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Monday, May 31, 2004
Hepatoma, diabetes top diseases in hospital
DOCTORS and medical staff of the Dr. Jose Locsin Memorial Provincial Hospital in Silay City are alarmed over the numerous cases of "hepatoma" or cancer of the liver and diabetes for this month alone.
Dr. Vicente Iturriaga, Medical Specialist II, also warned the public against the possible outbreak of "leptospirosis", a bacterial disease caused by the waste of infected rodents or wild and domestic animals.
Leptospirosis, Iturriaga said, usually spreads during the rainy season. Iturriaga added based on their records, for May alone, 10 patients were confined at the JLMPH because of hepatoma, mostly males.
He said hepatoma is usually caused by alcohol intake and sometimes triggered by Hepatitis B.
Hepatoma is different from cirrhosis of the liver, explained Ituriaga. Hepatoma, according to research, is a primary malignant tumor of the liver arising from hepatic parenchymal cells, blood vessels or cholangioles within the liver, excluding gallbladder and biliary passages. This is also common in the United States.
Among the causes of hepatoma are Cirrhosis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Mycotoxins, and Vinyl polymer.
On the Surgical Department, he disclosed that they also have an average of six to eight patients suffering from diabetes, some have already undergone leg amputation.
Iturriaga was saddened by the fact that most of their diabetic patients cannot afford intensive treatment and so they succumbed to the worst recourse, which is to amputate parts of their bodies suffering from diabetes infection.
He said diabetes is a dangerous disease, mostly hereditary in origin that could cause failure of the multi-system organs in the body.
It also attacks the kidney, among other circulatory systems in the human body, added Iturriaga.
Aside from hepatoma and diabetes, Iturriaga also said other common illness in their admission at the JLMPH include tuberculosis, gastro intestinal diseases, dengue, diarrhea, pneumonia, and stroke (hypertension).
Meanwhile, at the Our Lady of Mercy Specialty Hospital in Bacolod City, one patient from Victorias City has been confirmed having been inflicted of "leptospirosis".
The name of the patient has been withheld, however, upon the request of the family.
Iturriaga said with the onset of the rainy season, it is very possible for anyone to be inflicted by this disease caused by "leptospira interrogans", a corkscrew-shaped bacterium (spirochete).
This leptospirosis-causing bacteria, according to research, is common world wide, especially in tropical countries with heavy rainfall. The Philippines is one of these common places.
Research added infected rodents and other wild and domestic animals pass the bacteria through their urine.
The bacteria can live for a long time in fresh water, damp soil, vegetation, and mud.
Flooding after heavy rainfall help spread the bacteria in the environment.
Iturriaga said leptospirosis usually attacks open wounds and pores of the skin.
Symptoms include fever, headache, chills, nausea and vomiting, eye inflammation and muscle aches.
This case is simple to cure if only detected early; with penicillin as the best medicine. But if diagnosed late and severe, this could cause liver damage and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), kidney failure, and even internal bleeding. EASD
(May 31, 2004 issue)
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