Archive for category: Disease

Information and news about disease category

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Common Diseases in Bahrain

Diseases in Bahrain
Bahrain is a nation in the Arabian Gulf consisting of a small archipelago. With a population of just over 1.3 million, Bahrain may seem small, but it has some large health issues. Cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes pose the largest threat to health in Bahrain. These non-communicable diseases share many common risk factors that can be controlled in order to prevent disease.

Cardiovascular diseases are common in Bahrain. Twenty-six percent of all deaths in Bahrain can be linked to cardiovascular diseases. Cancer and diabetes are also prevalent diseases in Bahrain and each account for 13% of all deaths. Lung and bronchial cancers as the most common cancers in Bahrain.

Poor dietary behaviors are the largest contributing risk factor for all health issues in Bahrain. Eating a diet high in sodium and trans fats and low in whole grains, fruits and vegetables puts Bahranians at risk for cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes. These diseases are also risk factors for one another, but all have links to poor diet.

Another key risk factor contributing to both cancers and cardiovascular diseases in Bahrain is tobacco use. More than 5,000 children and 185,000 adults use tobacco every day in the country. Four men and one woman are killed by tobacco-related diseases every week.

The Bahrain Cancer Society recognizes the importance of education about risk factors and taking preventative health measures. The government also has active plans and programs that are helping reduce tobacco use and promote healthy diets.

Landmark Group’s Beat Diabetes initiative, for example, is a program launched to help people recognize and prevent diabetes, which is also linked to cardiovascular diseases and shares many of the same risk factors. The initiative was started in 2009, and by 2015 it had reached over six million people throughout the Gulf states.

With preventative measures in place to combat non-communicable diseases and reduce risk factors for disease, Bahrain can reduce the prevalence of some of its most common diseases. Government programs and nongovernmental organizations’ initiatives aimed at preventing and recognizing early signs of disease already point to a hopeful future for Bahrain.

– Rilee Pickle

Photo: Flickr

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Five Common Diseases in Bangladesh and How to Address Them

Common Diseases in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is an impoverished country, yet in recent years, its healthcare has steadily improved. Despite being much poorer that Pakistan, India and Nepal, it has the lowest infant and child mortality rates, the highest vaccination rates and the farthest-reaching family planning.

However, even with the magnificent progress made by private medicine companies and NGOs over the past few decades, there are still many diseases that people in Bangladesh have to struggle with. The five categories below are a sample of various common diseases in Bangladesh and how people are working to prevent and treat them.

1. Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common and often dangerous condition for many in Bangladesh.  The dangers are especially true for young children. Though diarrhea is sometimes a symptom of more serious issues, diarrhea itself can be caused by diseases like cholera that are a result of poor water and sanitation.

Better knowledge about the dangers of contaminated water along with increased access to safe water and proper sanitation can prevent the spread of these bacteria. For those already afflicted, oral rehydration therapy helps reduce dehydration and prevent further sickness or death.

2. Tuberculosis 

Tuberculosis (TB) is rare in developed countries, but developing countries like Bangladesh still report large numbers of TB. In 2010, TB accounted for three percent of the country’s total deaths that year. The CDC and other organizations work on improving prevention, infection control, and treatment, though multi-drug-resistant strains have made the treatment of TB much more challenging.

Doctors in Bangladesh have found a much shorter and more efficient method of treating multi-drug-resistant strains using a method now named the Bangladesh Regimen. This regimen results in almost 88% cured compared to the usual 11 to 79%. Though the treatment is still in the first decade of use, the results show a marked improvement, and it is an exciting step in treating TB in Bangladesh and in other countries.

3. Respiratory Infections

Respiratory infections such as influenza and pneumonia are common diseases in Bangladesh, and they are one of the leading causes of death. They rank second in the top ten causes of death in Bangladesh, with lower respiratory infections alone resulting in seven percent of total deaths in the country.

