One of the most common inherited neurological diseases is known as Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT). The most common subtype of this disease is Type 1a. It can be seen in 1 out of every 2500 people (or 2.7 million people in the world). It is no more a rare disease and the number of people suffering from this disease is increasing day by day.

Charcot Marie Tooth

In this article we will discuss the Type 1a subtype of this disease as this is the most common occurring type. However, there are many other subtypes of this neurological disease, but our emphasis in this article will be on Type 1a.

Generally, Charcot Marie Tooth falls into the category of Muscular Dystrophy family of diseases. As the signals from the nerves weaken, the muscles begin to atrophy. Nerves very much resemble the electric wires in general which are used for the passage of electricity. The same is the case with nerves, they provide necessary signals to different muscles of the body but at times these nerves become weak and develop resistance in them for one reason or another. As the resistance increases the muscles efficiency reduces. This is what happens with Charcot Marie Tooth. This is usually begins with the peripheral limbs (hands or feet). Hands and feet are the first one to suffer from this, however, there assumes to be many more things attach with this disease and it only attacks your limbs but it has impact on your whole body in one way or another. Symptoms can be different in different people. For instance, at age 10 there may be a person on wheel chair while at same age the other person may be running marathon.

Symptoms of Charcot Marie Tooth

The most common symptom of Charcot Marie Tooth is high arches in the feet. These high arches are particularly found in weak muscles and ankles and cause balance problems. The people affected with CMT stumbles a lot along with pain in legs and feet. In kids these pains and stumbling is sometimes misperceived by the parents as growing pain and stumbling. It is not easy to diagnose the symptoms of CMT in the patients until or unless it is diagnosed in your family. CMT cause stumbling, high arches, problem in writing, restless leg syndrome and hammer toes. The other symptoms of CMT involve burning in hands, legs, feet and arms, pain in the high arches feet and calf pains. To conclude we can say that CMT in general sense is a very painful disease that needs immediate treatment once it is diagnosed.

When I was at least four my moms friend molested me. He kept touching me for awhile. I didn’t say anything because he said he’d hurt my mom and my sister I also didn’t say anything because I was scared my mom would get mad. Eventually I did say something because I couldn’t take the pain any longer. Anyway he ended up dieing so I kinda got my justice. Around that time I started to get really bad abdominal pain. Six years later I was diagnosed with this rare disease. Well anyways now that you know a little of where I’m coming from I’d really like to know why God doesn’t love me. I mean God is suppoed to know you before you’re born. Why would he let a little girl go through something like this? He’s supposed to be loving, right?? I’m lost. Can some one help me out? I’m dieing inside… Plz?

PS I’m 14 yrs now. Thx

We lost our son to Pick’s disease a few years ago. Pick’s disease is a strange and hideous brain disorder. He was a young man when he passed. Pick’s disease is a rare and irreversible form of dementia. It has some similarities to Alzheimer’s disease. Pick’s runs a shorter course then Alzheimer’s. The average length is about 6 years. Pick’s tends to affect only certain parts of the brain but Alzheimer’s can affect any part. We were relieved to hear that Picks is usually not passed down genetically. We had 2 other boys that we were concerned about. Pick’s generally progresses slowly, shrinking tissues in the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. Speech difficulty, impaired thinking and behavior changes take place slowly but continue to worsen over time.

Jon, our son, was a strapping 6 foot 3 man and rarely sick. He loved to water ski and snow ski. While he was in the Navy they sailed to the Phillipines where he spent several weeks in sick bay with a mysterious illness. As we look back we wonder, was this the start of Pick’s? The doctors did not know what was wrong at the time. There were signs that Jon was very troubled, which may have been a red flag. We had no idea that he was terminally ill with a form of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. As the disease progressed it was necessary to place him in a facility where he could live on his own for a time, however, it became more and more of a struggle to meet his needs. At this point we had a choice, care for him at home or place him in a private Alzheimer’s facility. We chose to place him in the private facility where he would have constant and professional care. He remained there for about 2 years and then through a doctor friend we were able to place him in a state accredited Alzheimer’s lock up unit. Most of the patients here were much older than Jon. Pick’s disease usually strikes younger people.

Jon became increasingly worse over the next few years, reaching a point where he couldn’t even feed himself. This was a horrible and difficult time for our family and friends to witness Jon going through the progression of this disease. At the young age of 38 we lost Jon.

Both forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease in the old and Pick’s disease in the young , are still a mysteries to the medical community. To this day we do not know what caused Pick’s disease to develop in our son. As is the case with many diseases we felt that his immune system had broken down. At the time we asked if an autopsy would reveal the cause. Medical science had no answers for us. We hope and pray that medical science will soon come up with a cure for this hideous and rare disease.

Dogs, cats and small mammals such as rabbits or guinea pigs are popular companions for many people, often sharing their home environment. Being in such close contact, it is perhaps inevitable that sometimes disease is transmitted from pets to their owners. Though the diseases discussed in this article can affect any person, immunocompromised people such as infants, the elderly or those who are HIV+ need to be extra careful. This article looks at skin diseases of dogs and cats that can present a risk to their owners.

