Naruto Shippuuden

The very first to greet me a happy birthday was my colleague Abie, she greeted me at past 12 midnight. We had exchanged couple of text messages, saying that she’s still up and waiting until the clock ticks off to 12 so she could greet me. The greetings starts coming in but I opted to read all of them and went off to bed. The next morning, my inbox was flooded of text messages and few miscalls from friends and relatives. On my way to the office I’ve received few text messages and again miscalls from colleagues. It’s been a habit among the “geek squad” (we fondly addressed our circle of friends) that every time there’s a birthday celebrant, we need to have lunch together. Tere informed me that we’ll be having lunch at “Ai Sarap” – just across ABS and which Ai-Ai delas Alas owns but I told her that I don’t feel like having lunch there because it was too smoky and it stinks (oops, sorry Aiai). And so they moved to Pixies which is also just across the building.
It was a normal day for me; I came in the office around 12 in the afternoon and went straight to the adoration chapel of the 13th floor of the ELJ to hear mass, not because it’s my birthday but I’ve been attending mass almost everyday at lunchtime. After the mass, I headed straight to the location where the geek squad is all waiting for my entrance. On my way to Pixies, I bumped off with Cris – a barista from Starbucks, greeted me and said that they have been waiting for me and they have something for me. The rain starts to fall, lucky me because I was already on the place when it started raining hard. So there, we had lunch, talked, photo ops and even this Q&A portion where they asked me what is my birthday wish which I humbly answered “Good health and world peace!” – sounds familiar right? Everyone laughs and thought that I’m crazy and I was just kidding but I mean that. Then here comes the birthday cake, a mouth-watering caramel-flavored cake filled with icing laid-in spiral effects. But oops! There’s no candle! Taddah! If on Myrish’s birthday, (which also had no candle) we used the one from Glady’s birthday cake this time our last resort are the “toothpicks” – at least three of them, light it up and poof, a substitute candle in an instant. After having sweets we headed to Starbucks to have some coffee, and there, Chris handed me a gift sophisticatedly wrapped. It was a green checkered scarf – coolness! While having coffee, She asked me about my plans, my love life, etc. She gave me tips on how to make a relationship successful which Tiny and Kat eagerly memorized while Myrish claims to have virgin ears. After spending my lunch with the “geek squad” the surprises from my co-workers commence. There was a big “Happy Birthday” streamer on my cubicle. My place is on the passageway so everyone that will pass on my place would definitely see that pink streamer. Not to mention that my place can be seen over the glass window and is just adjacent to our Legal Department that everyone that will pass couldn’t help but notice the streamer. Oh my God, forget about the pink color, it’s the thought that counts and the fact that – “that” streamer seems to be the streamer for all the birthday celebrants then there shouldn’t be any issue. The very moment that I sat on my table, the receptionist handed me a rolled-in paper with notes inside. It’s actually a two-leaf paper; the first page contains an inspirational message about friendship then the second one contains an initial – honestly, I don’t get it at first and have no idea at all. Few more accomplices came in, the DHL guy who handed me a package addressed to me. I noticed though that I, being the addressee could be a mistake because when read the reference pick-up point, it should be addressed to my colleague Cindy who handles that account but then they insisted that it was for me. So I opened the package and just realized that it was part of the surprise. Another batch of boxes were handed to me by my colleagues Cindy, Ice and Abie, all of which contains gifts and sometime just a plain jokes like a can of sardines, a jumbo pen, etc. (they have actually stolen some of my items and wrapped it up in a box – effortless aren’t they). So to continue, I received few calls from another floor, a guard ringed my to greet me, all part of their plan. The other caller goes like this: “Hi Sir Hethler, Derek here, happy