KALA-AZAR or BLACK FEVER

KALA-AZAR OR BLACK FEVER

According to reports, eleven districts of Bengal have reported at least 65 cases of black fever or kala-azar in the last couple of weeks.

About Kala-azar

It is a slow progressing indigenous disease that is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania.
Kala-azar or leishmaniases is one of the most dangerous neglected tropical diseases which is endemic in 76 countries, with approximately 200 million people at risk of infection.

Forms:

There are 3 major forms of leishmaniasis – visceral (also known as kala-azar, which is the most serious form of the disease), cutaneous (the most common where the skin is affected), and mucocutaneous.

Transmission:

Leishmania parasites are transmitted through the bites of infected female phlebotomine sandflies, which mainly feed on blood to produce the eggs.
Some 70 animal species, including humans, have been found as natural reservoir hosts of Leishmania parasites.

Impacts:

The disease affects some of the poorest people and is associated with malnutrition, population displacement, poor housing, a weak immune system, and an increased burden on financial resources.
Leishmaniasis is also linked to environmental changes such as deforestation, the building of dams, irrigation schemes, and even urbanization.

Prevention and control:

Prevention and control of leishmaniasis require a combination of intervention strategies.

It is a treatable and even curable disease, “which requires an immunocompetent system because medicines will not get rid of the parasite from the body, thus the risk of relapse if immunosuppression occurs.
Effective disease surveillance is important to promptly monitor and act during epidemics and situations with high case fatality rates under treatment.

Source: The Hindu

Join Our Telegram

MINORITY STATUS IN INDIA IS STATE DEPENDENT

RANDOMISED CONTROL TRIAL

Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a and MASS EXTINCTION

25 Dec, 24
SHARE

Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a from the Paris Basin (Environment) Paper-3 PMP OAE 1a refers to a period during the Cretaceous Period (145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago) when Earth's oceans became depleted of oxygen, causing a significant disruption in marine life. Cause: The event is believed to have been

Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi (Good governance)

26 Dec, 24
SHARE

Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi (Good governance) Governance GS PAPER-2 PMP Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the ‘Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi’ initiative on Good Governance Day, celebrated to mark the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The initiative, which is part of the broader ‘Prashasan Gaon

Major programmes to control Air Pollution

23 Dec, 24
SHARE

Major programmes to control Air Pollution National Clean Air Programme? It was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019. It is the first-ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target. The

Air pollution and Air quality Measures in India

21 Dec, 24
SHARE

Air pollution and Air quality Measures in India (Environment) GS Paper-3 P-M-P Air pollution may be defined as the presence of any solid, liquid or gaseous substance including noise and radioactive radiation in the atmosphere in such concentration that may be directly and/or indirectly injurious to humans or other l

Geopolitical Significance of Ports

20 Dec, 24
SHARE

Geopolitical Significance of Ports (IR) Act as geopolitical assets: Ports enhance the projection of strategic reach, which helps strengthen the country’s control over important sea and energy supply routes. E.g. Indian Navy’s staging base at Agalega Islands will enable marine patrols