Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/repor...isease_1297083
The return of a deadly disease
Sandeep Ashar / DNA
Saturday, October 10, 2009 2:57 IST
Mumbai: The deadly Japanese encephalitis has made its presence felt in the city after a gap of six years. Naresh Ahir, 16, a resident of Chunabhatti, is suffering from the viral infection that affects the brain and the central nervous system. He has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion. Although there are signs of improvement, his condition is still critical, said hospital sources.
The virus causing Japanese encephalitis is transmitted by mosquitoes belonging to culex tritaeniorhynchus and culex vishnui groups. They mostly breed in flooded paddy fields. The virus spreads rapidly in the presence of pigs. There are not many paddy fields near Mumbai. Nor is the pig population very large in the city. Jayaraj Thanekar, executive health officer, BMC, said the disease was extremely rare in the city. "Five cases were reported in 2003. This (Ahir's) is the first case since then."
It took 25 days to diagnose that Ahir was suffering from Japanese encephalitis. His father, Rajkumar Ahir, said that the family got him admitted to the hospital on September 14.
"He had a persistent fever and suffered severe headaches. He felt nauseatedall the time," said Rajkumar. "We initially took him to a private hospital, but the doctors there did not treat him. He was referred to the Sion hospital, and has been in the ICU since."
After blood samples sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, tested positive for Japanese encephalitis, officials from BMC's insecticide department surveyed the locality where Ahir's family lives to find out if there was any breeding site of the culex mosquito. Insecticide officer Deepak Adsul said no culex mosquito was found. However, there were birds in Ahir's home, and they could have been the carriers.
The public health department carried out a survey to look for symptoms among people living in the neighbourhood. Fogging machines were used in the area. Doctors said that the fatality rate of the disease was 60%. Long-term disabilities are common in those who survive the disease, which is endemic in parts of South India. The disease has an incubation period of 5 to 15 days. "It affects the central nervous system. Can cause severe complications, and even death," said Dr SN Acharya, physician. a deadly disease
Sandeep Ashar / DNA
Saturday, October 10, 2009 2:57 IST
Mumbai: The deadly Japanese encephalitis has made its presence felt in the city after a gap of six years. Naresh Ahir, 16, a resident of Chunabhatti, is suffering from the viral infection that affects the brain and the central nervous system. He has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion. Although there are signs of improvement, his condition is still critical, said hospital sources.
The virus causing Japanese encephalitis is transmitted by mosquitoes belonging to culex tritaeniorhynchus and culex vishnui groups. They mostly breed in flooded paddy fields. The virus spreads rapidly in the presence of pigs. There are not many paddy fields near Mumbai. Nor is the pig population very large in the city. Jayaraj Thanekar, executive health officer, BMC, said the disease was extremely rare in the city. "Five cases were reported in 2003. This (Ahir's) is the first case since then."
It took 25 days to diagnose that Ahir was suffering from Japanese encephalitis. His father, Rajkumar Ahir, said that the family got him admitted to the hospital on September 14.
"He had a persistent fever and suffered severe headaches. He felt nauseatedall the time," said Rajkumar. "We initially took him to a private hospital, but the doctors there did not treat him. He was referred to the Sion hospital, and has been in the ICU since."
After blood samples sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, tested positive for Japanese encephalitis, officials from BMC's insecticide department surveyed the locality where Ahir's family lives to find out if there was any breeding site of the culex mosquito. Insecticide officer Deepak Adsul said no culex mosquito was found. However, there were birds in Ahir's home, and they could have been the carriers.
The public health department carried out a survey to look for symptoms among people living in the neighbourhood. Fogging machines were used in the area. Doctors said that the fatality rate of the disease was 60%. Long-term disabilities are common in those who survive the disease, which is endemic in parts of South India. The disease has an incubation period of 5 to 15 days. "It affects the central nervous system. Can cause severe complications, and even death," said Dr SN Acharya, physician.