birthday, bye!” After the call, I said it was obvious that it’s scripted because Derek doesn’t even pause, he doesn’t even have any expression, but nevertheless it was fun. But these freaks me out, I have an on-going project, an AVP which was used on our GLT for this quarter, we still have some curing to do so we have to keep in touch with the IPost’ team for the editing and some audio engineer for the music scoring. Almost at the same time, I received emails from both parties. The subject of both emails contains: “Denial of Memo” for the retention that I’ve been asking from their group. And I shouted oh my God! This can’t be. But upon opening the email it seems that it was a joke and definitely part of the surprise – it was actually a birthday-greeting email. Then the receptionist once again handed me a paper note – and so it seems that it’s a puzzle that I have to figure out. I received more calls, email from HRD and mysterious gifts from the boxes. I thought it’s over so we had our snack, my treats to my teams – just pizza’s and chicken wings. When I thought that I could finally work as in “work” a couple of notes was handed to me; and calls from neighboring departments. When my colleague returned from Star Cinema, she handed me a movie passes from Joyce – our middleman from Star Cinema. It was around 100pcs. and I was surprised because she would normally give me a maximum of 10 movie passes. Guess I am wrong, when I thought that we’re starting to be serious, Cindy asked me to looked for the movie title that’s printed on the movie passes – holy crap, it’s “Caregiver”. Are you kidding me, I could give those passes to my friends and relatives so they could watch but for Pete’s sake, the movie isn’t showing anymore. So I called up Joyce, “Joyce!!! What’s with the movie passes? The hell!!!” and she keeps laughing out loud on the other line. Seriously, are you kidding me, giving out 100pcs. of movie passes. Moving on, I guess it was around 6:30 in the evening when the receptionist handed me the last batch of notes. He’s mum who’s the sender of those notes and claims that it was just turned-over to him by the last receptionist on duty. I’m writing down all the initials and it seems lacking of two more so I asked the guy if there’s more, he could just handed it all to me so he won’t get tired anymore going back and forth but he said there’s nothing left. There’s a corresponding initial of every message, but as I’ve said it seems lacking of two more so I just tried doing the wordplay – the text message way. Then the kryptonian message reads as: “H-P-Y—B-D-A-Y—HETH”. Well, I’m not sure of the exact message but I guess it reads that way. So when I thought that everything is over, once again they pulled me off from my chair for the ultimate surprise. We headed outside from our workstation then went to the Legal side of the building for the ultimate surprise. When we reached there, there’s a big as in huge box with bells and garland all over (is it Christmas yet?), I thought somebody was in there. Since my focus was on that box, the moment I look up straight, a dear friend waits on what we called “aquarium”, Patricia (or Tricia or Anne or Teacher or Trish) was in there waiting for me. And so we hugged each other, we missed each other, she’s a former colleague from Global but we managed to keep our friendship even if she’s not with us anymore. She actually cried after our reunion and complained how come I didn’t even shed a tear. I never expected that – that my teammates would arrange that for me. They know how much Tricia means to me and that really surprised me. Later on, Ice – the master of all this happening blurted it out that they’re trying to get a video message from Anne Curtis or Angel Locsin last Sunday but both didn’t show up on ASAP. She also revealed that to sum it up, there are 25 surprises all-in-all. The first, I totally can’t remember and the 25th was of course with Tricia. And again, when I thought that everything was over, a bonus came in, Rocky (Rocky-pedia) – our group’s very own “Wikipedia” and an ex-colleague shows up. It was a 10-minute reunion, of course the conversation won’t end without talking about anime specially Naruto. I am very happy that the geek squad was all here on my birthday. Rocky then had a very short yet powerful message to me on how I feel about the group and he said: “You are really blessed.”

