Nigeria and other West African States share diseases in common. Tumbu, Meningitis, River blindness, Tsetse are some of the diseases of West African Origin.

Tumbu or Putsi:

Tumbu or Putsi are indigenous worms which survive and breed in wet conditions. Usually in wet bedding, sofa cushions and clothes.From there the eggs penetrate into human skin and causes allergy once development of new Putsi starts.

Applying Vaseline can suffocate worm to death. The disease is too irritating to handle though.

Meningitis:

It is an inflammation of membranous sheath of brain and spinal Cord.

It is caused by many types of virus or bacteria.

The inflammation doesn’t stick to brain exterior but penetrates beyond to all parts of body via blood.

Symptoms include vomiting, fever, illness, headaches, and dizziness.

A foreign visitor must immunize against meningitis before travelling.

Tsetse:

Tsetse fly is common in remote rural settings of Nigeria. Its bite can cause irritation and skin rashes.

Especially for tourists it can be annoying when he is just to have a small rest in daylight of rural Africa; he will definitely come across Tsetse fly bite.

River blindness:

A disease of West African Origin can lead to painful blows in the form of headaches, fever, aches and loss of vision. River blindness is caused by flies that are found along river banks.

The fly lays egg beyond human skin. The new one is fed in human blood; they grow and spread across whole of the body, trying finding ways out of the body.

In doing so they can rupture an eye as well, from where the disease gets its name as “River blindness”.

Nigeria, Ghana and other West African countries share roughly similar weather patterns, the forests and natural reservoirs.

Tourist planning to take a care of west Africa needs this handful of information so that he can get himself vaccinated.

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