Health GlareEvery human being is the author of his own health or disease

Have you been wondering what an article on “Top 10 Health Tips” doing on a website dedicated to Beauty?

Are you one of those individuals who think “Top 10 Health Tips” and “Top 10 beauty Tips” are two separate concepts and need to be dealt individually? Have you been splurging an aweful lot of money trying to look “good” by getting Spa treatments, visiting Beauty Salons, Buying Designer Labels, Eating Health Foods, and yet every time you look into the mirror, you feel there’s something “lacking?”

If you think that way, you’re not the only one. Whereas most of us spend a whole lot of time, money and effort to make our skin, hair, face, hands and feet look beautiful, we often miss out on the critical role our health and wellness plays in making us look physically and mentally beautiful.

Follow these Top 10 Health Tips in your daily life to stay beautiful on the inside and outside:

1.Follow A Healthy, Balanced Diet: A balanced diet is the first step towards a beautiful, healthy body. Follow a healthy balanced diet that complements your lifestyle. An ideal diet should be high on fiber, low on fat, and must be supplemented with adequate amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. Besides knowing what to eat, it is equally important to know the right proportions, meaning how much or how little to eat. Talk to a fitness expert and find out what’s your daily calorie intake. Make food choices that have high nutritional value but are low in calories.

2.Eat Different Types Of Foods: According to Ayurveda, the Ancient Indian science of healing, rotating your food habits not only strengthens your immune system, it can also protect you from most illnesses. Try to eat vegetables and fruits of different colors each day. Try eating a different food at least thrice a month. Begin your day with an apple a day as the apple pectin cleanses the body’s digestive system by removing toxins and therefore preventing degenerative health problems such as cancer.

3.Don’t Skip Your Breakfast: Are you surprised to see how some people manage to stay so fit, energetic and active the whole time and are able to stabilize their weight while you continue to put on weight and feel exhausted most of the time? Well, chances are, they eat a good breakfast and you don’t! According to nutritionists and health experts, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and skipping your breakfast can lead to serious health problems besides adding those extra pounds as a result of binging on unhealthy snacks later in the day. Besides re-charging your energy levels, eating regular breakfast has several long-term benefits like:

• It results in faster weight loss
• Your body get more nutrients everyday
• Breakfast rich in fiber foods and wholegrain helps keep the heart healthy especially if you suffer from metabolic disorders like fluctuating blood pressure, obesity and cholesterol. It also helps stabilize blood sugar levels
• A good breakfast early in the morning sets your mood right and enables you to handle stress better
• You stay overall healthy! So begin your day with fresh fruits, fruit juices, hard-boiled eggs, wholegrain cereals and breads and stay healthy all day!

4. Drink Lots Of Water: Drinking a minimum of 7 to 8 glasses of water everyday cleanses all the impurities and toxins from your body and helps to get healthy, flawless skin.

In addition, the fluid in your body is responsible for the functioning of your internal organs including the metabolic processes.  So if you’re dehydrated, this whole process gets affected and your body tends to slow down leaving you feeling low and lethargic.

5. Exercise Regularly: Who does not dream of getting those six-pack abs? Besides making you look sexy and popular, regular exercising is also the best natural “anti-aging” recipe because it helps you stay and feel young by raising your energy levels, stabilizing your body weight, and enhancing flexibility, which reduces the wear and tear in your body.

You don’t need to exercise for hours everyday, just take 15-20 minutes off your busy schedule everyday to sweat out that pot-belly or burn those extra-pounds that have been making it difficult for you to get into your favorite outfit! If you can’t, make one of these a part of your routine: take the stairs instead of elevators and escalators to climb; Make it a habit to walk about 15 minutes everyday. If holistic healing is your thing, enroll yourself for yoga classes. If not, go swimming, take aerobics lessons or start shaking a leg or two at the local dance academy-whatever keeps you going, juts do it! If you’re into sports, you can make it part of your fitness routine.

Remember, your external fitness is only a reflection of your inner fitness and a beautiful, healthy body reflects a fit, healthy mind.

6. Quit Smoking: Okay, so you’ve heard this countless times from your doctor, but here it comes again as one of our most important health tip-Quit Smoking! If you’re one of those people who smoke to lose or gain weight, we’d stay think again! While smoking may have been related to an increase in metabolism, it is certainly not a good enough reason to substitute it with the huge risk of dying from lung cancer!

If that doesn’t make you change your mind, this will. Recent studies have proved that smoking is also one of the leading factors that stimulate the process of aging in both men and women. So say no to cigarettes and stay young and healthy for the rest of your life!

