The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Close watch on eye ailments

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 12, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Close watch on eye ailments

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE, DEC. 11. The Public Health Department has been maintaining a close watch on the nature of eye ailments being reported in eye care hospitals in and around Coimbatore city, the District Collector, S. Kosalaraman, has said.

Talking to reporters recently, the Collector, and the Deputy Director of Public Health, V. Veerapandian, said that there had been a marked decline in the number of toxoplasmosis cases in recent days.

On toxoplasmosis

The disease spread from a single cell organism from the excreta of pets in general and cat in particular.

The symptom of toxoplasmosis was hazy eyesight and the affected patients reported 99 per cent self-recovery.

Very rarely it led to complications like fits, blindness and heart ailments, if the untreated single cell organism settled down inside, the Deputy Director pointed out.

They said that cases of toxoplasmosis witnessed a spurt and at one point of time the district accounted for over 160 cases, which included a few cases from Chitode in Erode district.

Thirty-two cases were reported from Kerala and 15 from Andhra Pradesh, they added.

Study of water samples

As against the spurt in the initial days, only very few and scattered cases were reported now.

Reacting to reports that the disease was spreading faster in areas served by a particular drinking water supply scheme, the Collector ordered examination of patients and a study of water samples from areas where the ailment was reported in large numbers.

Action against druggists

The Assistant Director-cum-Drugs Controller for Coimbatore Zone, which has jurisdiction over Coimbatore, Erode and the Nilgiris, has so far registered seven cases against drug stores for dispensing tablets/drugs that stimulate sexual urge, without valid prescription from physicians.

The Assistant Director, M. Rajamanickam, said that people, who had such complaints against drug stores and also about sale of medicines at abnormal prices, could bring it to the notice of his office at 95-422-2210350 or could write to his office at 119, Race Course Road, Coimbatore-641 018.

`Drink boiled water'

The district administration has advised residents to boil the drinking water and to refrain from consuming half-cooked meat.

Extra care should be taken by those who had cats as pets, especially while disposing their excreta.

The pet should be subjected to frequent veterinary check-ups.

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