Fighting diseases

Summer brings a host of diseases along with it and for Kochiites the potable water problem compounds the matter.

KOCHI:Summer brings a host of diseases along with it and for Kochiites the potable water problem compounds the matter. Most of the diseases in the summer are air or water borne. Air borne diseases include chickenpox, measles while the most common water borne diseases are jaundice, typhoid and cholera. Doctors say children are more vulnerable to these diseases.

Jaundice is caused Hepatitis A virus. Jaundice  caused by Hepatitis B Virus is deadly. The disease spreads through contaminated water and food cooked in unhygienic places.

Measles: Also called rubella or morbilli, is a common condition seen during summer. It is caused by paramyxo virus, it infects the lining of the throat. It is transmitted the same way as chicken pox.
Chicken pox : Ever wonder how this disease got its name? It is  because the boils resembled the peck marks of a chicken.

Mumps:  It is an extremely contagious viral disease. It is known to occur mainly in children during  peak summer. The disease is caused by mumps virus and it is transmitted when an infected person sneezes or coughs.

Get Vaccinated

“The best way to save oneself from summer diseases is to either keep away from contaminated water and food or get vaccinated. Preventive vaccines against typhoid  and jaundice are available now. Today, it might not be possible for all to carry purified water and home-cooked food. The best option for such people is to get vaccinated,” said Dr Sarat Kaushik, department of Internal Medicine at Aster Medicity.

For protection against airborne diseases, Dr Kaushik suggested masks. “Wear a mask when you go out to crowded places. Wearing a mask will help you ward off such diseases to a great extent,” he said.

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