7. Say No To Stress: We know what you’re thinking-easier said than done! Agreed, but leading a stressful life can only make matters worse. On the other hand, leading a relaxed, stress-free life will not only reduce the risks of health related disorders, it will also calm you down and let you enjoy your life better.

While planning your day, strike a balance between home and work. If you have trouble remembering things-make a list of all the “things-to-do” before going to bed each night or simply set a “reminder” in your cell phone so you don’t have to run around at the last minute. Staying positive and thinking happy thoughts is one of the most effective stress buster technique you can easily follow in your daily life.

Spend atleast 15 minutes doing something you love and enjoy each day. It could be a simple activity, like cuddling up in bed by yourself and watching a funny movie, enjoying a glass of your favorite wine, socializing with friends, reading, sweating it out at the gym, pampering yourself with a stress-releasing body massage, soaking in a hot tub, taking a stroll on the beach, playing with your dog, listening to your favorite music or simply lazing around and doing nothing!

8. Take Care Of Your Teeth: Remember the phrase “million dollar smile?” Well, your teeth have a lot to do with your smile and they can make or break your looks depending on how much or how little you’ve cared for them over the years! Dental health is an important aspect of your overall heath. One of the best ways to have healthy teeth, prevent gum-related infections and protect your heart is by flossing your teeth every day. Few of us know that gum infections if left untreated can cause inflammatory reactions in the body, which can lead to stroke and heart ailments.

9. Sleep Well: A good 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a must for our body to reboot itself and feel energetic next day. Lack of sleep affects our hormone levels and slows down metabolism often resulting in weight gain. Studies have shown that deep, uninterrupted sleep helps cell growth and cell repair, which can increase the metabolism and help in burning calories. If you suffer from sleeplessness, try some of these simple remedies:

• Avoid alcohol before going to bed
• Stay away from stimulants like coffee, tea and chocolates before going to sleep
• Regularize your sleeping habit
• Keep your bedroom clean and uncluttered; Use decors and furnishing with peaceful and soothing colors
• Avoid taking longer daytime naps
• Follow relaxation techniques (for ex-meditation) to reduce stress

Keep Your Brain Active: Keeping your mind in “good shape” is just as vital as taking care of your physical health, so be sure to indulge your brain on a daily basis. An idle mind is not only the devil’s workshop, often the feeling of “aimlessness” or “nothingness” can cause boredom and can lead to depression and anxiety-related disorders.

One way to keep your brain engaged and busy is to constantly challenge yourself with new ideas and by learning new skills. Studies have shown than an active brain makes new connections between nerve cells that help cells communicate with one another. This allows our brain to store and access information easily, regardless of our age. Try some of these activities to keep your mind active and free from boredom:

• Learn to play a new musical instrument
• Learn a new language
• Indulge in crossword puzzles
• Play scrabble with a friend
• Participate in discussions and forums
• Maintain a blog and update it daily
• Switch careers or make a new beginning
• Read books on unfamiliar topics
• Pursue a new hobby
• Stay aware about what’s going on in the world

Follow these “Top 10 Health Tips” to stay physically and mentally beautiful for the rest of your life. Remember-”Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!”

Signs & Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Dengue fever (DF), a benign acute febrile syndrome, has been called the most vital mosquito-transmitted viral disease. It is caused by one of four closely related virus serotypes (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4), of the genus Flavivirus. Each serotype is antigenically distinct, so there is no cross-protection, and epidemics caused by multiple serotypes (hyperendemicity) can occur. The infectious disease is transmitted to humans by the bite of mosquitoes, most commonly Aedes aegypti. Dengue disease is sometimes called break-bone fever because it causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking.

In some cases of dengue, the virus may cause increased vascular permeability that leads to a bleeding diathesis (unusual susceptibility to bleeding) or disseminated intravascular coagulation (clots) (DIC) known as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). DHF is characterised by hemorrhage and shock called dengue shock syndrome (DSS).

The first outbreak of Dengue fever epidemics occurred in 1779-1780 in Asia, Africa, and North America. Its viral etiology and mode of transmission through mosquitoes were not established until the early 20th century. A pandemic of dengue began in Southeast Asia in 1950s after World War II and has spread around the globe since then. By 1975, this mosquito-borne disease had become a frequent cause of hospitalization and child mortality in several Asian and South American countries.

