Being young is no guarantee of being infection-free. In fact, active lifestyles and busy schedules make today’s average man in his twenties susceptible to several illnesses. Being attentive to your body’s health needs is essential to prevent such illnesses and infections. In this article, I have highlighted the top five infections that men in their 20s should look out for:
- Typhoid
Typhoid is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria salmonella typhi. The breeding grounds for the bacteria are contaminated water or food, especially substances which may not be cooked properly such as chutney, and ice, not prepared in hygienic conditions. The symptoms start showing two to three weeks after the infection has settled in the body. Typhoid leads to high-grade fever, severe prostration and bowel disturbances such as diarrhoea or constipation. Taking anti-acid medication leads to low acidity in the stomach. This causes the bacteria to enter easily, thereby, resulting in typhoid. Diagnosis for this is usually done using a blood culture, which makes it easier to administer right treatment to the patient. The Widal test is not reliable in diagnosing typhoid. Eating uncooked foods or in unreliable food stalls/eateries or drinking contaminated water are among top causes of this infection.
At The Capstone Clinic, we provide a one-time-shot vaccine which aids in protection against typhoid for decades.
- Gastroenteritis and conditions like Hepatitis A
Men who take anti-acid medication like ranitidine and pantoprazole are more prone to infectious diarrhoeas including E coli infection. A lifestyle of constant travelling and consuming non-home meals more often make men more prone to such infections. Hepatitis A is also transmitted by ntaminated food or water. It is essential therefore, to take preventive measures.
We provide preventive vaccinations for Hepatitis A at The Capstone Clinic.
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Younger men with sexually active lifestyle could inadvertently expose themselves t
o sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Unfortunately since this is a shunned subject, many misconceptions prevail. For instance, many don’t realize that family background or social status of the sexual partner have no correlation to chances of STIs. Any STI can spread through contact with infected body fluids such as blood, vaginal fluids, or semen. They can also be spread through other forms of physical contact including kissing (herpes). While there is no vaccine to prevent an STI, except the cervical cancer vaccine, we recommend using protection and in case of any issues, to visit the clinic for a check up, after which appropriate treatment will be given. Also, it is important to contact trace for the infected person so that both partners’ infections are treated.
- Respiratory Infections
Respiratory infections, both viral and bacterial can result in cough, nasal blocks, fever and headaches. Symptoms for flu are usually high fever, body pain and /or cough. Cold is a viral infection which is not usually associated with fever and is generally less serious than the flu. While there is no vaccine to prevent cold, it can easily be treated symptomatically. Flu is more severe and
occasionally, when untreated, it could lead to further complications like pneumonia. This can be fatal, particularly for men who are obese or have underlying risk factors like uncontrolled diabetes, heart or lung disease. Even people who take immuno-suppressive medication are prone to getting complications of the flu. Flu can be prevented, and it wise to take the flu shot (available at our clinic).
- Skin Conditions
Fungal infections, typically ringworm or athlete’s foot, are common among me
n, as they wear shoes for most of the day. This causes moisture to form between the toes and result in fungal infections. Another factor is the humid weather in Chennai, causing sweat related skin conditions as well. This can increase the risk of developing fungal and bacterial infections. If personal hygiene is not very high or if men do not have showers once or twice a day, the risk of such infections increases. It is important therefore, to take self-preventive measures first, by taking care of personal hygiene and also get an early diagnosis and treatment by an expert at the clinic in case of any symptoms.