AFRICAN DISEASES DEATHS FROM PREVENTABLE DISEASES NORMAL LAND

AFRICAN DISEASES

DEATHS FROM PREVENTABLE DISEASES NORMAL LAND AREA

GUINEA WORM l l l Contracted through contaminated water Found only in Africa Worm larvae grow inside the body for a year Skin blisters and a worm emerges Cured by wrapping worm around a stick to extract it. Close to being eradicated

MALARIA l l l Spread by mosquitoes 2 nd most deadly disease in Africa Symptoms include fever, joint pain, convulsions Death is caused by intracranial pressure Drugs are available— resistance is common Education, medicine, and pesticides are required for eradication

AIDS/HIV #1 Killer in SS Africa Contracted by the exchange of body fluids— unprotected sex, mother to child, IV drug use l Symptoms may include lesions and frequent illness l Usually goes undetected —causing the spread to be increased l Treatment and testing are costly l l

AFRICAN RIVER BLINDNESS l l l 96% of cases are in Africa Caused by a parasitic worm transmitted by the black fly Larvae spread throughout the body causing itching and blindness Pesticides are helpful Free drugs are available Close to being eradicated

Schistosomiasis l l l Caused by snails in infected water Found in rice patties, slow -moving streams and rivers—water gathering and clothes washing Larvae can stay in the body for years Weakness and listlessness Can be cured with a 25¢ pill

LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS Caused by a parasite spread by the deer fly l Found in Africa, South America, and Asia l Symptoms include enlarged extremities l Cured by antibiotics and clean water sources l

TRYPANOSOMIASIS l l l Often called sleeping sickness Affects people in 36 African countries Caused by a parasite spread by the tsetse fly Pain, weakness, fever, itching, insomnia, and unconsciousness Drugs are available, but not common

HEALTH CHALLENGES l Malnutrition and famine ¡ ¡ l Death from starvation Causes non-fatal diseases to become fatal (measles, diphtheria) Unsafe water sources ¡ ¡ Diarrheal diseases cause death Parasites are easily spread