Air Borne Diseases, Their Causes, Effects and Preventions:

Introduction: A substance that is moved through or by the air. Dust and mist are examples of
airborne substances. Airborne diseases are spread when droplets of pathogens are expelled into the air due to coughing, sneezing or talking. Airborne diseases refer to any diseases which are caused by pathogenic microbial agents and transmitted through the air. These viruses and bacteria can be aerosolized through coughing, sneezing, laughing or through close personal contact. These pathogens ride on either dust particles or small respiratory droplets and can stay suspended in air and or are capable of traveling distances on air currents.

Air Borne Diseases and its impacts on Health:

Some of air borne diseases & its impacts on health are given in below;

Meningococcal disease:
Meningococcal disease describes infections caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis (also termed meningococcus). It carries a high mortality rate if untreated.

Legionellosis:
Legionellosis takes two distinct forms:

Legionnaires' disease, also known as "Legion Fever", is the more severe form of the infection and produces high fever and pneumonia. Pontiac fever is caused by the same bacteria but produces a milder respiratory illness without pneumonia that resembles acute influenza. Pontiac fever also has a spontaneous resolution.

Pneumococcal infections:
It is also called as Streptococcus pneumonia that is normally found in the nasopharynx of 5-10% of healthy adults, and 20-40% of healthy children. It can be found in higher amounts in certain environments, especially those where people are spending a great deal of time in close proximity to each other as like day care centers, military barracks. It attaches to nasopharyngeal cells through interaction of bacterial surface adhesins. This normal colonization can become

infectious if the organisms are carried into areas such as the Eustachian tube or nasal sinuses where it can cause otitis media and sinusitis, respectively. Pneumonia occurs if the organisms are inhaled into the lungs and not cleared again, viral infection, or smoking-induced ciliary paralysis might be contributing factors. A pneumococcal vaccine is a vaccine against Streptococcus pneumonia. Types include:

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Tuberculosis (T.B):
Pulmonary tuberculosis is an airborne disease that affects 10 people out of every 100,000 people in the United States, says Medline Plus. This disease occurs when a person inhales infected respiratory droplets. Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis include coughing up blood or phlegm, excessive night sweats, fever, weight loss and tiredness. This disease can also lead to chest pain, wheezing and problems breathing. The exact cause for pulmonary tuberculosis is the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. Medline Plus says that the elderly, infants and those people with weakened immune systems have a risk for getting tuberculosis. Treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis involves taking antibiotic medications such as isoniazid or rifampin to eliminate the bacteria. This treatment may be for more than six months, depending upon the severity of the tuberculosis.

H1N1 flu Influenza:

The H1N1 flu, commonly called the swine flu, is another airborne disease passed via respiratory droplets. The H1N1 flu became a household name in the spring of 2009 when an epidemic of this type of flu arose. Specific H1N1 flu symptoms include a fever, diarrhea, chills, a sore throat, a headache, body aches and fatigue, according to the Mayo Clinic. Other flu symptoms include a cough and vomiting. Typically, these symptoms develop after three to five days of initial exposure. This flu may last for about eight days. Specifically, the H1N1 influenza viruses cause this type of flu. Typically, healthy persons do not require treatment other than supportive medications found at the local pharmacy. However, antiviral medications such as oseltamivir and zanamavir may be prescribed to fight off the viral infection. Usually, pregnant women, AIDS or HIV sufferers, children younger than five years of age and those with chronic medical conditions such as asthma are considered high-risk groups that may benefit from the aforementioned medications. Pneumonia, respiratory arrest (stop breathing) and exacerbation of diseases such as asthma may result if the H1N1 flu is not treated.

Measles:
Measles is a very contagious disease that spreads via contact with droplets from an infected person, states Medline Plus. Specific symptoms of the measles include a cough, fever, muscle pain, light sensitivity and a rash. This rash can reveal itself three to five days after showing the aforementioned symptoms and can last for as long as seven days. Specifically, this rash is red, flat, itchy and raised in some places on the skin. Other measles symptoms include a runny nose, a sore throat, redness of the eyes and small white spots on the inside of the mouth. No specific treatment exists for the measles, but resting, using a humidifier and taking acetaminophen may be beneficial in managing the symptoms.

Symptoms:
Often, airborne diseases can be as minor as the common cold or the typical flu. Symptoms would include: Coughing, sneezing, sinus congestion, itchy and watery eyes, sore throat, and fatigue. More serious diseases such as the ones listed above have more severe symptoms.

Prevention:
The best way to prevent attracting airborne diseases is to stay away from anyone who is affected, washing your hands regularly, and covering up your sneezes and coughs. This will reduce the risk of bacteria and pathogenic microbial agents entering your body through the air. When meningococcal disease is suspected, treatment must be started immediately and should not be delayed while waiting for investigations. Treatment in primary care usually involves prompt intramuscular administration of benzyl penicillin, and then an urgent transfer to hospital for further care.

MUHAMMAD ANWAR GUL MS Environmental Policy & Management Bahria University, Islamabad