|
Jaundice is a condition that causes people to turn yellow. This discoloration is the most common and obvious symptom of jaundice, but in addition, the patient usually also complains of extreme fatigue and nausea. He finds himself unable to keep down his food and suffers from almost constant vomiting.
Jaundice itself is really a symptom and not a disease, and therefore, strictly speaking, cannot really be called contagious. However, the disease that is causing the symptom of jaundice can be contagious. For example, if jaundice has been caused by viral hepatitis, then it may be contagious.
This illness is often not diagnosed in the first few days. The symptoms of jaundice match that of mild stomach flu and very often patients are treated accordingly. As a result, the patient inadvertently passes the infection to various people who come in contact with him. Since the patient himself is often unaware that he is suffering from jaundice, he has no idea that he is passing the illness to other people who come in contact with him. Many diseases that cause jaundice are the result of consuming contaminated food. In this situation, the infection could be contagious - the patient handles the food that is then passed on to various people. This can cause the patient to pass the illness along to various, unsuspecting people. If the person suffering from jaundice is not a person who is very particular about hygiene, then he is more than likely to spread the illness among those who come into contact with him. If, for instance, he fails to wash his hands after he has visited the bathroom, his hands contain all the germs which are then passed on to other people.
Therefore, it is imperative that the patient is very careful about hygiene. He should ensure that he washes his hands with soap, after each visit to the bathroom. Also, the patient should not handle food meant for other, healthy people since this will pass on the infection to others. Hygiene is of paramount importance, and the patient should make it a habit that he washes his hands regularly. He should be particular about washing his hands after visiting a bathroom. Also, he should avoid touching food and then passing it on to others. Other safeguards will vary depending on the cause of jaundice - certain types of hepatitis are transmitted through sexual contact, and this should therefore be avoided. It is extremely important to find out what has caused the symptom of jaundice; this not only helps treat the patient more effectively, but also helps prevent the spread of disease.
|
