Swine Flu :How to Protect yourself

preventive measures for Swine flu—

1. The first preventive measure is to avoid contact with the pigs (swine). If you have pigs in your area then please inform the local municipal office so that he can take care of those pigs by keeping them isolated.

2. Swine flu is communicable disease, so use the face masks to protect from the swine flu antigens.

3. Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using tissue when possible. Dispose this tissue by using only once.

4. Avoid visiting the crowded places like theaters and prayer halls. This can be the spreading ground for Swine flu

5. Maintain good hygiene. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of virus. It would be better if you use alcohol sanitizers or Dettol for washing hands.

6. Take a special care of children because they easily get infected with the Swine flu. It is okay if you don’t send them to school for few days. Many schools have even announced holidays.

7. Avoid eating outside food because it may be contaminated and may make you infected with the virus.

8. Don’t use the public urinals because many people spit there, which could lead to the spreading of the disease.

9. Drink the boiled water.

Anthrax: Disease or A Biological Weapon

How the Anthrax Spreads.


ANTHRAX: Danger we face



Anthrax is a deadly disease caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. This disease has animal origin and mainly the victims are the grazing animals. However, the disease can spread to humans, who come in contact either with the affected animals or their burial grounds. Anthrax is not a contagious disease and does not spread from person toperson. This disease is known to spread from animals or by bioterrorism
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Anthrax bacteria have long life and can survive in soil for many years. Wild or domestic animals that graze in or around the soil can get infected while eating rough or irritant vegetation. Such vegetation when eaten causes wound within the gastrointestinal tract and this causes the bacteria to enter into the tissues. The bacteria start multiplying and begin producing toxins which finally leads to death.

Exposure to infected animals or their products such as skin, wool or meat is the route taken by the bacteria to enter the human body. Workers, who work with dead animals or their products, are at a greater risk to this disease. People who are exposed to low levels of these bacteria may not develop the infection as the body’s defense mechanism is strong enough to withstand it. A dangerous form of anthrax through inhalation while sorting wool was prevalent long back and this was known as Wool Sorter’s disease. Now such infections are very rare as the infected animals are not available any more.

Anthrax pores have been used as biological weapons of mass destruction. The last reported use was by the Rhodesian government against cattle and humans during its war with black nationalists in 1978-1979. Anthrax was deliberately spread using the postal system in United States in 2001. This caused 21 cases of Anthrax infection.

Anthrax infection can come through three routes. Through the skin, while handling products of infected animals; through inhalation by inhaling anthrax pores from animal products; or through gastrointestinal path by eating undercooked meat from infected animals.

Porphyria: A Fact about Vampires?

Porphyria - the true story about Vampire

Legend tells us that vampires come out at night. They are night creatures because the sun can hurt and even kill them. They come out at night to seek fresh blood because without it they will suffer agonizing pain and will die. Their bodies dry up due to lack of blood, and new blood refreshes their bodies and gives them energy and certain powers.

It has been long believed that the condition associated with vampire legends is porphyria. Vampire characteristics are similar to those of porphyrics and this may have led to the misconception in the early 1400-1600's that porphyria sufferers were vampires. Vampire legends are in every country and porphyria is also found throughout the world. Porphyria comes from the Greek word meaning purple.

Of course, we now know that porphyria patients are NOT vampires, but porphyria might have contributed to the origin of the vampire legends.

EXPLAINING PORPHYRIA

Porphyria is a group of disorders caused by the abnormal production of heme which is the base material responsible for making hemoglobin and chlorophyll. Most types of porphyria are inherited. A child needs to inherit the defective gene from only one parent to develop the disease.

Heme is a substance found in all body tissues. The largest amounts of heme are found in the blood and bone marrow, and heme is also found in the liver and red blood cells. Multiple enzymes are required for the body to convert chemical compounds called porphyrins into heme. If any of the enzymes are abnormal, the process is disturbed and cannot continue. This allows the porphyrins to build up in the body.

Excessive porphyrin in the body causes photosensitivity which is oversensitivity to sunlight. When porphyrins are exposed to light and oxygen, they generate a charged, unstable form of oxygen that can damage the skin. Nerve damage, pain and paralysis can occur in some porphyrias. Sometimes an attack is so severe it can also lead to respiratory paralysis and the patient is unable to speak, breath or swallow. At times, this if fatal.


ABOUT:
Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria - Hypersensitivity to Light

Fewer than 200 cases of congenital erythropoietic porphyria have ever been documented, and not just because physicians can’t pronounce the name. Due to a gene mutation, the skin becomes extremely sensitive to sunlight. Areas of exposed skin can become blistered and infected. Sunlight exposure can also lead to scarring, changes in skin pigmentation and increased hair growth. Such symptoms have unfairly linked people suffering from the condition with the lore of vampires and werewolves. On overcast or very cold winter days, the symptoms of congenital erythropoietic porphyria (also called erythropoietic protoporphyria) are sometimes attenuated, allowing some safe exposure to indirect sunlight.

Synesthesia is not considered to be a disease (though it has not been well studied, either) and tends to affect people who are bright and colorful—er, that is, people who are intelligent and creative