Who knew that in moving to the Sahara desert there would be so many diseases coming and going. Recently there's an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever. I've never heard of that before, but after a little research I decided that I don't really want to experience it either.
In a recent update from WHO they said:
There are no vaccines for humans who contract Rift Valley Fever. Health experts generally advise the public to only eat inspected meat (like we have that!!), avoid human-animal contact (even if I wasn't working on a goat project, that's almost impossible), bury or burn dead animals (notice they didn't mention eating them) and observe basic hygiene.
Alright, I can handle the basic hygiene. Other than that I'll just have to believe that I'll be divinely protected.
Here's another little worm that I probably don't have but I know people who do and I would rather not get. Guinea Worm. Apparently Jimmy Carter has a whole little organization dedicated to eradicating guinea worm. Here's a few facts on that.
Adult guinea worms emerge from the skin of infected persons annually. Persons with worms protruding through the skin may enter sources of drinking water. Persons become infected by drinking water containing the larvae. Once inside the body, the worm passes into the body cavity. During the next 10-14 months, the female Guinea worm grows to 2-3 feet long and as wide as a cooked spaghetti noodle, and migrates to the site where she will emerge, usually the lower limbs.
A blister develops on the skin at the site where the worm will emerge. This blister causes a very painful burning sensation and it will eventually (within 24-72 hours) rupture. For relief, persons will immerse the affected limb into water, or may just walk in to fetch water. When someone with a Guinea worm ulcer enters the water, the adult female releases a milky white liquid containing millions of immature larvae into the water, thus contaminating the water supply.
In a recent update from WHO they said:
There are no vaccines for humans who contract Rift Valley Fever. Health experts generally advise the public to only eat inspected meat (like we have that!!), avoid human-animal contact (even if I wasn't working on a goat project, that's almost impossible), bury or burn dead animals (notice they didn't mention eating them) and observe basic hygiene.
Alright, I can handle the basic hygiene. Other than that I'll just have to believe that I'll be divinely protected.
Here's another little worm that I probably don't have but I know people who do and I would rather not get. Guinea Worm. Apparently Jimmy Carter has a whole little organization dedicated to eradicating guinea worm. Here's a few facts on that.
Adult guinea worms emerge from the skin of infected persons annually. Persons with worms protruding through the skin may enter sources of drinking water. Persons become infected by drinking water containing the larvae. Once inside the body, the worm passes into the body cavity. During the next 10-14 months, the female Guinea worm grows to 2-3 feet long and as wide as a cooked spaghetti noodle, and migrates to the site where she will emerge, usually the lower limbs.
A blister develops on the skin at the site where the worm will emerge. This blister causes a very painful burning sensation and it will eventually (within 24-72 hours) rupture. For relief, persons will immerse the affected limb into water, or may just walk in to fetch water. When someone with a Guinea worm ulcer enters the water, the adult female releases a milky white liquid containing millions of immature larvae into the water, thus contaminating the water supply.
Once the worm emerges from the wound, it can only be pulled out a few centimeters each day and wrapped around a small stick. Sometimes the worm can be pulled out completely within a few days, but this process usually takes weeks or months. No medication is available to end or prevent infection.
I know, it's gross, but sometimes you just have to face the fact that life in Africa can be pretty gross. Now can you just imagine if I end up having this one (rest assured, I probably don't have it, but then again I won't know for a year). I would like to see the look on an American doctor's face when I showed up at their office with a worm hanging out of my leg wrapped around a small stick?!?!?
In other news...
1 comment:
I'm going to have nightmares about guinea worms now. Thanks!!!
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