PRELIMS

Fungal and Non-Infectious Diseases

Fungal diseases are often skin-related or respiratory, while non-infectious diseases include neurological, cardiac, and autoimmune conditions.

I. Diseases caused by Fungus

• Asthma: Fungus Name: Aspergillus fumigatus. Major Symptoms: Obstructs lung function; net-like network in lungs.
• Athlete's Foot (Tinea pedis): Fungus Name: Tinea/Trichophyton species. Major Symptoms: Skin cracking on feet; highly infectious. (Note: not "Taenia," which is the tapeworm genus — a commonly confused spelling.)
• Scabies: Causative Agent: Sarcoptes scabiei (a mite, not a fungus). Major Symptoms: Intense itching and white spots/burrows on skin.
• Baldness (Tinea capitis): Fungus Name: Tinea capitis. Major Symptoms: Hair loss from the head, scalp ringworm.
• Ringworm: Fungus Name: Trichophyton species. Major Symptoms: Round red spots on the skin.
• Candidiasis: Fungus Name: Candida albicans. Major Symptoms: Infection of mouth (thrush), skin, or genital tract.

II. Neurological and Genetic Disorders

1. Paralysis (Hemiplegia): Loss of muscle function (half body). Caused by high BP or brain hemorrhage.
2. Epilepsy: Internal brain disturbance; patient falls unconscious with foam at the mouth.
3. Schizophrenia: Mental illness; patient treats imagination as truth.
4. Delirium: Mental disturbance under the influence of poisonous drugs.

III. Vision and Respiratory Disorders

• Myopia (Short-sightedness): Near objects clear; far objects blurry. Corrected by Concave lens.
• Hypermetropia (Long-sightedness): Far objects clear; near objects blurry. Corrected by Convex lens.
• Presbyopia: Age-related loss of near-vision focusing ability (lens loses elasticity); corrected by bifocal lenses.
• Astigmatism: Blurred vision due to irregular curvature of the cornea/lens; corrected by cylindrical lens.
• Bronchitis: Inflammation of the windpipe (bronchi).
• Emphysema: Loss of lung elasticity; often caused by cigarette smoke.

IV. Cardiovascular and Kidney Disorders

1. Atherosclerosis: Cholesterol deposition in the Arteries obstructing blood flow.
2. Arteriosclerosis: Arteries become rigid due to calcium/cholesterol, losing elasticity.
3. Leukaemia (Blood Cancer): Abnormal increase in WBC; spleen swelling.
4. Uremia: Excess urea in the blood due to kidney malfunction.
5. Diabetes: Hyperglycemia (high sugar) or Hypoglycemia (low sugar).

UPSC Relevance

Fungal and chronic diseases are essential for the Disease Burden and Healthcare infrastructure topics.

• Optical Physics: The application of Concave/Convex lenses for vision correction is a staple Prelims topic.
• Chronic Health: Understanding the impact of Tobacco (Emphysema) and Cholesterol (Atherosclerosis) on national health.
• Skin Health: Distinguishing between fungal infections like Ringworm/Athlete's Foot and non-fungal skin conditions like Scabies (caused by a mite).
• Confused Pair — Myopia vs Hypermetropia: Myopia (near objects clear) needs a Concave (diverging) lens; Hypermetropia (far objects clear) needs a Convex (converging) lens — remember "Myopia = Minus/Concave".