Public Health Archives | Stories of Sandeept

As I was scrolling down the Facebook page on my phone, I came across a news on Image Khabar, which shocked me. It said that the World Health Organization (WHO) had warned the Americans not to conceive children. I also saw something new- Zika virus. (I first thought Jika because the news is in Nepali!) I immediately googled to get some information on it.

History
The Zika virus was first discovered in the rhesus monkeys in the year 1947 in the Zika forest of Uganda. The monkey in which the virus was discovered had suffered from mild fever. The first reported case in humans was in 1952 from Uganda and Tanzania. Since then, the disease was believed to be a mild one but the WHO now classifies it as an “emerging” disease. Recent outbreaks have occurred at French Polynesia (2013) and Brazil (2015).

Mode of Transmission
The disease transmits through the vector Aedes aegyptii, the mosquito also responsible for dengue. Recently, it has also been found to have transmitted sexually.

Symptoms
According to the WHO, the symptoms are similar to that of Dengue. Mild fever, rashes on the skin, conjunctivitis, headache lasting for 2-7 days are the major symptoms. In children, microcephaly occurs hampering the mental growth. The virus can be detected on blood culture.

Treatment
There is no vaccines or medicines developed for the treatment of the disease. Paracetamol can be used for the symptoms above.

Warnings
The WHO has warned that the disease might spread fast in the USA and in the peripheral nations. It has also warned of pregnancy during the outbreak of the disease.

Conclusion
Adaptation and evolution of the vector and the virus is spreading a “new” disease as an epidemic every year. Last year, it was Ebola, this year it is Zika. There might be another outbreak next year. The WHO and the media should be active to spread information about the recent outbreaks. Had the WHO not warned the USA, no one would have known about the disease. This situation should be changed. There should be an immediate breaking news once an outbreak is known. Preventive measures should be taken before the disease turns into an epidemic.

References
1. www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/zika/en/
2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zika_virus
3. mobile.nytimes.com/2016/01/26/health/two-cases-suggest-zika-virus-could-be-spread-through-sex.html

Parasites are not new to us, neither is evolution. Parasitic evolution, too, is not new to us but its extent might be a new field of study.

The WHO, in a report[1]states that, “we are heading for a post-antibiotic era in which common infections and minor injuries can again kill.” This indicates that the available antibiotics are being ineffective against the infections like TB, Malaria, Typhoid and even common cold.

Cases showing effects of drug-resisting parasites have been revealed all over the world, the most common being the MDR-TB. It is extreme case of TB in which the Mycobacterium resists the effects of the strongest of the drugs in use- Isoniazid and Rifampicin. Similarly, cases of multiple drug resisting Plasmodium falciparum have also been reported. Its resistance to Artemisinin-based combination therapies(ACTs) has created a sort of havoc among the medical practitioners. Also, Ciprofloxacin, a common antibiotic against typhoid has become completely ineffective.


Immune system fights against all the foreign agents.									Antibiotics are their foreign supplements. Therefore, the use of antibiotics is to be minimized.	Photo courtesy: younglivingoillady.com

The root cause of the evolution of these of these parasites underlie in our medication behaviors. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics, rampant prescriptions and incomplete prescribed course are the main factors influencing mutations of the parasites. As a result, drug resistant strains directly attack new hosts thereby increasing the cost of treatment. This has added woes to the poverty-stricken people.

The other problem is- we lack new types of antibiotics. The WHO says that since Penicillin in 1920s, only three major types of antibiotics have been developed and since 1990s, no major antibiotics have been developed. The post-antibiotic era is thus arriving at a faster pace, increasing the risk of lives of thousands of people. So, this has been an area of study among scientists including parasitologists, pathologists, microbiologists, chemists and health workers all around the globe.[2]

[1]Antimicrobial Resistance: Global Report on surveillance 2014.

[2] Summarized from “Tougher bacteria add to patients’ woes, expenses”, The Kathmandu Post, May 11, 2014.

Experiences of a common man!

Category: Public Health

Zika Viral Infection- What is it?

Parasitic Evolution and Public Health