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14
Monday, May 15, 1972
PREVENTION OF ENTERIC DISEASES CAMPAIGN
Dysentery An Infectious Disease
Dysentery is an infectious disease transmitted through food and
drinks. The disease occurs at all ages but children under the age of 10
years are more susceptible.
Dysentery is caused by germs passed out with the excreta of patients
and carriers of the disease. The germs infect food and water supply through
unhygienic food handling, flies and poor sanitation.
Vegetables and shellfish may also carry these germs because of
fertilizer and water pollution. Man becomes infected when contaminated food
and drinks are swallowed.
Diarrhoea with abdominal pain and fever are the main symptoms of
dysentery.
Samll quantities of stool containing blood and mucus are passed
at a time. The desire to defaecate is almost constant and the patient
strains with little or no result.
"With proper treatment, this disease can be cured in a few days,
though it is sometimes quite dangerous to infants and aged people if
treatment is delayed, "an Urban Services Department spokesman said
today in connection with the current "Prevention of Enteric Diseases Campaign",
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