Morgellons disease: or Morgellons syndrome. This name was given in 2002 by Mary Leitao. Morgellons is a skin disease with several symptoms such as crawling, biting, and stinging sensations; persistent skin lesions (e.g., rashes or sores); and descriptions of finding fibers on or under the skin. Mary found all these symptoms in her son, and no one was able to give her a diagnose of the disease until the federal government took Morgellons seriously because of pressure from sufferers and the Morgellons Research Foundation, which she founded in 2002. The history of the disease began when her son who graduated with a Bachelor degree in Biology started feeling pain under his lip and complained of bugs. She took him to over 10 doctors and they were not able to give her a diagnosis. Every one told her that they are not finding any disease that is known to them, no allergies, or even skin disease. Only after around three years the disease draws the intention to several TV stations such as CNN, ABC’s Good Morning America, and NBC’s The Today Show.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome “CFS”: This unknown disease usually occurs in women more than men, in age ranges between 40s and 60s. It manifests with widespread myalgia “muscle pain” and arthralgia “joint pain”, cognitive difficulties, chronic mental and physical exhaustion, often severe, and other characteristic symptoms in a previously healthy and active person. According to physicians, CFS occurs suddenly without any previous illness, usually accompanied with flu-like illness. Unfortunately, most CFS patients don’t completely recover from the disease completely even with regular treatment and attention. CFS was discovered in 1934 at Los Angeles County Hospital when it infected most of its doctors and nurses. It was referred to as Atypical Poliomyelitis, and was generally believed to be a form of polio.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease “CJD”: This is a brain disorder that is ultimately fatal. What cause the disease is something called prion which is theoretical infectious agent that is composed only of a protein (and has no genetic material). Don’t get scared, this disease occurs only one case per one million people every year in the world. CJD develop mostly in younger people, rather in older people as the CFS disease. These are the most common symptoms of CJD, memory loss, personality change and finally hallucinations. Again, there is no a specific treatment for the disease until now, but some experiments were done by several researchers and came up with a medication called pentosan polysulphate, it slowed down the effects or the memory loss but it didn’t stop it.

Schizophrenia: This disease is associated with mental illness, involves a psychotic phase with delusions, hallucinations, or grossly bizarre or disorganized speech and behaviors. People who have this disease develop significant loss of interest or pleasure others might develop mood abnormalities such as inappropriate smiling, laughing, or silly facial expressions, depression and anger. Usually it takes years before individuals can accept that thy have Schizophrenia and need medication. Most doctors suggest Antipsychotic medication as treatment, but as they say it shortens the duration of psychosis in Schizophrenia, and prevents recurrences. But psychotic relapses can still occur under stress. Moreover, Experts consider this the most puzzling of mental disorders, one which robs the sufferer of the ability to logically distinguish between reality and fantasy.

Autoimmune Disorders: The immune system in your body protects you against microorganisms and other foreign substances. I don’t want to give you all the details about the immune system, but its good to know that, it consists of two major parts. One component is called lymphocytes which produces antibodies, proteins that attack foreign substances or microorganisms and cause them to be removed form the body. The second component is called T lymphocytes, which can attack “foreign” substances directly; this is sometimes called the cellular immune system. Now, you are asking so what is the autoimmune disorder? It’s a disease caused by the body producing an inappropriate immune response against its own tissues. Sometimes the immune system will cease to recognize one or more of the body’s normal constituents as self and will create autoantibody, antibodies that attack its own cells, tissues and unfortunately the organs. According to several sources the cause of the autoimmune disorder is unknown.

Pica: This puzzling disease has been around and described since ancient times. Moreover, it can occur in individuals of any background, it is associated mostly pregnancy, developmental delay and metal retardation, early childhood, poor nutrition or low blood levels or iron and other minerals, certain cultural or religious traditions and psychiatric disease and autism. You may ask religious traditions? How? I thought of that to and I was able to find some useful information. “Cultural and religious traditions may also play a role in pica behavior. In some cultures, nonfood substances are believed to have positive health or spiritual effects. Among some African Americans in the south, ingesting a particular kind of white clay is believed to promote health and reduce morning sickness during pregnancy. Other cultures practice pica out of belief that eating a particular substance may promote fertility or bring good luck.” Healthatoz.com. So, what causes Pica? Evidence suggested that there are many or several causes, one which the widely accepted theory is the Iron deficiency. Because the cause of the disease is not obvious or in other words “Unknown”, treatment of Pica starts with counseling, education, and nutritional management.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu): Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These influenza viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them. There are many different subtypes of type A influenza viruses. These subtypes differ because of changes in certain proteins on the surface of the influenza A virus (hemagglutinin [HA] and neuraminidase [NA] proteins). There are 16 known HA subtypes and 9 known NA subtypes of influenza A viruses. Many different combinations of HA and NA proteins are possible. Each combination represents a different subtype. All known subtypes of influenza A viruses can be found in birds. Humans have no immunity to the powerful flu virus carried by birds, which health official fear could mutate into a strain that can be transmitted between humans. Death rates for human infected are around 50 percent but, so far, humans have been infected mostly by direct handling with infected birds. A recent cluster of cases, however, appeared to involve its spread between people. Livescience.com

AIDS: Its also known as ” Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome” I am sure you heart of this disease before, twenty five years since it was first identified, researchers and scientists still didn’t find a cure it. This disease is a KILLER especially in the developing countries. AIDS is a set of infections resulting from the damage to the human immune system and leaves people susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumors. There are different ways people get and transmit the disease, first its transmitted manly through direct contact of the blood stream with a bodily fluid containing HIV such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid and breast milk. In 2007, over 33.2 million people lived with the disease worldwide and killed apporximatly around 2.1 million including 330,000 children.

May God protect all us form such diseases and keep our world healthy and safe.