Pandemic Panic
Flyers
Malaria
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called "malaria vectors.” Young children, pregnant women and travelers from malaria-free areas are particularly vulnerable to the disease when they become infected. Symptoms appear 7 days or more (usually 10–15 days) after the infective mosquito bite. The first symptoms: fever, headache, chills and vomiting. If not treated within 24 hours, P. falciparum malaria can progress to severe illness, often leading to death. Approximately 3.2 billion people – nearly half of the world's population – were at risk of malaria. Most malaria cases and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. WHO; recommends protection for all people at risk of malaria with effective malaria vector control. The Two forms of vector control, insecticide-treated mosquito nets and indoor residual spraying, are very effective in vector control. The best available treatment is artemisinin-based combination therapy WHO recommends that all cases of suspected malaria be confirmed using parasite-based diagnostic testing before administering treatment.
Polio
Polio (poliomyelitis) is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. It invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis, usually in children under 5. Polio is spread through person-to-person contact. When a child is infected with wild poliovirus, the virus enters the body through the mouth and multiplies in the intestine. It is then shed into the environment through the feces where it can spread rapidly through a community, especially in situations of poor hygiene and sanitation. Polio can be spread when food or drink is contaminated by feces. There is also evidence that flies can passively transfer poliovirus from feces to food. Most people, about 90 %, infected with the poliovirus have no signs of illness and are never aware they have been infected. These symptomless people carry the virus in their intestines and can spread the infection to thousands of others before the first case of polio paralysis emerges. For this reason, WHO; considers a single confirmed case of polio paralysis to be evidence of an epidemic – particularly in countries where very few cases occur. However, for those other 10 percent, initial symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, and stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs and 1 in every 200 people who are infected lead to irreversible paralysis. While polio has no cure, it can be immunized. Polio vaccine, given multiple times, almost always protects a child for life.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is spread through the air from one person to another. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. Two TB-related conditions exist: latent TB infection and TB disease. Latent TB is when the body’s immune system can fight of the disease faster than the disease can multiply, keeping it from hurting the host or infecting others. However, if the immune system is not strong enough, the host will typically start showing symptoms within a matter of weeks. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with Tuberculosis coughs, sneezes, speaking, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected. Surprisingly, Tuberculosis cannot typically be transmitted through the sharing of food/drink, a toothbrush, or even kissing. The symptoms are: a bad cough, pain in the chest, coughing up blood or sputum, weakness or fatigue, weight loss, having no appetite, chills, fever, and sweating. Both TB disease and latent TB disease are curable. Treatment of latent TB infection reduces the risk that TB infection will progress to TB disease. TB disease can be treated by taking several drugs, usually for 6 to 9 months. It is very important to finish the medicine, and take the drugs exactly as prescribed. If you stop taking the drugs too soon, you can become sick again.