[Sarcoidosis]. / Sarcoïdose.

Sarcoidosis is a chronic generalized benign granulomatous disorder of perhaps an autoimmune character which can afflict many organs. The insidious form prevails, a (sub)acute onset covers about one third of cases. In most patients the lungs are involved; tissue damage by granulomas and inflammatory cells causes a reduction of respiratory capacity, with dyspnoea as a result. Other often-affected organs are larger joints, skin and eyes. The diagnosis is based on the symptoms, thoracic x-ray and histology. In most cases prednisone is the drug of first choice. It is tantalizing to have to decide whether to treat or not. The decision is based on the severity of the process in vital organs.

[Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)]. / Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a disease caused by a corona-virus. These viruses are long known to be human pathogens but this form is new and more virulent. It emerged in March this year in China and seemed to be apt to sweep over the world as a kind of Spanish Flu. Forunately, this didn't happen and at the moment the emerging pandemic seems to be contained. This offers hope in case a more virulent pandemic would suddenly strike in the next future. A world prepared is a difficult prey, even for a surprise virus.

[Glaucoma]. / Glaucoom.

Glaucoma is a group of afflictions that have loss of eyesight in common. This impairment of vision is caused by damage to the optic nerve as a result of high intraocular pressure. The patient's optical fields narrow and at last only a tiny rest is left. The mechanisms of the disease are well known but it is in most cases unexplained why a person develops glaucoma. This review discusses the several forms of glaucoma, the diagnosis and therapy, and the epidemiology and prevention.

[Cataract]. / Cataract.

Cataract is an opacity of the ocular lens, often occurring at mature age. Apart from ageing it can be caused by--among other things--metabolical disorders, trauma, and infrared or ultraviolet light. Globally, cataract is one of the main causes of blindness. Already for more than 2500 years cataract operations have been performed. During the last 25 years both the operation and the implantation of artificial lenses have been brought to great perfection. This means that one of the prominent spoilers of a good old age is to a large degree controllable.

[Anthrax]. / Miltvuur (anthrax).

Anthrax is a severe infectious disease by Bacillus anthracis. It can cause massacres among large herbivores, but means also a threat to humans. The latter develop mainly cutaneous anthrax, which they mostly survive. Inhalation can lead to more severe infections which, without medical intervention, are virtually always lethal. At the moment the disease draws much attention since it is thought to be a potential weapon in the hands of bioterrorists.

[The plague]. / Pest.

The word plague evokes associations with old times, but plague actually does still occur all over the world. The survival chances are at the moment much better (antibiotics) than formerly, when half of the patients died; now this figure is 15%. The causal organism is Yersinia pestis, a bacterium in fleas on rodents. This bug is a plausible candidate for attacks by bioterrosists. So, in this time, there is good reason to pay attention to it, as well as to to smallpox and anthrax and their causal organisms.