Special shout out goes to my teammates Ice; Abie and Cindy and to Ahmira and Karen.

I will post the post-birthday celebration with my family, later. I’ve been living alone here in the metro and we’ll have a simple lunch over the weekend when I get back in Batangas.

For the Birthday photos head over to:
http://hethlerized.multiply.com/photos/album/10/My_18th_7_25th_Birthday

Visit my YouTube channel or my Multiply page for the videos:
http://www.youtube.com/hethler

For sure you’re laughing at me for this very late post. Well, it’s better late than never. I was overwhelmed with my anime marathon over the weekend that I forgot to make a special shout out on my blog for Mother’s Day. It’s the usual day for us; my mother resides at our hometown in Anilao along with my younger sister and my sister-in-law. Oftentimes, she visits us in Lipa, while we only got chance to spend some time with them when there’s a long holiday break but nevertheless we constantly keep in touch thru sms. So, to cut the story short, I only greeted my mother and my sister a “Happy Mother’s Day” just now! I don’t think there’s a problem with that, because I believe that it’s the thought that counts and the fact that we could make every day a Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there. Mwah-hugs!

Note:
The photo above was taken zillion years ago. On the left side were my mother and my late father along with argh! I have no idea, but for sure they were my siblings. Hahaha. On the right side on the other hand are my sisters Jeena and Jackie. *Shrugs* Look at my sisters’ hair and my mother’s eyeglasses! By the way, I’m the one in the middle, like 2-months old baby.

I will be out starting tomorrow in celebration of Lenten Season; all of us here in the office were already on forced leave. I’ll be back on Monday and hopefully by then I could catch up with my posts for Naruto Shippuuden, Bleach, Gundam and Album review. Have a blessed ‘Holy Week’ everyone.
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Last November 30, while I was on my way to Anilao, I made a short detour to the hospital to visit my nephew Ulrick who has been into the hospital for almost a week – missing exams, taekwondo sessions and training and most of all playing around with his schoolmates and being a big brother to younger brother – Tyrrel. He was confined because of typhoid fever, a very common disease of the season. Luckily, though its typhoid (Oops! I shouldn’t be thankful I guess that he has typhoid) we’re still thankful that it’s not dengue – yet another killer disease of the season. Ulrick probably got it from street food. He loves grilled pork liver, as much as his Dad and I do. Thanks to God that he’s negative from a series of test that were done and luckily after spending almost a week in the hospital, he was finally discharged. Just opposite of his room, was a colleague from our community – a kid with dengue and in the ICU, according to the history, the kid’s been having a fever and it was just few days later when they’ve decided to check her in, in the hospital after the kid vomits blood. After some blood tests, the kid is positive for dengue. While on the parallel room, there’s this guy in his late 50s, having asthma, “DOA – Dead on Arrival” due to heart failure. The doctors were able to revive him – at least for a moment. His family was all crying. Hearing and witnessing their story, I grabbed my sisters’ hand, and told her if we can go downstairs. We actually just stop for a moment when we see them crying and hearing their story. I can’t, actually my sister and I can’t stand the scene. We were the same just like them when our father passed away, the emotion and everything, so we truly understand how they feel about it, and I am really sorry for their loss. May the good Lord bless and give them strength. Anyway, back on my High School days, I was also confined due to dengue when I was on my 1st year. The same year, it was like an epidemic that my cousins and even my grandmother were confined. I still remember the time, while I am about to be discharged after spending few days in the hospital, my cousins then were about to be confine. Later that year, we lost our dear cousin, cause of death – dengue. My 6-year old cousin Anjo was in kindergarten, and about to graduate with honor that year, but sadly, he died from dengue. He was the youngest in their family, very charming little boy, loves grapefruit, sings well and a loving son. He would ride into my bike sometimes when I am strolling and was fascinated with the things that he sees.

Below are some helpful information/FAQs regarding dengue and typhoid fever.

Dengue
Q. What is dengue?
A. Dengue (pronounced den’ gee) is a disease caused by any one of four closely related viruses (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, or DEN-4). The viruses are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. In the Western Hemisphere, the Aedes aegypti mosquito is the most important transmitter or vector of dengue viruses, although a 2001 outbreak in Hawaii was transmitted by Aedes albopictus. It is estimated that there are over 100 million cases of dengue worldwide each year.

Q. What is dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. DHF is a more severe form of dengue. It can be fatal if unrecognized and not properly treated. DHF is caused by infection with the same viruses that cause dengue. With good medical management, mortality due to DHF can be less than 1%.

Q. How are dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) spread?
A. Dengue is transmitted to people by the bite of an Aedes mosquito that is infected with a dengue virus. The mosquito becomes infected with dengue virus when it bites a person who has dengue or DHF and after about a week can transmit the virus while biting a healthy person. Dengue cannot be spread directly from person to person.

Q. What are the symptoms of the disease?
A. The principal symptoms of dengue are high fever, severe headache, backache, joint pains, nausea and vomiting, eye pain, and rash. Generally, younger children have a milder illness than older children and adults.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is characterized by a fever that lasts from 2 to 7 days, with general signs and symptoms that could occur with many other illnesses (e.g., nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and headache). This stage is followed by hemorrhagic manifestations, tendency to bruise easily or other types of skin hemorrhages, bleeding nose or gums, and possibly internal bleeding. The smallest blood vessels (capillaries) become excessively permeable (“leaky”), allowing the fluid component to escape from the blood vessels. This may lead to failure of the circulatory system and shock, followed by death, if circulatory failure is not corrected.