The return of a deadly disease
Sandeep Ashar / DNA
Saturday, October 10, 2009 2:57 IST
Mumbai: The deadly Japanese encephalitis has made its presence felt in the city after a gap of six years. Naresh Ahir, 16, a resident of Chunabhatti, is suffering from the viral infection that affects the brain and the central nervous system. He has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion. Although there are signs of improvement, his condition is still critical, said hospital sources.
The virus causing Japanese encephalitis is transmitted by mosquitoes belonging to culex tritaeniorhynchus and culex vishnui groups. They mostly breed in flooded paddy fields. The virus spreads rapidly in the presence of pigs. There are not many paddy fields near Mumbai. Nor is the pig population very large in the city. Jayaraj Thanekar, executive health officer, BMC, said the disease was extremely rare in the city. "Five cases were reported in 2003. This (Ahir's) is the first case since then."
It took 25 days to diagnose that Ahir was suffering from Japanese encephalitis. His father, Rajkumar Ahir, said that the family got him admitted to the hospital on September 14.
"He had a persistent fever and suffered severe headaches. He felt nauseatedall the time," said Rajkumar. "We initially took him to a private hospital, but the doctors there did not treat him. He was referred to the Sion hospital, and has been in the ICU since."
After blood samples sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, tested positive for Japanese encephalitis, officials from BMC's insecticide department surveyed the locality where Ahir's family lives to find out if there was any breeding site of the culex mosquito. Insecticide officer Deepak Adsul said no culex mosquito was found. However, there were birds in Ahir's home, and they could have been the carriers.
The public health department carried out a survey to look for symptoms among people living in the neighbourhood. Fogging machines were used in the area. Doctors said that the fatality rate of the disease was 60%. Long-term disabilities are common in those who survive the disease, which is endemic in parts of South India. The disease has an incubation period of 5 to 15 days. "It affects the central nervous system. Can cause severe complications, and even death," said Dr SN Acharya, physician. a deadly disease
Sandeep Ashar / DNA
Saturday, October 10, 2009 2:57 IST
Mumbai: The deadly Japanese encephalitis has made its presence felt in the city after a gap of six years. Naresh Ahir, 16, a resident of Chunabhatti, is suffering from the viral infection that affects the brain and the central nervous system. He has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion. Although there are signs of improvement, his condition is still critical, said hospital sources.
The virus causing Japanese encephalitis is transmitted by mosquitoes belonging to culex tritaeniorhynchus and culex vishnui groups. They mostly breed in flooded paddy fields. The virus spreads rapidly in the presence of pigs. There are not many paddy fields near Mumbai. Nor is the pig population very large in the city. Jayaraj Thanekar, executive health officer, BMC, said the disease was extremely rare in the city. "Five cases were reported in 2003. This (Ahir's) is the first case since then."
It took 25 days to diagnose that Ahir was suffering from Japanese encephalitis. His father, Rajkumar Ahir, said that the family got him admitted to the hospital on September 14.
"He had a persistent fever and suffered severe headaches. He felt nauseatedall the time," said Rajkumar. "We initially took him to a private hospital, but the doctors there did not treat him. He was referred to the Sion hospital, and has been in the ICU since."
After blood samples sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, tested positive for Japanese encephalitis, officials from BMC's insecticide department surveyed the locality where Ahir's family lives to find out if there was any breeding site of the culex mosquito. Insecticide officer Deepak Adsul said no culex mosquito was found. However, there were birds in Ahir's home, and they could have been the carriers.
The public health department carried out a survey to look for symptoms among people living in the neighbourhood. Fogging machines were used in the area. Doctors said that the fatality rate of the disease was 60%. Long-term disabilities are common in those who survive the disease, which is endemic in parts of South India. The disease has an incubation period of 5 to 15 days. "It affects the central nervous system. Can cause severe complications, and even death," said Dr SN Acharya, physician.
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