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| Infections on rise during monsoon | | | Dr. Pragya Khanna | 7/6/2018 9:39:16 PM |
| Many of us have fond reminiscences of the rains from our growing up years in the form of unexpected holidays from school, dashing about in muddy puddles and splashing water all over, or maybe simply getting wet in a pouring shower, the fresh new leaves on the trees, the smell of the damp wet ground, and maybe getting a little scared of the thunder and lightning which accompany the rain many a times. But the truth is that with all the cheerful moments, the rainy season also brings with it humid weather, flooded roads, mosquitoes, diseases and lots more.
The changed climatic conditions during the rainy season generally lead to skin eruptions, gastrointestinal and eye infections. Bacterial skin infection with pus, itching, rashes and redness and summer boils are more common among kids. Bacterial infection in eyes and dandruff-like fungal infection are the other highly contagious diseases in this season.
Besides these diseases, hair infections, chickenpox, measles, diarrhoea, typhoid and other stomach-related infections can cause much problem in this season if they are not taken proper care of.
As a precaution, one should drink lots of water, coconut water and glucose, eat food rich in sodium, potassium and calcium and wear light colour, loose cotton clothes. One should also drink filtered water, use anti-fungal skin powder, neutral-PH soap and shampoo and moreover, avoid fast food and eating in open places.
When drains that have not been cleaned overflow, the water which flows on the roads not only gets mixed with sewage and muck, but also contains rags, paper, vegetable and fruit waste, and even broken glass. One must make sure that kids wear covered shoes while walking outside and do not stay barefoot even in one's own garden or balcony because they can be breeding grounds for infections. Slugs, earthworms and other insects often come into the house during the monsoon and hence the toddlers must be taken care of. Remember to clean your little one's footwear, socks, umbrella and raincoat and ensure they are dried immediately and are free of all moisture; else they might become a breeding ground for germs and moulds.
Rainy days bring with them sweat and heat that is different from the hot summer days, but are nonetheless as scratchy and irritating. Avoid synthetic fabrics and wear loose cotton clothes that absorb the sweat allowing the skin to breathe easily. Try keeping your skin dry to avoid prickly heat.
As much as possible, ensure that you eat fresh food; prepare it in small quantities so that you do not need to store it in the refrigerator for very long. Food stored in the refrigerator needs to be heated thoroughly before eating. Tap water may be contaminated by overflowing ground water that gets mixed with it during the monsoons. Rinse your plates and dishes with filtered water before use.
Air your home frequently and keep windows open for maximum cross ventilation. Avoid collection of stagnant water in open vessels, flower pots or coolers as these are a perfect breeding ground for mosquito larvae which cause malaria and dengue. Dispose garbage hygienically in garbage bags that will not open and spill out. Keep the kitchen dustbin covered at all times so that wet garbage like vegetable peels and food waste are not left exposed.
If you have indoor plants, make certain that there is no water logging or saturation and change water in the flower vases every day. Use insect repellents to get rid of mosquitoes and other insects; keep your home fresh and clean and use a good disinfectant to clean the floors and bathrooms. Get pest control for your home to ward off flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, termites and other disease carrying insects.
Be watchful of any seepage especially on the roof and walls and near electrical fittings, as it may cause electrocution. Carry out thorough checks in your home and get an electrician to fix all faulty wiring and switches. Have your plumber fix any leaking fixtures and get your drains cleaned and de-silted well before the rains. Check and repair cracks or fissures in the house.
It is pertinent to mention here that diseases such as malaria, respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, polio, typhoid and common cold are very common during monsoons.
Malaria: One of the common and deadly diseases caused by certain species of mosquitoes breeding in the dirty water in the monsoons is Malaria characterized by fever, body ache, chills and sweating.
Symptoms of malaria can begin as early as six to eight days after a bite by an infected mosquito. They include:
l High fever (up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit) with shaking chills
l Profuse sweating when the fever suddenly drops
l Fatigue
l Headache
l Muscle aches
l Abdominal discomfort
l Nausea, vomiting
l Feeling faint when you stand up or sit up quickly.
Typhoid: If you have prolonged fever lasting for more than five days accompanied by headache and abdominal pain followed by a rash in the second week, you might be suffering from typhoid. It is mostly spread via contaminated food and water.
Avoid eating food and drinking water/juice from outside. Stick to homemade food and boiled water. If you live in an area where typhoid is very common, get yourself vaccinated against it.
Hepatitis A (commonly called jaundice): A viral disease spread through contaminated food and water, Hepatitis A is characterized by symptoms similar to the flu, viz., an increase in body temperature with body ache, joint pains followed by loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. This may be followed by yellowish tinge in the eyes, skin and nails. Within a week, you might notice dark-coloured urine.
Hepatitis A is a viral infection that can inflame and damage the liver. Unlike other forms of hepatitis, hepatitis A is usually mild and does not last long. Usually spread in contaminated food or water, hepatitis A also can be passed during sexual practices that involve the anus.
If the infection is mild, there may not be any symptoms, especially in a child. When symptoms appear, they can include:
l Tiredness
l loss of appetite
l fever
l nausea
l tenderness in the stomach area
l dark, tea-coloured urine
l yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice).
Leptospirosis: A bacterial disease spread by rats, it is mostly caused by contaminated food or by wading in dirty water, especially if you have injuries. High fever and chills with severe headaches and bodyache, followed by nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain characterize the disease.
You can prevent Leptospirosis by not exposing your feet to dirty, stagnant rainwater. If you have any injuries, cover them well.
Diarrhoea: Diarrhoea is more frequent and more liquid bowel movements than normal. Diarrhoea often is caused by an infection with bacteria, viruses or a parasite. Bacteria cause diarrhoea either by invading the intestine or by producing a toxin that makes the intestine secrete more water. When diarrhoea is caused by food contaminated with bacteria or parasites, people often refer to this as food poisoning.
People with diarrhoea usually have loose, watery stools. Less commonly, people pass frequent, small amounts of loose stool with mucous and blood. Other symptoms can include:
l abdominal pain and cramping
l vomiting
l fever
l chills
l bloody stools
l lack of bowel control.
Cold and flu: Sneezing, scratchy throat, runny nose are and as everyone knows the very first signs of cold, probably the most common illness known. Although the common cold is usually mild, with symptoms lasting 1 to 2 weeks, it must alarm you and you must see a doctor.
Symptoms of the common cold usually begin 2 to 3 days after infection and often include:
l mucus buildup in your nose
l difficulty breathing through your nose
l swelling of your sinuses
l sneezing
l sore throat
l cough
l headache.
Fever is usually slight but can climb to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in infants and young children. Cold symptoms can last from 2 to 14 days, but like most people, you'll probably recover in a week.
Chikungunya Fever: Chikungunya fever is caused by a virus and is transmitted by bite of Aedes aegypti mosquito which bites during the day. The symptoms of the disease are similar to dengue fever. In some patients it can cause severe, occasionally persistent, joint pain (arthritis), as well as fever and rash.
The symptoms of chikungunya fever generally start with fever, 2-4 days after bite of an infected mosquito. The infection is rarely life-threatening and majority of the patients recover in a few days time.
The bottom line is to ensure that your home is clean, germ-free and safe before the rainy season arrives. Just take these few precautions and enjoy your monsoons disease-free! |
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