Infection risk higher in people with diabetes

Regular occurrence of fever, headache, soar throat, cough may not be only because of climatic changes. The symptoms that happen because of viral and bacterial infection find them many times higher in people who have high blood sugar. An international study that observed infection rate because of influenza virus in diabetic and non diabetic patient’s reports chances of infection six times higher in patients with diabetes. Dr Rakesh Sahay, professor of endocrinology, Osmania General Hospital says, “High calorie diet intake and lack of adequate exercise are two major risk factors predisposing people at high risk of diabetes. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn’t secrete enough insulin or the body’s cells don’t use insulin properly. Insulin is the hormone that clears glucose (sugar) from the blood and moves it to cells where it is used for energy. As a result, diabetics often have much higher blood levels of glucose than normal. The lifestyle related disease if not controlled threatens to damage various other parts predominantly heart, kidney and nerves in long term perspective but more importantly it makes the patient more vulnerable to infections. The dominance of infections has its implication by hampering day to day activities, adding to medical expenses and deterioting quality of life.” The ongoing research to find the link between high blood sugar and high infection rate talks on why it happens. A new study suggests that elevated levels of glucose in the bloodstream could inhibits the body’s ability to detect and fight bacterial and fungal infections.According to the publication at renowned Journal Epidemiology, the surface of infection causing bacteria and virus is similar in structure to the surface of sugar. When the blood sugar is high, body’s defense mechanism attacks sugar surfaces rather than virus surface due to the similarity in surface structure and therefore allowing virus to breed and infect. Dr MD Athaullah, consultant diabetologist, New Life Hospital says, “Infection in diabetes can be prevented by taking precautionary measures. The first and most important is to keep sugar under control. It calls upon adhering strictly to diet and exercise plans, take medicine on time and keep glucose under continuous monitoring under diabetologists supervision. The vaccination against infections is another vital tool that can prevent onset of infection. The vaccines are approved by all leading authorities like American Diabetes Association & CDC across globe.” Not only diabetics but also people with high risk factor like obesity are more prone to the attack of infections. Younger population who digress themselves from a healthy lifestyle are equally vulnerable to the infection attack. With some precautions under medical supervision the season can be enjoyed without encompassing the side effects.