Health - Common Diseases Spread By Contact

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Fear Of Diseases Spread By Contact

Some of the most common diseases that spread through humans include

• Tuberculosis or TB as it is commonly called is usually seen in developing countries and caused through air - the bacilli produced by droplets nuclei which enter into the innermost parts of the lungs.

If you are travelling to a country where the risk of TB is high and plan to stay there for quite some time, it is recommended to get a BCG vaccination. The most common symptoms include a chronic cough for three or four weeks. It is essential to get a chest xray done as well as seek medical advice.

• Leprosy does not pose a high risk to travelers as compared to some other diseases.

Leprosy is caused by a tiny bacillus that can survive only in human tissues and usually sustains itself in the skin lining of the nose. Symptoms that may be noticeable during the early stages of the infection include non-itching rash and occasional blood-stained discharge from the nose. 

Since no vaccine is available for protection against leprosy, travellers should try to avoid being sneezed at.

• Tetanus is often the cause for death in certain developing countries with a hot and moist climate.

Every traveler must get immunized against tetanus before undertaking any journey as this will protect them against infection from toxins that is caused through wounds which damage the nervous system. The main causes for Tetanus include non sterile injections, dirty wounds, animal bites and ear infections etc and its symptoms are evident after about seven or fourteen days of the injury. If you are going on a trekking trip or a trip that includes climbing, safari etc, you must pay special attention to getting correctly immunised.

Consult a physician to get the complete course of the injection.

• Anthrax is a very dangerous bacterial disease of livestock.

It is believed that Anthraz does not pose a big threat to humans and human anthrax may infect someone by handling the tissues of infected animals. Travelers must avoid buying items and handicrafts made of goat-skin and attached hair .

• Meningitis is a serious disease which causes infection of the membrane lining the brain and spinal cord. Travelers are advised to get themselves to know if they are immune to a form of meningitis that is caused by the polio virus.

The most common symptoms include severe headaches, stiffness in the neck, sensitivity to light etc. The regions including Africa, India, Nepal, Saudi Arabia fall under the meningitis belt. Their are certain antibiotics that may be prescribed for protection against this infection.

• Diphtheria is a serious infection which is caused by a bacillus and is a hazard to travelers who have not been immunized.

Travelers must get immunised against diphtheria by getting the necessary tests. The bacillus spreads from a carrier to a non-immune and susceptible individual and may damage the nervous system, causing paralysis of the limbs or swallowing mechanism which can also affect the heart. 

Those people who are traveling to the tropics are at risk from all forms of diphtheria unless they have been properly immunized. Hence it is of paramount importance for travelers to get their immune status checked with a skin test before departure. Children should be immunized against diphtheria as well as the infection spreads by direct skin contact with contaminated dust or by inhalation of infective droplets when anyone coughs.

Note: The information mentioned here is for informational purposes only. The same should not be amounted to medical advice.