Dr. Eric S. Berke M.D.

What is chlamydia?Chlamydia is one of the most widespread sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States. It is caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia infection is more or less like gonorrhea in terms of its symptoms and format of spreading from one person to the other....

The Origin of AIDSAIDS is caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Thus, it is not possible to get AIDS without having HIV first. HIV is a retrovirus that is thought to come from chimpanzees. HIV is said to originate from Africa, where humans hunted chimpanzees and came in contact with their...

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is a very serious disease, which is characterized by a fluid buildup and inflammation in the lungs. This lung infection is caused by the fungus Pneumocystis jiroveci. It is an opportunistic disease that usually infects immunosuppressed individuals, especially...

Borrelia burgdorferi is a gram-negative bacterium, which is the causative organism of Lyme disease. It is most commonly found in North America and Europe. Lyme disease is a zoonotic vector-borne disease. A zoonotic disease is a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans and...

Over the course of our four million or so years of evolution, we humans have developed a highly-specialized immune system that is quite a warrior in combating infections. We are bombarded daily by bacterial and viral pathogens which have the potential to cause us serious illness, but, completely...

Caused by bacteria and viruses, meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord known as the meninges. The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can develop as a result of injury,...