High immunization coverage decreases the rate of infection, but the lack of treatment due to ignorance is one of the main reasons that respiratory infections cause so many deaths. Only 37% of children are taken to a health care provider when they show symptoms of pneumonia, so increasing health awareness and education is a crucial step to reducing deadly respiratory infections.

4. Preterm Birth Complications and Neonatal Encephalopathy 

Preterm birth complications and neonatal encephalopathy (commonly known as birth asphyxia) are two common diseases in Bangladesh that center around infancy. Together, these two diseases made up 7% of deaths in 2010. About 28,000 babies in Bangladesh will die the day that they are born. However, many of these deaths could get prevented with better prenatal and postnatal care. Improving medical facilities and making them more accessible to everyone, especially those in rural areas, will help more babies survive and live a healthy life.

5. Heart Diseases 

Various heart diseases are the leading cause of death when examined as a group, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Ischemic Heart Disease, and stroke. Combined, they were responsible for 18% of deaths in 2010, which indicates that heart disease is a serious issue in Bangladesh.

Though heart conditions are common in many countries, they occur in Bangladesh on average ten years earlier than in most countries, with 40% of cases in people less than 50. Some causes of Bangladesh’s heart diseases are relatively standard. Consuming a large amount of rice, sugar, and fish was linked to higher rates of heart attacks and 80% of heart attack patients use tobacco.

Recent research has shown that arsenic, copper and lead were in the blood of some heart attack victims, signifying that toxic heavy metals likely contribute to the high rates of heart disease as well. Standard education about a healthy lifestyle and awareness of symptoms are important to reduce heart disease rates, but addressing the issues unique to Bangladesh such as toxic metal contamination and poverty induced stress is crucial as well.

The Takeaway

These five disease categories are only some of the common diseases in Bangladesh. There are hundreds of other diseases and health issues that afflict people in Bangladesh, but the severity of many diseases has decreased thanks to continually improving healthcare and education.

High rates of immunization and vaccinations help prevent diseases such as polio and measles, but there are still many ways for Bangladesh to continue fighting illness and improving their healthcare. Though 84% of children get vaccinated through age two, limited medical services in rural regions and lack of family funding sometimes causes households to drop out after the first round of vaccines. As a result, addressing these issues will help improve countrywide health.

Continued education about various health practices and symptoms will also be necessary to prevent and treat diseases. NGOs will likely continue to play a significant role in Bangladesh’s improving health, but addressing poverty and increasing fair access to healthcare will be indispensable as Bangladesh moves forward.

– Rachael Lind

Photo: Flickr

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What are the Top Diseases in Iraq?

Top Diseases in Iraq
The people of Iraq face many obstacles to their safety. When discussing the middle eastern country, many focus on the physical threats of violence, terrorism and forceful opposition. Health is also a hazard. Diseases spread in many ways. Infection can be airborne, blood born or spread through food and water. Blood-borne diseases, such as Hepatitis A and B, are a risk in Iraq. The two main transmission types in Iraq are food or water-borne and vector-borne. Here are some of the top diseases in Iraq.

  1. Food or Waterborne
    Hepatitis A is spread through a fecal-oral path. This route of disease infection occurs when fecal matter from an infected person is in the food or water consumed by another person, thus infecting the recipient of the food or water. This is why sanitation is the best precaution other than immunization. The spread of this disease occurs because of poor sanitation in food preparation. The risk of infection is much higher in developing or poor countries due to a lack of proper sanitation, which is why Hepatitis A is one of the top diseases in Iraq.Another food or waterborne disease that contributes to the top diseases in Iraq is Typhoid fever. Typhoid is a bacterial disease that contributes very high fevers. Like Hepatitis A, this is spread through fecal-contaminated food or water. Typhoid fever has a higher mortality rate. If the disease is not treated, one in five do not survive.
  2. Vector-borne
    Vector-borne diseases are spread through animals, insects or parasites. One of the top diseases in Iraq is malaria. Malaria is spread by mosquito bites. The disease causes parasites to accumulate in the liver and attack red blood cells. This often leads to death from interrupted blood supply to vital organs.Another top disease in Iraq is yellow fever. This, again, is spread through the bite of a mosquito. Although the severity varies, there is a mortality rate of 20 percent.

