Meningitis And Steroids Research Paper

Bacterial meningitis is the swelling of the meninges. In the back of the brain, there are three protective membranes called the meninges (Mandal). During bacterial meningitis, bacteria invade the brain. This causes the immune system to enter and try to stop the disease (Mandal). In doing so, the meninges swell to stop the spread the virus, but this unfortunately causes damage to the brain and spinal area (Mandal). A person would get bacterial meningitis if their body was invaded by some of the germs that can cause it.

Many athletes take anabolic steroids at higher dosages. Unfortunately most athletes will not restrict their dosages to theraputic dosages. Many people are fascinated about steroids because of their ability to build up the body. Steroids help muscular tissue after a workout by speeding up the muscle healing process which add more fiber and increasing their bulk, but for these results, dosages need to be pretty high, causing greater side effects. These benefits of steroids help athletes obtain the competitive edge over their opponents. Everybody wants better biceps and triceps. There is a large price to pay when using steroids to achieve these goals. Numerous side effects can result while on steroids depending on the type of steroid taken, gender and body chemistry.

The body is harmed to extremes by taking any type of steroid, the first problem that it causes is blood problems. The issues that may occur are coronary heart disease, obstructed blood vessel, and the in severe cases is stroke. The heart is also significantly affected by increased cholesterol and increased blood pressure while consuming steroids. The use of steroids also may create tumors in the body. The liver is also affect seriously through issues impairing of liver function, steroids may cause peliosis hepatitis which is a disease that creates blood-filled cysts that may rupture in the liver and cause immediate liver failure. The immune system may be affected when sharing needles, diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV may be obtained if needle is not sterilized (Department of Health). A study conducted revealed that eighty percent of steroid users have experienced biochemical abnormalities in liver testing (Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Fast

Anabolic steroids are a complex molecule used to trick the mind into thinking that testosterone is being produced. An American doctor in the 1930s developed anabolic steroids for the use of “building body tissue and preventing the breakdown of tissue” (“Athletes and Steroids”). An FDA review later failed to find evidence that these anabolic steroids had positive effects for those purposes. As time went on people found that steroids increase muscle mass significantly, and they began to abuse that power. Many athletes began to join in, creating a dilemma not only for their health issues but for the game itself. Many athletes have broken records, won awards, and achieved goals they would not have achieved if they didn 't

Meningococcal meningitis: In Europe and the Americas, serogroups B and C are predominant while in Africa serogroups A and C are dominant; serogroup W-135 is pandemic and serogroup Y as the dominant strain of infection in the United States and Canada. There are 75-80% of patients acquiring this type of infection which is an infection of the brain and spinal cord with a mortality rate of 2-4%. Bacterial meningitis causes brain damage, hearing loss and learning disabilities to those that do survive. Meningococci shed their endotoxin, which damages tissues and activates the cytokine cascade (inflammation). This then allows them access to the subarachnoid space causing the blood-brain barrier to seep.

Steroids come with serious physical side effects as well as medical effects. However it is difficult to fully understand the major side effects of high doses in athletes due to fact of testing at high doses would be wrong and unethical to the athlete. Athletes are also at risk because a specific dangerous class of anabolic steroid called designer drugs; they are made only for athletes and are fake steroids that have been created to be undetectable by drug test. These fake steroids have not been tested by the FDA and show a large health risk to athletes. Also, due to the Black Market steroids produce high health risk because of the production in other countries and brought in by smugglers or made in hidden labs in the United States. Scott Lukas wrote in his book, Steroids, and explained, “It is interesting that most of the steroids used by pro athletes are meant to be used in animals, such as horses, cats, and dogs…” (Lukas 20). Scott Lukas helps his readers understand the dangers of taking steroids and what steroids are originally made for. Health risk in steroids may not appear for months, years, and even decades. Physical side effects in men include: Reduced sperm count, impotence, development of breast, shrinking of the testicles. Physical side effects in women include: Facial hair growth, deepened voice,

(4) The onset of symptoms is usually rapid and can mimic those of influenza and gastroenteritis. The most important sign to watch for is inflammation of the cervical vertebrae on the neck since this inflammation is a tell-tale sign of meningococcal meningitis. Other symptoms can include but are not limited to hyperthermia, hypothermia, vomiting, headache, lethargy, cold hands or feet, and a petechial rash. (3) In 50% of meningococcal meningitis cases a petechial rash is present. (1) In infants another associated symptom is high pitched crying. (3) Due to the inflammation of the protective membrane or meninges of the spinal cord and brain seizures may also occur. (3) Long term effects include hearing or vision loss, blindness, deafness, and other acquired brain injuries.

