Home Health Beware of viruses spread by mosquitoes

Beware of viruses spread by mosquitoes

0
Beware of viruses spread by mosquitoes

In view of ongoing monsoon rains in Sindh and other parts of country, the outbreak of Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya is feared.

The rainfall helps set mosquitoes up to thrive. Wet weather conditions give mosquitoes bountiful opportunities to find standing water to lay their eggs on. When warm weather follows the rain, mosquitoes are able to proliferate even more rapidly. In view of ongoing monsoon rains in Sindh and other parts of country, the outbreak of Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya is feared. Several cases of Dengue have already been reported in Karachi. It is therefore necessary for all of us to take precautionary measures.

Malaria, dengue and chikungunya – all three viruses spread by mosquitoes are similar that it can be quite difficult to identify them for sure without laboratory testing. But it is important to find out what the exact diseases is for it to be properly treated. Let us try and understand something about the causes, signs and symptoms, similarities and difference, and the prevention of these diseases.

Causes of Malaria: Malaria is caused by plasmodium, a single-celled parasite often transmitted by infected mosquitoes which can lead to stoppage of blood flow to the brain causing cerebral malaria.

Signs and symptoms: Malaria is recognized through high fever. Temperature may reach as high as 40c (104f). Fever is often accompanied by chills, and may also include sweating.

Causes of Dengue: There are four types of dengue viruses, all of which are spread by mosquitoes. An infected mosquito spreads the virus through its saliva when it bites. Dengue can also be transmitted from one human to another.

Signs and symptoms: High fever is followed by sever body pain. Patients may also feel respiratory difficulty and intense headache.

Causes of Chikungunya: This virus is also transmitted through mosquitoes. These mosquitoes live and breed near stagnant or polluted water. Although the diseases is not contagious it can spread from an infected person to other if the mosquitoes feed on the infected person first and then bites other people.

Signs and symptoms: The diseases is rarely in the system as the virus remains in the system for 5-7 days. Once one recovers from this infected, one is immune to it for the rest of life.

Prevention: There are no vaccines or medical ways to prevent these diseases. Here are a few useful suggestions for protecting oneself from these diseases.

  • Wear clothes that will keep you fully covered.
  • Live in hygienic surroundings.
  • All these diseases that is malaria, dengue and chikungunya affect a person’s health. If we observe symptoms of these diseases, the earlier they are treated the quicker is the recovery.

Khushboo Samo

Karachi, Sindh