These top diseases in Iraq are less common in developed countries, as there are vaccines available. The economic infrastructure in Iraq does not allow for many of its citizens’ access to such life-saving precautionary medication.

– Nate Harris

Photo: Flickr

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The Most Common Diseases in Chile and Great Strides Toward Eradication

Common Diseases in Chile
Home to 17 million people, the longest country in the world has made great strides to become a developed country. From 2000 to 2015, Chile’s poverty rate decreased from 26% to 7.9%. With a growing economy and unemployment rates at a stable level, life in Chile is signaling progress, but there are still common diseases in Chile that need to be addressed.

Diarrheal Diseases
Common among third world countries, diarrheal diseases continue to hold Chile back. Although Chile is widely regarded as a developed country, this antiquated disease is still a problem. Diarrhea is most common among tourists as contaminated water and uncooked food are the disease’s leading causes. Tourists are unaccustomed to the food and unaware of what may or may not be safe to eat, and thereby are perfect victims of this watery disease. Diarrheal diseases are a problem for the citizens of Chile as well.

Nineteen out of 100,000 people die every year in Chile due to diarrheal diseases. This number may seem relatively low, but for a country that claims to be developed, it is much higher than it should be. The treatment is relatively simple, as clean water and food are all that is necessary to contain the disease. These two necessities have proved difficult for Chile as contaminated food and water cause a number of other diseases as well.

Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular diseases continue to be prevalent among developed countries and are some of the common diseases in Chile. Twenty-seven percent of deaths are attributed to these diseases. The probability of dying from cardiovascular disease in Chile is gradually increasing and continues to rank up above diabetes and cancer in terms of the number of fatalities caused.

Cancer
Barely trailing behind cardiovascular diseases, cancer is the cause of 26% of all deaths in Chile. Similar to cardiovascular disease, cancer is found in developed countries around the world. Out of all forms of cancer, gastric cancer is the most common in Chile.

The average number of deaths related to gastric cancer is 3,000 every year. Typically, 15 per 100,000 women and 13 per 100,000 men are killed by gastric cancer. These numbers are higher than anywhere else but in East Asia.

There are many factors that determine how developed a state is. For Chile, diarrheal diseases show that there are still some ways to go but that many diseases associated with developing countries are being managed. Of the common diseases in Chile, diarrheal diseases are the only ones with significance in terms of how Chile is doing socially and economically. It will take time to eradicate the diseases, but Chile has a healthy future.

– Sophie Casimes

Photo: Google

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Common Diseases in North Korea

Common Diseases in North Korea
For the past years 30 years, North Korea has been incredibly impoverished. The health care system in North Korea is minuscule at best. Children are often malnourished to the point of stunted growth, people cannot receive proper medical attention, and diseases that have been largely eradicated in most parts of the world are still prevalent. Common diseases in North Korea stem from poverty.

North Korea has a unique poverty situation; the government puts money into military spending instead of focusing on the health and prosperity of its people.

In North Korea, the greatest number of deaths come from non-communicable diseases. Although non-communicable diseases—such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases—cause the most mortality, the magnitude of problems caused by malnutrition and communicable diseases increases the likelihood of disease burden in the future. A lack of sufficient nutrition makes fighting off diseases difficult because the immune system has no strength. About a third of North Korean children show signs of stunted growth; starving children are also more susceptible to diseases, making their life expectancy low.