During the past few decades, epidemics of dengue fever are causing concern in several South-East Asian countries including India. In India, the dengue virus was first isolated in 1945. Delhi had outbreaks of dengue virus infection due to different dengue virus types in 1967, 1970, 1982 and 1988. During these epidemics no cases of DHF/DSS were reported except some cases in 1988. In 1996, a major outbreak of dengue hemorrhagic fever was reported in Delhi.

Signs & Symptoms

Dengue infection can cause a spectrum of illness ranging from mild, undifferentiated fever often to 104-105 degrees Fahrenheit. There may be severe headache, retro-orbital (behind the eye) pain, joint and muscle pains. A flat, bright red rash may appear first on the lower limbs and the chest and it spreads to cover most of the body early during the fever. A second rash, measles-like in appearance, appears later in the disease. There may also be gastritis with some combination of associated abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Infected people may have increased skin sensitivity and are very uncomfortable. Some cases develop much milder symptoms, which can, when no rash is present, be misdiagnosed as a flu or other viral infection. Generally, younger children have a milder illness than older children and adults. The classic dengue fever lasts about six to seven days, with a smaller peak of fever at the trailing end of the fever. Dengue fever should not be confused with Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), which is a separate disease and frequently fatal.

The symptoms of the deadly complicated Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) includes bleeding from the nose, gums, or under the skin, causing purplish bruises, thrombocytopenia (reduced platelet count) and plasma leakage. In Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) all the above signs will appear plus circulatory failure, hypotension for age and low pulse pressure. DHF and DSS are potentially deadly but patients with early diagnosis and appropriate therapy can recover. DHF requires continuous monitoring of vital signs and urine output. DSS is a medical emergency that requires intensive care unit hospitalisation

The increase in dengue mortality is considered to be a reflection of the increase in the proportion of DF patients who develop DHF/DSS.

Treatment

Once a person acquires dengue, the key to survival is early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The mainstay of treatment is supportive therapy. Risk factors for dengue hemorrhagic fever include age, immune status, as well as the type of infecting virus. Persons who were previously infected with one or more types of dengue virus, if infected again, are thought to be at greater risk for developing DHF.

There is no specific treatment for dengue. Patients must take rest, drink plenty of fluids and are encouraged to keep up oral intake, especially of oral fluids. If they are unable to maintain oral intake, supplementation with intravenous fluids may be necessary to prevent dehydration and significant hemoconcentration (decrease of the fluid content of the blood, with resulting increase in its concentration). They should be kept away from mosquitoes for the protection of others. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is treated by replacing lost fluids. Some patients need transfusions to control bleeding. .

Prevention

The best way to prevent dengue fever is to take special precautions to avoid contact with mosquitoes. Using personal protection like mosquito repellents on skin and clothing, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants etc will help to prevent mosquito bites. Mosquito abatement programs may reduce the risk of infection, but vaccination is the only sure method of prevention.

Eliminate mosquito breeding sites around homes. Discard items like buckets, tyres, food cans etc that can collect rain or run-off water. Regularly change the water in outdoor bird baths and pet and animal water containers.

Symptoms | Transmission | Prevention| Treatment

Swine flu, a respiratory disease of the pigs is caused by Type A influenza virus. Normally, the virus as such, does not infect humans. But periodic cases have been reported usually in people who have had close contact with pigs, and there have been rare cases where the disease has spread from humans to other humans.

But, the infection OR the virus strain keeps changing constantly, the resultant virus infecting humans and proving to be fatal. It is one such mutation that is spreading fast globally in recent times.

The recent outbreak in Mexico has been caused by a new strain of the Type A influenza virus subtype H1N1 that contains DNA that is typically found in avian, swine and human viruses. It is genetically different from the fully human H1N1 seasonal influenza virus that has been circulating globally for the past few years. The new virus mixes genetic material from birds, pigs and humans. The resulting new strain or hybrid with an unidentified mutation as yet, has the ability to pass from person to person with ease, as people have no natural defenses against it. It spreads like any other flu, through coughing and sneezing, and may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions and has proved to be fatal.

In Mexico, where the outbreak was first detected in March 2009, the flu has claimed over 100 lives and the alarming part is that most victims are healthy adults between the ages of 20 and 50. Besides Mexico and the US, the flu has spread to over 70 countries worldwide infecting more than 2,00,000 people. USA, where the most number of cases are detected, reports nearly 50,000 infected cases and around 500 deaths. US diagnosed their first case on April 2009 in two children in San Diego county, California. As of June 2009, the World Health Organisation raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 in response to the ongoing global spread of the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. A ‘Phase 6′ designation indicates that a global pandemic is underway. India which reported 14 cases of infection in June 2009, now has over 1000 cases with 15 casualties, and the number is keeping on increasing at an alarming rate.

