District Medical Officer R.L. Saritha has issued a warning against leptospirosis (rat fever) after several cases of the disease were reported from various parts of the district.
The people who clean the drainages, ponds and canals have been asked to take extra precautions to ward off the disease that often spreads through water.
Leptospirosis is spread by rats and cattle. Skin contact with either water or soil that bears the urine of these animals could cause the disease.
The disease is characterised by fever, headache, vomiting, muscle pain, red eyes, low volume of urine and certain symptoms associated with jaundice. If not treated on time, it could affect the normal functioning of liver, kidney, lungs and heart and ultimately cause death.
Doxycyclin tablets
Health Department officials have asked those people working in areas with a high probability of infection to take Doxycyclin tablets once in a week starting from the day before they get on the job. It is advisable for them to consult local health workers before entering cleaning activities. They should use thick gloves and boots and should be careful about wounds in the body if any.
Doxycyclin tablets are available at all health centres. The users should consume a lot of water every day.
The DMO said that rat fever is preventable if careful, and curable if treated right from the start. Those who develop symptoms have been advised to avoid self-treatment and approach the nearest health centre.