Infectious diseases disturbs both men and women, boys and girls and even children. It’s actually a thorn in the bodies of humans. Knowing ways to prevent infection recurrence is, therefore of paramount importance.
Infection can be contracted through several ways. Some from what we eat, touch, wear, etc. We get some through insects bites. To an average person, when we say infection, they think we are solely referring to those that are sexually transmitted. Well, they are just part of it as any sickness that is caused by microorganism is infection however the mode of its transmission.
This write up will focus on ways to prevent any form of infection from being recurrent. Emphasis will be laid when necessary on a particular type we deem fit.
Infection is said to be recurrent if it reccurs 3 or more times within 12 months. Of course this is not a good thing and solution to it should be sought after. The solution is here, just keep reading as we take the first step.
1. In the presence of any infection, the first action should be to identify the real causative organism.
Once this is done, taking it off will be a lot easier. To do this, you are to visit a trained healthcare provider. He will examine you and do clinical diagnosis and if need be, refer you to a lab test.
Personally, I encourage lab test for every infection no matter how simple it might look rather than relying on clinical diagnosis. If your ultimate goal is to treat and prevent recurrent infection, then demand for a lab test. This would identify the organism responsible for the infection and also, the best drug to get rid of it. I know that some people could be financially constrained but it’s far much better and more economic friendly (on a long run) when you go for a lab test than to treat empirically; more especially if your goal is to prevent recurrent infection.
2. Don’t choose drug for yourself, allow your healthcare provider do so using the lab test results of Microbial Culture and Sensitivity test (MCS).
In developing countries, drugs are sold like every other commodities; so individuals can buy any drug they like anywhere. Nigeria is a good example when it comes to this. So, if you have essay access to any kind of drugs in your country, don’t just choose drug for yourself, allow people trained for it to do so.
3. Also, for people in Nigeria and other developing countries where fake drugs abound, ensure you get your drugs from registered pharmacies.
You’re less likely to get fake drugs from registered pharmacies as their reputation and license will be at stake should such happen. But doing so from those who see drugs as commodities, they wouldn’t know the health and economic implication of dealing on fake drugs, so there are high chances of getting fake drugs from them.
4. Ensure you finish your drugs as prescribed
Using the MCS result, your doctor will place you on the best drug for the infection. That’s the first step towards eradicating the infection but it didn’t end there. When your healthcare providers have done their part, you are expected to play your own. And this demands that you finish your drugs as prescribed. Even if you feel better after taking the first dose, you shouldn’t stop. You are still to finish the remaining doses.
Do you why?
When you start taking your drugs, most times, the organism responsible for the infection will be weakened by the drugs before they are killed. Even if they are killed immediately,when the first dose enters your system, it will just kill small percentage of them. It might interest you to know that some antibiotics don’t kill microorganisms causing infections, they just stop them from growing further and they subsequently die off after the growth inhibition for a long period of time. So, ensure you complete your drugs as prescribed by your doctor. It’s only in cases of adverse reaction that you are expected to stop taking the drug, and report immediately to your healthcare provider.
5. If the infection is sexually transmitted, treat your partner alongside.
If you treat yourself and leave your partner untreated in case of sexually transmitted infection, then know it that you are likely going to have a reinfection. The chances is like 100%. There’s no point to explain why this will happen. So, ensure you treat your partner alongside when you treat yourself of sexually transmitted infection. The reason is not just to help him or her not to come down with the infection and possibly its complications but also to prevent you from being reinfected. This will save you a whole lot of money also.
6. Help your immune system
Naturally, the immune system fights infection. It’s when it is won that you come down infectious diseases. Now, after treatment, you need to help your immune system so that they can defeat any other infection causative organism. This can be done by eating of balanced diet, half ripped fruits and fresh vegetables while avoiding junks.
The reasons junks should be avoided can be read here.
7. In a situation the infection is airborne, consider treating everyone in your house.
The process is called post exposure prophylaxis.
This might not be a decision you will make, just inform your healthcare provider about it and allow him monitor your household or people you came in contact with and take the right decision.
In cases the infection is highly contagious and possibly deadly, isolate the infected and quarantine those that you feel are likely infected. As an individual, you might not be able to do this. You are not even expected to to it. So, call your country or state authority responsible for disease control and inform them. Examples of infection where this should be done is in cases of Ebola, Lassa fever, tuberculosis etc.
In a similar note, always cover your mouth while coughing, sneezing and don’t stay close to who’s coughing or sneezing without covering his or her mouth.
8. Maintain a healthy and a hygienic lifestyle
Some people say and believe that cleanliness is next to Godliness. Well, it could be true even though I don’t subscribe to that. But then, it pays to be clean. In situation where the infection you treated, such as skin infection is as a result of what you wear, getting your cloths plus your stockings always washed and ironed will go along way to prevent the infection from reccurring.
Washing what you eat too, especially if they are to be eating raw, will still go along way to help. In the same way, wash your hands before eating and after eating. Our hands should also be washed after using the toilet with soap and clean water. This should also be done when we come back from work or outing.
Adopt also ways to use toilet properly especially public ones without getting infection from it.
9. Inform others about this
Knowledge, they say, is power. Some people have modified it as they believe that it’s only applied knowledge that is power. I believe the latter too. So, let others get this message. If they do, we will be getting closer to preventing not only recurrent infection but infection itself.
One of the ways of informing others is by sharing this article if you found it useful. And do you know what, we love it when you share our articles.
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