Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless- is dengue/chikungunya

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless- is dengue/chikungunya

    Could be dengue...

    Source: http://newstodaynet.com/newsindex.ph...0&%20section=6

    Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless

    R Gomathy Sankaravel | Sat, 26 Dec, 2009,03:47 PM

    At a time when the medical fraternity is battling swine flu, a mystery fever is silently afflicting the people across the State.Two persons, one of them a police constable, have died of the fever in two villages near Mudukulathur in Ramnathapuram district recently.
    .
    Though there has been no exact cause for the death, the health officials have said the two victims had symptoms of high fever.?My wife has been ill for a week and got admitted to a hospital with symptoms like those of chikungunya?, Krishna, a farmer from Sattur in Virudhunagar district, said.

    Strangely, the doctor attending on her said that he was not in a position to disclose the name of the fever owing to some ?internal? pressure exerted by the officials concerned, Krishna added. Some complained that chikungunya has come back.


    Another incident from the outskirts of Chennai showed how grave the problem is. A two-and-a-half year old boy Dhaksinamurthy in Perunkalathur died of the mysterious fever recently. Residents feel that perennial sewage overflow in their locality had led to mosquitoes breeding which in turn has caused the spread of the disease.

    ?After our repeated demands went unheeded, residents of Velu Nagar at Perunkalathur proposed to constitute ?Velu Nagar Residents Association? shortly to attend to their problems,? said Mohammed Dastagir.

    According to a media report, Principal Secretary and director of the Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy G A Rajkumar said siddha drugs could be used to treat chikungunya without side-effects.

    ?The Nilavembu Kudineer Chooranam,? prepared with nine ingredients and ?Amukkara Chooranam,? made with five ingredients are most effective?, he added. Dr Rajkumar further underlined the need for creating awareness among the masses of the efficacy of Siddha drugs in healing the disease.

    When contacted, Health Secretary V K Subburaj said it was not a mysterious fever but a viral fever caused by seasonal change and mosquitoes. ?We are taking all steps to take stock of the situation?, he said.

    When asked about some deaths reported because of the mysterious fever, he said that it was not owing to the viral fever alone. ?But the persons who died had some other complications earlier which might have turned out to be fatal?, he added.

  • #2
    Re: Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless

    Chikungunya causes almost no deaths. Dengue is probably a better diagnosis if there have been a few scattered deaths.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless

      Source: http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/04/stor...0457290100.htm


      ICMR to form expert group to study chikungunya-type fever

      Shastry V. Mallady

      MADURAI: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will study fever cases with chikungunya symptoms reported in various districts of Tamil Nadu.


      An expert group will be formed soon to find out the root cause of this fever, which results in joint pains and cripples the victims? physical activity.

      V. M. Katoch, Director General, ICMR, told The Hindu here that he would talk to State public health officials and obtain data on the current trend of fever among people with symptoms of chikungunya.

      ?There is nothing called mysterious fever. Kerala had a similar spell of fever sometime back. I will personally take steps to properly investigate this ?chikungunya-type fever? in Tamil Nadu,? he said.


      Maintaining that the suspected chikungunya cases in Tamil Nadu were not brought to his notice, the ICMR chief said he would be meeting the State Director of Public Health and other officials to have an epidemiological assessment.

      Earlier, he told reporters that the ICMR is going to create a National Virology Network to monitor the outbreak of viral diseases across the country.

      The proposed network would include national institutes, medical college laboratories and good universities. ?In two years from now, a strong network will be in place and diseases anywhere can be monitored or treated at the national level,? Dr. Katoch said.

      Meanwhile, Director of Public Health S. Elango on Sunday said the chikungunya-type fever had been reported from 11 districts in Tamil Nadu.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless

        Source: http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/s...yXZKtxw==&SEO=

        ?Central teams to study mystery fever?

        Dennis Selvan
        First Published : 21 Jan 2010 03:14:00 AM IST
        Last Updated : 21 Jan 2010 06:25:58 AM IST

        KANCHEEPURAM: Following the reports of mystery fever in the State, especially in the southern districts, killing many affected people, two Central teams representing National Institute of Virology, Pune and National Institute of Communicable Diseases have come to study the structure of the virus and the teams would submit their reports in a week?s time, said Health Secretary V K Subburaj Spread through the adult mosquitoes, the viral fever, at present plaguing the State, was said to be a combination of chikungunya and leptospirosis, typhoid or a combination of all these three, he told reporters.

        Subburaj claimed that the problem was closely linked with water shortage and in districts like Dindigul and Ramanathapuram, where there is acute water shortage the problem was endemic, as the larvae bred in stored water.

