KARACHI: Fast approaching Eid e Qurban makes it all the important that the concerned authorities as well as traders dealing in livestock ensure proper vaccination of relevant animals against vaccine preventable diseases.

Chemical treatment of these with ticks is also extremely crucial to protect people in general against any increase in the number of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) cases.

CCHF, a serious health issue that holds every chance to gain strength as well severity during festivals like Baqra-eid required realistic approach to prevent any possible outbreak of the disease.

Acaricides (chemicals intended to kill ticks) is the only realistic option for well-managed livestock production besides indirectly protecting those coming into direct contact with tick carrying animals.

Prof. Afia Zafar, associated with microbiology department of Aga Khan University on Thursday mentioned that there was no safe and effective vaccine widely available for human protection against CCHF.

This, she said was in a scenario where tick vectors are numerous and widespread while those with direct exposure to these animals at farms or even in their homes hold optimum chances to suffer from the ailment, that holds high chance of death.

In reply to a question, she said workers at slaughter houses, care takers of CCHF patients, surgeons, doctors and nurses coming into unprotected contact with patients or the infected secretion are also at high risk.

The microbiologist extensively discussing Dengue Fever, CCHF and Naegleria said these three different diseases with almost similar manifestations needed to be properly understood by the healthcare providers as well as the masses.

Although they are prevalent in Pakistan yet factors causing them or contributory to their spread are often, either not known, or ignored by people.

It therefore important that people are educated with major focus on prevention as well as timely and proper diagnosis.

“We also must not forget that no vaccine is as yet available for prevention of any of the three ailments,” said Prof. Afia Zafar.

Application of repellants on the skin and proper clothing that may protect against mosquito or vector bite are simple preventive measures against Dengue Fever and CCHF.

However, elimination of the vectors in context of both these diseases is extremely important as while tick breeds on animal skin the mosquitoes causing Dengue Fever flourish in clean water.

It is therefore important that animals with ticks are vaccinated besides being subjected to acaricide and masses are also convinced to keep containers of fresh water properly covered, ensuring regular fumigation or proper cleaning of places with chances of clean water getting collected.

Prof. Afia Zafar mentioned that Naegleria Fowleri causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), an infection that leads to destruction of brain tissue.

This particular health condition is largely overlooked due to poor awareness, although its instances are also increasing and is registered among people inhaling contaminated water (through their nose).

Naegleria is an amobea commonly found in warm fresh water as lakes, rivers and hot springs, however only one of its species Naegleria Fowleri infects human beings, with more than 90 percent chances of death.

Cases of PAM reported to her included mainly young men exposed to un-chlorinated or improperly chlorinated water in the swimming pools or their exposure to contaminated water during other water sports.