Rat fever: People warned against self-medication

Rat fever: People warned against self-medication
Medicines should not be taken without advice from doctors.

Thiruvananthapuram: All districts in Kerala are under intense monitoring for rat fever cases as many people were engaged in rescue and relief operations in the wake of flood. It is expected they had risked contact with contaminated water.

The health department suggested that anyone having symptoms like high fever, headache, body ache, redness in the eyes, and jaundice should immediately seek treatment. Medicines should not be taken without advice from doctors. Painkillers like paracetamol would in fact aggravate the disease, but conceal the symptoms, making it more risky.

Since the infection comes through contact with water, it is advised that those who had been to flooded areas and should take the preventive medicine, Doxycycline. Those who suspect the ailment should also have it.

Doctors and health department employees have been advised to stay extremely alert. Private hospitals are also expected to follow the advice. Hospitals have to report promptly to the health directorate about suspected cases.

The Kerala health department has issued a treatment protocol in the wake of the spread of rat fever. Rescue workers and volunteers involved in operations against the disease are to necessarily consume the prevention pill Doxycycline 200 mg once a week. The antibiotic will be provided free through separate counters.

Health minister K K Shylaja had earlier said contagious diseases like rat fever were on the rise after floods. Penicillin is being made available at taluk hospitals across the state. Those showing the symptoms of rat fever would first be given prevention pills without waiting for the test results. Private hospitals, too, will follow such a procedure, Shylaja had stated.

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