Common diseases in North Korea include cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease. In 2013, strokes, ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were North Korea’s most deadly sources of harm. Communicable diseases like tuberculosis and malaria are endemic in North Korea. Tuberculosis, a curable disease, affects 345 out of 100,000 North Koreans. This is considered to be one of the highest rates outside of sub-Saharan Africa. Tuberculosis is a disease associated with poverty, bleak conditions, and a lack of sanitation.

One of the main reasons why these health issues are so apparent is that there is zero guarantee of health care. Article 56 of the North Korean constitution specifies free medical care for all citizens. This has not been accurate. If a patient is unable to provide money or a gift to a doctor, their illness will often go untreated. Most of the patients are too impoverished to provide any sort of compensation. Even if they can provide compensation, there are often not enough resources for help to be provided.

“There are doctors and buildings, but no aspirin, no anesthetic, no basic medicines, no heating, no soap, no milk and therefore no patients. The health system in North Korea collapsed, leaving almost the entire population with no care except for traditional ‘Korio’ herbal medicine,” said Dr. Eric Goemaere, director of Doctors Without Borders. The lack of resources has been going on for approximately four years.

Common diseases in North Korea, such as tuberculosis, show that North Korea is behind the international community. Instead of using its money to provide health care, it uses it for military spending. However, North Korea can’t be a strong, resilient nation when its people are sick. North Korea needs to think about the needs of the people and give doctors the resources to help the sick effectively.

– Lucy Voegeli

Photo: Flickr

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The Most Common Diseases in Indonesia

Common Diseases in Indonesia
Indonesia is considered a hotspot for various diseases, due to factors such as tropical climate, biodiversity and frequent interaction between humans and animals. The CIA World Factbook states that some of the most common diseases in Indonesia, with a “very high” degree of risk, are as follows:

Dengue fever
Dengue is a vector-borne disease transmitted through the bite of infected female mosquitoes, which can spread more quickly in an environment that lacks reliable sanitation or produces garbage regularly. A recent study reported in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases found that more than half of all children in Indonesia’s urban areas were infected with dengue by the age of five, and over 80% of them have been infected with the dengue virus at least once by age 10. Typically, the outbreak of the disease surges every three to four years, with the most recent surge having occurred at the beginning of 2016.

The Indonesian Ministry of Health reported that 71,668 cases of dengue fever were recorded in 2014, with 641 of these cases ending in death. Although the number of cases on the national level seems to be on the decline, the number has been increasing in several areas, including North Sumatra, Riau, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Bali and Jakarta.

Malaria
Another one of the most common diseases in Indonesia is malaria. While Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali and other large cities are relatively free from the risk of malaria, other areas in the country are still vulnerable to the disease. According to the data from the Ministry of Health, malaria is still rampant in the provinces of Papua, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku and West Papua. An Indonesian health official from the Maluku province, whose local health department has been carrying out efforts to eradicate the disease, stated that eliminating the disease would require maintaining a healthy environment, killing mosquito larva through fogging, regular blood tests and the use of mosquito nets.

Bacterial diarrhea
Diarrhea was once a leading cause of death for children under the age of five in Indonesia, accounting for almost 25% of child mortality. Although efforts to combat mortality from the disease have decreased the death rates to approximately 2.5 per 1,000, the incidence of bacteria has remained constant at 25 to 30 million per year in children under the age of five. The fact that the number of outbreaks has not changed much implies the need for more innovative solutions to deal with the disease.

These three are among the most common diseases in Indonesia. Recently, the Indonesian government has been carrying out various policies to achieve the goal of attaining universal water and sanitation access by 2019, which, if successful, could help the country make significant progress in fighting these diseases.

 – Minh Joo Yi

Photo: Flickr

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Common Diseases in Nepal and Why The Country is Susceptible

Common Diseases in Nepal
In order to talk about common diseases in Nepal, one must first examine some of the facts and statistics that make the country prone to disease. Nepal, a Himalayan country with a population of nearly 29 million, is located in South Asia. It is home to some of the highest mountains in the world, such as the third tallest mountain, Kanchenjunga, situated on the border of Nepal and India, and the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest, located on its border with China. The birthplace of Gautama Buddha, Nepal is a favorite tourist destination for mountaineers and trekkers, while also attracting visitors for its rich cultural heritage, ancient temples and palaces.

