1. Flood Water Is Contaminated

Flood water may contain sewage from rivers, soil and manure from fields, dead animals, dust from roads and factory yards and other dirt thus contaminating it with eventually harmful chemicals, bacteria and parasites.

• Do not drink flood water or store it for watering plants or any other purpose.
• Do not touch flood water or walk through it but if you have to then use waterproof protective boots, gloves and clothes. Or boat.
• When you have moved through the flood unprotected have a shower with a soap as soon as possible after that.

continue reading Flood Facts – Prevention of Infections – Flood Pictures

Rarely, diarrhea caused by bacterial food poisoning may be accompanied or followed by nose bleeding, body swelling, joint pains, muscle paralysis due to exaggerated body reaction to harmful bacteria.

Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may appear in children with diarrhea caused by food poisoning with Escherichia coli 0157:H7 or other bacteria. From the intestine, bacteria may enter the blood and break down red blood cells (hemolysis) that clog kidney vessels resulting in kidney failure. (Uremia refers to increased blood urea, a product of protein metabolism that cannot be successfully removed by impaired kidneys so it builds up in the blood). Symptoms: nose bleeding, pale skin with bruises, profound fatigue, fever, swelling of the face or limbs and decreased urination or blood in the urine usually develop several days after the start of diarrhea, mostly in children under 10 years of age. A child with these symptoms have to be admitted to hospital promptly. Diagnosis is made by finding low level of red cells and platelets, and bacteria in the blood sample. Treatment with blood transfusion and kidney dialysis usually results in full recovery (1). Without proper treatment permanent kidney damage or even death may follow.

continue reading Complications of Food Poisoning: Bleeding, Arthritis or Paralysis

Water and Food Poisoning Due to Bad Sanitation

Inappropriate sewage disposal may result in contamination of drinking water with human and animal stools containing viruses, bacteria and parasites. Drinking or swimming in such water is the main source of stomach and bowel infections in tropical areas.

Water contaminated with microbes is used for watering fields and this way crops get contaminated. This and improper food storing (no cooling) and bad hygiene during food preparation may result in food poisoning with bacteria or parasites.

continue reading Prevention & Treatment of Bowel Infections in Poor Tropical Areas

Stomach Problems Due to Chronic Infections

Long lasting (weeks, months) stomach pain, bloating, belching, gas and diarrhea may result from chronic infection by parasites, bacteria or, rarely, viruses or yeasts. It is good to know that there’s often no fever in these infections.

Parasites 

Intestinal parasites like giardia or hookworm may cause long term loose stools with mucusor blood and bloating. Pale skin and tiredness due to anemia (when iron can’t be absorbed properly due to intestinal y.

inflammation or  when intestinal worms suck blood from intestinal wall) are also common. Diagnosis is made by finding parasites in the stool sample (ova and parasites test). Treatment by antibiotics usually results in full recovery in few days. Infection may return when source of parasites (pets, food or water poisoning) still exists. Read more about human intestinal parasites. 

continue reading Chronic Stomach and Bowel Infections – Symptoms & Treatment

The term ‘swollen eyes‘ is often used to describe a range of eye swellings caused by a number of conditions. It is important to first differentiate whether the swelling is around the eye  (above, below or around the eyeball), a swelling of the eyelid or swelling of the eyeball itself. Other signs and symptoms may also assist with identifying the causative factors and this includes an itchy, red eye or darkening of the swelling itself as in trauma or a ‘black eye’.

continue reading Swollen Eyes & Swelling of the Eye

What is Acute Colitis and What Are Its Symptoms?

Acute colitis refers to inflammation of the colon (a part of the large intestine) that appears in few hours to days after irritation as:

• Sudden left or right side abdominal pain or cramps
• Urgency to have a bowel movement
• Diarrhea (loose bowel movements)
• Stomach swelling (bloating)
• Sometimes: bowel bleeding, fever, nausea, vomiting

continue reading Acute Colitis

Swelling (edema) of the arm is an indication of inflammation or disturbances of blood or lymph flow causing a swollen appearance of the hand, forearm or fingers. The swelling may be accompanied by other signs and symptoms which may assist with diagnosing the cause of the swollen arm.

continue reading Swollen Arm & Swelling of the Hand, Forearm, Fingers

A swollen lymph node or gland is a term commonly used to describe lymphadenopathy, a condition associated with enlarged lymph nodes in a specific area of the body (localized) or throughout the entire body (generalized lymphadenopathy). Lymphadenopathy is an indicator of a disorder affecting a certain area of the body or a generalized condition throughout the body.

continue reading Swollen Lymph Nodes, Glands – Lymphedema, Lymphadenopathy

Dental caries (tooth/teeth cavities) afflicts most of us at some point  in life and is the second most common condition in humans after the common cold and flu. A tooth cavity is the gradual breakdown of the tooth structure due to microbial growth. Erosion of the outer lining of the tooth (enamel) is followed by the destruction of  the inner layer (dentin).

A tooth cavity occurs as a result of a combination of factors.

• Food particles get trapped on and between the teeth after eating.
• Along with mucus, dead epithelial cells (from the mouth lining) and bacteria, a thin soft film, known as plaque coats the teeth.
• This provides the ideal medium for oral bacteria to feed upon food debris.
• Bacteria like Mutans streptococci and related groups, break down food particles and produce lactic acid as a byproduct. It is this lactic acid that is responsible for eroding tooth enamel and causing tooth cavities.

continue reading Dental Caries (Teeth Cavities) Cause Toothache and Jaw Pain

Swine flu , now known as the 2009 H1N1 flu, is caused by the orthomyxovirus which usually affects pigs but viral mutations allows the virus to cross species to other hosts like humans. The swine influenza virus (SIV) is another example of cross species viral infection which was previously seen with other zoonotic infections like in civets to humans (SARS or Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and from birds to humans as seen with avian (bird) flu.

Unlike SARS and bird flu, swine flu has mutated to the point where the virus can now spread from human-to-human. This current mutation is the cause of the global scare of the recent 2009 outbreak which is feared to become a pandemic.
continue reading Swine H1N1 Flu Spread-Cause, Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention