As the monsoon rains sweep across the land, bringing a refreshing change to the atmosphere, they also bring with them an increased risk of waterborne diseases. Among these, dysentery stands out as a common yet preventable illness that can disrupt our daily lives.
Characterised by severe diarrhoea with blood and mucus, dysentery can lead to dehydration and other serious health complications if not managed properly. This article aims to provide you with essential tips and preventive measures to safeguard yourself and your loved ones from dysentery during the rainy season, ensuring that you can enjoy the monsoon without any health worries.
To understand how to prevent dysentery, OnlyMyHealth team interacted with Dr Kiran Dhake, MBBS, DMRE, Corporate Wellness Physician and Imaging Specialist, Mumbai.
“Dysentery is an intestinal disease caused by bacterial or parasitic infection, leading primarily to the passage of stools with blood or mucus in them and dehydration,” Dr Dhake explained.
Symptoms
- Fever
- Crampy tummy ache
- Nausea/vomiting
- Transient intolerance to milk products
- Weight loss
Causes
Before getting into preventive measures it is important to understand the causes of Dysentery. According to Dr Dhake, dysentery results from an infection affecting a large portion of the intestine due to bacteria or parasites. The route of transmission is faecal-oral, meaning the transfer of bacteria or parasites occurs when faecal matter from an infected individual enters another person’s mouth. This can happen through food contamination, water contamination, or can be transmitted through oral-anal contact.
Also read: Monsoon Woes: How To Prevent Typhoid Fever This Rainy Season?
Prevention
The risk of waterborne diseases is highly prevalent during the monsoon and post-monsoon periods. Effective management and prevention of dysentery are crucial to preventing the severe complications due to dehydration. Emphasis should be placed on the following preventive measures, safe food and water consumption, and prompt medical attention when necessary. Here are some strategies listed by Dr Dhake to prevent dysentery this monsoon:
1. Practicing consumption of safe and drinkable water
- The sustainable solution to control dysentery incidents must focus on the quality, accessibility, and availability of protected drinking water.
- Consume protected water—boiled, filtered, properly chlorinated, bottled, or canned water. Avoid drinking piped water or water/drinks sold in plastic mugs, cups, bags, or broken bottles.
- Use water that has been properly chlorinated, boiled, filtered, or bottled with unbroken seals for drinking, brushing teeth, washing and preparing food, and making ice or beverages.
- Continuously monitor the gaps in the quality of preventive services provided.
2. Healthful sanitation measures
- Sanitation protocols should be implemented at the individual and community levels to reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases.
- Hand sanitation practices: Wash hands with soap and water regularly and on the following occasions:
- Before, during, and after food preparation and handling
- Before and after feeding children
- After using the toilet
- After cleaning a child’s bottom
- After nursing someone sick with diarrhoea.
Also read: Monsoon Fever vs Dengue: Expert Explains How To Distinguish Between The Two
3. Food sanitation
- Eat foods that have been thoroughly cooked and are still hot and steaming.
- Consume fruits and vegetables that you have peeled yourself. Avoid uncooked or undercooked food, especially seafood.
- Discourage open defecation: Prolonged dwelling of human excreta in the environment and inappropriate disposal of human excreta are potential sources of contamination. Establish, promote, and educate the use of toilets or latrines with optimal sanitation facilities.
- Periodically maintain the sewage system to prevent leakage or disposal of faeces into water bodies.
- If toilet facilities are not accessible, defecate at least 30 metres away from water sources. Dispose of human excreta appropriately by burying it or placing it in plastic bags, which should be discarded in a pit at a safe distance from water sources.
4. Implementation of aseptic protocols
- Clean and disinfect cooking utensils and kitchen areas with soap and water where food is prepared. Allow the area to dry completely.
- Periodically disinfect toilet pans and other surfaces that are prone to contamination with faecal matter. Use a solution of 1 part household bleach to 9 parts water for disinfection.
- The area for bathing and washing clothes or changing diapers should be at least 30 metres (100 feet) from the drinking water source.
- Avoid coital engagement or any sort of sexual contact if affected with it.
- Educate individuals and promote the importance of environmental hygienic standards.