Though not as widespread as of now, cases of Swine flu of different strains have been reported in the US,  in 1976 at New Jersey, with more than 200 cases with serious illness and one death, and another death had been reported in 1988 at Wisconsin. Major genetic changes in the Influenza A virus have caused Pandemics or epidemics in the past, such as the Spanish flu in 1918 infecting approx 500 million people and causing 50 million deaths, Asian flu in 1957 killing approx 2million people and Hong Kong flu has claimed approx 1million in 1968.

Symptoms :

The symptoms are the same as that of common flu. Fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue etc are commonly noticed. Diarrhea and vomiting have also been reported with swine flu. Swine flu infection can vary from mild to severe. At times it can lead to serious complications developing pneumonia, respiratory failure and even death as have been reported  in cases during 1976 and 1988 in the United States. Seek emergency medical care if you experience shortness of breath, sudden dizziness, severe vomiting, fever with rashes, pressure in the chest or abdomen, confusion etc. People at higher risk of serious complications include people age 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, or people infected with HIV.

Transmission :

It spreads like any other flu, through coughing and sneezing. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs could spread when a person touches something / or some surface that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. It can also spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from infected people on any surface and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands. Infected people are able to infect others 1 day before their own symptoms develop, and up to 7 or more days after they are infected. Young children may be infectious for longer periods. Unlike common belief swine influenza does not spread from eating pork or pork products. Once infected, people should confine themselves to their home and limit contact with others, generally for just over 7 days, to avoid further transmission to others.

Prevention :

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on any surface which people use commonly. So washing with soap and warm water frequently and thoroughly for a few seconds, or cleaning with alcohol-based hand cleaner will go a long way in preventing contamination. Keeping away from the immediate area of an outbreak is a must in prevention. Wearing surgical masks while traveling to infected areas, covering your nose and mouth with a tissue especially when you cough or sneeze, avoiding unnecessary touching of nose, mouth and eyes; avoiding close contact with sick people are some of the precautions you could take. Once infected, people should confine themselves to their home and limit contact with others, generally for just over 7 days, to avoid further transmission to others. Try to be in good general health by having nutritious food, enough rest and drinking plenty of water, cause weak people are likely to catch infections quickly.

Treatment :

Scientists are working on a ’seed’ stock that could be made into a vaccine if necessary. But mass production of a vaccine would take months to develop. So for now there is no vaccine available for protection against swine flu. Meanwhile taking antiviral drugs will help to contain the flu as well as prevent it from leading to serious complications. It is best to take the drugs in the early stages of infection say within 2 days of infection. Drugs such as Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or Zanamivir (Relenza) appears to be effective against this virus. However taking them as a precautionary measure before actually getting the infection is not good, as some forms of flu viruses have a tendency to develop resistance to the drugs. Antiviral medications also have side effects; Tami flu can cause headaches and gastrointestinal symptoms. Relenza which comes as an inhaling powder can be irritating to people with asthma.

Avian Influenza | Symptoms | Spreading | Prevention | Treatment | Do’s and Don’ts

Avian influenza, more commonly known as bird flu is a contagious viral infection which can affect all species of birds. This infectious disease is caused by type A strain of the influenza virus. There are about fifteen subtypes of influenza viruses. Influenza A (H5N1) is a subtype of the Type A influenza virus. Wild waterfowl are the main carriers of this virus and can be responsible for the primary introduction of infection into domestic poultry. When avian influenza spreads to poultry or other birds, it can cause more severe diseases. Avian influenza viruses that cause no obvious disease in waterfowl can be highly pathogenic in domestic poultry. Among domestic poultry species, turkeys are more commonly infected than chickens. All birds are thought to be susceptible to infection with avian influenza, though some species are more resistant to infection.

The virus was first isolated from birds (terns) in South Africa in 1961. Outbreaks of avian influenza have been recognised in poultry flocks in most countries of the world for many years. If the disease is severe, outbreaks are eradicated by slaughtering all birds in affected flocks. Avian influenza A (H5N1) was first recognised in 1997 in Hong Kong; millions of chickens were slaughtered after the virus was found to cause disease in people exposed to infected birds. This was the first time that the avian influenza virus had ever been found to transmit directly from birds to humans. During this outbreak, 18 people were affected, with six deaths and the outbreak was halted in Hong Kong by slaughter of the chickens. Prior to the above case, avian influenza  usually caused only mild symptoms, such as pink eye. In 2003, H7N7 avian influenza affected poultry flocks in the Netherlands, leading to one human death amongst 83 affected people. The outbreak was halted by culling affected flocks.

H5N1 has recently re-emerged in many Asian countries in slightly altered form. The disease have been confirmed among poultry in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Millions of poultry have been slaughtered. The disease has also infected humans in Vietnam and Thailand and deaths have been reported.

Symptoms

Signs of the disease range from a mild infection with no symptoms to a severe epidemic that kills up to 100 per cent of infected birds. The symptoms can vary from a mild disease with little or no mortality to a highly fatal, rapidly spreading epidemic (highly pathogenic avian influenza) depending on the infecting virus strain, host factors, and environmental stressors. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, ruffled feathers, swelling of the skin under the eyes, blisters on the combs, swollen heads, nervous signs like depression, and diarrhea. Decreased food consumption and drops in egg production are among some of the earliest and most predictable signs of disease. In some cases, birds die rapidly without clinical signs of disease.

Avian influenza A viruses do not usually infect humans; only people who come into contact with birds are at risk. Subtypes of the influenza A virus known as (H5N1) and (H9N2) have been known to infect humans. The symptoms of avian influenza in humans are akin to those of human influenza,  fever, fatigue, malaise, myalgia, sore throat, cough and in severe cases pneumonia. Conjunctivitis is seen in some patients.

Spreading

Certain water birds act as hosts of avian influenza virus by carrying the virus in their intestinal tract and shedding it in their feces. Infected birds shed virus in saliva, nasal secretions and feces. Avian influenza viruses are transmitted to susceptible birds through inhalation of influenza particles in nasal, respiratory and fecal material from infected birds; however, fecal-to-oral transmission is the most common mode of spread. Live bird markets have also played an important role in the spread of epidemics.

The avian influenza virus can remain viable for long periods of time at moderate temperatures, and can survive indefinitely in frozen material. As a result, the disease can be spread through improper disposal of infected carcasses, manure, or poultry by-products.

Transmission of Avian influenza A from birds to humans is a rare event; but it may spread to humans, when they come into contact with the droppings of infected birds. Although it was not possible to establish how every case became infected, it is most likely that the individuals who contracted avian flu did so directly through exposure to chickens. However, if the virus were to mutate or combine with a human flu virus, it could start spreading from person to person. The human flu virus can spread more easily than the SARS virus. There is no evidence that the virus can survive in well cooked meat.

Prevention

Infected birds shed virus in the first two weeks of infection. Four weeks after infection, virus can no longer be detected. Hence, prevention is best accomplished by preventing contact between newly infected and susceptible birds. Preventing direct contact with free-flying birds and protecting domestic poultry from contact with the feces of wild birds is an important way to prevent avian influenza. Countries across Asia are battling to stop the spread of the disease by culling poultry.

The quarantining of infected farms and destruction of infected or potentially exposed flocks are standard control measures aimed at preventing the spread of the virus in a country’s poultry population. Apart from being highly contagious, avian influenza viruses are readily transmitted from farm to farm by mechanical means, such as by contaminated equipment, vehicles, feed, cages, or clothing. Highly pathogenic viruses can survive for long periods in the environment, especially when temperatures are low. In the absence of prompt control measures backed by good surveillance, the epidemic can last for years. Any object located on an infected poultry farm must be considered contaminated and should be completely cleaned and disinfected before it is moved from that premises.

Influenza viruses are very sensitive to most detergents and disinfectants. They are readily inactivated by heating and drying. However, flu viruses are well-protected from inactivation by organic material and infectious virus can be recovered from manure for up to 105 days. Complete removal of all organic material is part of any effective disinfection procedure. All buildings should be cleaned and disinfected after an infected flock is removed. The poultry litter should be composted before being used as manure to cultivated lands.

Contaminated houses are to be  heated for several days to inactivate virus. Organic material should be removed followed by complete cleaning and disinfection of all surfaces. Contaminated litter and manure is problematic and should be composted to ensure that it does not spread infectious virus.

Treatment

There is no effective treatment for avian influenza. Good husbandry, proper nutrition and broad spectrum antibiotics may reduce  secondary infections. It must be remembered that recovered flocks continue to intermittently shed the virus.

Diagnosis of avian influenza may be made on the basis of symptoms and events leading to the disease. However, since the symptoms and course of avian influenza are similar to other diseases, laboratory diagnosis is essential.

Avian influenza in humans can be detected reliably with standard influenza tests. Antiviral drugs are clinically effective in both preventing and treating the disease.