Q. What is the treatment for dengue?
A. There is no specific medication for treatment of a dengue infection. Persons who think they have dengue should use analgesics (pain relievers) with acetaminophen and avoid those containing aspirin. They should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and consult a physician.

Q. Is there an effective treatment for dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. As with dengue, there is no specific medication for DHF. It can however be effectively treated by fluid replacement therapy if an early clinical diagnosis is made. Hospitalization is frequently required in order to adequately manage DHF. Physicians who suspect that a patient has DHF may want to consult the Dengue Branch at CDC, for more information.

Q. Where can outbreaks of dengue occur?
A. Outbreaks of dengue occur primarily in areas where Aedes aegypti (sometimes also Aedes albopictus) mosquitoes live. This includes most tropical urban areas of the world. Dengue viruses may be introduced into areas by travelers who become infected while visiting other areas of the tropics where dengue commonly exists.

In the America region, all dengue virus serotypes are now present. DEN-3 was reintroduced into Central America in 1994 and is now found in several countries in the region. Since this serotype has been absent from the Americas for almost 20 years, the population has a low level of immunity and the virus is expected to spread rapidly.

Q. What can be done to reduce the risk of acquiring dengue?
A. There is no vaccine for preventing dengue. The best preventive measure for residents living in areas infested with Aedes aegypti is to eliminate the places where the mosquito lays her eggs, primarily artificial containers that hold water.

Items that collect rainwater or are used to store water (for example, plastic containers, 55-gallon drums, buckets, or used automobile tires) should be covered or properly discarded. Pet and animal watering containers and vases with fresh flowers should be emptied and scoured at least once a week. This will eliminate the mosquito eggs and larvae and reduce the number of mosquitoes present in these areas.
For travelers to areas with dengue, a well as people living in areas with dengue, the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes indoors is reduced by utilization of air conditioning or windows and doors that are screened. Proper application of mosquito repellents containing 20% to 30% DEET as the active ingredient on exposed skin and clothing decreases the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes. The risk of dengue infection for international travelers appears to be small, unless an epidemic is in progress.

Q. How can we prevent epidemics of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. The emphasis for dengue prevention is on sustainable, community-based, integrated mosquito control, with limited reliance on insecticides (chemical larvicides and adulticides). Preventing epidemic disease requires a coordinated community effort to increase awareness about dengue/DHF, how to recognize it, and how to control the mosquito that transmits it. Residents are responsible for keeping their yards and patios free of sites where mosquitoes can be produced.

Typhoid Fever
Q. What is typhoid fever?
A. Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. In the United States about 400 cases occur each year, and 75% of these are acquired while traveling internationally. Typhoid fever is still common in the developing world, where it affects about 21.5 million persons each year.

Typhoid fever can be prevented and can usually be treated with antibiotics. If you are planning to travel outside the United States, you should know about typhoid fever and what steps you can take to protect yourself.

Q. How is typhoid fever spread?
A. Salmonella Typhi lives only in humans. Persons with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract. In addition, a small number of persons, called carriers , recover from typhoid fever but continue to carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed S. Typhi in their feces (stool).

You can get typhoid fever if you eat food or drink beverages that have been handled by a person who is shedding S. Typhi or if sewage contaminated with S. Typhi bacteria gets into the water you use for drinking or washing food. Therefore, typhoid fever is more common in areas of the world where handwashing is less frequent and water is likely to be contaminated with sewage.

Once S. Typhi bacteria are eaten or drunk, they multiply and spread into the bloodstream. The body reacts with fever and other signs and symptoms.

Q. Where in the world do you get typhoid fever?
A. Typhoid fever is common in most parts of the world except in industrialized regions such as the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and Japan. Therefore, if you are traveling to the developing world, you should consider taking precautions. Over the past 10 years, travelers from the United States to Asia, Africa, and Latin America have been especially at risk.

Q. How can you avoid typhoid fever?
A. Two basic actions can protect you from typhoid fever:
1. Avoid risky foods and drinks.
2. Get vaccinated against typhoid fever.
It may surprise you, but watching what you eat and drink when you travel is as important as being vaccinated. This is because the vaccines are not completely effective. Avoiding risky foods will also help protect you from other illnesses, including travelers’ diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and
hepatitis A.

