Among the many diseases, black fever may not be well known to the general public, however, this does not mean that we can ignore it. As a group of chronic parasitic diseases caused by Leishmania infection, black fever poses a threat to human health. Below, let’s take a look into the world of black fever and delve into its definition, treatment measures, prevention methods, and highlights.
I. Definitions: What is black fever?
Black fever, also known as visceral leishmaniasis, is a parasitic disease transmitted by the bite of a whitefly. Leishmania protozoa is the causative agent of this disease, which is mainly parasitized in the body’s mononuclear macrophage cell system, such as the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. After infection, patients may experience symptoms such as fever, hepatosplenomegaly, wasting, and skin pigmentation. These symptoms include skin pigmentation, which gives the skin a black color, hence the name “black fever”.
II. Therapeutic measures: how to deal with black fever?
For the treatment of black fever, the following two main methods are currently used:
1.Physical therapy
Drugs against Leishmania protozoa are mainly used, such as antimony sodium gluconate and pentavalent antimony. These drugs can kill the parasitized Leishmania protozoa in the body, so as to achieve the therapeutic purpose.
2.Surgery
Surgery may be required for certain complications caused by black fever, such as enlarged spleen and fluid in the abdominal cavity.
III. Prevention: How to protect against black fever?
The best way to prevent black fever is to cut off the means of transmission, and specific measures include:
1.Preventing and eliminating lacewings
Lacewings are the vectors of black fever, therefore, avoiding being bitten by lacewings is the key to preventing black fever. Measures to eliminate lacewing habitats, such as filling up potholes around houses and removing weeds, can effectively reduce the density of lacewings. At the same time, use personal protective measures such as mosquito nets and mosquito repellent to avoid lacewing bites.
2.Health Education
Strengthen health education for the public to raise people’s awareness of black fever and preventive consciousness. Educate people to pay attention to personal hygiene, keep the environment clean and tidy, and avoid sleeping outdoors.
3.Disease Surveillance
Establish a sound disease surveillance system to detect and deal with epidemics in a timely manner and prevent them from spreading.
IV. Current status and future challenges of black fever
Despite the fact that the incidence of black fever has been declining year by year in China, the following points still require attention:
1.Geographical
Black fever is mainly distributed in some areas of China, such as Xinjiang, Gansu, Sichuan and so on. In these areas, prevention and control measures should be strengthened to reduce the incidence rate.
2.Zoonotic
In addition to human-to-human transmission, black fever can also be transmitted through animals, such as dogs and rats. Therefore, in the process of prevention and control, attention should also be paid to the management and prevention of animal hosts.
3.International cooperation
Under the background of globalization, international epidemic exchange and cooperation are of great significance to prevent transnational transmission of black fever. Strengthening cooperation with neighboring countries and jointly formulating prevention and control strategies can help control the transnational spread of the disease.
4.Vaccine Research and Development
Despite the effectiveness of existing treatments, vaccine research and development is still a future research direction. Increasing the immunity of the population through vaccination can prevent the spread of the disease from the root cause.
5.Scientific Research
Scientific research should be strengthened to understand the pathogenesis of black fever, transmission pathways, and drug resistance, so as to provide a scientific basis for the development of prevention and control strategies.