Re: Zamboanga, Philippines: Five die, 20 others ill with unknown illness
The article ProMED has chosen here is one of the more unusual in this thread as to the symptoms described; I am not sure that this is the correct description.
Archive Number 20110707.2053
Published Date 07-JUL-2011
Subject PRO/EDR> Undiagnosed disease, fatal - Philippines (02): (ZN)
UNDIAGNOSED DISEASE, FATAL - PHILIPPINES: (02) (ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE)
************************************************** ******************
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 5 Jul 2011
Source: Inquirer News [edited]
<http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/21500/mystery-disease-afflicts-zamboanga-del-norte-village>
Mystery disease afflicts Zamboanga del Norte village
----------------------------------------------------
Health officials in Western Mindanao are in a quandary as to what has
killed at least 4 people and downed more than 2 dozen other people in
a fishing village in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, since late April
[2011].
Dr Aristides Tan, director of the Department of Health in Western
Mindanao, said they have been searching for answers to the mystery.
"We are very puzzled. Even our toxicologists are wondering what this
disease is," he said.
Tan said laboratory samples from the victims and the village's
surroundings had been gathered and sent to Manila for analysis.
Dr Romeo Ong, director of the Zamboanga City Medical Center where at
least 16 residents of Mantebo village have been admitted since May
[2011], said they were expecting the results from Manila to come in
next week [week of 11 Jul 2011].
Ong said the patients showed the same symptoms, such as coughing,
fever, and mild paralysis of the lower body.
Those who succumbed to the mysterious illness died within a short
period after being hospitalized, Sibuco health chief Derileen Edding
said. She cited the case of a 23 year old victim who died 18 hours
after being hospitalized on 11 Jun 2011.
"All the patients, according to their relatives, complained of cough,
fever, then numbness of the lower parts of their bodies," Edding said.
"The illness progresses so fast."
Tan said they had initially suspected, based on the symptoms
manifested by the patients, that it the ailment could have been caused
by be some kind of marine toxin.
But then the manifestations were also symptoms of heavy metal
poisoning and Guillain-Barre syndrome. The latter is a serious
disorder that occurs when the body's immune system attacks parts of
the nervous system. This would result in nerve inflammation and causes
muscle weakness, Tan said.
"That is why we need to determine first what is causing the problem
so we can address it," Tan said, adding that the samples extracted
from patients for laboratory analysis included spinal fluids.
Sibuco mayor Norbideiri Edding said health experts were expected to
go to Mantebo on 7 Jul 2011 to conduct further investigation. He said
the local government was informed that at least 20 more patients were
being treated by relatives at home.
Mantebo is a remote village in Sibuco and residents travel by sea
because the road that leads to it from the town's center was so
dilapidated nobody uses it.
[byline: Julie S Alipala]
--
communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[This mysterious disease seems not to have abated, so it is likely
that the source has not been identified. However, this article gives
us little information aside from a few additional clinical signs. We
know it produces fever, coughing, and numbness in the lower portion of
the body.
In the previous positing I suggested cassava root as a toxic cause.
However, I do not know of cassava root causing fever and coughing.
Lathyrus poisoning also comes to mind but likewise, I do not know of
it causing fever and coughing.
It would be useful to have a description of which foods had been
consumed, what the quality of the water is, to receive some
inforamtion about the sources of the food and water. We hope to have
some results soon. - Mod.TG
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the Philippines can be
seen at <http://healthmap.org/r/10XR>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
The article ProMED has chosen here is one of the more unusual in this thread as to the symptoms described; I am not sure that this is the correct description.
Archive Number 20110707.2053
Published Date 07-JUL-2011
Subject PRO/EDR> Undiagnosed disease, fatal - Philippines (02): (ZN)
UNDIAGNOSED DISEASE, FATAL - PHILIPPINES: (02) (ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE)
************************************************** ******************
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 5 Jul 2011
Source: Inquirer News [edited]
<http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/21500/mystery-disease-afflicts-zamboanga-del-norte-village>
Mystery disease afflicts Zamboanga del Norte village
----------------------------------------------------
Health officials in Western Mindanao are in a quandary as to what has
killed at least 4 people and downed more than 2 dozen other people in
a fishing village in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, since late April
[2011].
Dr Aristides Tan, director of the Department of Health in Western
Mindanao, said they have been searching for answers to the mystery.
"We are very puzzled. Even our toxicologists are wondering what this
disease is," he said.
Tan said laboratory samples from the victims and the village's
surroundings had been gathered and sent to Manila for analysis.
Dr Romeo Ong, director of the Zamboanga City Medical Center where at
least 16 residents of Mantebo village have been admitted since May
[2011], said they were expecting the results from Manila to come in
next week [week of 11 Jul 2011].
Ong said the patients showed the same symptoms, such as coughing,
fever, and mild paralysis of the lower body.
Those who succumbed to the mysterious illness died within a short
period after being hospitalized, Sibuco health chief Derileen Edding
said. She cited the case of a 23 year old victim who died 18 hours
after being hospitalized on 11 Jun 2011.
"All the patients, according to their relatives, complained of cough,
fever, then numbness of the lower parts of their bodies," Edding said.
"The illness progresses so fast."
Tan said they had initially suspected, based on the symptoms
manifested by the patients, that it the ailment could have been caused
by be some kind of marine toxin.
But then the manifestations were also symptoms of heavy metal
poisoning and Guillain-Barre syndrome. The latter is a serious
disorder that occurs when the body's immune system attacks parts of
the nervous system. This would result in nerve inflammation and causes
muscle weakness, Tan said.
"That is why we need to determine first what is causing the problem
so we can address it," Tan said, adding that the samples extracted
from patients for laboratory analysis included spinal fluids.
Sibuco mayor Norbideiri Edding said health experts were expected to
go to Mantebo on 7 Jul 2011 to conduct further investigation. He said
the local government was informed that at least 20 more patients were
being treated by relatives at home.
Mantebo is a remote village in Sibuco and residents travel by sea
because the road that leads to it from the town's center was so
dilapidated nobody uses it.
[byline: Julie S Alipala]
--
communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[This mysterious disease seems not to have abated, so it is likely
that the source has not been identified. However, this article gives
us little information aside from a few additional clinical signs. We
know it produces fever, coughing, and numbness in the lower portion of
the body.
In the previous positing I suggested cassava root as a toxic cause.
However, I do not know of cassava root causing fever and coughing.
Lathyrus poisoning also comes to mind but likewise, I do not know of
it causing fever and coughing.
It would be useful to have a description of which foods had been
consumed, what the quality of the water is, to receive some
inforamtion about the sources of the food and water. We hope to have
some results soon. - Mod.TG
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the Philippines can be
seen at <http://healthmap.org/r/10XR>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
Comment