Iranian technology to control dengue

Authorities in Haryana's Gurgaon district will experiment with an eco-friendly larvicide prepared by an Iranian company to control the spread of dengue and malaria, a spokesman said in Chandigarh on M

By: Agencies | | Published: October 29, 2013 10:37 am

Authorities in Haryana’s Gurgaon district will experiment with an eco-friendly larvicide prepared by an Iranian company to control the spread of dengue and malaria, a spokesman said in Chandigarh on Monday. Also Read - Previous exposure to dengue may provide some immunity against COVID-19

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A delegation of scientists from Iran Monday met senior officials of the Gurgaon administration and municipal corporation and gave a presentation on how the larvicide could control the spread of these diseases. The delegation offered to give a sample of its technology. Also Read - Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

‘This exercise will be completely on no commitment, no costs basis. If the results are found to be fruitful, as per the claims of the delegation, then the larvicide would be used in whole of district Gurgaon on experimental basis as a pilot project,’ the spokesman said.

He said that the delegation had claimed that the larvicide is eco-friendly and only kills larva of mosquitoes.

‘It is harmless to plants, animals and even human beings. The water with this larvicide is safe for human consumption as well,’ the spokesman said, quoting the delegation.

The delegation claimed that since 2000, when this larvicide was used in Iran to control malaria, number of cases of the disease reduced from 20,000 to less than 1,000 annually. It has been used in countries like Oman, Sudan, Turkey, Thailand, Nigeria and Malaysia, he added.

What is dengue?

It is a tropical disease, usually transmitted by mosquitoes and the common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and skin rash. There is no vaccine for dengue and the only way to reduce infections is to improve hygiene levels so as to prevent mosquito-bites and prevent mosquitoes from breeding. It’s particularly difficult to create a vaccine because it’s caused by different viruses and there are no animal models available for testing. The disease kills over five thousand Indians every year and is a seasonal threat, particularly during the monsoon seasons.

What are the symptoms of dengue?
Characterized by severe flu-like symptoms, dengue affects infants, children and adults alike and could be fatal. The clinical manifestations of dengue vary with the age of the patient. A person suffering from high fever in the range of 40 C/ 104 F, accompanied by any two of the following symptoms could be suffering from dengue:

Severe headache
Pain behind the eyes
Nausea, Vomiting
Swollen glands
Muscle and joint pains
Rash

Symptoms usually last for 2-7 days. Dengue could progress to severe dengue, a potentially fatal complication, causing leaking of plasma, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding and organ impairment.

The warning signs to look out for occur 3-7 days after the first symptoms along with a decrease in temperature are:

Severe abdominal pain
Persistent vomiting
Rapid breathing
Bleeding gums
Blood in vomit
Fatigue, restlessness

The next 24-48 hours of the critical stage can be lethal; proper medical care is needed to avoid complications and risk of death.

Prevention

Dengue is a communicable diseases spread by mosquitoes from one human to another. So, the only way it can really be prevented is by avoiding mosquito bites. One can make sure all egg-laying habitats of mosquitoes like open and stagnant water source are cleaned up. If there are any open water sources you cannot eliminate, cover them and apply appropriate insecticides. Use protection such as window screens, long-sleeved clothes, and insecticide treated materials, coils and vaporizers.

With inputs from IANS

Published : October 29, 2013 10:37 am

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