Recently discovered anti-viral drug, Tamiflue is considered as the only possible defense against an outbreak of human to human avian flue. A chemical compound called shikimic acid is the basic material for making Tamiflue drug. The acid is extracted from a spice named star anise, which is harvested in China, North Vietnam and neighbouring countries. The drug has proved effective against the lethal H5N1 strain of the bird flu. The drug will not prevent the Avian flue but it can reduce the severity of the disease.

Vaccines, however, take at least four months to be made and must be prepared for each subtype. Once the disease has been detected and reported, stringent disease control measures must be taken.

Do’s and Don’ts

The danger is greater if human beings inhale the infected material or come into contact with bird droppings.

Do not eat or handle undercooked or raw poultry, egg or duck dishes

Don’t go to poultry farms and markets where birds are sold when there is an outbreak of the epidemic.Avoid unnecessary contact with Bird Flu infected animals or humans.

Wear full protective equipment when cleaning suspected Bird Flu infected animal enclosures, particularly chicken pens.

Boil all suspected Bird Flu contaminated drinking water, especially drinking water. Water collected from house roofs or open ponds, lakes and rivers maybe infected from bird droppings. Do not bathe or swim in open ponds, lakes or rivers where water birds gather.
Do not transport live or dead chickens, ducks or other poultry from one place to another even if you think your birds are healthy.

check your temperature for 7 days at least once daily. If you develop a high temperature (>37.5°C), visit a doctor or the nearest health care facility immediately.

Make sure to keep children away from dead or sick poultry.

Dead birds and their faeces should be buried safely. Try to avoid generating dust while burying

It is advisable to avoid frozen food as the bird flu virus can survive for a long time.

Always use masks, goggles, gloves, gown and cap when near infected patients and always wash hands with alcohol afterwards (even light bleach followed by soap if no alcohol is available).

Stay at least 1 to 2 metres away from a suspected infected person when talking.

Always sterilise all clothing and other objects that have been in the same room or area as an infected person, bird or animal.

People who have flu-like illness should take additional precautions.

All food should be thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 70°C or above.

Sars the mysterious epidemic spread fear, infected over 8000 people and claimed the lives of more than 10% of its victims around the world in about four to five months it was active. The disease is identified as a global health threat by the World Health Organisation. Scientists and Public Health authorities fear a possible recurrence of the disease from people or animals who harbour the virus especially with the onset of cold and flu season.

What is Sars ?

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is an infectious disease of the respiratory system characterized by a typical inflammation of the lungs. It is a serious form of pneumonia, resulting in acute respiratory distress and sometimes death. This viral respiratory illness is caused by a new member of the coronavirus family, called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV).

Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that are responsible for more than one third of the common cold cases and cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory illness in humans. They are associated with respiratory, gastrointestinal, liver and neurological disease in animals. Corona viruses so called because of their spiky crown of protein globules have a halo or crown-like (corona) appearance when viewed under a microscope. The virus labeled as SARS-CoV, is believed to be a new strain of the  common coronavirus, which have mutated into a deadlier form that triggers the killer pneumonia. Once inside a human host, the pathogen can be virulent. It  causes high fever and creates an ‘inflammatory storm’ as the body’s immune system attempts to fight it off, causing lung tissue to swell and in the final, brutal stages, suffocating the host. The severity of the illness is highly variable, ranging from mild illness to death.

Origin

SARS was first reported in China, Asia on February 26, 2003. The epidemic that swept out of Southern China is believed to have originated from exotic live animals such as Civet cats which seems to have spread it to humans. Scientists believe that the conditions in animal markets in China, such as the sprawling Xinyuan Market in Guangzhou city in Southern China where rows of exotic animals in cages are displayed for sale and killed are such that, it allow germs to multiply, mutate and migrate from one species to another. It may have been from such markets that the virus first spread. SARS-like viruses were discovered in palm civets at another southern Chinese market in May. Follow-up studies have found additional clues that suggest a link between SARS and civets.

Sars was first diagnosed in a 48-year-old businessman who had traveled from the Guangdong province of China, through Hong Kong, to Hanoi, Vietnam and identified as a new disease by World Health Organization (WHO) physician Dr. Carlo Urbani who himself later succumbed to the disease in late March. Over the next few months of its discovery, it had infected thousands of people and the illness spread to more than two dozen countries in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, and North and South America. According to the WHO, a total of 8,098 people worldwide became sick with SARS; of these, 774 died. SARS cases spread world wide through travelers returning from other parts of the world with SARS. The WHO has hence identified SARS as a global health threat.

