Common Diseases

( Common Diseases)

1.     Malaria
An insect-borne tropical disease.
Cause Malaria parasite (Plasmodium) which enters the blood through a mosquito bite (female anopheles).
Symptoms : Shivering, fever, repeated attacks lead to enlargement of spleen. Also leads to anaemia, pigmentation of the face, and general weakness.
Cure/Prevention : Administration of quinine or plaudrine. Prevented by keeping the surroundings free of mosquitoes

2.    Cholera
An acute epidemic, water and  food-borne disease. Cause Cholera vibrio or Vibriocholerae which attacks during exposure to chill, when stomach is empty for a long duration, eating of unripe or overripe fruits, and stale food.
Symptoms : Vomiting, stomach ache, frequent loose stools followed by fever and unconsciousness.
Cure/Prevention Avoiding consumption of cut fruits exposed to flies, and contaminated water. Anticholera drugs are administered.

3.    Tetanus
Cause Bacillus tetanus and Clostridium tetani which live in soil, dust, cow and horse dung. It attacks an open wound exposed to dust and soil.
Symptoms : Painful contraction of muscles, usually of neck and jaws, followed by paralysis of thoracic muscles.
Cure/Prevention:  Preventing exposure of wounds to dust and administering of Anti-Tetanus (ATS) injection.

4.    Diphtheria:
An acute infectious disease of the throat.
Cause: Acute infection by diphtheria bacillus/corynebacterium diphtheria causing infection of throat.
Symptoms : Inflammation of throat where a grey membrane (a false membrane on mucous surface) is formed. Pain and swelling of throat, with fever.
Cure/Prevention: Immunisation vaccine of diphtheria antitoxin within 12-24 hours of appearance of symptoms.

5.    Typhoid:
A food- and water-borne infectious disease.
Cause:  Salmonella typhi bacillus transmitted through contaminated food and water, either directly by sewage or indirectly by hands and faulty hygiene.
Symptoms Temperature, slow pulse, abdominal tenderness, rosecoloured rash.
Cure/Prevention Rest and administration of chloromycetin, proper sanitation, protection of eatables

6.    Plague:
A contagious disease which takes the form of an epidemic.
Cause : Pasteurella pestis, spread by infected rats. Transfer of infection from rat to man through flea bite or accidental contact with infected rats.
Symptoms: Acute body ache, reddish eyes, sudden rise in temperatue, inflammation of neck glands and glands in armpits, and thighs.
Cure/Prevention: Antiplague inoculation, isolation of patient, disinfection of patient’s clothes and utensils, burning of killed rats. Sulpha drugs and streptomycin administration.

7.    Typhus:
A viral infection Cause Rickettsia prowazekii, usually caused by poorhygiene and malnutrition.
Symptoms High fever, skin eruptions, and severe headache.
Cure/prevention :Sulphonamides and antibiotics.

8.    Pneumonia:
Cause Diplococus pneumonia
Symptoms Chills, pain in chest, rusty sputum, rapid breathing, abdominal pain.
Cure/Prevention :Antibiotics

9.    Gonorrhoea:
A venereal disease Cause Neisseria gonorrhea, through sexual intercourse with infected person.

Symptoms: Redness, swelling, pus discharge through urethra, painful urination.
Cure Penicillin G, tetracycline.

10.  Syphilis
Cause Treponema pallidum transmitted through sexual contact.
Symptoms A hard painless sore on the genitalia, skin eruption.
Cure/Prevention Penicillin, protected sexual intercourse.

11.  Whooping Cough(kaali khaasi) : 
Chiefly occurs among infants Cough and children.
Cause: Nemophilus pertusis transmitted through air.
Symptoms Severe cough, usually at night.
Cure/Prevention: Immunisation of infants with immunity serum