Diseases in Africa

Caused by mosquito bites People experience fever, chill, headaches, and flu-like illness Each yeah, million cases occur –Over one million die –Most are children in Sub- Saharan Africa Could be prevented by using bednets (preferably insecticide treated), insecticides, wearing clothes that cover most of the body, or antimalarial drugs –But no specific vaccine Can develop in 7 days or several months Malaria

Countries in Africa Afflicted with Malaria All countries south of the Sahara

Yellow Fever Caused by mosquito bites Range from self-limited fever to severe hepatitis and a fever that causes blood discharge No specific treatment Fatality rate = 20%

Countries Angola Benin Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Central Africa Republic Chad Cote d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Rwanda Sierra Leone Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Somalia Sudan Tanzania Togo Uganda In Sub- Saharan Africa

Dengue Fever Transmitted by mosquitoes Occurs to 3 – 14 days High fevers, severe frontal headaches, joint/muscle pain, vomiting, and rash that can spread from torso to the arms, legs and face –Occasionally No vaccine

Typhoid Fever Spread by eating food/beverages that is contaminated with Salmonella Typhi (S. Thyphi) Persistant high fever (103 – 104), headache, anorexia, rash spots 22 million cases a year –200,0000 die a year Two vaccines –Oral live (capsule) –Shot –Protect 50%-80% of people

Cholera Spread by contaminated food, fecal contamination in water Watery diarrhea, vomiting, circulatory collapse –Leads to rapid loss of body fluids –Without treatment, death can occur in hours Two oral vaccines (not available in the US) Rehydration is main treatment – Oral rehydration salts

Hepatitis A Viral infection of the liver Fever, anorexia, nausea, malaise Can be transmitted by direct person-to-person contact, contaminated water/food, uncooked food Two vaccines –Both shots B Fever, anorexia, malaise, nausea Transmitted by unprotected sex with a HBV infected partner, contaminated needles used for injection of drugs/hospitals, unscreened blood transfusions Two Vaccine –Both shots

AIDS/HIV HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Damages the immune system (which allow certain cancers to develop) Transmitted by sexual contact, using contaminated syringes, using infected blood –Many women with child bearing HIV will pass it to the infant Recognized in 1981 Nearly 40 million people are affected worldwide

Schistosomiasis Spread by larvae from infected snails that can penetrate unbroken skin, brief exposure to contaminated water Fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, weakness/joint and muscle pain, diarrhea, nausea –Few cases produce seizures or disease in the liver, kidney, lung, intestinal tract, and bladder No vaccine

Tuberculosis Transmitted airborne (person infected coughs and spreads to other people in the same space) –The germs can stay in the air for hours depending on the environment Weight loss, fever, night sweats, chest pain, coughing of blood Affects the lungs, brain, or spine Take several drugs for 6 – 12 months –If directions are not specifically followed, person could become sick again or resistant to the drug

Rabies Transmitted by an animal bite that has the virus Last 1 – 3 months Paralysis and spasms of muscles stimulated by the sight, sound, or perception or water –Convulsions can happen, which is quickly followed by coma and death Immunization works until 72 hours have past No treatment will work after development of symptoms –Extremely rare cases of recovery

Trachoma Spread from person to person (child to child/mother to child), eye-seeking flies Disease is caught at an early age, effects are not shown until adulthood Swollen eyelids, turned-in eyelashes –Scarring of cornea –Left untreated, irreversible blindness Six million people worldwide are blind because of this –More than 150 million are in need of treatment Oral antibiotics and in certain cases eyelid surgery