Context: India's Dr. Gagandeep Kang received the 2024 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for her influential research on enteric diseases in children, which has significantly impacted vaccine development and health policy both in India and globally.
About enteric disease:
- Caused by: Micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria and parasites that cause intestinal illness. These diseases most frequently result from consuming contaminated food or water
- Transmission: Can spread from person to person.
- Symptoms: Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, nausea, and fever. In severe cases, enteric diseases can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, and even death.
- Common types:
- Amebiasis: Caused by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica. Symptoms include stomach cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea and weight loss.
- Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC): It is a form of the bacteria E. coli that causes gastrointestinal illness. It can be found in cattle, as well as some other animals. It is spread to humans through ingestion of contaminated food or water, or by contact with animals and their environments.
- Botulism: It is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
- Cholera: It is a bacterial illness caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacteria Vibrio cholerae
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD): A fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by the development of abnormal, infective proteins called prions.
- Giardiasis: Caused when a person ingests the parasite Giardia, usually from water or food that has been contaminated.
- Hepatitis A: It is an acute liver infection caused by a virus. Infections occur from ingesting food or water contaminated by infected feces and it can be easily passed from person to person.
- Listeriosis: It is an intestinal infection caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The Listeria bacteria are spread by ingesting contaminated foods such as ready-to-eat meats, soft cheeses, milk and raw vegetables.
- Salmonellosis: Caused by the bacteria Salmonella. It is mainly spread by ingesting food or water contaminated by feces or through contact with infected persons.
- Typhoid fever: Caused by the bacteria Salmonella enterica Typhi. Symptoms range from fever with mild illness to severe disease.