Tropical diseases

Started by Key'ìl Nekxetse, August 05, 2010, 04:20:44 AM

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Key'ìl Nekxetse

Some tropical diseases:
Chagas disease
Chagas disease is a parasitic infection transmitted by "Assasin Bugs", body fluids and eating something contaminated with the parasite. The first stage causes highly varied symptoms while the second stage often causes digestive or heart problems. This may result in unexpected instantaneous death. There are no treatments that can effectively prevent the second stage. There are also no vaccines. Efforts have been focused on removing the means for the disease to be transmitted.
Dengue
Dengue is transmitted by a mosquito and can cause varied symptoms, notably a rash. The later stage can cause Dengue Shock Syndrome, which is often fatal. There is no vaccine and treatment is not hugely effective, it consists of transfusions of blood and hydration.
Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is transmitted by sand flies and can cause liver and spleen damage, anaemia and skin ulcers. There are no vaccines but there are some treatments.
Leprosy
Leprosy is transmitted by contact. It is thought that only around 5% of the population can be infected as the body has a natural immunity. Vaccine is available, and the disease is treatable through chemotherapy.
Onchocerciasis
Onchocerciasis is a parasitic infection transmitted by blackfly. It often causes blindness. There are no vaccines but treatment is available.
Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection that enters through the skin from infected water. It is not usually fatal. There are no vaccines but treatment is possible.
There are a VERY large number of these diseases!
Key'ìl Nekxetse on "The Revolutionists"
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Tonbogiri

For these diseases in particular, we are able to huglight areas where these diseases are not so much of a problem. Chagas disease seems to be our main issue should we settle in the tropics of south america - unexpected instantaneous death could be a problem!
Of course, there could be more diseases not mentioned, but Australia looks better. Perhaps we should look into diseases/parasites found there?


old gallery link?id=2051[/img]

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Predict

I've also been working on tropical diseases. I've included the format I've used in the jobs board. I'm averaging about 2-300 words per disease so it may be lengthly. Here's my bit on chagas:

Disease (name):  Chagas disease

Transmission: Contact with feces or triatomines (assassin bugs), the bacteria normally penetrate only mucosa in mouth or eyes however infection can occur through insect bites. Blood transfusions are the main vector in Latin America but elsewhere are not an issue. (Dias)

Symptoms: There are three phases: Acute, Intermediate, chronic. Acute symptoms include swelling at the infection area, fever, rash, fatigue, and enlarged liver or spleen. There are no symptoms in the intermediate phase.  The chronic phase occurs 10-20 years after infection and do not always present. The most severe symptoms are irregular heartbeat, heart failure, cardiac arrest, and enlarged colon and esophagus causing pain and difficulty swallowing. Obviously Death. (Mayo Clinic)

Location:  Central and South America

Treatment:  Treatment with benznidazole and nifurtimox can kill the parasite during the acute phase. After entering the chronic phase only the symptoms can be managed. (Mayo Clinic)

Prevention: Standard insect control. Use insect netting in sleeping areas, eliminate insects using insecticides. Low quality mud and thatch housing harbors the vector insects so in risk areas must be kept well maintained. (Mayo Clinic)

Excuse the poor formatting, the nice version (with pictures!!) is in the gallery (this is just an hour or two work, 3 diseases, as Spain got in the way ;)), here: http://forum.learnnavi.org/mgallery/?sa=item;id=865

Key'ìl Nekxetse

Have you done any more of this? That bit looks good.
Key'ìl Nekxetse on "The Revolutionists"
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Predict

#4
Three more diseases but it's been on hold the last week or so with all the attempts at reorganization going on.

Edit: Kind of important bit I missed. Yes I'm going to do more. Also, my references may be slightly over the top, have you checked the rest in the gallery?

Esmond

From what I've read on the Chagas Disease, I can say my fear for the SA has increased substantially. We'd have to be really to our research to make sure we suffer as little risk as possible.



Red shows Endemic Zones.

There are places where risks are significantly lower so we might wanna look into them.

Help preserve Nature.

Key'ìl Nekxetse

Just because an area doesn't have an endemic, it could still be hit by the disease.
Key'ìl Nekxetse on "The Revolutionists"
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Esmond

I know, I didn't say it couldn't be.

Help preserve Nature.

Predict

I may be wrong, but most outbreaks like that occur in population centres don't they, we should be somewhat safer.

Where it's not endemic the diseases usually lack the vectors for transmission or the conditions just aren't ideal so they don't last or spread that widely. That's how these things tend to work in Australia at least.

Txalion

History has shown us that disease is more prominant in highly populated areas due to squalid conditions. Typicaly disease transmuted by bite can be easily avoided with proper hygene. Since we will likely be almost compleatly detatched from the major populace we will also be able to avoid contact and airborne diseases. The only problem we may run into would be bacterial diseases but if we reaserch the bacteria commonly found in our area we may be able to jump that hurdle as well. I'm not to worried about it because if we go about this right, doing exactly what we are doing, this will not be a problem. Being clean is the most important thing we can do and all of us used to living the way we do, I'm sure we will have no isues being neat freaks. ^_^
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