Officials are evacuating a shelter here because of dysentary. Disease begins.
posted by MKeller at 5:54 PM
Saturday, September 03, 2005
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5 Comments:
this is the first i have heard about the disease setting in. unfortunately i guess it was going to be inevitable. canada is sending troops and supplies; 1000 on their way...where are all the people in the shelters going to go?
Cathy
My family lives further inland off County Farm road out of long beach, help can't get to them because the tornados tore everything up. They are running out of food and water and I am going insane because I can't get to them from over here in Florida. I work for a police dept and we are sending cops to MS, I am getting all the food and water I can donated so they can take it with them. And with gas prices sky high I can't afford to drive there myself for I have heard it is well over 5.00 a gallon now in MS. It's like being paralized watching and hearing your loved ones suffer.
Keep posting guys, I know it keeps me going, since the news is mainly focusing on New Orleans - Thank you so much for this blog! My prayers are with you all.
I am getting as much food and water as I can to send over with my cops. I don't have alot of money but I can do that, and I gave blood. All of you are in my prayers!
What can one say at a time like this that could begin to make a difference? We have opened many shelters in my area and have tried our best to give 110% to the people who have been arriving. This past week has brought so many different emotions for everyone that its hard to know what the feel next. To see what our society has became, in hurting each other in such a grea time of need, that feeling can not be described by me without being appropriately rude. On the other hand to see how much people are willing to give in their time, money, homes, and much more is encouraging to know that we still have some humanity left and gives me encouragement.
Despite my inability to do anything directly to help, maybe I can at least contribute by offering some tips on preventing and combating dysentery.
Dysentery is a bacterial infection of the GI tract caused by Shigella dysteriae. Historically this disease was known as the "bloody flux," because it is characterized by bloody diarrhea (although it is important to note that Shigella is not the only pathogen that can cause these symptoms).
Like all bacterial infections, dysentery can be treated with antibiotics. According to the CDC, the drugs of choice are Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Bactrim or sulfa drugs(trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole), or ampicillin/penicillin.
Shigella is transmitted by the oral-fecal route, otherwise known as consuming food or water contaminated with infected feces. Because of the situation there, where you are being exposed to raw sewage and there is limited food and water, you are obviously at a greater risk of exposure to Shigella, as well as other pathogens, including bacteria (e.g. cholera) and viruses (e.g. enteroviruses such as Hepatitis A). In conditions where people are exposed to lots of untreated water/sewage, these diseases are self-perpetuating, since they both cause and are transmitted by diarrhea.
As gross as this is, there are some basic things that hurricane survivors can do to prevent dysentery.
1. Wash hands with lots of soap (or any kind of detergent that is available...dish soap, laundry detergent, etc.) regularly. This sounds like common sense, but since you lack safe, running water, you should know that many bacteria are killed by detergents, which rupture their cell membranes. Also, washing hands with soap using boiled water is even better.
2. People with dysentery should not share, prepare, or handle foods that will be consumed by others.
3. Although you probably don't have a ton of raw food available to prepare, make sure it is cooked VERY thoroughly before you eat it. In general, use third-world travel rules: boil it, cook it, peel it, or DON'T eat it!
4. If you get dysentery, DO NOT take antidiarrheals such as Imodium (loperamide). This can actually make the disease worse. Only take antibiotics if they are available.
5. A large risk of all diarrheal diseases is dehydration. I know this is also tough, because water is in limited supply, but try to keep people with dysentery hydrated.
6. Try to control sewage as much as possible. Keep dirty diapers (or any waste) in plastic containers/bags far away from consumable food and water. If it is available, also put household bleach in these containers. Wipe surfaces that may have come into contact with fecal matter/sewage with a bleach solution (10-15% bleach).
Try to stay healthy. You're in all of our prayers. If any of my fellow microbiologists have anything else to share, I'll let you know ASAP.
-Angie R.
I'm in Portugal, and the images of the disaster are impressive. My heart is with people that have lost everything.
But I know that they will stand up and begin all over again.
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