Influences Of Environmental And Health Behavior Change On Dengue Fever

Yellow fever is a disease caused by a virus transmitted by mosquitoes. It is a disease that is mostly found in tropical areas like South America and Africa (Cutter 2016). While scientific inquiry was certainly one of the main reasons that yellow fever became one of the first viruses that we were able to eradicate, it was not the only driving force. A biosocial approach to dissecting global health issues not only takes into account all the biological aspects that come into play, but also how society, history, culture and the political economy impact these global diseases (Farmer et al. 2013). This approach allows for a multidimensional analysis that gives more insight than any biological or clinical study ever could. By looking at yellow fever from a biosocial approach you can see how the Panama Canal played a major role in the discovery of it

Working as a medical officer, I came across scores of patients with mosquito-borne diseases. Despite my state having a near cent percent literacy, my hospital wards were flooded by patient with dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. I studied about these notorious ear buzzing mosquitoes in my medical school, but never did I know how villain they were. After moving to Singapore, I understood how these diseases are a major problem even in developed countries. I can never forget those patients with chikungunya who had

Especially, the poor have little resources to protect from the mosquitoes such as repellents, window screens, and air-conditioning (Jacobs, 2016). Most of the poor live in slum areas where homes are built on top of each other, so that it is difficult to prevent contact with the mosquitoes (Rogers, 2016). If some of the neighbors did not care about the Zika virus, the mosquitoes would dramatically increase in a slum. “Effective repellents are too expensive for many in a country where the average wage is $626 per month, according to the government” (Rogers, 2016, p. A2). Some of the residence in the slums do not allow the Zika police come into their house, and they may have weapons. This is a reason why Brazilian government use the armed force in this campaign (Rogers 2016). It is obvious that the rich can protect themselves with some resources, but the poor face a huge challenge to protect themselves from the virus.

Crane, A., Viswanathan, L., & Whitelaw, G. (2013). Sustainability through intervention: a case study of guerrilla gardening in Kingston, Ontario. Local Environment, 18(1),

A study indicated that areas of Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions are perfect areas for the spread of the disease. This is due to the presence of the mosquito as a transmission vector and ideal climate conditions as well as the fact that these areas may be resource-limited, of have other economic factors that potentially increase risk. These issues are then further compacted by the immense population in these areas. Globally, there are over 75 countries that are affected by Zika, a snapshot of two countries, India and China will show how large this issue can potentially become. India has an estimated 67,000 visitors annually and approximately 1.2 billion residents, China hosts over 238,000 visitors and has a population of 242 million residents (Bogoch et al., 2016). That’s nearly 1.4 billion people that can be affected by Zika in only two countries. The main reason for the necessity of a global response is not that Zika is a deadly disease, but rather the fact that there have been cases of microcephaly linked to pregnant patients and infants who had Zika. With such a large part of the world that is at risk for Zika, the next focus should be on a global response and what’s being done in the way of

Epidemics have plagued the world for thousands of years. Today, that threat of disease has increased due to our mobile society. The few cases of Ebola Virus brought to the United States from West Africa are perfect examples of this threat. Educating myself on the Ebola epidemic left me with the impression that the world was tremendously unprepared for such a large-scale epidemic. The World Health Organization (2015) indicates an abundance of factors, including mobile populations, shortages of health care workers and personal protective equipment, and community resistance, that have been contributing to the disease’s transmission from the onset. In the West African epidemic, basic hygiene procedures such as frequent hand washing

A disease that has yet to be conquered” (Barrett & Higgs, 2007). Such a quaint, simplistic phrase that yet effectively describes the disease commonly known today as yellow fever. Over the course of history, the yellow fever virus (YFV) has decimated populations in various regions all across the globe. While the overall gross impact of yellow fever has declined over the years, the virus still poses a significant threat present day, especially to those in the developing world. The World Health Organization currently estimates that approximately 200,000 cases of yellow fever occur around the world each year, resulting in 30,000 fatalities (Bundschuh et al, 2013). Presently, yellow fever remains without a legitimate cure, and the best defence against the virus lies with preventative action. WHO identifies its three major yellow fever prevention strategies as vaccination, mosquito control, and epidemic response (WHO Yellow Fever Fact Sheet, 2014). This being said, through the combined efforts of scientists, medical workers, governments, and international agencies alike, the yellow fever virus has been confined to endemic areas throughout Africa and Latin America (Barrett & Higgs, 2007, p.209). With regards to the epidemiological nature of yellow fever, geographic factors and influences clearly play a significant role. Environments, both physical and human (ie. social), directly correlate to how the virus behaves, adapts, and survives. Through the analysis its biology, its

