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Noma is a debilitating gangrenous disease of the orofacial tissues caused by a lot of interconnected multifactorial circumstances.

Noma usually starts as an ulcer on gums and rapidly manifests into the jawbone, cheek, and finally soft tissues of the face. This is sequeled by necrosis of the facial tissues and fatal sepsis.

Survivors are left with devastated facial disfigurement often with dysfunction in breathing, swallowing, speaking and vision.

Noma was listed as being part of tropical neglected diseases by WHO Organization in 2033.

This disease is strongly connected to poverty and malnutrition, and majorly affects children between the ages of two and six years in the under-developed countries around the world, basically in sub-Saharan region of Africa; and badly noticed in the developed countries among immunocompromised patients.

However, It could be prevented by balanced nutritional diet and consistent oral hygiene. Noma is most common in lacking and filthy environments with poor healthcare infrastructure; as a result many cases go recognized, untreated and not even unreported.

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There are no reliable of its prevalence – "in 1998 WHO estimated that there were 140 000 cases per year with a fatality rate of 90%; no more recent estimates are available."Source

Noma is known to opportunistic ones in nature, linked to a number of microbes which take advantage of and lay their foundation wreaking havoc by malnutrition and compromised immunity.

There is no reliable credence of straight away contraction of Noma from a person to person. In the early commencement stages, it can be treated properly with antibiotics and nutrition supplements. If diagnosed much earlier before undergoing different stages, there can be proper wound healing and lack of facial disfigurement.

Patients with disfigurement require complex surgical rehabilitation and follow up.

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In most cases, Noma survivors experience high levels of stigma, social isolation, and discrimination among their peers in their various communities. These can be easily be corrected and countered by proper enlightenment with education and community outreach programmes in order to carry everyone along regarding Noma and its consequential damages to the orofacial structures.

That's all as regards Noma on this post. More would be discussed on it in the subsequent posts more elaborately. Thanks for the usual follow up given really acknowledged and appreciated.

Happy Blogging and Reading

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