Diseases Causes Symptoms Prevention / Home Warning Signals

Treatment (Go to Doctor)

Diarrhea Bacterial and Frequent, watery Drink more fluids (3-4 litres Blood in the motions
viral infections motions a day), preferably
containing sugar and salts Pus in the motions
Food poisoning Nausea, vomiting (yellow mucus)
(Food which is Eat something containing
off might be Fever. salt Inability to drink
obvious but liquids because of
contaminated Dehydration Avoid foods containing milk vomiting
food usually for a couple of days after
looks and tastes recovery Dehydration -
fine) symptoms include
Eat vegetables that have excreting small
Transmitted from been boiled or peeled amounts of dark
person to person urine, drowsiness,
People with inflammation or dry mucous
sores on their hands should membranes and thirst
not prepare food
Pronounced
drowsiness

Acute diarrhea in
infants or old people

Diarrhea has lasted

more than one to two
weeks
Cholera When bacteria Watery diarrhea, Only drink boiled water or If the fluid loss is not
excreted in which is pale and water that has been replaced and
faeces comes flaky and looks sterilized or treated in exceeds 5-10 litres, it
into contact with like rice water. another way can be fatal
drinking water
High fluid loss Boil unpasteurised milk Extensive
Spread to food if may be as high before you drink it dehydration
people don't as 1 litre every
wash their hands hour. Properly prepare food and
thoroughly after serve when still hot. If it is
using the toilet. allowed to stand at room
temperature for several
Spread through hours other bacteria may
fish and shellfish develop
from
contaminated Avoid raw fish and shellfish
water
Avoid raw fruit and
vegetables, unless you peel
it yourself

Consume large quantities

of fluid with salt and sugar.

Take ORS Salts

You can prepare the mix by

 mixing Boiled water +
level tea spoon salt + 8
level tea spoon sugar +
lemon juice (optional).

Malaria Anopheles Fever and Prevent stagnation of water May become fatal
mosquito biting a shivering. The unless medical care
person who has attack begins Spray insecticides and is provided within first
malaria parasites with fever, with larvicidal agents on 48 hours.
in their blood the temperature stagnant water pools
rising as high as
40C and falling Applying mosquito
again over a repellents on exposed skin
period of several
hours Using mosquito nets

Painful muscles Wear clothes that leave

and joints very little skin exposed

Diarrhea, nausea
and vomiting

Typhoid The patient's Same as for Diarrhea

temperature rises
gradually to 40C

Bouts of
sweating, no
appetite,
coughing and
headache

Constipation and
skin symptoms

Increasing
listlessness and
clouding of
consciousness

Dengue and High fever Same as malaria Same as malaria

Dengue
hemorrhagic Head ache Items that are used to store
fever (DHF) water in houses should be
Pain in muscles covered.
and joints

Red spots on
skin
Acute upper Common cold Prevent overcrowding in
respiratory and fever confined spaces.
tract
infections Heavy coughing

Chest pain and

pain between
shoulder blades
in pneumonia

Risk posed by corpses

Workers who routinely handle corpses may have a risk of contracting tuberculosis, blood borne
viruses (such as Hepatitis B/C and HIV), and gastrointestinal infections (such as diarrhea,
typhoid/paratyphoid fevers, hepatitis A, cholera and others).
Exposure to blood borne viruses occurs due to direct contact with non-intact skin of blood
or body fluid, injury from bone fragments and needles, or exposure to the mucous
membranes from splashing of blood or body fluid.
Gastrointestinal infections are more common as dead bodies commonly leak faeces.
Transmission occurs via the faeco-oral route through direct contact with the body and
soiled clothes or contaminated vehicles or equipment. Dead bodies contaminating the
water supply may also cause gastrointestinal infections.
The public and emergency workers alike should avoid panic and inappropriate disposal of bodies,
and to take adequate precautions in handling the dead.

Preventive Measures for workers that routinely handle corpses

Graveyards should be at least 30m from groundwater sources used for drinking water
The bottom of any grave must be at least 1.5m above the water table with a 0.7m
unsaturated zone. Surface water from graveyards must not enter inhabited areas.
Ensure use of gloves, masks and eyewear- protection to reduce the risk of exposure to
blood, body fluids
Ensure use and correct disposal of gloves and masks etc (no re-use)
Ensure use of body bags
Ensure hand-washing with soap after handling bodies and before eating
Ensure disinfection of vehicles and equipment
Bodies do not need to be disinfected before disposal (except in case of cholera)
Vaccinate workers against hepatitis B

Emergency contact

CONTACT DOCTOR/MEDICAL OFFICER IMMEDIATELY IF

YOU NOTICE WARNING SIGNS (mentioned above).