The most common diseases in Nicaragua include bacterial diarrhea, Hepatitis A, typhoid fever, dengue fever and malaria. Recently, countries in this region of the world have also seen a rise in Zika transmission. Common diseases in Nicaragua are food and waterborne diseases and vector-borne diseases.

The food and waterborne diseases seen in Nicaragua are bacterial diarrhea, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid fever. These can be contracted by ingesting contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A attacks the liver, resulting in fever, jaundice and diarrhea. About 15 percent of infected individuals will have these symptoms for more than six months. Typhoid fever leads to extremely high fevers, and when left untreated it has a mortality rate of 20 percent.

Dengue fever and malaria are spread by vectors, just like the Zika virus. Dengue fever is transferred through mosquito bites and has a death rate of 5 percent caused by shock or hemorrhage. Malaria is also spread through mosquitoes.

The CDC is most concerned with the prevalence of the Zika virus, because of the lasting effects it has on a population. Although the virus does not usually lead to death, it is an issue for pregnant women, who transfer the disease to their unborn children. When infected, these children will suffer from a lack of development in their skulls, which will cause major problems throughout their lives.

The good news is that the common diseases in Nicaragua are fairly easy to prevent with vaccination and proper hygiene. By avoiding contact with animals and bodily fluids, as well as preventing the spread of germs, the likelihood of contracting these diseases lessens greatly.

– Helen Barker

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