Question

Maintenance of personal and public hygiene is necessary for prevention and control of many infectious diseases". Justify the statement giving suitable examples.

Answer 1

Importance of public hygiene

Public hygiene entails methods that need to be carried out in places used by a large number of people. The following public hygiene methods ensures the reduction in the incidence of diseases:-

• Proper disposal of wastes: Diseases like typhoid and ascariasis are caused when fecal waste is not disposed of properly. Care must be taken to properly dispose of the fecal matter.
• Control of vectors: Disease like dengue, malaria are spread through mosquitoes. Care must be taken to prevent stagnation of water. Vectors can be controlled periodically by using safe methods (biological control of mosquito larvae by using the fish Gambusia) or by spraying insecticides.
• Maintenance of hygiene in food and water resources: Diseases like cholera, typhoid, amoebiasis are caused if the water and food are contaminated with pathogens. Periodic disinfection of water resources like tanks needs to be undertaken. The sewage treatment should ensure that pathogens are killed before the sewage is disposed into water bodies. Standard practises of hygiene should be observed in public catering of food.

Importance of personal hygiene

Personal hygiene practises like the following prevent diseases:-

• Keeping the body clean: Regular bathing, trimming of nails is important to prevent diseases like ringworm, scabies etc.
• Eating well cooked food and drinking clean water is important to keep gastrointestinal diseases at bay.
• Regular exercise strengthens the immune system allowing protection against illnesses like the common cold or flu.
• Immunisation: Making sure immunisation to the common diseases have been taken shows personal as well as social responsibility.