Nepal was a monarchy for centuries until it was abolished in 2008 and the country was declared a republic. It is one of the poorest countries in Asia, and between 2010 and 2011 nearly 25 percent of its population was living on less than $1.25 a day. The mountainous and tectonically active terrain makes Nepal highly prone to natural disasters, which are some of the most common causes of death in the country, and obstruct its development. A devastating 2015 earthquake that killed nearly nine thousand people and injured thousands more remains one of the worst disasters in the country’s history.

Plagued with geological vulnerability, poverty and the associated issues of poor sanitation, air pollution and a lack of proper healthcare, Nepal is replete with both communicable and non-communicable diseases. According to data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and the World Health Organization (WHO), below is a list of common diseases in Nepal with some of the highest death rates.

 

Most Common Diseases in Nepal

 

  1. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – The term COPD encompasses a set of chronic lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is the leading cause of death in Nepal. COPD killed 17,200 people in the country in 2012, and there was a 22.1 percent increase in its death rate from 2005 to 2015. Long-term exposure to lung irritants causes this disease, and cigarette smoking, use of biomass fuels and air pollution are some of the key risk factors.
  2. Ischemic heart disease (IHD) – Also called coronary artery disease, IHD killed 17,100 people in Nepal in 2012 alone and is the second leading cause of death in the country. The major predisposing factors for this disease are high blood pressure, smoking, poor diet and diabetes. The country saw a surge in some of the conventional risk factors such as obesity and hypertension.
  3. Cerebrovascular disease – Cerebrovascular disease encompasses a set of disorders that affect blood vessels and alter blood supply to the brain, which can lead to a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), also known as a stroke. A leading cause of mortality in the world, strokes killed 15,300 people in Nepal in 2012. The country has seen a 25.7 percent increase in its death rate since 2005. Hypertension, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and diabetes are the main risk factors for strokes.
  4. Tuberculosis (TB) – An airborne bacterial infectious disease, TB is a major public health threat in Nepal. With several innovative programs run by the government in close partnership with collaborators, Nepal has achieved tremendous progress in controlling TB, and there has been a 19.1 percent decrease in TB related death rate from 2005 to 2015. Still, TB remains one of the major causes of death in the country.
  5. Lower respiratory infections – Lower respiratory infections are some of the most common infectious diseases and are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children and adults worldwide. They include conditions such as pneumonia, acute or chronic bronchitis and bronchiolitis. These diseases in Nepal were responsible for 13,100 deaths in 2012. As with TB, the last decade saw an impressive decrease (42.3 percent) in its death rate in the country.

According to the annual report of the Department of Health Services, Government of Nepal, for the years 2014 and 2015, combined efforts by the government and various national and international organizations toward the prevention and control of diseases in Nepal have achieved improved health outcomes over the years. These outcomes include higher life expectancy and reduced maternal and infant mortality rates. The report also identifies existing problems and challenges in the health sector and delineates possible actions for addressing these issues for continued progress.

– Ranjna Madan-Lala

Photo: Flickr

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10 of the Most Common Diseases in Afghanistan

Common Diseases in Afghanistan

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently called the health status in Afghanistan one of the worst in the world. Most of the common diseases in Afghanistan are communicable, and epidemics are happening more frequently than in the past. The health system is trying to recover from decades of neglect, under-funding, institutional vacuum and fragmentation. These are the 10 most common diseases in Afghanistan:

