Education and Inter-Department Collaborations

For Preventing Malta Fever

With the collaboration of Veterinary and Agricultural Jihad Organization, the department of fighting against contagious diseases in Bardaskan Health and Hygiene Center held the educational meeting of Malta fever based on SHEP model (the Systematic Health Education and Promotion model) in its amphitheater to Jihad activists and volunteers.

In this educational workshop, the department of fighting against disease presented some information regarding the epidemiology of Malta fever and the disease’s care specifications, and provided instructions about the comprehensive systematic Malta fever model (SHEP).

The instructor of the workshop considered the objective of this educational session as strengthening intra and inter department cooperation, educational elevation and proselytizing the public about how Malta fever disease is transferred and how it can be prevented.

Emphasizing the necessity and importance of a useful educational technology to elevate health literacy among the public, and utilizing full capacities for health education, the expert official of fighting against disease in Bardaskan Health and Treatment Network pointed out: SHEP model ( Systematic Health Education and Promotion model) plays a crucial role in transferring the health-related concepts and skills with as little complicacy as possible to the public in the society, and consequently promoting health and improving life style, which is a significant stride in prevention, control and treatment of Malta fever or Brucellosis.

The workshop instructor asserted: Malta fever or Brucellosis is considered as one of the most important diseases shared between animals and humans. Brucellosis bacteria which is the agent of the disease inflicts an extensive spectrum of domestic mammals. This disease has always been considered from two perspectives: economical and hygienic, as to causing miscarriage in animals, decreasing their milk, causing sterility and infertility in the inflicted animal, and inflicting humans to Malta fever.

The diseases is transferred to human: either directly through contaminated animal texture like blood, uterus secretions, miscarried fetus secretions/liquids; or indirectly through consuming raw milk, contaminated dairy, especially fresh cheese, cream, bulk dairy products, butter, and through respiratory system transfer as to the existing sprays in barns and the contaminated air of barns or laboratories; or through the accidental insertion of syringe needle of animal vaccines into a person’s hand.

Regarding ailment symptoms, this expert said: the dormant period of the disease (from the touch with the source of infection to the expression of symptoms) is often 1-3 weeks though occasionally up to 6 months. Therefore, those who have fever, lack of appetite, muscle pain, and overnight perspiration, and have history of touch with contaminated animals that are suspicious to be inflicted with Malta fever or have used contaminated dairy products, must refer to the doctors in health centers or treatment centers.

To prevent infliction, the workshop instructor suggested consuming pasteurized milk or boiling it up to 20 minutes, and emphasized: avoid drinking the milk of an animal who has recently had miscarriage. Also avoid unpasteurized dairy products.