Transcript Tropical diseases

Tropical diseases
• Tropical diseases are infectious diseases that
are prevalent in or unique to tropical and
subtropical regions.
• Insects such as mosquitoes and flies are by far
the most common disease carrier
• These insects may carry a parasite, bacterium or
virus that is infectious to humans and animals.
Most often disease is transmitted by an insect
"bite", which causes transmission of the
infectious agent through blood exchange.
Vaccines are not available for any of the
diseases listed here.
Diseases
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Malaria
African trypanosomiasis
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Dengue fever
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also known as snail fever, is a parasitic disease caused by several species of flatworm in
areas with freshwater snails, which may carry the parasite. The most common form of
transmission is by wading or swimming in lakes, ponds and other bodies of water containing
the snails and the parasite. More than 200 million people worldwide are infected by
schistosomiasis.
Tuberculosis
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caused by protozoan parasites, and transmitted by the bite of certain species of sand fly.
Schistosomiasis
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a virus transmitted by mosquitoes
Leishmaniasis
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or sleeping sickness, is a parasitic disease, transmitted by the tsetse fly
(abbreviated as TB), is a bacterial infection of the lungs or other tissues, which is highly
prevalent in the world, with mortality over 50% if untreated. It is a communicable disease,
transmitted by a cough, sneeze, speak, kiss, or spit. Over one-third of the world's population
has been infected by the TB bacterium.[7]
Leprosy
Some of the strategies for controlling tropical diseases
include:
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Draining wetlands to reduce insect populations
The application of insecticides (or to a lesser extent, perhaps insect repellents) to
strategic surfaces such as: clothing, skin, buildings, insect habitats, and bed nets.
The use of a mosquito net over a bed (also known as a "bed net"), to reduce nighttime transmission, since tropical mosquitoes often feed only at night.
Use of water wells, and/or water filtration, water filters, or water treatment with water
tablets to produce drinking water free of parasites.
Development and use of vaccines to promote disease immunity
Funding and subsidizing the use of medicinal treatments to treat disease after
infection
Assisting with economic development in endemic regions. For example by providing
microloans to enable investments in more efficient and productive agriculture. This in
turn can help subsistence farming to become more profitable, and these profits can
be used by local populations for disease prevention and treatment, with the added
benefit of reducing the poverty rate.[3]
Human exploration of tropical rainforests and increased international air travel and
other tourism to tropical regions has led to an increased incidence of such
diseases.[citation needed]