| Pandora’s BOX OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES | | | | virus, intracellular bacteria and parasites. One has to |
| Dr.T.V.Rao MD | | | | realize that any infection during pregnancy is a serious |
| Department of Microbiology | | | | concern to preserve the health of mother and fetus |
| Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Centre | | | | and appropriate timely treatment must be provided. |
| Trichur | | | | The ideal purpose of motherhood of giving love and |
| Despite the success in control of many infectious | | | | wisdom has changed in the women infected with HIV |
| diseases, a wide range of microbes still threatens the | | | | AIDS. And women transmit virus to their unborn |
| human health. Somehow Pandora box of infection is | | | | babies. It is becoming the responsibility of the treating |
| opened and continues to be a challenge. The | | | | physician to screen the pregnant women for HIV |
| unexpected emergence of Novel pathogens named | | | | antibodies to practice preventive and curative |
| as emerging and reemerging infectious diseases | | | | intervention to reduce perinatal HIV transmission. |
| continue to strike any time, at any place. Before we | | | | To add to the existing epidemics, we have a serious |
| learn about it, they disappear and make a dent on | | | | challenge with Tuberculosis. At present several |
| human health and social structure. Above all we live in | | | | patients present with Tuberculosis in association with |
| an unpredictable nature - no rain, unwanted rain, and | | | | HIV/AIDS. Non compliance, irregular adherence to |
| untimely cyclones - many attributed to global | | | | treatment regimen leads to multi drug resistant |
| warming. Inspite of several scientific advances, we | | | | Tuberculosis (MDR – TB) strains. We have |
| are controlled by nature. Recently we have | | | | several medical colleges, reputed medical institutions |
| experienced several communicable diseases like | | | | but we have no up to date facilities to deal and |
| Chikungunya, Dengue, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis A and | | | | diagnose drug resistant tuberculosis. If we do not |
| E. Chikungunya championed the list of microbes; | | | | wake up and control the multidrug resistant strains, it |
| produced fear, death, social unrest and political | | | | will be much difficult to control X MDR tuberculosis |
| turbulence. Sudden emergence of epidemics exposed | | | | strains (X MDR- resistant to even second line of |
| the facts that how vulnerable we are and how | | | | antibiotics). The Pandora box of infection is narrow |
| poorly we coordinate to overcome the problems. | | | | and deep. The question to control the infections |
| The world is rapidly changing, so are the microbes, as | | | | remains with health education, hygiene, political will |
| is the Chikungunya virus which originated in Africa, | | | | and committed physicians. There is an emerging need |
| not a fatal disease to begin with a very few crippling | | | | to establish referral diagnostic centers committed to |
| complications. When the virus traveled to Kerala and | | | | research to identify and notify on events of |
| other parts of India, became more vengeful, | | | | infectious diseases. But it is certain there are no short |
| produced many cases of chronic morbidity and | | | | cut solutions or magical ideas to control epidemics. |
| mortality. After 4 months of epidemic (October | | | | Are we united to control the Epidemics? Who will |
| 2007) it subsided on its own. Today we do not know | | | | close the Pandora’s box of infection? |
| where it is hiding or when is the next date of | | | | The best solutions to control Epidemics are |
| reemergence. | | | | 1 Coordinated scientific approaches |
| In view of excessive urban migration narrow | | | | 2 Continuous monitoring of environment for |
| conditions of living initiates the epidemics. It is | | | | prevalence of sub clinical infections |
| observed that we struggle to live and neglect the | | | | 3 Referral Virology laboratories to overcome all |
| society. This remains the source of starting point. | | | | diagnostic problems and precise diagnosis to clarify all |
| Epidemics frighten the society and infections | | | | controversies |
| attacking the young, old and pregnant women are a | | | | 4 Above all mass education on hygiene, simple social |
| great concern to medical profession. In particular | | | | hand washing by all citizens. |
| pregnant women have a changing physiology and | | | | 5 A simple commonsense to protect the |
| immunity and are susceptible to or more prone to | | | | environment. |
| infectious diseases. The paradox of pregnancy may | | | | Email tvraodoctor2000@yahoo.co. |
| induce a state of increased susceptibility to certain | | | | |