NOMA DISEASE

Why in News?                                                                                                        

World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently added ‘Noma’ to its official list of neglected tropical diseases (NTD).

What is NOMA?

• It is a severe gangrenous (decaying because the blood has stopped flowing there) disease affecting the mouth and face. Noma eats away facial tissue and bones if not treated early.
• It is caused by the bacteria spirochete Borrelia vincenti, commonly found in the mouth.
• It typically begins as inflammation of gums but progresses rapidly, leading to extensive tissue destruction and eventually exposing facial bones.
• It is also called cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis.
• Their distribution indicates that the disease is prevalent beyond the so-called noma belt, an area of the African continent stretching from Mauritania to Ethiopia.
• It has a mortality rate of around 90%.
• It primarily affects children aged 2 to 6 years old who are malnourished, infected with infectious diseases, living in extreme poverty with poor oral health, or who have weakened immune systems.
• Treatment– Immediate action with antibiotics, rehydration, correcting electrolyte imbalances, and providing nutritional supplements can halt the disease’s progression.
• Preventive measures– Enhancing living conditions and healthcare access for vulnerable populations, ensuring proper nutrition, immunization, oral hygiene, and sanitation practices.
• The illness’s neglected nature is most likely due to the fact that it affects the world’s most marginalised children.