Q. What are the signs and symptoms of typhoid fever?
A. Persons with typhoid fever usually have a sustained fever as high as 103° to 104° F (39° to 40° C). They may also feel weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. The only way to know for sure if an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool or blood tested for the presence of S. Typhi .

Download the complete guide below:
Dengue FAQ
Typhoid fever FAQ

Last November 30, while I was on my way to Anilao, I made a short detour to the hospital to visit my nephew Ulrick who has been into the hospital for almost a week – missing exams, taekwondo sessions and training and most of all playing around with his schoolmates and being a big brother to younger brother – Tyrrel. He was confined because of typhoid fever, a very common disease of the season. Luckily, though its typhoid (Oops! I shouldn’t be thankful I guess that he has typhoid) we’re still thankful that it’s not dengue – yet another killer disease of the season. Ulrick probably got it from street food. He loves grilled pork liver, as much as his Dad and I do. Thanks to God that he’s negative from a series of test that were done and luckily after spending almost a week in the hospital, he was finally discharged. Just opposite of his room, was a colleague from our community – a kid with dengue and in the ICU, according to the history, the kid’s been having a fever and it was just few days later when they’ve decided to check her in, in the hospital after the kid vomits blood. After some blood tests, the kid is positive for dengue. While on the parallel room, there’s this guy in his late 50s, having asthma, “DOA – Dead on Arrival” due to heart failure. The doctors were able to revive him – at least for a moment. His family was all crying. Hearing and witnessing their story, I grabbed my sisters’ hand, and told her if we can go downstairs. We actually just stop for a moment when we see them crying and hearing their story. I can’t, actually my sister and I can’t stand the scene. We were the same just like them when our father passed away, the emotion and everything, so we truly understand how they feel about it, and I am really sorry for their loss. May the good Lord bless and give them strength. Anyway, back on my High School days, I was also confined due to dengue when I was on my 1st year. The same year, it was like an epidemic that my cousins and even my grandmother were confined. I still remember the time, while I am about to be discharged after spending few days in the hospital, my cousins then were about to be confine. Later that year, we lost our dear cousin, cause of death – dengue. My 6-year old cousin Anjo was in kindergarten, and about to graduate with honor that year, but sadly, he died from dengue. He was the youngest in their family, very charming little boy, loves grapefruit, sings well and a loving son. He would ride into my bike sometimes when I am strolling and was fascinated with the things that he sees.

Below are some helpful information/FAQs regarding dengue and typhoid fever.

Dengue
Q. What is dengue?
A. Dengue (pronounced den’ gee) is a disease caused by any one of four closely related viruses (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, or DEN-4). The viruses are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. In the Western Hemisphere, the Aedes aegypti mosquito is the most important transmitter or vector of dengue viruses, although a 2001 outbreak in Hawaii was transmitted by Aedes albopictus. It is estimated that there are over 100 million cases of dengue worldwide each year.

Q. What is dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. DHF is a more severe form of dengue. It can be fatal if unrecognized and not properly treated. DHF is caused by infection with the same viruses that cause dengue. With good medical management, mortality due to DHF can be less than 1%.

Q. How are dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) spread?
A. Dengue is transmitted to people by the bite of an Aedes mosquito that is infected with a dengue virus. The mosquito becomes infected with dengue virus when it bites a person who has dengue or DHF and after about a week can transmit the virus while biting a healthy person. Dengue cannot be spread directly from person to person.

Q. What are the symptoms of the disease?
A. The principal symptoms of dengue are high fever, severe headache, backache, joint pains, nausea and vomiting, eye pain, and rash. Generally, younger children have a milder illness than older children and adults.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is characterized by a fever that lasts from 2 to 7 days, with general signs and symptoms that could occur with many other illnesses (e.g., nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and headache). This stage is followed by hemorrhagic manifestations, tendency to bruise easily or other types of skin hemorrhages, bleeding nose or gums, and possibly internal bleeding. The smallest blood vessels (capillaries) become excessively permeable (“leaky”), allowing the fluid component to escape from the blood vessels. This may lead to failure of the circulatory system and shock, followed by death, if circulatory failure is not corrected.

Q. What is the treatment for dengue?
A. There is no specific medication for treatment of a dengue infection. Persons who think they have dengue should use analgesics (pain relievers) with acetaminophen and avoid those containing aspirin. They should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and consult a physician.

