Please Don’t Spit!

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Please Dont Spit
MIOT International Multi Speciality Hospital,
Chennai
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• Weve discussed hygiene in relation to the Ebola
  virus in an earlier MIOT
• International post. This one is about spitting -
  and even coughing and sneezing
• carelessly.

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What is Spitting?

• First things, first. What is spitting?  Spitting
  is the forceful ejection of something
• such as saliva - from the mouth.
• All of us spit, but even as early as the 1700s,
  spitting was seen as something to
• be concealed. By 1859, spitting in public was
  considered vulgar and to this day,
• it is considered a universal sign of anger,
  hatred or disrespect. In the west, in
• the 1900s, spittoons were placed in public areas
  to be used as receptacles for
• spit. These became less common after the
  influenza pandemic that took
• thousands of lives between 1918 and 1920.

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Airborne Diseases

• Regardless of the cultural norms in different
  parts of the world, there is no
• escaping the fact that spitting anywhere - except
  where it can be flushed away
• immediately - presents health hazards. Airborne
  disease such as tuberculosis
• (TB), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  (COPD), severe acute respiratory
• syndrome (SARS) and influenza.

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Burden of Tuberculosis

• The UN marks World Tuberculosis Day on 23 March.
  Tuberculosis is an
• infectious, airborne, bacterial disease
  characterized by the growth of
• tubercles (nodules) in the tissues. Although it
  commonly affects the lungs,
• the bacteria can develop in any part of the body
  - the kidneys, lymph nodes,
• bones, joints, etc.
• India bears the highest burden of TB in the world
  with two million cases
• annually and one fifth of the total incidence
  worldwide. Besides coughing,
• sneezing and even talking, spitting is a major
  cause for the release of the
• mycobacterium into the air. The people who
  breathe this air become
• infected with the bacteria and develop
  tuberculosis. Anyone showing
• symptoms of tuberculosis must get checked for the
  disease. These include
• chest pain, persistent cough (with or without
  blood), night sweats, lack of
• appetite, weight loss and fatigue.
• MIOT International remains vigilant and prepared
  to detect
• and treat tuberculosis in any of its forms.

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Is it Our Culture?

• India is a pan-chewing nation. Sadly, very few
  pan-chewers use a spittoon to dispose off that
  red juice
• they simply aim for the corner on the stairs or
  elevator, or just lean out of the window of a
  moving
• vehicle.
• Surely, you have noticed those slimy red stains
  and globs of saliva streaking the walls in almost
  every
• public building and elevator. Most of us find
  sputum on the road, on the pavement, or on the
  stairs
• disgusting. But forget the ugly and
  disgusting aspects of this habit sputum is
  alive with bacteria that
• causes airborne diseases including the common
  cold, sore throat and fever

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Cough Etiquette and Respiratory Hygiene

• TB can be spread when a person with infected
  lungs coughs, spits
• and hawks up phlegm from the throat creating
  droplet suspension in
• the air which can be breathed in, held a
  spokesperson for the UKs
• Public Health Laboratory Service.
• At MIOT International, we firmly believe that
  most diseases, including
• TB, are preventable and treatable with awareness
  and hygiene.

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Basic Precautions Include

• If you must spit, do so where the saliva can be
  flushed away immediately.
• If this is not possible, spit into a tissue and
  make sure it is disposed off safely.
• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or
  sneezing. If you do not have a tissue handy,
  cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow.
• Never sneeze into your hands.
• Ensure that you wash your hands often.
• Use a hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes to
  clean your hands and the surfaces you touch.

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• Issued in Public Interest By
• MIOT International
• 4/112, Mount Poonamalle Road,
• Manapakkam,
• Chennai - 600 089,
• Tamil Nadu,
• INDIA.
• Phone [phone]
• Email chief_at_miothospitals.com
• Website www.miotinternational.com