Actually, considering the large number of people interacting closely with small animals on a daily basis, the overall risk of contracting disease from a pet with skin disease is remarkably low. In general, keeping pets clean, free from parasites and healthy, as well as good personal and household hygiene such as proper hand washing, will minimize the risk of catching a disease from your pet. However, people belonging to risk categories (the immunosuppressed) need more specific advice.

The increase in pet travel, and the occurrence of breeders sourcing stock from overseas, has made the risk of exposure to new diseases a little greater. The most common skin diseases transmissible to humans that occur in dogs and cats are sarcoptic mange (scabies), cheyletiellosis (mite infestation), fleas and dermatophytosis (ringworm). In general, young and newly acquired animals, especially those from animal shelters, are most likely to be affected by these diseases. Below we look at each of these diseases more closely.

Flea Infestation

Since the reservoir of fleas is predominantly in the environment, and jump onto the human from there, one might argue that this is not strictly transmitted from the animal. However, it is introduced into the household by the animal and therefore falls into this category.

The flea will readily feed on humans and can cause a marked hypersensitivity reaction in some individuals. In addition, fleas can transmit other diseases, such as cat scratch disease (Bartonella henselae), tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) and plague (Yersinia pestis). Regular flea control with veterinary recommended spot on treatments will keep the environmental population of fleas low, and minimize the risk of bites.

Sarcoptic Mange

This is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, and can affect a number of species. Different strains of the mite do tend to prefer different species, and the most common one which affects dogs and foxes only has an estimated 20 per cent chance of transmission to humans. Prolonged skin to skin contact is the main route of transmission, with the disease presenting as an itchy rash with small red spots. Usually, disease in the human will clear up of its own accord, once the dog has been treated appropriately with a medicated shampoo or spot on drug. Occasionally, humans may need their own treatment though. It is very important to treat all in contact dogs as well. Unlike fleas, these mites do not tend to survive for long in the environment so reinfection is rare once the dog has been treated.

Cheyletiellosis

This can be caught from dogs, cats and small mammals such as rabbits or guinea pigs. Mites can survive in the environment for several days. Humans are only transiently infected, and develop itchy spots. Appropriate treatment of the affected animal, and the in contact animals, resolves the problem.

Dermatophytosis (Ringworm)

This is actually a type of fungus, not a worm as the name suggests. The most common type in dogs and cats is Microsporum canis. Transmission is often by direct contact, but spores can remain infective in the environment for many months. Dogs and cats may be carriers of the disease without showing any signs of it themselves, while acting as a source of infection for their owners.

In dogs and cats, infections with ringworm usually resolve by themselves given time, unless the animal is immunocompromised (e.g. on steroids). However, treatment is recommended so that the risk of transmission to humans is lessened. Dogs and cats are usually treated with a topical solution of itraconazole, while affected humans are usually prescribed an anti fungal cream to apply to affected areas.

Otodectic Mange (Ear Mites)

These mites cause ear infections in dogs, cats and ferrets. They can, rarely, affect skin outside of the ear, and this has been reported sometimes in humans. It is however rare, and easily controlled by treating the affected animal with a certain acaricidal spot on drug (e.g. selamectin, moxidectin) or topical ear drops.

Malassezia Dermatitis

These are yeasts often found on normal skin in dogs, cats, humans and other species. Skin disease occurs as a reaction to the yeasts overgrowth and the hosts reaction to it. Transmission to humans has only ever been documented in immunocompromised people, and the risk of infection is low.

Staphylococcal Infections

Staphylococcal pyoderma (bacterial skin infection) is common in dogs, but not in cats. It often occurs secondary to another disease and usually involves the bacterium Staphylococcus intermedius. Contrast this to humans, where the main cause of bacterial skin infection is Staphylococcus aureus, and it is clear that the risk of transmission to humans is very low.

Mycobacterial Infections

Tuberculosis poses a risk to human health. The bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis can infect both cats and humans, and pass between them. The disease presents as nodules, draining tracts or non healing wounds, or as respiratory disease. Urgent medical and veterinary attention should be sought, though the incidence of pets passing it to their owners is very low.

Feline Poxvirus Infection

Cats get cowpox infections by being bitten by voles and wood mice. Hence it is only outdoor cats that are affected, namely those that hunt. Many affected cats do not show any signs of disease. Transmission to humans is rare, and can cause painful skin nodules.

What can immunocompromised people do to minimize the risk to them?

Firstly, a risk assessment should be carried out. Good communication is essential between the medical and veterinary professionals involved. The goal is to maintain disease free status in the pet, whilst practicing thorough hygiene measures by the person. Being immunocompromised does not mean you cannot have a pet, but the following points should be taken into consideration:

1. If acquiring a pet, make sure it is a healthy one, vet checked and not from a source rife with diseases.

2. Safe feeding practices

3. Avoid your pet coming into contact with contaminated material from other animals (e.g. feces)

4. Vaccination annually

5. Good worming control (every 3 months in adult dogs and cats)

6. Good flea prevention (usually monthly for spot ons)

7. Good dental care (brushing your pets teeth, dental chews to keep teeth clean)

8. Regular general health checks by your veterinarian