GIANTmicrobes Blog

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders that are characterized by high blood sugar (glucose).

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas when blood glucose levels rise, such as from eating food. When somebody has diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin or does not respond to insulin. Glucose remains in the bloodstream given this lack of regulation with insulin. Chronically high blood glucose levels, or hyperglycemia, increase the risk of health complications.

Symptoms of diabetes include urinating often (polyuria), feeling extremely thirsty (polydipsia), and blurry vision. The onset of symptoms is abrupt in Type 1 and gradual in Type 2. Given the slower development that can be over several years, individuals with Type 2 diabetes may not show symptoms (asymptomatic).

What about Prediabetes?

Let's get to know more about our wonderful immune system. The immune system is a universe of its own that consists of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend our bodies against a variety of external harmful invaders including viruses, bacteria, fungi, other pathogens, and cancerous cells.

Our immune system plays a crucial and central role in maintaining our overall health and preventing the development of diseases.

But what exactly does our immune systems consist of?

May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Learn all about Lyme Disease with GIANTmicrobes.

FACTS: First identified in the 1970's in the United States near Lyme, Connecticut, Lyme Disease is now one of the most commonly reported tick-borne illnesses.

The Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium was identified as the cause of the disease in the early 1980's, though DNA-analysis of rodents and ticks in museum collections demonstrates that the bacterium has existed for centuries, if not millennia. Blacklegged ticks (or deer ticks) pass the bacterium from small animals to humans.

Although common symptoms include aches, fevers, and fatigue, the signature symptom is an expanding, bull's-eye rash (or EM, erythema migrans). Typically, the rash spreads out from the site of the tick bite, appearing anywhere from a few days to a month after the bite. As the rash grows, the origin fades leaving a ring that resembles a bull's-eye.

When the signature rash is present and tick-exposure

We live in the era where modern medicine, testing and screening are more advanced than ever before. And yet, the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has been alarmingly increasing during the last few years.

STIs can affect everyone, regardless of age, sex, gender, or socioeconomic status. STI Awareness Week takes place between April 9-15 and offers a unique opportunity for everyone to find out more about STIs. STI education can be the key to ending the stigma and discrimination and more efficiently tackling, testing and treating STIs in the future.

STIs vs STDs

STIs are passed from one person to another via any kind of sexual activity. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are also known as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), however not all STIs lead to disease development. An infection can often have no symptoms, enabling the quick spread of STIs if regular testing protocols are not in place. STDs can be the result of infections with bacteria, viruses,