        Stressing that the people should shoulder 50 per cent responsibility in stopping the spread of mosquitoes at larval stage, he advised that people to clean their underground and overhead water tanks at least once in a month.

        The health secretary pointed out that the government has taken new measures to identify one block of panchayat union in each district and make it ?free of mosquitoes? and each health district has been asked to identify one block.

        For instance, in Kancheepuram district, Walajabad block has been chosen to make it mosquito-free within three months, and the progress report would be submitted to the government, he added.

        feedback@expressbuzz.com

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless



          The post in this thread seem to indicate that at least some of this is leptospirosis.



          And this one suspects Ross River fever (or a simliar virus) may also be involved.

          The article above that mentions a "combination" of several illnesses is not implying a reassortment or recombination; chikungunya and Ross River fever are viral, leptospirosis and typhoid are caused by different families of bacteria - there is no way they could "combine" in that sense.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless- is dengue/chikungunya

            Source: http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/s...|6QYp3kQ=&SEO=

            Mystery fever is dengue plus Chikungunya

            Nalini Ravichandran
            First Published : 12 Feb 2010 03:11:00 AM IST
            Last Updated : 12 Feb 2010 06:43:25 AM IST

            CHENNAI: The mystery behind the unidentified fever that had baffled the Tamil Nadu Health department for some time now, has been cracked with the Centre?s report stating that it is nothing but a ?mixed fever? - chikungunya and dengue - spread by mosquitoes.

            There was no mystery behind the fever, Health Secretary V K Subburaj said, adding that its spread could be checked if the mosquito menace was controlled. He also attributed the disease?s spread to adverse weather conditions in the State.

            Two teams from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, and the National Institute of Virology, Pune, were in Tamil Nadu last month to determine the cause of the fever that has affected hundreds across the State. They took 80 samples from patients in Madurai and Tirunelveli for analysis.

            The Centre?s report is believed to state that surroundings need to be kept clean.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless- is dengue/chikungunya

              Apprehension over fever allayed



              Special Correspondent







              CHENNAI: Analysis of samples lifted from people with fever in the State has shown that some people have chikungunya and/or dengue and that it is not Ross river fever or Murray Valley fever as speculated in some sections.

              At a review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary K.S.Sripathi and in which the Health Secretary, Chennai Corporation Commissioner and the Director of Public Health, among others, participated, it was stated that mosquito control measures were in full swing. It was noted that 2,18,867 cases of fever had been reported from the State in January, down from 2,93,261 cases in December last year. The reduction in cases had been attributed to the intensive mosquito-control measures taken by the government. Teams from Central institutes including the National Institute of Virology, Pune, had taken samples and an analysis of the samples had shown that some people had chikungunya along with dengue.
              Twitter: @RonanKelly13
              The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless- is dengue/chikungunya

                That certainly seems believable.

                I would love to know what made people suspect Ross River fever, a disease that epidemiologically and symptomatically might be correct, but geographically would be really wrong. I had assumed it would be based on some kind of lab results, but I guess not.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless- is dengue/chikungunya



                  Archive Number 20100212.0500
                  Published Date 12-FEB-2010
                  Subject PRO/EDR> Chikungunya & dengue - India: (TN) conf.

                  CHIKUNGUNYA AND DENGUE - INDIA: (TAMIL NADU) CONFIRMED
                  ************************************************** *****
                  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: Fri 12 Feb 2010
                  Source: Expressbuzz [edited]
                  <http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Mystery+fever+is+dengue+plus+Chik ungunya&artid=Ji8nZDGQwwM=>


                  The mystery behind the unidentified fever that had baffled the Tamil
                  Nadu Health Department for some time now, has been cracked with the
                  Centre's report stating that it is nothing but a 'mixed fever' --
                  chikungunya and dengue [viruses] -- spread by mosquitoes.

                  There was no mystery behind the fever, health secretary VK Subburaj
                  said, adding that its spread could be checked if the mosquito menace
                  was controlled. He also attributed the disease's spread to adverse
                  weather conditions in the state.

                  Two teams from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New
                  Delhi, and the National Institute of Virology, Pune, were in Tamil
                  Nadu last month [January 2010] to determine the cause of the fever
                  that has affected hundreds across the State. They took 80 samples
                  from patients in Madurai and Tirunelveli for analysis.

                  The Centre's report is believed to state that surroundings need to be
                  kept clean.

                  [Byline: Nalini Ravichandran]

                  --
                  Communicated by:
                  ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

                  [Chikungunya virus infections were suspected in an outbreak in Tamil
                  Nadu in October 2009 (see ProMED-mail archive no. 20091020.3612).
                  Assuming that the samples taken then were the ones tested and
                  reported in this article, there was a mixed chikungunya-dengue
                  outbreak going on there.


