10 DISEASES TOILETS CAN HELP CONTROL

A range of disease-causing bugs — viruses, bacteria, protozoa and parasitic worms — found in the faeces of infected people find their way into our bodies through contaminated soil and water, and food handled by infected people

HERE ARE THE 10 DISEASES THAT INDIA COULD STAMP OUT WITH IMPROVED SANITATION

ANAEMIA, MALNUTRITION

Symptoms: Nutritional deficiencies, physical and mental stunting, fatigue, listlessness, muscle weakness

Cause: Food- and water-borne infections (diarrhoea and worm infestations) that lower nutrient absorption

Treatment: No vaccine, using oral rehydration solution (ORS)

ASCARIASIS

Symptoms: Large roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) infection blocks intestines and cause cramps

Cause: Food contaminated by human faeces or untreated wastewater

Treatment: Mebendazole or pyrantel pamoate tablets

CAMPYLOBACTERIOSIS

Symptoms: Gastrointestinal infection with severe diarrhoea (often with mucous and blood), cramps, fever, nausea and vomiting

Cause: Consuming water, undercooked meats or raw milk contaminated with bacterium Campylobacter jejuni or C. coli

Treatment: ORS therapy, antibiotics for severe infection

CHOLERA

Symptoms: Painless watery diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting from bacterium Vibrio cholera infection

Cause: Consuming food or drink contaminated with the faeces of infected persons

Treatment: ORS therapy, intravenous fluids for dehydration. Antibiotics not needed

HEPATITIS

Symptoms: Infectious hepatitis (A and E) causes fever, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal discomfort, jaundice (yellow colouring of the skin and eyes)

Cause: Consuming contaminated water or food. Hepatitis A is also transmitted though shared needles

Treatment: Vaccine available against Hepatitis A; treatment

symptomatic

LEPTOSPIROSIS

Symptoms: Fever, headache, muscle pain, jaundice, haemorrhages in skin and mucous membranes, vomiting, diarrhoea and rash

Cause: Entry through cuts, abrasions and mucous membranes (eyes, nose and mouth) on contact with contaminated fresh water (rainwater, lakes, rivers) or soil

Treatment: Antibiotics

RINGWORM OR TINEA

Symptoms: Sores on scalp, nails, feet Cause: Direct contact with infected person or animal, or things and food handled by one

Treatment: Topical anti-fungal lotions for rashes, oral anti-fungal medication

SCABIES

Symptoms: Pimple-like rash in folds of the fingers, arm, knee, penis, breast, shoulder

Cause: Spreads principally through direct skin-to-skin contact, sometimes through infested clothes and linen

Treatment: Acaricide ointment; ivermectin

TRACHOMA

Symptoms: Mild itching and irritation followed by blurred vision and eye pain

Cause: Contact with eye secretions through direct contact or flies

Treatment: Antibiotic treatment (tetracycline eye ointment, azithromycin

TYPHOID AND PARATYPHOID ENTERIC FEVERS

Symptoms: Mild to severe fever, appetite loss, headache, constipation/diarrhoea, spots on the chest area, enlarged spleen and liver. Paratyphoid has milder symptoms

Cause: Food and water handled by an infected person, sewage contaminated with salmonella typhi and salmonella paratyphi Treatment: Vaccine available, but does not give full protection; antibiotics