Plague- Poor hygiene sparks outbreak in Nebbi, Arua
Oct 25, 2009
KANGO is one of the eight sub-counties in Nebbi district that has been severely hit by plague. The disease, which attacks rodents, is caused by bacteria. <br>It is transmitted when an infected flea bites a person. Dogs, cats, guinea pigs and rats are pot
By Thomas Pere
KANGO is one of the eight sub-counties in Nebbi district that has been severely hit by plague. The disease, which attacks rodents, is caused by bacteria.
It is transmitted when an infected flea bites a person. Dogs, cats, guinea pigs and rats are potential hosts of fleas.
“The plague is locally known as zukpa. It usually occurs at the end of the dry season and because its victims die in a short time, the locals believe it is a result of witchcraft,†James Jamoro, a health assistant in charge of the sub-county, said.
Plague is a vector-borne disease that contributes to significant illnesses and deaths in the communities.
Ben Munguni, a Red Cross volunteer in Kango Health Centre III, says: “When someone complains of headache, diarrhoea, general body pain and vomiting, it is advisable to test for plague immediately.â€
Plague manifests in three forms depending on the route of infection. The most common is bubonic plague.
Patients develop swollen, tender lymph glands called buboes. This form does not spread from person-to-person.
The second form is septicemic plague.
It occurs when plague bacteria multiply in the blood. Patients get a fever, abdominal pain, and bleeding from the skin and other organs. This also does not spread from person-to-person.
The third type is pneumonic plague. It is the most virulent and least common. It infects the lungs. This type can spread from person-to-person through the air, especially if one is in direct contact with an infected person or animal.
It also occurs if untreated bubonic or septicemic plague bacteria spreads to the lungs.
Richard Ndyomugenyi, the programme manager of the National Malaria Control Programme, at the launch of a plague prevention campaign in Nebbi, said the last outbreak occurred in November 2008. There is fear of another outbreak in 2009 with the coming of El-Nino rains.
“The fatality rate of plague in the region is 20%, which is very high for a preventable and curable disease.
Children, women and the elderly are the most affected though all age groups are vulnerable to the disease,†Ndyomugenyi added.
Causes
Sharing houses with animals, sleeping on dusty cracked floors.
Hunting wildlife for meat.
Poor food storage practices.
Seeking health attention late for those exposed to flea bites.
Poor housing construction that allows rats to enter houses.
Symptoms
Flu.
Fever, chills, head and body aches.
General body weakness.
Vomiting and nausea.
Challenges
Dr. Jakor Oryema, the district health officer, says plague has been around from the 1930s and then cases have continued to occur annually during the rainy season and the dry period from around September.
“The worst epidemic was in 1993 where all the three types manifested,†he added. He says the causes leading to persistent epidemics in Okoro are related to the low socio-economic standards of the people.
“Much as we know what needs to be done, resources for doing those things remain a big challenge,†he said.
Low literacy and socio-economic levels of people, poor housing infrastructure and food storage practices also compound the problem.
Launching the plague prevention campaign at Kango sub-county Nebbi, Simon Ejua, the state minister for transport, said plague is a priority disease by WHO because of its quick spread.
“Outbreaks occur annually in spite of public awareness, chemical spraying and human quarantine measures.â€
“The ministry of health, with other partners, has come up with a multi-sectoral approach to prevent, control and eliminate the disease in the region,†he added.
He says the new approach brings together individuals with diverse expertise and combined effort to fight and control plague.
The Centres for Disease Control (CDC) recommends diagnosis of patients with suspected plague. The patient should be isolated and the health departments notified.
Confirmatory laboratory work should be done including blood cultures and examination of lymph node specimens.
Treatment using antibiotics begins immediately, CDC recommends.
Individuals who take care of the patient, should be traced and evaluated to avoid further spread of the disease.
Way forward
Oryema suggests the following:
Indoor residual spraying, using ICON which also kills mosquitoes.
