Uganda: "Mysterious" disease in Rwampara

[alert]

Not sure what to make of this. There are many illnesses in Uganda that could be "similar to malaria", including malaria itself. The description below seems to indicate that many people took ill at once.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/21/716089#

There is a mysterious disease in Rwampara
Tuesday, 13th April, 2010 E-mail article Print article

EDITOR?There is an outbreak of a mysterious disease similar to malaria in Rwampara, particularly in Bushwere parish. On Sunday, my uncle rang me up and told me that most of his family members were down with a mysterious disease. He also told me that almost every home in Kisirira village was suffering from the disease.

Considering the transport cost has risen from sh5,000 to sh7,000 from Mbarara to Bushwere, some people who cannot afford the fare are likely to die! Fortunately, he said nobody has yet died. We need urgent help.
Jonan Natamba
jonanatamba@gmail.com

[alert]

Re: Uganda: "Mysterious" disease in Rwampara

http://eafr.promedmail.org/

Published Date
2010-04-16 14:49:07
Subject
PRO/EAFR> Undiagnosed illness - Uganda: (Mbarara),
Archive Number
20100416.206803
Full Text
UNDIAGNOSED ILLNESS - UGANDA: (MBARARA), MALARIA SUSPECTED REQUEST FOR ILLNESS
************************************************** *
Date: Tue 13 Apr 2010
From: The New Vision (Uganda) [edited]

http://www.newvision.co.ug/PA/8/21/716089

There is an outbreak of a mysterious disease similar to malaria in
Rwampara, particularly in Bushwere parish. On Sunday [11 Apr 2010],
my uncle rang me up and told me that most of his family members were
down with a mysterious disease. He also told me that almost every
home in Kisirira village was suffering from the disease.

Considering the transport cost has risen from sh 5000 to sh 7000 [USD
2.5-3.5] from Mbarara to Bushwere, some people who cannot afford the
fare are likely to die! Fortunately, he said nobody has yet died.

[Byline: Jonan Natamba]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR


[This report indicates a malaria-like strange illness in Rwampara,
Mbarara district, Uganda. While the newswire mentions the disease "is
like malaria", the actual clinical picture is not described so it is
difficult to speculate what the etiology might be outside of the
community suspected malaria. ProMED-EAFR will appreciate additional
epidemiological and laboratory information.


Mbarara district is located in Western Uganda and can be seen on the
map at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Districts_of_Uganda. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Uganda is available at
http://healthmap.org/r/01cT. - Mod.JFW]

[alert]

Re: Uganda: "Mysterious" disease in Rwampara

A very important observation by the moderator. Typhoid is possible, but there might likely be some deaths. Keep in mind also that the original story is basically an eyewitness report by a single person who is neither a journalist nor a medical practitioner, so the report need not be accurate. I'm not ruling out H1N1 here either.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:5351115765283974::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,82297

Archive Number 20100417.1244
Published Date 17-APR-2010
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed disease - Uganda: (MR) RFI

UNDIAGNOSED DISEASE - UGANDA: (MBARARA) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
************************************************** *************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Tue 13 Apr 2010
Source: The New Vision (Uganda) [edited]
<http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/21/716089>


There is an outbreak of a mysterious disease similar to malaria in
Rwampara [Mbarara district], particularly in Bushwere parish. On
Sunday [11 Apr 2010], my uncle rang me up and told me that most of
his family members were down with a mysterious disease. He also told
me that almost every home in Kisirira village was suffering from the
disease.

[Byline: Jonan Natamba]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[It should not be a problem to diagnose malaria in Uganda. The fact
that an entire village was infected simultaneously suggests that it
is not malaria, but more likely an infection transmitted through food
or water. In a malaria endemic area adults would have clinical
immunity and clinical malaria cases would dominate in young infants
and children. ProMED-mail will be interested in further information.
- Mod.EP]

[Mbarara district is located in Western Uganda and can be seen on the map at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Districts_of_Uganda>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Uganda is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/01cT>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]