Q. Is there an effective treatment for dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. As with dengue, there is no specific medication for DHF. It can however be effectively treated by fluid replacement therapy if an early clinical diagnosis is made. Hospitalization is frequently required in order to adequately manage DHF. Physicians who suspect that a patient has DHF may want to consult the Dengue Branch at CDC, for more information.

Q. Where can outbreaks of dengue occur?
A. Outbreaks of dengue occur primarily in areas where Aedes aegypti (sometimes also Aedes albopictus) mosquitoes live. This includes most tropical urban areas of the world. Dengue viruses may be introduced into areas by travelers who become infected while visiting other areas of the tropics where dengue commonly exists.

In the America region, all dengue virus serotypes are now present. DEN-3 was reintroduced into Central America in 1994 and is now found in several countries in the region. Since this serotype has been absent from the Americas for almost 20 years, the population has a low level of immunity and the virus is expected to spread rapidly.

Q. What can be done to reduce the risk of acquiring dengue?
A. There is no vaccine for preventing dengue. The best preventive measure for residents living in areas infested with Aedes aegypti is to eliminate the places where the mosquito lays her eggs, primarily artificial containers that hold water.

Items that collect rainwater or are used to store water (for example, plastic containers, 55-gallon drums, buckets, or used automobile tires) should be covered or properly discarded. Pet and animal watering containers and vases with fresh flowers should be emptied and scoured at least once a week. This will eliminate the mosquito eggs and larvae and reduce the number of mosquitoes present in these areas.
For travelers to areas with dengue, a well as people living in areas with dengue, the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes indoors is reduced by utilization of air conditioning or windows and doors that are screened. Proper application of mosquito repellents containing 20% to 30% DEET as the active ingredient on exposed skin and clothing decreases the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes. The risk of dengue infection for international travelers appears to be small, unless an epidemic is in progress.

Q. How can we prevent epidemics of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. The emphasis for dengue prevention is on sustainable, community-based, integrated mosquito control, with limited reliance on insecticides (chemical larvicides and adulticides). Preventing epidemic disease requires a coordinated community effort to increase awareness about dengue/DHF, how to recognize it, and how to control the mosquito that transmits it. Residents are responsible for keeping their yards and patios free of sites where mosquitoes can be produced.

Typhoid Fever
Q. What is typhoid fever?
A. Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. In the United States about 400 cases occur each year, and 75% of these are acquired while traveling internationally. Typhoid fever is still common in the developing world, where it affects about 21.5 million persons each year.

Typhoid fever can be prevented and can usually be treated with antibiotics. If you are planning to travel outside the United States, you should know about typhoid fever and what steps you can take to protect yourself.

Q. How is typhoid fever spread?
A. Salmonella Typhi lives only in humans. Persons with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract. In addition, a small number of persons, called carriers , recover from typhoid fever but continue to carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed S. Typhi in their feces (stool).

You can get typhoid fever if you eat food or drink beverages that have been handled by a person who is shedding S. Typhi or if sewage contaminated with S. Typhi bacteria gets into the water you use for drinking or washing food. Therefore, typhoid fever is more common in areas of the world where handwashing is less frequent and water is likely to be contaminated with sewage.

Once S. Typhi bacteria are eaten or drunk, they multiply and spread into the bloodstream. The body reacts with fever and other signs and symptoms.

Q. Where in the world do you get typhoid fever?
A. Typhoid fever is common in most parts of the world except in industrialized regions such as the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and Japan. Therefore, if you are traveling to the developing world, you should consider taking precautions. Over the past 10 years, travelers from the United States to Asia, Africa, and Latin America have been especially at risk.

Q. How can you avoid typhoid fever?
A. Two basic actions can protect you from typhoid fever:
1. Avoid risky foods and drinks.
2. Get vaccinated against typhoid fever.
It may surprise you, but watching what you eat and drink when you travel is as important as being vaccinated. This is because the vaccines are not completely effective. Avoiding risky foods will also help protect you from other illnesses, including travelers’ diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and
hepatitis A.

Q. What are the signs and symptoms of typhoid fever?
A. Persons with typhoid fever usually have a sustained fever as high as 103° to 104° F (39° to 40° C). They may also feel weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. The only way to know for sure if an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool or blood tested for the presence of S. Typhi .

