patna the long wait for monsoon rain ended this week but with its arrival come many seasonal diseases as well if one wants to enjoy the season sans trouble a few precautions would be in order say doctors children are the most vulnerable lot paediatrician dr mohan kejriwal said mosquitoborne diseases like dengue and malaria and flyborne diseases like diarrhoea and dysentery are the most common ones in this season hygiene is the key to avoid them if proper hygiene is maintained the chances of such diseases are reduced he said mosquito nets must be used to avoid the insect bite and water stagnation should be prevented another common disease is cold and flu with sore throat my son after coming from school complained of throat pain one day later it aggravated further with a little bit of bodyache and running nose said bhavna sharma mother of a 14yearold son this situation is faced by many others as well doctors say a virus called streptococcal is at work during this season and causes such troubles bad hygiene is the perfect stimulus for this virus to work hands must be washed before eating and preparing food also dampness helps the virus breed so surfaces must be dried thoroughly said physician dr diwakar tejaswi adding children must not be allowed to drink cold water if cough symptoms are already present moreover if an infected person coughs or sneezes droplets of fluid containing the bacteria are spread in the air which may affect others too pain in joints also troubles many especially the elderly doctors say this happens because of variation in pressure the level of fluid in body joints responds to change in pressure if a body joint is functioning normally the change is not felt otherwise the ones who are suffering from arthritis feel the pinch because their joints dont have cartilage to provide the cushioning said dr tejaswi adding it can be best prevented by avoiding temperature variations those who use air conditioners shouldnt use it at temperature below 25 degrees suggest doctors skin ailments may also give one much trouble skin specialist dr r k p chaudhary said the threat of chickenpox looms large its cases have already increased and they may rise further if proper hygiene is not maintained secondary infections like tinea versicolor and candidiasis that cause itching in the body parts that sweat excessively are also common during this season due to rise in the level of humidity said dr chaudhary adding antifungal powders can prevent them besides eczema also aggravates in its patients he advised if one gets wet in rain then one must change clothes and wipe the body dry to prevent infections