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dandruff

(Encyclopedia)dandruff, excessive flaking of skin from the scalp, apparent as dry or greasy diffuse scaling with variable itching. It is the sign of a skin disease, such as seborrhea or a fungal infection. Treatmen...

equine encephalitis

(Encyclopedia)equine encephalitis ēˈkwīn ĕnsĕfˌəlīˈtĭs [key], infectious disease of horses caused by any of several viruses, three of which—the Eastern, Western, and Venezuelan viruses—can also infect...

delusion

(Encyclopedia)delusion, false belief based upon a misinterpretation of reality. It is not, like a hallucination, a false sensory perception, or like an illusion, a distorted perception. Delusions vary in intensity,...

rickets

(Encyclopedia)rickets or rachitis rəkīˈtĭs [key], bone disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin D or calcium. Essential in regulating calcium and phosphorus absorption by the body, vitamin D can be formed in t...

statin

(Encyclopedia)statin, any of a class of drugs that reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood by interfering with the production of cholesterol in the liver; commonly prescribed statins include atorvastatin, lo...

beriberi

(Encyclopedia)beriberi bĕrˈēbĕrˈē [key], deficiency disease occurring when the human body has insufficient amounts of thiamine (vitamin B1). The deficiency may result from improper diet (e.g., ingestion of hi...

elephantiasis

(Encyclopedia)elephantiasis ĕlˈəfăntīˈəsĭs [key], abnormal enlargement of any part of the body due to obstruction of the lymphatic channels in the area (see lymphatic system), usually affecting the arms, le...

pneumonia

(Encyclopedia)pneumonia no͝omōnˈyə [key], acute infection of one or both lungs that can be caused by a bacterium, usually Streptococcus pneumoniae (also called pneumococcus; see streptococcus), or by a virus, f...

hepatitis

(Encyclopedia)hepatitis hĕpˌətīˈtĭs [key], inflammation of the liver. There are many types of hepatitis. Causes include viruses, toxic chemicals, alcohol consumption, parasites and bacteria, and certain drugs...

anemia

(Encyclopedia)anemia ənēˈmēə [key], condition in which the concentration of hemoglobin in the circulating blood is below normal. Such a condition is caused by a deficient number of erythrocytes (red blood cell...