Steroids (anabolic) are a drug that was discovered and made by medical scientists in the last 1930’s to help with medical problems. The drug was made to help with many medical problems such as testosterone, growth, sexual functioning, and other medical problems such as helping people with HIV to help grow musical. It also helps with many other diseases. Like any other drug on the market people learn that the drug can be used for many other ways. Steroids can enhance athlete’s performance as well as bodybuilders and is used in almost every sport out there. The use of steroids has become a widespread problem. Steroid use has caused many help problems with the misuse of the drug and has caused the drug to be illegal for people to use them in

•     Meningitis is a dangerous infection that can cause the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord to swell. There are two types of Meningitis. The most common type of Meningitis is caused by a virus. Viral

Steroids are synthetic materials of the male sex chromosome, testosterone, that lead to addiction, mental abuse and physical harm. They are banned by many sports leagues, but some athletes do not take that into consideration. Many athletes use steroids illegally, for a multiple of reasons. Athletes use steroids in order to gain better physical body shape and game play. In reality they are only cheating the game and themselves, slowly breaking their bodies down. The steroid use has greatly increased from the past. An M.D named Dan Gwartney announces, “Currently, body builders are using much higher doses of anabolic steroids…” and “…body builders do not go ‘off-cycle’ at all.”(Gwartney), which adds even more risk to the human body because of the higher and more frequent use rate. Our bodies are not made to take in that much extra testosterone, but the increased want of money in America has now taken over a multiple of people to choose the looks and money over their own personal health. There are different types of steroids, all having negative effects, but the most commonly used and known steroid is an anabolic androgenic steroid. The effects of steroids vary from a man to a woman. For example, men begin to have the reduction of sperm, damage to the heart and the liver, pain while urinating, breast development, and a reduction to their testicles. Women begin to lose their breast, grow

However, steroids should remain illegal because they physically deteriorate the whole body system. When injected one risks the chances of developing hematoma and contracting AIDS. In women steroids contribute to the growth of facial hair, enlargements of the clitoris, shrinkage of the uterus, sterility, deepening of the voice, decrease in breast size and irregularity of the menstrual cycle. In men steroids cause shrinkage of the testicles, decrease in sperm count, sterility, impotence, prostate enlargement and growth of female breast. In both men and women hair loss, liver ailments, acne, atherosierosis and cancer are very common. This dangerous drug shortens the life span up to twenty years and increases the chance of obtaining diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. The side effects and reactions from enduring anabolic steroids are endless.

Anabolic steroids, androstenedione, human growth hormone, erythropoietin, diuretics, creatine and stimulants. All of these performance enhancing drugs have similar effects on the body, which is what makes them so appetizing to these athletes. Increased energy levels, increased muscle mass and strength, decreased muscle recovery time in-between workouts, resulting in higher performance levels. So it makes you wonder: If steroids are such a problem, why do athletes continue to take them? Why are they a problem even among high school athletes? Why are some entertainers said to be using them? Simply put, it's because whatever you think, anabolic steroids work. (Dr. Sanjay Gupta, February 8, 2008). With the increased performance effects of steroid use, there comes many negative side effects that can be life threatening to the athletes as well as other individuals around them. Many side effects to these drugs include, but are not limited to hyper and hypo tension, heatstroke, heart palpitations weight gain, damage to liver and kidney function, addiction, and more serious side effects including heart attacks, strokes, and death. Steroids have also been associated with the term “roid rage” due to high levels of testosterone in the body from anabolic steroid injections. In cases such as this not only is the user affecting their own health and wellbeing, but also the safety of others around them.

Meningitis can be destructive without proper understanding of what it is caused by. There are three types of meningitis- bacterial, fungal, and viral. Contrasting factors tend to arise during a comparison of them. One of the most notable areas that viral, fungal and bacterial meningitis differ in are their treatment ability. However, they have the same general affects on the human body. In any case, there are tests that doctors can utilize in order to discover if the meningitis is bacterial, fungal, or viral.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, membranes that surround the brain. This can extend as far as infecting the cerebral spinal fluid on top of causing the tissue to swell. Meningitis comes in two major forms; bacterially and virally. However, having bacterial meningitis is much more severe than viral meningitis. There is a lot more danger in having a bacterial infection within the brain than a viral infection within the brain. What makes bacterial meningitis so lethal is that “even when the disease is diagnosed early and adequate treatment is started, 5% to 10% of patients die, typically within 24 to 48 hours after the onset of symptoms. Left untreated, up to 50% of cases may die, (6) or there

Most meningitis is caused by bacteria and viruses that often live in our bodies. Usually these germs stay in the intestines or in the nose and throat, where they may or may not make us sick. But if they spread to the tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord, they cause inflammation. Meningitis is an infection that causes the protective membranes of the nervous system to swell. Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord can affect every part of your body. Fever and other symptoms can come on suddenly and progress very quickly, causing devastating effects.The most common causes of meningitis are viral infections. These infections usually get better without treatment. But, bacterial meningitis infections are very serious. They may result in death or brain damage,