Dictionary Definition
flaccid adj
1 lacking in strength or firmness or resilience;
"flaccid muscles"; "took his lax hand in hers"; "gave a limp
handshake"; "a limp gesture as if waving away all desire to know"
G.K.Chesterton; "a slack grip" [syn: lax, limp, slack]
2 lacking firmness or stiffness; "flabby around
the middle"; "flaccid cheeks" [syn: flabby]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
- a UK /ˈflæs.ɪd/, /"fl
Extensive Definition
Flaccid paralysis is a
clinical manifestation
characterized by weakness or paralysis and reduced muscle tone
without other obvious cause (e.g., trauma).
Causes
Polio
The term acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is often used to describe a sudden onset, as might be found with polio.AFP is the most common sign of
acute polio, and used for
surveillance
during polio outbreaks. AFP is also associated with a number of
other pathogenic agents
including enteroviruses, echoviruses, and adenoviruses, among
others.
Botulism
The Clostridium botulinum bacteria are the cause of botulism. Vegetative cells of C. botulinum may be injested. Introduction of the bacteria may also occur via endospores in a wound. When the bacteria is in vivo they induce flaccid paralysis. This happens because C. botulinum produces a toxin which blocks the release of acetylcholine. When this occurs, the muscles are unable to contract.Other
Flaccid paralysis can be associated with a lower motor neurone lesion. This is in contrast to a upper motor neurone lesion, which often presents with spastic paralysis. Included in AFP's list are Poliomyelitis, Transverse myelitis,Guillain-Barré syndrome, enteroviral encephalopathy, traumatic neuritis, Reye's syndrome etc. An AFP Surveillance programme is conducted to increase case yield of poliomyelitis. This includes collection of 2 stool samples within 14 days of onset of paralysis and identification of virus. and control of the outbreak and strenghthening immunisation in that area.External links
- Approach to Acute Flaccid Paralysis (Diagnosis, Management etc.)
- WHO Programme for Immunization Preventable Diseases (IPD) A Collaboration between World Health Organization and Government of Nepal
- ACUTE FLACCID PARALYSIS information from the IPD
- National Polio Surveillance Project of India
- Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication -- Nepal, 1996-1999 CDC, MMWR October 22, 1999 / 48(41);941-944
- Acute Flaccid Paralysis Syndrome Associated with West Nile Virus Infection --- Mississippi and Louisiana, July--August 2002 CDC, MMWR September 20, 2002 / 51(37);825-828
- Sejvar JJ, Leis AA, Stokic DS, Ven Gerpen JA, Marfin AA, Webb R, et al. Acute flaccid paralysis and West Nile virus infection. CDC,Emerg Infect Dis. July 2003
- Saeed M, Zaidi SZ, Naeem A, Masroor M, Sharif S, Shaukat S, Angez M, Khan A. Epidemiology and clinical findings associated with enteroviral acute flaccid paralysis in Pakistan. BMC Infect Dis. 2007 Feb 15;7:6.
flaccid in Chinese:
弛缓性麻痹
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
anemic, asthenic, bloodless, chicken, cowardly, debilitated, drooping, droopy, dull, effete, emasculated, etiolated, faint, faintish, feeble, flabby, flimsy, floppy, gone, gutless, imbecile, impotent, languid, languorous, lax, limber, limp, listless, loose, lustless, marrowless, nerveless, pithless, pooped, powerless, relaxed, rubbery, sapless, sapped, sinewless, slack, sleazy, soft, spineless, strengthless, unhardened, unnerved, unstrung, weak, weakened, weakly