Symptoms and Effects

SARS in its early stage has the same symptoms as in an early case of influenza. The disease starts with a fever that can be as mild as 100.4 degrees. Sufferers may have body, head or muscle aches accompanied with a general feeling of discomfort, some may even get diarrhea. After three to seven days, the person may develop a dry, non-productive cough that might be accompanied by or progress to the point of difficulty in breathing, where insufficient oxygen is getting to the blood. At this stage, most patients develop pneumonia.

The incubation period is usually between two and ten days, although there have been documented cases where the onset of illness was considerably faster or slower. Levels of the virus is highest in patients 10 days into the illness. The severity of illness might be highly variable, ranging from mild illness to death. Of those infected, the effects are more harmful in the elderly or those with pre-existing medical conditions.

Spreading :

According to the WHO, the coronavirus, though it can spread quickly, is actually less contagious than the average influenza virus in the sense that the virus doesn’t spread as easily through air as other germs. SARS can spread from close person-to-person contact mainly through respiratory droplet contact. When droplets from the cough or sneeze of an infected person gets deposited on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, or eyes of persons who are nearby, they may get infected. The virus also can spread when a person touches a surface or object contaminated with infectious droplets and then touches his or her mouth, nose, or eye(s). Contact with bodily secretions from an infected person may also possibly cause infection. Patients are most infectious 10 days into the illness, well after their first fever symptoms when the level of the virus is highest inside the body.

According to Scientists, the virus can last outside the human body for only a few hours unless the temperature is below freezing. SARS virus may live on hands, tissues, and other surfaces for up to 6 hours in respiratory droplets and up to 3 hours after the droplets have dried. Live virus had even been found in the stool of people with SARS, where it has been shown to live for up to four days. And the virus may be able to live for months or years when the temperature is below freezing.

Once inside a human host, the virus attaches itself to a healthy host cell’s outer membrane, injects itself into the cell and then discards its own outer shell flooding the host with viral material. Then the virus particle replicates itself by borrowing the host cell’s cellular material. New virus particles multiply within the host cell which often bursts open and dies. The replicated virus particles thus released begin attacking other healthy cells. The deadly process continues. Levels of the virus is highest in patients 10 days into the illness. Of those infected, the effects are more harmful in the elderly or those with pre-existing medical conditions.

Diagnosis and Treatment :

SARS in its early stage has the same symptoms as in an early case of influenza. So it is difficult to distinguish between the two based on clinical symptoms. A few helpful clues for doctors is that SARS patients don’t usually have sore throats or runny noses, and in most cases chest X-rays turn up telltale signs of pneumonia.

No rapid, reliable diagnostic tests yet exists for SARS. Antibody tests which search for the immune systems response to the virus in the serum of a patient are still the only accurate way to check whether the patient is infected or not. But this test is useful only 12-21 days into the infection. Other tests for detecting SARS virus is the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and direct Sars virus isolation. In these tests, samples of  blood, stool, nasal secretions or tissue or fluid are taken from infected persons and the genes of the virus is allowed to multiply itself in the laboratory thus detecting/isolating the SARS-CoV. This test is useful as soon as the patient is infected, but the problem is, an infected person in his early stages harbour only a very small amount of the SARS virus which may not be enough and it is extremely difficult to improve the sensitivity of PCR tests. Some other tests able to detect Sars rapidly within a few days are being developed by top research organisations.

At present no specific treatment is recommended as the most efficient for SARS. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) currently recommends that patients with SARS receive the same treatment that would be used for any patient with serious community-acquired typical pneumonia. Such treatment may include antibiotics, fluids, analgesics for pain, Oxygen and respiratory support. Patients may be isolated in rooms with negative air pressure. Some of them will require mechanical ventilation. In several locations, treatment includes administration of antiviral agents such as oseltamivir or ribavirin and the Aids drug Kaletra on SARS confirmed patients which cuts the ability of the SARS-CoV to replicate itself.  Interferons, proteins used to guard against infection of healthy cells and prevent the virus from multiplying, may also be used for treatment. Steroids have also been administered orally or intravenously to patients in combination with ribavirin and other antimicrobials. But too much use of Ribavirin have serious side effects including breaking down of blood vessels. Steroids too is useful only in the later stages of SARS to fight lung injury, if given too early it might prolong viral replication. The SARS-CoV is being tested against various antiviral drugs to see if an effective treatment can be found.

Prevention :

Minimizing contact with people with SARS minimizes the risk of the disease. Direct contact with people with SARS should be avoided until at least 10 days after the fever and other symptoms are gone. A preventive vaccine is still not available and not expected to be available for at least three years.

