What are the Types of Mosquito-borne Diseases?

What are the Types of Mosquito-borne Diseases?

by | Sep 12, 2021 | Hygine, Mosquito-borne Diseases

Mosquitoes when feeding on human blood, suck viruses or parasites in the body that gets transferred to the next person it bites through the saliva. Diseases contracted by mosquitoes to humans are called mosquito-borne diseases. Unlike other insects, mosquitoes do not get affected while carrying the viruses to humans. However, over 700 million people suffer from mosquito-borne fevers or diseases every year.

In this blog, we have discussed different types of mosquito-borne fevers.

Types of mosquito-borne diseases

Malaria

Malaria is among the most common mosquito-borne fevers and is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The infection spreads through infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, also called ‘malaria vectors’. There are almost five parasite species causing malaria in humans, two of which are P. Vivax and P. Falciparum that possess the highest threat.

Symptoms

  • High fever
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Chills
  • Tiredness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Dengue Fever

Caused by the dengue virus, dengue is spread to humans through the infected bite of Aedes mosquito species, such as Aedes albopictus or Aedes aegypti. The same mosquitoes that spread chikungunya, Zika and other viruses. The mosquito-borne fever is common in over 100 world countries. Every year, more than 400 million people are affected by the dengue virus, of which 100 million get seriously ill and almost 22,000 die from the infection.

Symptoms

  • Headaches
  • High fever
  • Rash
  • Joint pain
  • Vomiting

Chikungunya

Chikungunya is caused by the virus named chikungunya. The transmission takes place from mosquito bites to humans. A person already infected by the virus may infect mosquitoes that further spread the virus to different people. The leading mosquito species that spread chikungunya are Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti. The ones that also transmit the dengue virus. These mosquitoes bite both during the day and night.

Symptoms

  • Fatigue
  • Rash
  • Sudden high fever
  • Headache
  • Joint and muscle pain

In case you have any of the above-mentioned fevers, get yourself checked by a general physician at the earliest to ensure on-time diagnosis and rule out any chances of mosquito-borne diseases.

Everything You Should Know About Typhoid

Everything You Should Know About Typhoid

by | Sep 23, 2020 | Hygine

Typhoid is a disease caused by Salmonella typhimurium (S.typhi), a bacterium found in the bloodstream and intestines of humans. The infection is not spread through animals but from one person to another. If left untreated, typhoid can be fatal.

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of typhoid cases across the country, and it is significant to know every essential detail about the disease and ways of prevention.

How is typhoid caused?
The bacterium S.typhi enters your body through the mouth and lives in the intestine for one to three weeks. It then moves through the intestinal walls and reaches the bloodstream. When mixed in your bloodstream, it quickly spreads to other body organs and tissues. Your immune system also fails to fight against the bacteria as it can live in your body cells for days.

What are the symptoms of typhoid?
Some of the main symptoms of typhoid include:

  • High fever
  • Weakness
  • Headaches
  • Constipation
  • Abdominal pain
  • Rash

A few rare symptoms seen in some individuals are diarrhea, vomiting, and confusion. In case you or anyone in your family is experiencing these symptoms, book an appointment with us and avail a proper diagnosis from Dr. Rao.

Who can you prevent typhoid?
One of the many ways in which you an a avoid contracting the disease is vaccination. If you are planning to travel to a region prevalent with typhoid, it is highly recommended to get vaccinated. There are two types of vaccination available for typhoid, oral and shot. However, vaccines are not always effective, and you need to keep your eating habits in check as well.

Typhoid is spread by contact or ingestion of contaminated human feces. The primary source of infection is water. Follow the below-mentioned rules to ensure you are safe from the disease:

  • Drink bottled or boiled water.
  • Avoid eating junk food or anything out in the streets.
  • Only eat food that is freshly prepared and hot.
  • Avoid taking ice cubes in your drinks
  • Avoid consuming raw fruits and vegetables. Try consuming fruits that can be peeled.

Additional care for individuals recovered from typhoid

The chances are high that the bacteria remain in the host’s body even after the symptoms have faded away. It is advised to be cautious while washing food or communicating with others. People traveling across countries like South America, India, Africa, etc. must be careful.

Talk to our team for an appointment

If you are noticing some symptoms of typhoid and are confused in deciding whom to approach, we have got our team to book you an appointment with Dr. Rao. He will help you with the most reliable diagnosis and treatment process.