Download the complete guide below:
Dengue FAQ
Typhoid fever FAQ

Last November 30, while I was on my way to Anilao, I made a short detour to the hospital to visit my nephew Ulrick who has been into the hospital for almost a week – missing exams, taekwondo sessions and training and most of all playing around with his schoolmates and being a big brother to younger brother – Tyrrel. He was confined because of typhoid fever, a very common disease of the season. Luckily, though its typhoid (Oops! I shouldn’t be thankful I guess that he has typhoid) we’re still thankful that it’s not dengue – yet another killer disease of the season. Ulrick probably got it from street food. He loves grilled pork liver, as much as his Dad and I do. Thanks to God that he’s negative from a series of test that were done and luckily after spending almost a week in the hospital, he was finally discharged. Just opposite of his room, was a colleague from our community – a kid with dengue and in the ICU, according to the history, the kid’s been having a fever and it was just few days later when they’ve decided to check her in, in the hospital after the kid vomits blood. After some blood tests, the kid is positive for dengue. While on the parallel room, there’s this guy in his late 50s, having asthma, “DOA – Dead on Arrival” due to heart failure. The doctors were able to revive him – at least for a moment. His family was all crying. Hearing and witnessing their story, I grabbed my sisters’ hand, and told her if we can go downstairs. We actually just stop for a moment when we see them crying and hearing their story. I can’t, actually my sister and I can’t stand the scene. We were the same just like them when our father passed away, the emotion and everything, so we truly understand how they feel about it, and I am really sorry for their loss. May the good Lord bless and give them strength. Anyway, back on my High School days, I was also confined due to dengue when I was on my 1st year. The same year, it was like an epidemic that my cousins and even my grandmother were confined. I still remember the time, while I am about to be discharged after spending few days in the hospital, my cousins then were about to be confine. Later that year, we lost our dear cousin, cause of death – dengue. My 6-year old cousin Anjo was in kindergarten, and about to graduate with honor that year, but sadly, he died from dengue. He was the youngest in their family, very charming little boy, loves grapefruit, sings well and a loving son. He would ride into my bike sometimes when I am strolling and was fascinated with the things that he sees.

Below are some helpful information/FAQs regarding dengue and typhoid fever.

Dengue
Q. What is dengue?
A. Dengue (pronounced den’ gee) is a disease caused by any one of four closely related viruses (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, or DEN-4). The viruses are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. In the Western Hemisphere, the Aedes aegypti mosquito is the most important transmitter or vector of dengue viruses, although a 2001 outbreak in Hawaii was transmitted by Aedes albopictus. It is estimated that there are over 100 million cases of dengue worldwide each year.

Q. What is dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. DHF is a more severe form of dengue. It can be fatal if unrecognized and not properly treated. DHF is caused by infection with the same viruses that cause dengue. With good medical management, mortality due to DHF can be less than 1%.

Q. How are dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) spread?
A. Dengue is transmitted to people by the bite of an Aedes mosquito that is infected with a dengue virus. The mosquito becomes infected with dengue virus when it bites a person who has dengue or DHF and after about a week can transmit the virus while biting a healthy person. Dengue cannot be spread directly from person to person.

Q. What are the symptoms of the disease?
A. The principal symptoms of dengue are high fever, severe headache, backache, joint pains, nausea and vomiting, eye pain, and rash. Generally, younger children have a milder illness than older children and adults.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is characterized by a fever that lasts from 2 to 7 days, with general signs and symptoms that could occur with many other illnesses (e.g., nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and headache). This stage is followed by hemorrhagic manifestations, tendency to bruise easily or other types of skin hemorrhages, bleeding nose or gums, and possibly internal bleeding. The smallest blood vessels (capillaries) become excessively permeable (“leaky”), allowing the fluid component to escape from the blood vessels. This may lead to failure of the circulatory system and shock, followed by death, if circulatory failure is not corrected.

Q. What is the treatment for dengue?
A. There is no specific medication for treatment of a dengue infection. Persons who think they have dengue should use analgesics (pain relievers) with acetaminophen and avoid those containing aspirin. They should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and consult a physician.

Q. Is there an effective treatment for dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. As with dengue, there is no specific medication for DHF. It can however be effectively treated by fluid replacement therapy if an early clinical diagnosis is made. Hospitalization is frequently required in order to adequately manage DHF. Physicians who suspect that a patient has DHF may want to consult the Dengue Branch at CDC, for more information.

