People living with immunodeficiency at risk of contracting infections

Islamabad:The change in weather conditions along with variation in temperature between day and night in this region of the country may put people living with immunodeficiency at greater risk of contracting infections particularly the respiratory tract infections including colds, flu, throat infections, pneumonia and acute bronchitis.

Almost all public sector healthcare facilities in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi along with private clinics have started receiving a significant number of patients with fever, sore throat and flu after a fall in temperature at night, dawn and in the morning. It is important that not only the variation in temperature but also high pollution level in the air causes spread of various seasonal ailments. According to experts, virus, bacteria, fungus, parasites and a number of other organisms that can cause infections lurk anywhere people have been but it is the body’s defence system, the immunity that fights off these organisms and if a person’s immunity gets weak, he or she becomes more vulnerable to get infection.

The chances of incidences of various infections are increased with the change in weather conditions and the poor quality of air that is engulfed by dusty clouds, toxic metals and vapours. Also the environment inside homes and offices becomes more polluted because of poor ventilation systems. People who got their immunity weakened whether because of some congenital or primary disorder with which they were born or due to acquired or secondary disorder, the disorder they got later in their life may get infections frequently and may have to stay longer with the infections.

Experts say that the immunocompromised people are also at greater risk of complications of the infections and may face life-threatening conditions in certain cases. It is time for immunocompromised people to take extra care to avoid upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Observations reveal that well over 10 per cent of Pakistan’s population is living with immunodeficiency, including those who are suffering from chronic diseases including viral hepatitis and diabetes. Experts say that it is time for those living with weak immune systems to follow precautionary measures to avoid certain infections.

The patients who have had renal failure, kidney diseases, chronic heart diseases, diabetes or like chronic patients need extra care and should consult with their physicians at the time of change in weather conditions to get proper advice on how to avoid infections. It is important that the geriatric patients, the older persons with impaired overall functions, are also at greater risk of contracting mild to moderate and severe infections in some cases at the time of change in weather conditions and they also need extra care in their diet and medication. Pregnant women also need extra care at the time. The most alarming fact, the public should be aware of, is that in immune deficient people, the upper RTIs may lead to pneumonia and acute bronchitis heading to respiratory failure and ultimately death.