KARACHI, March 15: Rising temperature, coupled with public exposure to all sorts of pollutants, and general apathy towards hygiene have been exposing Karachiites to varied allergies.

According to doctors, situation turns all the more serious due to indifference on the part of many physicians too who are often found being unable to prescribe proper treatment.

On the contrary, they appeared suggesting antibiotics without taking into consideration the reaction of a wide-range of such drugs and vaccines, a senior family physician told APP.

This is precisely what Karachiites are currently experiencing. 'Urticaria' is one of the most commonly witnessed allergies that people of almost all age groups are suffering from in Karachi.

The allergy, initially manifested through sudden eruption of nettle rash, soon turn into boils coupled with severe itching on almost all parts of body. The boils may even blanch if pressed, said Dr Shafiq Asad, a dermatologist associated with a private health centre.

Condition of many of the patients is found to turn serious owing to delay in intervention. Many prefer to approach general practitioners, but the doctors, owing to their limited knowledge of the condition, would resort to administering injections, only to aggravating the patient's condition further.

These patients referring to skin specialists late were found to be suffering from severe anaemia with swollen throat and trachea which makes breathing difficult for them.

"The option left under such circumstances is administration of steroids which have their own side effects," a doctor at Civil Hospital Karachi said. Under the given situation, Karachiites have been advised to ensure freshly cooked, and preferably home prepared, food besides ensuring that the vegetable used are washed very carefully.

Vegetables cultivated within the city or its suburbs are generally given a shower of contaminated water which, in some cases, appeared to be heavily polluted.

Water discharged from local industries, like tanneries, pollutes the crops, commented Dr Ikram, a general practitioner who added that people were also found to have developed allergy due to the polluted water. -APP