Health and Psychology

Ebola, the flu, enterovirus, these are infectious illness tht are inn the news recently and are causing some people to become alarmed.  

Ebola is a rare hemorragic virus (it causes bleeding) that is spreading out of control in parts of Africa.  A person who travelled from Liberia, Africa to Dallas, Texas is now a confirmed case and several people are being monitored for signs of infection.  The disease is spread by direct contact with contaminated body fluids.  Because the disease makes people have severe diarrhea, projectile vomitting, and bleeding out of the ose, eyes, and GI/GU tract it's a problem to contain the fluids.  In some places in Africa, there are religious rituals involving washing the body done by family members, and rituals in disposing of remains that may help to transmit the virus to others.  There's also a long incubation period of 21 days before someone may start to show symptoms.

The flu is a serious illness that tends to be seasonal and is casually spread by coming into casual contact with the virus on surfaces, in droplets from sneezing or coughing, or from touching things like paper that have been in contact with an infected person.  There are flu shots that may reduce the risk of contracting the infection by improving immunity, and using adequate hand washing may also help.  The Center for Disease Control recommends the following for hand washing:

Many diseases and conditions can be spread through inadequate hand hygiene as a result of not washing hands. Hands should always be washed:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage