MONSOON MANIA
Monsoon , the season which most people in our country look forward to is all set to hit the kerala coast
on may 31 as predicted by the metrological department .with monsoons round the corner ,it becomes very necessary for us take a few precautions in order to keep the epidemic breakout during the season at a bay.
Monsoon may be a relief from the grueling summer but it brings with it a host of diseases and illness .the diseases associated with the rainy season are malaria. Jaundice gastro intestinal
infections like typhoid and cholera .apart from these; viral infections like cold and cough also make their presence felt.
Malaria
Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by mosquito bites with the malaria causing parasite .the danger o f malaria is more during the monsoon season due to breeding of mosquitoes. Puddles of water formed due to rain become breeding grounds for mosquitoes that spread like malaria and dengue fever.
Symptoms: flu like symptoms like high fever, chills, muscle pain, diarrhea come and go in cycles as the disease progresses. Certain type of malaria may cause more serious problems, including heart. Lung, kidney or brain damage and possibly death.
Prevention: as a precautionary measure, one must use mosquito net around the bed which is better choice to mosquito repellants like mat s and coils. when u are away from home ,use mosquito repellant cream .fumigating the house with smoke of dried neem leaves in evenings for 1-2 minutes is an excellent ayurvedic method to keep away .to prevent mosquito breeding, do not let water accumulate in your surroundings. Put a few drops of kerosene or phenyl in stagnant water to check the undesired mosquito breeding.
Treatment: malaria is treated by chloroquine and other antimalarial drugs.
Typhoid
A bacterial infection, those infected with typhoid carry the bacteria in their blood stream and intestinal tract and many spread the infection to others by contaminating food or water.
Symptoms: constant fever up to 104 degree Fahrenheit, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, headache, malaidse, cough and slow heart rate.
Preventions: do not take contaminated foods or water. Avoid iced drinks and eat food that has been thoroughly cooked. Avoid raw vegetables and beverages from street vendors. Both inject able and oral vaccines are available to prevent this disease.
Treatment: typhoid is treated with antibiotics. A person will usually get well within 2-3 days with antibiotic treatment.
Gastro-intestinal infection
During monsoon intestinal infections along with the digestive system become weak, and thus make the body highly susceptible to any kind of infection. Gastrointestinal infections comprise a variety of communicable diseases and infections, which gain entry through the gastrointestinal tract. Mainly caused by viruses and sometimes by certain type of bacteria.
Symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite. Abdominal cramps, fever, running nose, cough and headache.
Prevention: one should avoid contaminated food and water. Drinking water should be boiled and properly filtered. it is best to drink warm water with the meals for easy digestion .avoid consuming food that is exposed to the surroundings for quit a long time since food that is exposed for a long time are contaminated by the germs. Flies that are the most common carriers of germs mostly cause contamination. Therefore remember to cook the vegetables well and steam them properly to kill the germ content in them, if any. Cook food well and to make sure that they are properly refrigerated.
Treatment: drink ample fluids to prevent dehydration. Consult the doctors for the type of fluids you should take. Usually oral dehydration fluid is prescribed .antibiotics are used to treat the diseases.
Jaundice
It is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis a generally causes temporary liver inflammation.
Symptoms: fatigue ,lever ,sore muscles,headace,pain on the right side of the abdomen under the rib-cage where the liver is located-nausea, loss of appetite ,weight loss, skin and the eyes(jaundice)turn yellow, dark
Urine, clay colored stools.
Prevention: Hepatitis A can be prevented by vaccination, which is given a series of two shots. Viding food that has been prepared by someone who is infected also prevents jaundice. Also avoid raw or undercooked shellfish such as oyster.
Treatment: in most cases, Haptitis A goes away on it’s on though medication does help. Avoid strenuous exercise during your illness. Eat small, frequent meals instead of three large meals. Keep your body hydrated, especially if you have been vomiting. Drink plenty of water, electrolytes, and fruit juices.
CHOLERA
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera.
Symptoms: watery diarrhea with flecks of mucous material (rice water), frequent vomiting, abdominal pains and a rapid onset of dehydration.
Prevention: Cholera is spread by contaminated water and food. Sudden large outbreaks are usually caused by a contaminated water supply. When cholera breaks out in a community .one should hygienically dispose human faeces, make arrangement for an adequate supply of safe drinking water and maintain good food hygiene.
Treatment: Most cholera cases can be treated with a solution of oral rehydration salts. Severe cases May need intravenous fluids. Tetracycline is the antibiotic usually used to treat cholera. During the rainy season, walking in dirty water leads to many fungal infections which affect toes and nails