Dr. Otis Mark Hastings M.D.

What is Reye’s syndrome?Reye's syndrome is a rare but serious condition that can cause swelling of the liver and brain. Even though this condition can occur at any age, it is mostly reported to affect children and teenagers, especially those who are trying to recover from viral infections, such as...

Introduction Chikungunya is a viral infection that is transmitted by mosquitoes. The chikungunya virus causes a sudden onset of fever along with severe joint pain. The illness is not considered as contagious, but in rare instances, the virus can get transmitted through contact with a person's...

What is creatine phosphokinase (CPK)?Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) is an enzyme, which is predominantly present in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscles. Converting creatine into phosphate is the main task of this enzyme. The cells of the body then quickly consume or burn this phosphate and use it...

IntroductionCat scratch fever or cat scratch disease is a bacterial infection spread by cats. You can get the cat scratch fever from a scratch or bite of a cat that is infected with the bacterium called Bartonella henselae. Aside from the infected cat’s scratch, you can also acquire the infection...

Leukocyte Esterase Urine TestLeukocyte esterase (LE) is an esterase produced by white blood cells (WBCs) or leukocytes. A leukocyte esterase test is a urine test used to detect the presence of white blood cells and other health conditions associated with infection.Normally, leukocyte esterase...

Copperhead snake bites are one of the frequently reported snakebites annually. However, they are rarely fatal. Most of the time, snakebites happen when people accidentally step on or touch snakes, which are excellent at blending into their surroundings. When copperhead snakes are disturbed, they...