Community sensitisation through radio talkshows on plague prevention.
Deworming livestock.
Promotion of proper food storage methods and clearing bushes around homesteads.
Rid houses of dust where fleas live and breed.
KANGO is one of the eight sub-counties in Nebbi district that has been severely hit by plague. The disease, which attacks rodents, is caused by bacteria.
It is transmitted when an infected flea bites a person. Dogs, cats, guinea pigs and rats are potential hosts of fleas.
“The plague is locally known as zukpa. It usually occurs at the end of the dry season and because its victims die in a short time, the locals believe it is a result of witchcraft,†James Jamoro, a health assistant in charge of the sub-county, said.
Plague is a vector-borne disease that contributes to significant illnesses and deaths in the communities.
Ben Munguni, a Red Cross volunteer in Kango Health Centre III, says: “When someone complains of headache, diarrhoea, general body pain and vomiting, it is advisable to test for plague immediately.â€
Plague manifests in three forms depending on the route of infection. The most common is bubonic plague.
Patients develop swollen, tender lymph glands called buboes. This form does not spread from person-to-person.
The second form is septicemic plague.
It occurs when plague bacteria multiply in the blood. Patients get a fever, abdominal pain, and bleeding from the skin and other organs. This also does not spread from person-to-person.
The third type is pneumonic plague. It is the most virulent and least common. It infects the lungs. This type can spread from person-to-person through the air, especially if one is in direct contact with an infected person or animal.
It also occurs if untreated bubonic or septicemic plague bacteria spreads to the lungs.
Richard Ndyomugenyi, the programme manager of the National Malaria Control Programme, at the launch of a plague prevention campaign in Nebbi, said the last outbreak occurred in November 2008. There is fear of another outbreak in 2009 with the coming of El-Nino rains.
“The fatality rate of plague in the region is 20%, which is very high for a preventable and curable disease.
Children, women and the elderly are the most affected though all age groups are vulnerable to the disease,†Ndyomugenyi added.
Causes
Sharing houses with animals, sleeping on dusty cracked floors.
Hunting wildlife for meat.
Poor food storage practices.
Seeking health attention late for those exposed to flea bites.
Poor housing construction that allows rats to enter houses.
Symptoms
Flu.
Fever, chills, head and body aches.
General body weakness.
Vomiting and nausea.
Challenges
Dr. Jakor Oryema, the district health officer, says plague has been around from the 1930s and then cases have continued to occur annually during the rainy season and the dry period from around September.
“The worst epidemic was in 1993 where all the three types manifested,†he added. He says the causes leading to persistent epidemics in Okoro are related to the low socio-economic standards of the people.
“Much as we know what needs to be done, resources for doing those things remain a big challenge,†he said.
Low literacy and socio-economic levels of people, poor housing infrastructure and food storage practices also compound the problem.
Launching the plague prevention campaign at Kango sub-county Nebbi, Simon Ejua, the state minister for transport, said plague is a priority disease by WHO because of its quick spread.
“Outbreaks occur annually in spite of public awareness, chemical spraying and human quarantine measures.â€
“The ministry of health, with other partners, has come up with a multi-sectoral approach to prevent, control and eliminate the disease in the region,†he added.
He says the new approach brings together individuals with diverse expertise and combined effort to fight and control plague.
The Centres for Disease Control (CDC) recommends diagnosis of patients with suspected plague. The patient should be isolated and the health departments notified.
Confirmatory laboratory work should be done including blood cultures and examination of lymph node specimens.
Treatment using antibiotics begins immediately, CDC recommends.
Individuals who take care of the patient, should be traced and evaluated to avoid further spread of the disease.
Way forward
Oryema suggests the following:
Indoor residual spraying, using ICON which also kills mosquitoes.
Community sensitisation through radio talkshows on plague prevention.
Deworming livestock.
Promotion of proper food storage methods and clearing bushes around homesteads.
Rid houses of dust where fleas live and breed.