Skip to main content

Home/ Groups/ Saving the World One Disease At A Time
Rss Feed
Sort By: Most Recent | Popular Filter: All | Bookmarks | Topics Simple Middle
Lauren Lai

WHO | Democratic Republic of the Congo - 0 views

www.who.int/en

shared by Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12 - Cached
  • Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12
     
    Website leading to specific information. -Contains a list of disease outbreaks -Immunization records (act of making immune) -Country statistics about random factoids -etc...
Lauren Lai

Congo Fever Outbreak - 0 views

web.uct.ac.za/...congo.html

shared by Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • Hyalomma ticks are known to transmit the disease to animals and man. There is a brief but high-titre viraemic phase in mammals, at which stage their blood is highly infectious
  • Several human outbreaks and individual cases have been reported previously in South Africa.
  • first observed in the Crimea by Russian scientists in 1944 and 1945
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • The agent was detected in the larvae and in adult ticks, as well as in the blood of patients during the fever. This agent, presumably a virus, was not maintained in the laboratory and was lost.
  • first isolated in Africa from the blood of a febrile patient in Zaire in 1956
  • The larval and nymphal stages of some species parasitize birds, including migratory birds, some of which fly from south-eastern Europe to South Africa and thus may carry the infection over long distances. To verify whether this actually happens will require further study of the ticks and their hosts in South Africa and on their way from Europe.
  • usually transmitted to man by the bite of a tick, but an increasing number of cases have occurred among the medical and nursing staff caring for patients in hospital and in laboratory personnel carrying out investigations of these patients. In these cases the infection has apparently been acquired by contagion, particularly by contact with the patient's blood or blood-contaminated specimens. Exposure to the blood of infected animals, especially cattle and sheep, has led to severe and often fatal infections.
  • In fatal cases, death from massive haemorrhage and cardiac arrest occurs, usually 7 - 9 days after the onset of the illness. Massive haemorrhage into the gastro-intestinal tract, with scattered haemorrhages into the viscera, is found at autopsy
  • The diagnosis is suggested on clinical grounds when the patient has a history of a tick bite or of exposure to ticks in the environment, and after an incubation period of 2 - 7 days develops an illness of sudden onset of muscle pains, headache fever and a rapidly evolving severe illness with the development of a haemorrhagic state with bleeding from the mucous membranes and petechiae in the skin, associated with thrombocytopenia and leucopenia
  • Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12
     
    One disease can be isolated, but once it appears in an area the whole population decreases and so do the wildlife, then it can ruin the place eternally.
Lauren Lai

allAfrica.com: Central Africa: Great Lakes Ministers to Revive Agricultural Research Ce... - 0 views

allafrica.com/...201203150252.html

shared by Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda - have agreed to revive the Institute of Agricultural and Zootechnical Research (IRAZ) to better tackle a range of plant and animal diseases.
  • countries have not been honouring their funding pledges, citing economic difficulties
  • no scientific research programme at the institute since 2009.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • recommence funding to enable the institute to carry out research into crop and animal diseases affecting the region
  • Marcel Kapambwe, an advisor to the DRC's agricultural ministry, said that, from April, each country will give around US$1.2 million every three years to the institute.
  • The ministers also set up a steering committee - comprising experts from all three countries - to develop a long-term financing mechanism for the institute.
  • Kantintima told SciDev.Net that "without agricultural and zootechnical [the technology of animal husbandry] research, agriculture and fishing would be affected and that there would be far less cattle rearing".
  • At the closing session of the January meeting, Odette Kayitesi, agricultural minister of Burundi, called for more solidarity between the three governments and urged them to make their initial contributions to IRAZ on time
  • Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12
     
    4.Organizations benefitting the Congo are easily forgotten in their dire state and can be revived with funding from neighboring countries.
Lauren Lai

Health Information for Travelers to Democratic Republic of the Congo - Travelers' Healt... - 0 views

wwwnc.cdc.gov/...mocratic-republic-of-congo.htm

shared by Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • get the following vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases you might be at risk for
  • (Note: Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities.)
  • at least 4–6 weeks before your trip
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • to allow time for your vaccines to take effect and to start taking medicine to prevent malaria
  • see a health-care provider for needed vaccines, anti-malaria drugs and other medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
  • more than one country during a single trip, be sure to let your health-care provider know so that you can receive the appropriate vaccinations and information for all of your destinations. Long-term travelers, such as those who plan to work or study abroad, may also need additional vaccinations as required by their employer or school.
  • Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life; see the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and routine adult immunization schedule
  • Direct contact with animals can spread diseases like rabies or cause serious injury or illness. It is important to prevent animal bites and scratches.Be sure you are up to date with tetanus vaccination.Do not touch or feed any animals, including dogs and cats. Even animals that look like healthy pets can have rabies or other diseases.Help children stay safe by supervising them carefully around all animals.If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound well with soap and water and go to a doctor right away. After your trip, be sure to tell your doctor or state health department if you were bitten or scratched during travel
  • To avoid infections such as HIV and viral hepatitis do not share needles for tattoos, body piercing, or injections.To reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases always use latex condoms.To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, especially on beaches where animals may have defecated
  • Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12
     
    Traveling to the Congo requires vaccines unless you would like to forever have and spread the diseases. These vaccines are recommended to be taken at least 4-6 weeks to let the vaccine set it and any other medication would be necessary.
Lauren Lai