Q. Where can outbreaks of dengue occur?
A. Outbreaks of dengue occur primarily in areas where Aedes aegypti (sometimes also Aedes albopictus) mosquitoes live. This includes most tropical urban areas of the world. Dengue viruses may be introduced into areas by travelers who become infected while visiting other areas of the tropics where dengue commonly exists.

In the America region, all dengue virus serotypes are now present. DEN-3 was reintroduced into Central America in 1994 and is now found in several countries in the region. Since this serotype has been absent from the Americas for almost 20 years, the population has a low level of immunity and the virus is expected to spread rapidly.

Q. What can be done to reduce the risk of acquiring dengue?
A. There is no vaccine for preventing dengue. The best preventive measure for residents living in areas infested with Aedes aegypti is to eliminate the places where the mosquito lays her eggs, primarily artificial containers that hold water.

Items that collect rainwater or are used to store water (for example, plastic containers, 55-gallon drums, buckets, or used automobile tires) should be covered or properly discarded. Pet and animal watering containers and vases with fresh flowers should be emptied and scoured at least once a week. This will eliminate the mosquito eggs and larvae and reduce the number of mosquitoes present in these areas.
For travelers to areas with dengue, a well as people living in areas with dengue, the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes indoors is reduced by utilization of air conditioning or windows and doors that are screened. Proper application of mosquito repellents containing 20% to 30% DEET as the active ingredient on exposed skin and clothing decreases the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes. The risk of dengue infection for international travelers appears to be small, unless an epidemic is in progress.

Q. How can we prevent epidemics of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. The emphasis for dengue prevention is on sustainable, community-based, integrated mosquito control, with limited reliance on insecticides (chemical larvicides and adulticides). Preventing epidemic disease requires a coordinated community effort to increase awareness about dengue/DHF, how to recognize it, and how to control the mosquito that transmits it. Residents are responsible for keeping their yards and patios free of sites where mosquitoes can be produced.

Typhoid Fever
Q. What is typhoid fever?
A. Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. In the United States about 400 cases occur each year, and 75% of these are acquired while traveling internationally. Typhoid fever is still common in the developing world, where it affects about 21.5 million persons each year.

Typhoid fever can be prevented and can usually be treated with antibiotics. If you are planning to travel outside the United States, you should know about typhoid fever and what steps you can take to protect yourself.

Q. How is typhoid fever spread?
A. Salmonella Typhi lives only in humans. Persons with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract. In addition, a small number of persons, called carriers , recover from typhoid fever but continue to carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed S. Typhi in their feces (stool).

You can get typhoid fever if you eat food or drink beverages that have been handled by a person who is shedding S. Typhi or if sewage contaminated with S. Typhi bacteria gets into the water you use for drinking or washing food. Therefore, typhoid fever is more common in areas of the world where handwashing is less frequent and water is likely to be contaminated with sewage.

Once S. Typhi bacteria are eaten or drunk, they multiply and spread into the bloodstream. The body reacts with fever and other signs and symptoms.

Q. Where in the world do you get typhoid fever?
A. Typhoid fever is common in most parts of the world except in industrialized regions such as the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and Japan. Therefore, if you are traveling to the developing world, you should consider taking precautions. Over the past 10 years, travelers from the United States to Asia, Africa, and Latin America have been especially at risk.

Q. How can you avoid typhoid fever?
A. Two basic actions can protect you from typhoid fever:
1. Avoid risky foods and drinks.
2. Get vaccinated against typhoid fever.
It may surprise you, but watching what you eat and drink when you travel is as important as being vaccinated. This is because the vaccines are not completely effective. Avoiding risky foods will also help protect you from other illnesses, including travelers’ diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and
hepatitis A.

Q. What are the signs and symptoms of typhoid fever?
A. Persons with typhoid fever usually have a sustained fever as high as 103° to 104° F (39° to 40° C). They may also feel weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. The only way to know for sure if an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool or blood tested for the presence of S. Typhi .

Download the complete guide below:
Dengue FAQ
Typhoid fever FAQ

I just want to share this Naruto Shippuuden inspired wallpaper made by me. Actually, I was trying to achieve the same effect of Naruto’s Rasengan. Well, one of these day, I will try to enhance this if I’m not that busy. Poof! Looks nice as my wallpaper… Don’t argue. Lols.