Rigorous and early isolation of patients, tracing and isolation of their family members or people who have been in contact with them is critical in containing the disease. Using simple preventive measures like hand-washing frequently with an alcohol based instant hand sanitizer and using appropriate face masks and goggles are useful for preventing the spread of the disease. Masks are available in tissue which gets moistened within an hour and gauze through which particles can pass through, both of which are next to useless. Surgical masks and N95 heavy duty masks are the best to keep out the virus particles.

Respiratory secretions should be considered to be infectious, which means no sharing of food, drink, or utensils. Commonly touched surfaces can be cleaned with an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved disinfectant, though no disinfectant have been proved to have the ability to kill the new coronavirus associated with SARS.  Gloves might be used in handling potentially infectious secretions.

Travelers going to or people living in an area with SARS should wash their hands frequently and use appropriate face masks. People should take care to cover their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. Health workers who are more susceptible to the disease (around 20% of Sars cases were health workers) should make sure that they have the right equipment to protect themselves, including surgical masks, gowns, gloves and eye shields etc and use them while examining patients with respiratory symptoms. In hospitals, patients with respiratory symptoms should be given surgical masks and asked to wear them and wait in a separate area away from others. In case of a resurgence, schools, business etc should be closed, mass transit should be avoided and border checks may be done of travelers leaving and entering the country.

Chikungunya, also known as Chicken Guinea, is a rare form of viral infection caused by an alphavirus that is spread by the mosquitoes of genus Aedes i.e. Aedes Aegypti, Aedes Albopicticus (Tiger mosquito). The name of the disease is derived from the word ‘Swahili’, a language spoken in East Africa meaning ‘that which bends up’, reflecting the physique of a person suffering from the disease. Chikungunya virus is highly-infective and disabling. It is possible for a person to have Chikungunya and Dengue fever together at the same time because the infected Aedes mosquito can carry both the viruses.

The disease which is most prevalent in urban areas was first isolated in the year 1952, in the Makonde plateau, along the border between Tanzania and Mozambique. The disease was first described by Marion Robinson and W.H.R. Lumsden in 1955. Since then, the virus has caused several epidemics in Asia, including Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Burma, and Sri Lanka. In India, the first outbreak of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was recorded in Kolkata in1963. It was followed by epidemics in Chennai, Pondicherry, and Vellore in 1964; Visakhapatnam, Rajmundry, and Kakinada in1965; Nagpur in1965; and Barsi in 1973. Recently, in 2006 a massive outbreak of the CHIKV was reported in different parts of India affecting lakhs of people. Though Chikungunya is not considered to be fatal, deaths have been reported, directly or indirectly related to this disease .

Symptoms

The symptoms of Chikungunya are very similar to those of dengue fever, except that there is no hemorrhagic or shock syndrome form. The incubation period is usually 1-12 days- that means the disease manifests 1 to 12 days after the bite of the mosquito. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection can cause a debilitating illness characterized by high fever which can reach up to 104 degree Fahrenheit. There will be a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms, including severe headache, chills, rash, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain and joint pain. The normal symptoms persist usually upto 3 days but in a few cases, they may be upto 2 weeks. The joints of the extremities will become swollen and painful to touch and because of this, the disease has been classified among the Arthritic Viruses. Platelet Count in the body decrease till the disease persist. A condition known as Nuetropenia occurs at times. It is a condition in which the antibodies destroy the nuetrophils which are important white blood cells that help fight infection. Children, pregnant women and person under stress will be prone for more serious form of the complications

Treatment

Laboratory confirmation is important to detect Chikungunya, since the clinical appearance of both chikungunya and dengue are similar. CHIKV is usually diagnosed by blood tests.

There is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine available for chikungunya. Each victim had to be given separate treatment based on symptoms. Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may help to ease symptoms of fever and aching. The patients had to take adequate rest and drink plenty of fluids
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Preventive Measures

The best way to avoid CHIKV infection is to prevent mosquito bites. Infected persons should be isolated from further mosquito exposure in order to avoid transmission of infection to other people.

Stagnating water, a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, is the main cause for the scattering of the disease. Preventive measures for controlling proliferation of mosquitoes are eliminating stagnant water, getting rid of containers like food cans, used tyres, buckets, barrels etc which will retain water in the outdoor surroundings, covering water tanks properly etc.

Other precautions are
* wear long sleeved clothes that will cover arms and legs for for protection against mosquitoes
* use mosquito repellent products or nets
* use insect repellents over the exposed parts of the body
* secure screens on windows and doors