Democratic Republic of the Congo Major infectious diseases - Demographics - 0 views

www.indexmundi.com/...major_infectious_diseases.html

shared by Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
  • Rabies - viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, most commonly dogs; virus affects the central nervous system causing brain alteration and death; symptoms initially are non-specific fever and headache progressing to neurological symptoms; death occurs within days of the onset of symptoms.
  • Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
  • travel medicine physician is needed to evaluate individual risk and recommend appropriate preventive measures
  • vectorborne diseases acquired through the bite of an infected arthropod:
  • Malaria - caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa Plasmodium; transmitted to humans via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito; parasites multiply in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in cycles of fever, chills, and sweats accompanied by anemia; death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain; endemic in 100, mostly tropical, countries with 90% of cases and the majority of 1.5-2.5 million estimated annual deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Dengue fever - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments; manifests as sudden onset of fever and severe headache; occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage leading to death in 5% of cases.
  • Yellow fever - mosquito-borne viral disease; severity ranges from influenza-like symptoms to severe hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever; occurs only in tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases are reported; fatality rate is less than 20%.Japanese Encephalitis - mosquito-borne (Culex tritaeniorhynchus) viral disease associated with rural areas in Asia; acute encephalitis can progress to paralysis, coma, and death; fatality rates 30%.
  • African Trypanosomiasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma; transmitted to humans via the bite of bloodsucking Tsetse flies; infection leads to malaise and irregular fevers and, in advanced cases when the parasites invade the central nervous system, coma and death; endemic in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa; cattle and wild animals act as reservoir hosts for the parasites.
  • Cutaneous Leishmaniasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa leishmania; transmitted to humans via the bite of sandflies; results in skin lesions that may become chronic; endemic in 88 countries; 90% of cases occur in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Peru; wild and domesticated animals as well as humans can act as reservoirs of infection.
  • Plague - bacterial disease transmitted by fleas normally associated with rats; person-to-person airborne transmission also possible; recent plague epidemics occurred in areas of Asia, Africa, and South America associated with rural areas or small towns and villages; manifests as fever, headache, and painfully swollen lymph nodes; disease progresses rapidly and without antibiotic treatment leads to pneumonic form with a death rate in excess of 50%.
  • Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever - tick-borne viral disease; infection may also result from exposure to infected animal blood or tissue; geographic distribution includes Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe; sudden onset of fever, headache, and muscle aches followed by hemorrhaging in the bowels, urine, nose, and gums; mortality rate is approximately 30%.
  • Rift Valley fever - viral disease affecting domesticated animals and humans; transmission is by mosquito and other biting insects; infection may also occur through handling of infected meat or contact with blood; geographic distribution includes eastern and southern Africa where cattle and sheep are raised; symptoms are generally mild with fever and some liver abnormalities, but the disease may progress to hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or ocular disease; fatality rates are low at about 1% of cases.
  • Chikungunya - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments, similar to Dengue Fever; characterized by sudden onset of fever, rash, and severe joint pain usually lasting 3-7 days, some cases result in persistent arthritis.
  • Leptospirosis - bacterial disease that affects animals and humans; infection occurs through contact with water, food, or soil contaminated by animal urine; symptoms include high fever, severe headache, vomiting, jaundice, and diarrhea; untreated, the disease can result in kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, or respiratory distress; fatality rates are low but left untreated recovery can take months.
  • aerosolized dust or soil contact disease acquired through inhalation of aerosols contaminated with rodent urine:
  • Lassa fever - viral disease carried by rats of the genus Mastomys; endemic in portions of West Africa; infection occurs through direct contact with or consumption of food contaminated by rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rate can reach 50% in epidemic outbreaks.
  • animal contact disease acquired through direct contact with local animals:
  • Rabies - viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, most commonly dogs; virus affects the central nervous system causing brain alteration and death; symptoms initially are non-specific fever and headache progressing to neurological symptoms; death occurs within days of the onset of symptoms.
  • Lauren Lai on 20 Apr 12
     
    The diseases from Congo have mostly been living off the polluted, poor living conditions and have spread the disease even further by the animals within the environment being the carriers and infecting areas.
Alyssa Stewart

Major infectious diseases. The World Factbook. 2008 - 0 views

www.bartleby.com/...38.html

congo animal_disease

shared by Alyssa Stewart on 20 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • Congo, Democratic Republic of thedegree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
nathan Mendez

Health Information for Travelers to Republic of the Congo - Travelers' Health - CDC - 0 views

wwwnc.cdc.gov/...congo.htm

shared by nathan Mendez on 20 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • nathan Mendez on 20 Apr 12
     
    Vaccination or Disease Recommendations or Requirements for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Routine Recommended if you are not up-to-date with routine shots, such as measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, etc. Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG) Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in countries with an intermediate or high level of hepatitis A virus infection (see map) where exposure might occur through food or water. Cases of travel-related hepatitis A can also occur in travelers to developing countries with "standard" tourist itineraries, accommodations, and food consumption behaviors. Hepatitis B Recommended for all unvaccinated persons traveling to or working in countries with intermediate to high levels of endemic HBV transmission (see map), especially those who might be exposed to blood or body fluids, have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment (e.g., for an accident). Typhoid Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in Central Africa, especially if staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where exposure might occur through food or water. Polio Recommended for adult travelers who have received a primary series with either inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) or oral polio vaccine (OPV). They should receive another dose of IPV before departure. For adults, available data do not indicate the need for more than a single lifetime booster dose with IPV. Yellow Fever Requirements: Required upon arrival from all countries for travelers ≥1 year of age. Recommendations: Recommended for all travelers ≥9 months of age. Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel and at 10-year intervals if there is on-going risk. Find an authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccination clinic. Rabies Recommended for travelers spending a lot of time outdoors, especially in r
1 - 8 of 8
Showing 20▼ items per page