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• Connective Tissue Disease


  Any disease that affects the parts of the body (the connected body structures)
• Connective Tissue


  • Made up of two proteins: collagen (a protein found in tendons, ligaments, skin, cornea, cartilage, bone and blood vessels) and elastin (a stretchy protein that resembles a rubber band; it is the major component of ligaments and skin)
• Granulomatosis with Polyangitis (CGPA, formerly called Wegener's)


  A form of vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels) that affects the nose, lungs, kidneys and other organs
• Wegener's Granulomatosis


  • Eye - pseudotumours, conjunctivitis
  • Lungs - cavities, bleeds, lung infiltrates
• When a patient has a Connective Tissue Disease, collagen and elastin are inflamed and the body parts they connect are harmed
• Different Types of Connective Tissue Diseases


  • Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
  • Churg-Strauss syndrome
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
  • Scleroderma
  • Microscopic Polyangitis (MPA)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)


  Most common connective tissue disease; can be inherited
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)


  • Kidneys - glomerulonephrin
  • Heart - pericarditis
  • Skin - nodules on elbow, purpura
• Churg-Strauss syndrome


  A type of autoimmune vasculitis that affects cells in the blood vessels of the lungs, gastrointestinal system, skin and nerves
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)


  Disease that can cause inflammation of the connective tissue in every organ of the body, from the brain, skin, blood, to the lungs
• An estimated 71% of SLE cases are in women
• Scleroderma


  An autoimmune condition where scar tissue forms in the skin, internal organs (including the gastrointestinal tract) and small blood vessels
• SLE is nine times more common in women
• Scleroderma Symptoms


  • Lungs - pleural effusions
  • Heart - heart problems
  • Kidneys
  • Finger tips - Reynaud's phenomenon
• Microscopic Polyangitis (MPA)


  An autoimmune disease that affects cells in blood vessels in organs
• Symptoms of Connective Tissue Diseases vary widely with the body parts affected
• Body parts that may be affected

  • Bones
  • Joints
  • Skin
  • Heart and Blood vessels
  • Lungs
  • Head and Face
  • Height
• Tropical Diseases


  • Prevalent/unique to tropical and subtropical regions
  • Less prevalent in temperate climates/cold season which controls the insect population by forcing hibernation
  • Many were present in northern Europe and northern America in the 17th 18th centuries
• The initial impetus for tropical medicine was to protect the health of colonial settlers, notably in India under the British Raj
• Mosquitoes and flies


  • Most common disease carrier or vectors
  • Carry parasite or bacterium and virus that is infectious to humans and animals
  • Can be transmitted by an insect bite, which causes transmission of the infectious agent through subcutaneous blood exchange
• Vaccines are not available for most diseases and many do not have cures
• Tropical Diseases


  • Malaria
  • Cholera
  • Chagas Disease
  • Yellow Fever
  • Dengue
• Connective tissue disease


  Any disease that affects the parts of the body that connect the structures of the body together
• Connective tissues


  • Made up of two proteins: collagen and elastin
  • Collagen is a protein found in the tendons, ligaments, skin, cornea, cartilage, bone and blood vessels
  • Elastin is a stretchy protein that resembles a rubber band and is the major component of ligaments and skin
• When a patient has a connective tissue disease

  The collagen and elastin are inflamed, and the proteins and the body parts they connect are harmed
• Different types of connective tissue diseases


  • Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
  • Scleroderma
  • Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA, formerly called Wegener's)
  • Churg-Strauss Syndrome
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
  • Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA)
  • Polymyositis/dermatomyositis
  • Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), also called the Sharp syndrome
  • Undifferentiated connective tissue disease(s)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)


  One of the most common connective tissue diseases, can be inherited, an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks its own body, affects the membrane around joints and can also affect the heart, lungs and eyes, affects many more women than men
• Scleroderma


  An autoimmune condition that causes scar tissue to form in the skin, internal organs (including the GI tract), and small blood vessels, affects women three times more often than men throughout life, occurring at a rate of 15 times greater for women during childbearing years
• Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA, formerly called Wegener's)


  A form of vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels) that affects the nose, lungs, kidneys and other organs
• Churg-Strauss Syndrome


  A type of autoimmune vasculitis that affects cells in the blood vessels of the lungs, gastrointestinal system, skin and nerves
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

  A disease that can cause inflammation of the connective tissue in every organ of the body, from the brain, skin, blood, to the lungs, nine times more common in women than in men
• Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA)


  An autoimmune disease that affects cells in blood vessels in organs throughout the body, a rare condition
• Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), also called the Sharp syndrome


  A condition that has some, but not all, features of various connective tissue diseases, such as SLE, scleroderma, and polymyositis, may also have features of Raynaud's syndrome
• Undifferentiated connective tissue disease(s)

  Conditions that have characteristics of connective tissue diseases but don't meet the guidelines as defined at a particular time, some people will eventually develop a specific type, but most will not
• Causes of connective tissue diseases

  • Family genetics and heritable disorders of connective tissue
  • Exposure to toxic chemicals, such as those found in air pollution and cigarette smoke
  • Exposure to ultraviolet light
  • Inadequate nutrition, including lack of vitamins D and C
  • Infections
• Symptoms of connective tissue diseases

  • Bones
  • Joints
  • Skin
  • Heart and blood vessels
  • Lungs
  • Head and face
  • Height
• Tropical diseases


  Diseases that are prevalent in or unique to tropical and subtropical regions, less prevalent in temperate climates due to cold season controlling insect population
• Tropical diseases


  • Malaria
  • Cholera
  • Chagas Diseases
  • Yellow Fever
  • Dengue
• Malaria


  An acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites, spread through bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, preventable and curable
• Malaria


  • Not contagious and cannot spread from one person to another, transmitted through bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes
  • Five species of parasites can cause malaria in humans, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax pose the greatest threat
  • Over 400 different species of Anopheles mosquitoes, around 40 known as vector species can transmit the disease
  • Risk of infection higher in some areas than others depending on multiple factors, including type of local mosquitoes and season