Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis Introduction Leishmaniasis is a tropical illness that is caused by a parasite. The infection is spread through a vector, which is the sand fly. The female phlebotomine sand fly is responsible for the spread of the disease. The parasite causing this infection is associated with tropical and temperate climates (Davis, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Leishmaniasis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This tropical disease is initiated by a protozoan that is found in the sand flies. The protozoan thrives in the gut of the fly and spread when the sand fly bites humans. This condition causes a skin infection that is characterised by the development of sores. The symptoms develop in a matter of weeks or months after the infection (Berman, 1997). Leishmaniasis is said to affect about two million people every year. Cutaneous leishmaniasis accounts for about three quarters of new incidences whereas visceral leishmaniasis ac counts for about a quarter of the new cases. When individuals are settled into the affected areas, this can result into an epidemic (Davis, 2011; Guessous-Idrissi, et al, 1997a). In Morocco, the cutaneous leishmaniasis is quite common. The country has different vegetation regions that represent the differences in the climate of the country. This has affected the distribution of the sand fly species in the country (Guessous-Idrissi, et al, 1997b). As a consequence, leishmaniasis forms are distributed across the country in tandem with the different climates. In morocco, the L. tropica is common in the central parts of the country; L. infantum is found in the northern parts of the country while L. major is prevalent in the south and south eastern parts (WHO, n.d.). Case treatment There are various modes of treating leishmaniasis. Intravenous medication can be used in the treatment of leishmaniasis. In this case, liposomal amphotericin B can be used (WHO, 2012). This is the only medicat ion that has gotten approval from the US government. In other countries, this disease is treated using the pentavalent antimony (SbV) that is used during the intravenous process. In recent times, paromomycin and miltefosine are used in treating this condition. The other treatments administered for this condition are oral ketoconazole, pentostam, and intravenous pentamidine (Davis, 2011). In addition, all cases should be detected, and early treatment started as soon as possible. Collaboration between the various sectors is also essential in the treatment of the condition. Significant research should be carried out on this condition with surveys focussing on the sand flies to identify the infested areas that should be avoided.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Vector control This involves various strategies. There is a need to control the vector, as well as their reservoi r. Health awareness is also critical in vector control. Leishmaniasis can be controlled through prevention of the bites from the sand flies. The sand flies can be controlled through the use of insect repellents. The flies can also be controlled through the spray of infested areas to get rid of the flies. In addition, individuals in affected areas are advised to sleep under nets to avoid being bitten and infected by the sand flies. Conclusion Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease that should be controlled. There are various treatment methods that have been suggested. This includes administration of medication to the affected individual-orally and through injections. However, the best way of dealing with this disease is through vector control. This has been identified as the best way of ensuring that this condition does not threaten human existence. Reference List Berman, JD 1997, â€Å"Human Leishmaniasis: Clinical, Diagnostic, and Chemotherapeutic Developments in the Last 10 Yearsâ⠂¬ , Clin Infect Dis., vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 684-703. Davis, CP 2011, Leishmaniasis, viewed on https://www.medicinenet.com/leishmaniasis/article.htm Guessous-Idrissi, N, et al. 1997a, â€Å"Cutaneous leishmaniasis: an emerging epidemic focus of Leishmania tropica in north Morocco, Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, vol. 91, no. 6, pp. 660-663. Guessous-Idrissi, N, et al. 1997b, Short report: Leishmania tropica: etiologic agent of a case of canine visceral leishmaniasis in northern Morocco, Am J Trop Med Hyg, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 172-3. WHO 2012, Leishmaniasis: Access to medicines, viewed on https://www.who.int/leishmaniasis/en/Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Leishmaniasis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More WHO n.d, Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Morocco, viewed on emro.who.int/neglected-tropical-diseases/countries/cl-morocco.html

The Purpose and Function of Foil Characters