However, the trend is now changing due to socio economic and man made ecological changes.It has resulted in invasion of Ae.aegypti mosquitoes into the rural areas, which has tremendously increased the chances of spread of the disease to rural areas. Brief History-In India, the first evidence about the occurrence of dengue fever was reported during 1956 from Vellore district in Tamil Nadu. The first DHF outbreak occurred in Calcutta (Kolkata, West Bengal) in 1963 with 30% of cases showing haemorrhagic manifestations. During 1996, one of the most severe outbreaks of DF/DHF occurred in Delhi where, 10,252 cases and 423 deaths occurred[11]. In 2006, the country witnessed another outbreak of DF/DHF, when a total 12,317 cases and 184 deaths were reported from 21 states/UTs[11]. However, in 2007 only 5534 cases and 69 deaths were reported from 18

Indonesia, located on the equator. Lined become one of the countries in tropical regions with immense charm of the famous to various parts of the world. The wealth of nature, hospitality, the cool air and the other which is typical of this beloved country. My beautiful country seems to start fading charms. Now we are rich, rich with problems. The only small one like mosquitoes could trigger problems. That’s why, because mosquitoes, Chikungunya problems began to adorn this country.

Dengue is the one of the most dangerous diseases in the world today. With over 50 million people infected annually, the mosquito-borne virus has been identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a public health emergency of international concern. Despite the biomedical war on Dengue, the disease has proven difficult to defeat. What is particularly dangerous about Dengue is its alarming adaptability to the human immune system and antivirals, allowing it to evolve and survive. Singapore, being in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific region which is home to over 70% of the world population plagued by the disease, is especially at risk to this unpredictable and tenaciously resilient disease.

Mosquitoes are significant groups of arthropods that inhabit aquatic habitats. They are probably adverse arthropods, which transmits wide range of pathogens that cause drastic deadly diseases such as human malaria, dengue, filariasis, viral encephalitis (Leopoldo 2008). Zika virus, another mosquitoe borne infection was first reported in Brazil by Pan American Health Organization in 2015. After the identification, the Zika virus has spread tremendously all around America. The illness begins with mild symptoms lasting up to a week after being bitten by vector mosquito. However, an infection during pregnancy may cause certain neurological anomalies like microcephaly and several other brain defects (Plourde & Bloch 2016).Thus control of mosquitoes becomes the need of the hour to prevent wide epidemic infections. However, it is difficult to control and prevent severe consequences created by mosquito species (Aneesh 2009).

Dengue Fever is a common disease that can be contracted by people who are visiting South-East Asia. The way a person contracts this disease is through mosquito bites. The patient has stated that when she was traveling abroad that she was bitten by a multitude of mosquitos, one of which could have infected her with the disease. On top of that common symptoms include, high fever, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain. All of these symptoms have been experienced by our patient. It is important to note that dengue fever does produce a rash, however, our patient’s rash has gone aware.

Dengue Fever, a tropical arbovirus infection (viruses transmitted by arthropods to humans), is an emerging viral disease infecting approximately 100 million individuals globally (52% at risk) per year living in dengue-risk areas, primarily tropical urban areas and subtropical ones.1 Most cases are commonly distributed and reported among humans in India, South East Asia, South and Central America, Africa, and the Caribbean. It has plagued such regions for centuries and turned into a crucial public health concern in need of stringent control measures. However, considering the probable fact that no other nation in the globe

During the last eleven years my work in Belize has evidenced that sustainable development is possible when academic research incorporates community direction, and recognizes local expertise as a component in the formation of new knowledge. Indeed, we are able to manage problems—and in many cases improve lives—by collaborating to undertake community driven and academically supported initiatives. What is sometimes misunderstood in the context of academia, community-based research promotes the creation of new knowledge through multiple sources including academia, local tacit expertise, and cultural context (Strand, Marullo, Cutforth, Stoecker, & Donohue, 2003). Collaborative solutions to issues and challenges that work within the parameters of local resources are paramount to sustainability. Moreover, sustainability is critical in effecting a lasting improvement in the human condition. The projects that I implemented in December of 2014 and December of 2015—particularly those directed at soil quality—are indicators of the effectiveness and sustainability of these collaborative efforts.

Dengue is believed to have originated in primates before jumping to humans via an insect vector 100 – 800 years ago in either Southeast Asia or Africa. (cdc.gov/dengue/epidemiology) Dengue became a prevalent issue during the 20th century as a result of the Second World War inadvertently transporting the insect vector from place to place along with cargo. (cdc.gov/dengue/epidemiology) This caused outbreaks in Thailand and the Philippines in the 1950’s and in the 80’s cases began to crop up in Latin America and the Caribbean. (cdc.gov/dengue/epidemiology)