  1. Tuberculosis plagues nearly 35 percent of Afghanistan’s citizens. This respiratory disease can be caused by overcrowding, cold-conditions and can be transmitted through the use of a temporary shelter.
  2. Malaria occurs more often during the warmer months and is spread through mosquito bites. It causes a flu-like illness, can be deadly if untreated and is found all over the country.
  3. Cholera often occurs in epidemics because it is caused by bacteria found in water and food that has been contaminated with feces. It spreads quickly in places with low-quality water treatment, unsanitary surroundings and poor hygiene.
  4. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) occurs from tick bites or the touching of livestock animals’ blood or tissue. Outbreaks can have up to a 40 percent fatality rate. It can take a week for symptoms to occur, which include fever, myalgia, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain and stiffness, backache, headache, sore eyes, photophobia, mood swings and confusion.
  5. Measles is another respiratory disease and is very contagious. A small rate of measles vaccination cause this disease to be more common in India, and malnutrition and vitamin A deficiencies also contribute to the rate that children are affected.
  6. Meningococcal meningitis is much like measles being respiratory in nature and highly contagious. It also occurs year-round, peaking between November and February.
  7. Hepatitis A is commonly contracted during childhood for most Afghans and then gets spread through consuming food and water that has been contaminated by contaminated fecal matter. Vaccines are available, but symptoms like fever, jaundice and diarrhea can occur for six to nine months for 15 percent of victims.
  8. Poliomyelitis (polio) seriously threatens many Afghan children. This infectious viral disease is mostly spread through the faecal-oral route, prompted by inadequately sanitized surroundings. Paralysis can even occur if the disease moves to the nervous system. There is no cure for polio and vaccinations are recommended for prevention.
  9. Rabies is a viral disease of mammals. People are affected through animal bites, especially from dogs. Symptoms start with a fever and headache but then can move into more serious neurological symptoms. Death usually occurs within days of symptoms.
  10. Typhoid fever is another disease that can be picked up through contaminated water. The disease only lives in humans’ bloodstreams and intestinal tracts so that it gets found in an affected person’s feces. However, the disease gets commonly spread in unsanitary areas of the world.

These 10 common diseases in Afghanistan can be deadly when untreated. Luckily, many medical relief organizations are working to eradicate the likelihood of these diseases and to provide vaccinations to those in need of them.

– Emily Arnold

Photo: Google

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4 Common Diseases in the Central African Republic

Common Diseases in the Central African Republic
The Central African Republic is a nation with a long history of political turmoil and humanitarian crises. It is also consistently named among the poorest nations in the world and has some of the worst global health indicators. The country has the sixth highest infant mortality rate and the third-highest maternal mortality rate in the world. As recently as 2013, a major crisis displaced over 25% of the population and almost collapsed the nation’s already precarious health system. Although it seems as if the CAR is finally able to stabilize its political situation—for the first time in its history, the nation has a democratically-elected president and parliament—endemic poverty and poor health infrastructure coupled with a tropical climate makes the prevalence of disease a major problem. Here are four of the most common diseases in the Central African Republic:

  1. Malaria: The mosquito-spread disease is endemic to the Central African Republic. Malaria infects a large portion of the population at least once a year. It accounts for 40% of all medical consultations and is the leading cause of death amongst children. Malaria is the primary public health issue and one of the most common diseases in the Central African Republic. Many international organizations, in partnership with the government, have attempted to carry out projects such as free treatment for children under five and mosquito netting distributions to curb the effect of the disease in the nation.
  2. HIV/AIDS: The CAR has one of the highest rates of HIV in Central and Western Africa. The rate is at 4.9% and is one of the most common diseases in the Central African Republic. People in urban areas, especially women, are at the highest risk of contracting the disease. Due to constant conflict and political turmoil, treatment is often hard to find. Organizations such as the UNHCR help diagnose and provide treatment, but they often suffer in conflict situations. In the 2013 crisis, looters descended on several facilities.
  3. Cholera: In 2016, the medical community panicked at reports of a cholera outbreak in the Central African Republic. Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. After the latest humanitarian crisis in 2013, thousands of people were displaced and access to clean water became very limited. This led to a breeding ground for cholera and its ensuing spread throughout the country. UNICEF and other organizations quickly mobilized to contain the outbreak.
  4. Tuberculosis: Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious bacterial disease that affects the lungs and spreads easily in crowded spaces. Over the past decades, TB has been on the rise in the Central African Republic. The forced displacement of large swathes of the population due to constant ongoing crises often disrupts treatment and prevention operations. Tuberculosis is also a leading killer of HIV-positive people. In 2012, there were 8,084 reported cases of TB—a 44% increase from the year before.