The Purpose and Function of Foil Characters Have you ever been reading a novel and find yourself wondering, â€Å"What’s eating this guy?† or, â€Å"Why doesn’t she just dump him?† More often than not, a â€Å"foil† character is the answer.      A foil character is any character in literature that, through his or her actions and words, highlights and directly contrasts the personal traits, qualities, values, and motivations of another character. The term comes from the old jewelers’ practice of displaying gemstones on sheets of foil to make them shine more brightly. Thus, in literature, a foil character literally â€Å"illuminates† another character. Uses of Foil Characters Authors use foils to help their readers recognize and understand the important qualities, characteristics, and motivations of the various characters: In other words, to explain why characters do what they do. Foils are sometimes used to explain the relationships between a plot’s â€Å"antagonist† and â€Å"protagonist† characters. A â€Å"protagonist† is the story’s main character, while an â€Å"antagonist† is the protagonist’s enemy or opponent. The antagonist â€Å"antagonizes† the protagonist.   For example, in the classic Lost Generation novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† F. Scott Fitzgerald uses narrator Nick Carraway as a foil to both protagonist Jay Gatsby, and Jay’s antagonist Tom Buchanan. In describing Jay and Tom’s contentious shared love for Tom’s trophy wife Daisy, Nick depicts Tom as an Ivy League-educated athlete who feels entitled by his inherited wealth. Nick is more at ease around Jay, who he describes as a man who â€Å"had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sometimes, authors will use two characters as foils to each other. These characters are called â€Å"foil pairs.† For example, in William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar,† Brutus  plays foil to Cassius, while Antony’s foil is Brutus.   Foil pairs are sometimes the story’s protagonist and antagonist, but not always. Again from the quill of Shakespeare, in â€Å"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet,† while Romeo and Mercutio are best friends, Shakespeare writes Mercutio as Romeo’s foil. By poking fun at lovers in general, Mercutio helps the reader understand the depth of Romeo’s often illogically desperate love for Juliet. Why Foils Are Important Authors use foils to help readers recognize and understand the traits, attributes, and motivations of the other characters. Thus, readers who ask, â€Å"What makes him or her tick?† should be on the lookout for foil characters to get the answers. Non-Human Foils Foils are not always people. They may be animals, a structure, or  a subplot, a â€Å"story within a story,† that serves as a foil to the main plot.   In her classic novel â€Å"Wuthering Heights,† Emily Bronte uses the two neighboring houses: Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange as foils to each other to explain the events of the story. In chapter 12, the narrator describes Wuthering Heights as a house where : â€Å"There was no moon, and everything beneath lay in misty darkness: not a light gleamed from any house, far or near all had been extinguished long ago: and those at Wuthering Heights were never visible†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The description of Thrushcross Grange, in contrast to the Wuthering Heights, creates a calm and peaceful atmosphere. â€Å"Gimmerton chapel bells were still ringing; and the full, mellow flow of the beck in the valley came soothingly on the ear. It was a sweet substitute for the yet absent murmur of the summer foliage, which drowned that music about the Grange when the trees were in leaf.† The foils in these settings also help in the development of the foils in the characters, as the people from Wuthering Heights are unsophisticated, and are foils to those from Thrushcross Grange, who display a refined disposition. Classic Examples of Foil Characters In â€Å"Paradise Lost,† author John Milton creates perhaps the ultimate protagonist-antagonist foil pair: God and Satan. As the foil to God, Satan exposes both his own negative traits and God’s good traits. Through the comparisons exposed by the foil relationship, the reader comes to understand why Satan’s stubborn resistance to the â€Å"will of God† justifies his eventual expulsion from paradise. In the Harry Potter series, author J.K. Rowling uses Draco Malfoy as a foil to Harry Potter. Though both protagonist Harry and his antagonist Draco have been empowered by Professor Snape to â€Å"experience the essential adventures of self-determination,† their inherent qualities cause them to make different choices:  Harry chooses to oppose Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters, whereas Draco eventually joins them. In summary, foil characters help readers to: Understand the traits and motivations - â€Å"axes to grind† - of other charactersTell good intentions from evil, strength from weakness,   or true ability from empty braggadocioUnderstand â€Å"who† protagonists and their antagonists are, and why they are enemies Perhaps most importantly, foils help readers decide how they â€Å"feel† about the characters.