                  A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of India can be accessed at
                  <http://healthmap.org/r/00dV> - Mod.TY]

                  [see also:
                  2009
                  ----
                  Chikungunya (40): India (TN), susp. 20091020.3612
                  Chikungunya (36): India (OR), susp 20091003.3442
                  Chikungunya (33): India (TN) 20090917.3258
                  Chikungunya (32): India (TN) susp 20090914.3237
                  Chikungunya (31): India (AP) 20090907.3145
                  Chikungunya (29): India (TN) 20090805.2763
                  Chikungunya (28): India (GA) 20090731.2680
                  Chikungunya (27): India (KL) RFI 20090730.2666
                  Chikungunya (26): India (GA) 20090725.2627
                  Undiagnosed illness - India: (GA) RFI 20090722.2594
                  Chikungunya (25): Malaysia, India (GA) 20090705.2410
                  Chikungunya (22): India (KA) susp. 20090621.2282
                  Chikungunya (10): India (KA) susp. 20090506.1692
                  Chikungunya (04): India (GJ) 20090314.1050]
                  ...................................mpp/ty/mj/mpp

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Mystery fever in State, Docs clueless- is dengue/chikungunya

                    Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/5709721.cms

                    Curious case of a mystery fever
                    Pushpa Narayan, TNN, Mar 23, 2010, 02.20am IST

                    CHENNAI: Attempts at scientific validation of ?mystery? fever cases in the state appear to be leading to a conflict. Tests by two laboratories on different samples have thrown up two startling results. One, commissioned by the directorate of public health (DBT) and done by a Singapore lab, found 41 cases of a mutated strain of chikungunya. The other, by a DBT-funded lab in Chennai, found eight positive cases of Ross River virus, a pathogen endemic to Australia and Papua New Guinea. The Singapore lab tested samples from Tirunelveli, while the Chennai one collected samples from Kallakuruchi in Villupuram.

                    In an e-mail interview to TOI, Duane J Gubler, director of the programme on emerging infectious disease at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore, said he studied the samples sent from the King Institute of Preventive Medicine and found 41 patients positive for chikungunya. Among these, two also tested positive for dengue. After sequencing the chikungunya viruses isolated from TN patients, the team found the chikungunya virus presently in circulation was mutated. Introduced to India from East Africa in 2005 or 2006, chikungunya caused an epidemic in India in 2006-07.

                    ?There is no good evidence that this strain of virus is more virulent than the earlier ones in Tamil Nadu. But it does appear to have greater epidemic potential, that is, high transmissibility,?
                    Dr Gubler said. As soon as Gubler?s report arrived, the King Institute?s virology department head Dr Gunasekaran wrote to health secretary V K Subburaj saying the tests done at the King Institute also showed high incidence of chikunguniya. ?There was no mystery in the fever. It was mutated virus of chikunguniya,? Dr Gunasekaran said.

                    The directorate of public health, which predicted a high incidence of chikungunya due to increase in the population of the aedes mosquito said it was convinced with Dr Gubler?s findings. ?Though the same mosquitoes can cause Ross River disease and chikungunya, we knew this can?t be an alien virus. Ross River virus has never been seen in India,? said director of public health Dr Elango.

                    As the health department began confirming its reports, the tests done by the DBT-funded lab at the Presidency College showed eight positive cases for Ross River disease. The lab submitted a consolidated report to the state government and the ICMR stating 8 of the 53 samples tested using Panbio Ross river IgM ELISA Test Kit were positive for Ross River fever.

                    The samples were collected from 53 patients reporting to the Computer Diagnostic Centre, GS Kumar clinic of Kallakurichi,Villupuram district, in January 2010. As the kit for detection of Ross River virus was not available, the department ordered it from Australia. ?Of the first 10 samples, chosen randomly and tested for Ross River disease, one was positive,? said Dr S Rajarajan, co-ordinator, Bioinformatics Infrastructure Facility Centre of DBT.

                    He said that as the kit complied with WHO standards and ruled out cross reactivity to any other potential viruses, this observation and ?report could be considered as the first observation-cum-report on serodetection of Ross River infection in Tamil Nadu and India.?

                    Health department experts say that since Ross River virus is closely related to chikungunya, the cross reactivity between the two viruses in all serologic tests can?t be ruled out. ?We did not do a test for Ross River fever because we were sure it is chikungunya.?


                    ?The claim that this could be Ross River fever is baseless and smacks of vested interest in promoting some kits,? said Dr Elango.

                    Senior doctors like Dr Dilip Mathai, head of infectious diseases at CMC, Vellore, say a massive study has to be undertaken before confirming or ruling out any virus.

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X