rare disorder characterized by facial abnormalities and extra digits, nail abnormalities and short limbs.

WHIM syndrome

WHIM Syndrome (or WartsHypogammaglobulinemiaImmunodeficiency, and Myelokathexis syndrome) is a rare congenital immunodeficiency disorder characterized by chronic noncyclic neutropenia.

Whipple disease

Whipple's disease is a rare infectious disease that typically infects the bowel. It causes malabsorption primarily but may affect any part of the body including the heart, lungs, brain, joints, and eyes. It interferes with the body's ability to absorb certain nutrients. Whipple's disease causes weight loss, incomplete breakdown of carbohydrates or fats, and malfunctions of the immune system. When recognized and treated, Whipple's disease can usually be cured. Untreated, the disease may be fatal.

Whispering dysphonia- hereditary

A rare inherited disorder where an individual is able to talk normally when they’re asleep, drunk or emotional but for the most part are only able to whisper. The condition may be progressive and leaves the person unable to make a single sound. Sufferers also exhibited involuntary movements (torsion dystonia).

Whitaker syndrome

A condition that usually occurs in childhood caused by an autoimmune polyendocrinopathy.

White sponge nevus of cannon

White sponge nevus, also known as Cannon's disease or Hereditary leukokeratosis of mucosa, appears to follow a hereditary pattern as an autosomal dominant trait. Although it is congenital in most cases, it can occur in childhood or adolescence. A condition characterized by the presence of white plaques in the mouth and sometimes in the anal and vaginal lining.

Whitmore disease

Also known as Meliodosis, is an infectious disease caused by the gram negative bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei, found in soil and water. 

It is closely related to Burkholderia mallei which causes glanders. 

The disease is endemic in parts of southeast asia, taiwan, and northern australia. Northeast Thailand has the highest incidence of meliodosis recorded in the world (21.3 cases per 100,000 people per year). 

wikipedia

Whooping cough

whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial disease. Initially symptoms are usually similar to those of the common cold with a runny nose, fever, and mild cough. This is then followed by weeks of severe coughing fits. Following a fit of coughing a high-pitched whoop sound or gasp may occur as the person breathes in. The coughing may last for more than a hundred days or ten weeks. A person may cough so hard they vomit, break ribs, or become very tired from the effort. Children less than one year old may have little or no cough and instead have periods where they do not breathe. The period of time between infection and the onset of symptoms is usually seven to ten days. Disease may occur in those who have been vaccinated but symptoms are typically milder

Wieacker syndrome

A rare disorder involving muscle weakness and wasting, foot deformities, mental retardation and face muscle anomalies.

Wiedemann Grosse Dibbern syndrome

A syndrome which is characterised by the association of symptoms such as abnormal facies, short stature, and psychomotor retardation.

Wildervanck syndrome

A rare birth disorder involving hearing loss, fusion of vertebrae and eye movement abnormalities. A syndrome characterized by the combination of congenital deafness, Duane syndrome (eye retraction), and fusion of the neck vertebrae (Klippel-Feil anomaly). Wildervanck syndrome is limited, or almost completely limited, to females. The syndrome is probably due to polygenic inheritance with limitation to females and lethality for males.

Willebrand disease- acquired

Willebrand disease is the most common hereditary coagulation abnormality described in humans, although it can also be acquired as a result of other medical conditions. It arises from a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of von Willebrand factor , a multimeric protein that is required for platelet adhesion. It is known to affect humans and dogs. There are four types of hereditary WD. Other factors including ABO blood groups may also play a part in the severity of the condition. A bleeding disorder characterised by prolonger bleeding time.

Williams syndrome

Williams syndrome (WS, also known as Williams–Beuren syndrome,WBS), is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by: a distinctive, "elfin" facial appearance, along with a low nasal bridge; an unusually cheerful demeanor and ease with strangers; developmental delay coupled with strong language skills; profound visuo-spatial impairments; and cardiovascular problems, such as supravalvular aortic stenosis and transient high blood calcium.

It is caused by a deletion of about 26 genes from the long arm of chromosome 7. It occurs in 1 in 7,500 to 1 in 20,000 births. The syndrome was first identified in 1961 by New Zealander J.C.P. Williams.

Wilms’ tumor

Wilms' tumor or nephroblastoma is a tumor of the kidneys that typically occurs in children about 3 years old, rarely in children older than 15 years of age and adults. Its common name is an eponym, referring to Dr. Max Wilms, the German surgeon (1867–1918) who first described this kind of tumor. Approximately, 500 cases are diagnosed in the United States annually. The majority of cases (75%) occur in otherwise normal children; a minority (25%) is associated with other developmental abnormalities. Moreover, Wilms' tumor is relatively more common in blacks than in whites and is rare in East Asians. Estimates suggest 6-9 cases per million person years in whites, 3-4 cases per million person years in East Asians and more than 10 cases per million person years among black populations.  The Wilms' tumor is highly responsive to treatment, with about 90% of patients surviving at least five years.