The tropical climate of the Central African Republic means it is already a hotspot for contagious and infectious diseases; a precarious health system coupled with endemic poverty makes matters even worse. Although many international organizations have made a concerted effort to address these issues, the constant political conflict and instability make it extremely hard for them to properly do their job. The international community should help the CAR by not only providing medical aid and supplies but also helping it build a stable government that will properly handle these issues.

– Alan Garcia-Ramos

Photo: Flickr

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The Four Common Diseases in Egypt You Need to Know

Common Diseases in Egypt
According to the CIA World Factbook, the four most common diseases in Egypt are bacterial diarrhea, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and schistosomiasis. People in the country are at intermediate risk for contracting these illnesses.

Bacterial diarrhea, also referred to as bacterial gastroenteritis, is a stomach and intestine infection. It is spread through eating or drinking contaminated food and water. Depending on which bacteria are ingested, different symptoms may surface. The symptoms most associated with bacterial diarrhea are abdominal pain/cramps, loss of appetite, bloody stool, nausea and vomiting.

Fortunately, it only takes a couple of days for someone to recover from this infection fully. In the meantime, they should ward off dehydration by drinking enough fluids and getting enough rest, especially young children. If nausea and vomiting are preventing someone from getting their fluids, getting fluids via IV is also an option.

Enteric fever, more commonly known as typhoid fever, is a life-threatening bacterial disease. People carry the Salmonella Typhi in their bloodstream and intestinal tract. When carriers or infected individuals shed the bacteria in their stool, they can infect others by handling food or drinks. People can also be infected if they wash food with or drink contaminated water.

Symptoms of typhoid fever include feelings of weakness, headaches, stomach pains, loss of appetite and, in some cases, rashes. Because these symptoms are not unique to typhoid fever, getting stool or blood samples tested is the best way to know if someone is infected.

There are vaccines and antibiotics available to prevent and treat typhoid fever.

Another one of the most common diseases in Egypt is hepatitis A. The hepatitis A virus causes viral liver disease. It is transmitted by ingesting contaminated food and water or direct contact with an infected individual.

While hepatitis A by itself is rarely fatal and does not cause chronic liver disease, it can cause incapacitating symptoms and fatal acute liver failure if left untreated. Symptoms of hepatitis A include jaundice, malaise, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal discomfort and dark-colored urine. These symptoms can manifest anywhere from mild to severe.

At the time of writing, there is no cure for hepatitis A, only preventative methods. These include drinking clean water, proper disposal of sewage materials and practicing good hygiene with clean water.

Schistosomiasis, also referred to as bilharzia, is a chronic and acute disease brought on by parasitic worms. Anyone who comes into contact with infected water is at risk of contracting it.

In reaction to the invading worms’ eggs, an infected person can experience diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloody stool. In extreme cases, there may also be liver and/or spleen enlargement. Children are at risk of having their growth stunted, developing learning complications and anemia. Fortunately, treatment can typically undo these effects.

As of now, ingesting clean water, avoiding exposure to contaminated water, similar preventative measures and taking the prescribed medications are the ways to deal with schistosomiasis.

While the most common diseases in Egypt may not all have cures, they are certainly not a death sentence. With proper preventative care and medication, people can wrest control of their bodies from these illnesses.

– Jada Haynes

Photo: Flickr