Exam Season in Our Country: Health Risks and Common Diseases
Common Intestinal Diseases
Food Poisoning and Diarrhea caused by spoiled food. This
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Candidates at Trade University (Photo: VNE) |
is the result of the degradation of amino acids, hydrolysis, and oxidation of fats that produce toxins for the body. When affected by this type of food poisoning, the incubation period is very short, only about 30 minutes to 3 hours after consumption.
Common symptoms of food poisoning caused by bacteria include vomiting, abdominal cramps, continuous diarrhea (more than 3 times within 24 hours), loose, watery, or sometimes bloody stools, and mucus-like substances. Electrolyte imbalances may occur, sometimes accompanied by chest tightness and difficulty breathing. The most common pathogens are intestinal bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Entamoeba histolytica.
Cholera: Cholera is a disease closely related to food safety and hygiene. It can easily lead to outbreaks. The route of transmission is fecal-oral. Individuals with typical cholera symptoms often experience digestive disturbances such as nausea, vomiting, and frequent diarrhea, with watery stools that sometimes contain rice-water-like particles.
Typhoid Fever: This is one of the common gastrointestinal diseases during the summer, linked to unsanitary eating habits. It is caused by the Salmonella bacteria. The disease can easily become an epidemic. Those infected with typhoid fever typically have digestive disturbances such as abdominal cramps and diarrhea. If not detected and treated in time, it can lead to bacteremia or, more dangerously, intestinal perforation due to typhoid.
Bacillary Dysentery: This disease is also a gastrointestinal illness caused by Shigella bacteria. It can easily lead to outbreaks. The transmission route is also fecal-oral. Among Shigella types, Type I is particularly dangerous due to S. shiga. This type of bacteria causes disease through exotoxins, leading to severe clinical symptoms that can quickly become life-threatening.
Amoebic Dysentery: This disease is caused by amoeba parasites. Dysentery is also related to dietary habits, especially consuming raw vegetables and drinking untreated water. It can easily spread within families and to those nearby.
Respiratory Diseases
Conditions such as pharyngitis, rhinitis, viral fevers, measles, Rubella, and meningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis are likely to occur with the presence of pathogens in crowded living conditions. Diseases transmitted by insects such as malaria, dengue fever, and Japanese encephalitis also commonly arise in the summer.
Due to the heat, if one sleeps without a mosquito net, it creates favorable conditions for mosquitoes to bite and transmit pathogens. Dengue fever is showing signs of increasing significantly in southern provinces.
Non-Communicable Diseases
Sunstroke and Heat Exhaustion: Symptoms include a sudden increase in body temperature, sometimes exceeding 40-41°C, accompanied by altered consciousness (delirium, fainting), loss of consciousness, or deep coma (severe cases). Sunstroke often occurs in the summer, especially during the sweltering midday sun with high ultraviolet radiation, while heat exhaustion typically occurs in the late afternoons during hot, windless days with high infrared radiation. If not treated promptly, it can easily lead to death.
Illness Due to Sudden Temperature Changes: During the summer, even though it is hot, one should not bathe too many times a day. Avoid bathing right after feeling tired or after excessive physical activity without rest. Do not go from the outdoor heat directly into an air-conditioned room, or vice versa. The air conditioning should not be set too cold, ideally maintaining a difference of only 8-10°C compared to the outside temperature (26°C is the most suitable for the body).
How to Prevent Diseases?
For intestinal diseases, it is essential to eat cooked food and drink clean water. When experiencing diarrhea, patients must stay hydrated, preferably with oral rehydration solutions, and consume plenty of fruit juices. Those suffering from diarrhea should manage and dispose of their stools properly to prevent the spread of disease.
To prevent insect-borne diseases, one should sleep under mosquito nets, treat nets with mosquito repellent, apply mosquito repellent lotion, or use mosquito coils (especially in areas with ongoing outbreaks).
To prevent sunstroke and heat exhaustion, when outdoors in the sun, wear wide-brimmed hats and avoid prolonged skin exposure to sunlight. In crowded places, especially examination rooms, there should be good ventilation systems. During hot weather, drink water with added salt to prevent dehydration and electrolyte loss.
To prevent illnesses caused by sudden temperature changes, it is advisable not to stay in air-conditioned rooms for more than 2 hours at a time. Drinking plenty of water is also a good way to avoid throat dryness when in air conditioning for extended periods. Additionally, placing a bowl of water in the air-conditioned room, mopping the floor with a damp cloth, and allowing a few minutes to acclimatize to the outside air when exiting the air-conditioned environment will help.
