Interesting health facts about Peru
Infectious Diseases Information

One of Peru's greatest cause of death comes from infectious diseases. The Peruvian population has a very high degree of risk when it comes to these types of illnesses. Some of the most common food or waterborne diseases in Peru include bacterial, Hepatitis A, and typhoid fever. Popular vector borne diseases include dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever. The most common water contact disease as of 2009 was leptospirosis.

Food and Waterborne Diseases
Hepatitis A is a viral disease that interferes with the basic functions of the liver. It is spread through the consumption of water or food that is contaminated with fecal debris. This occurs principally in areas where the environment consists of poor sanitation. Symptoms of the disease include fever, jaundice, and diarrhea. Many people affected with the illness will see the symptoms for 6 to 9 months.

Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease that is also spread through food and water that is contaminated by fecal matter or sewage. The principle symptom of this disease is a high fever. Many times one in five people will die because of the disease.

Vector Borne Diseases
Both Dengue and yellow fever are mosquito borne viral diseases. They are often associated with urban environments and can cause a high fever. Yellow fever occurs only in tropical South America and the sub-Saharan areas of Africa. With yellow fever 20% of victims never recover.

Malaria is another disease that is commonly spread through mosquitoes. It is transmitted through the bite of female moleskin does. The parasites that cause malaria multiply in the liver. They attacked the red blood cells which results in a cycle of fevers, chills, and sweats. Vital organs are often damaged and blood flow is limited to the brain. There are an estimated 1.5 to 2.5 million deaths annually in Africa alone due to the disease. That number is much smaller in Peru, however, it is still quite high.

Leptospirosis
Scientists have recently discovered a new bacteria that is believed to be responsible for about 40% of all cases of leptospirosis in Peru. Another name for leptospirosis is the seven-day fever. It is a bacterial disease that results in a high fatality rate they can cause Jaundice, renal failure, and lung hemorrhaging in many cases. This illness kills as many as one in every four people that contract the disease.

Leptospirosis is often classified as a waterborne disease. It is most commonly spread from animals to humans.