August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

[Snowy Owl]

Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis sufferers in the northern region since the end of last month
http://visz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?id=7334&cat=dis&lang=eng
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DESCRIPTION

Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis sufferers in the northern region since the end of last month, the longest outbreak of this kind in the country over the past five years.

Every day, the country's Central Ophthalmology Institute receives from 200-400 local sufferers from some northern localities, including Hanoi capital, Hai Phong city, and the two provinces of Hung Yen and Hoa Binh, according to sources from the Hanoi-based institute on Friday.

Half of the patients are children.
The disease's spread is attributed mainly to hot weather with high humidity favorable for viruses' development.

Vietnamese health agencies have advised local people to keep hygiene and avoid crowds to prevent the disease. Conjunctivitis is more commonly referred to as pinkeye.

In conjunctivitis, the material covering the white part of the eye and lining the inner parts of the eyelid, called the conjunctiva, becomes inflamed. This inflammation results in excessive tearing, pain, and itchiness.

Conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by viral infection. It may also be caused by bacterial infection or allergies.

 

[Niko]

Re: August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

Another source with a little more information - It mentions the most common sources of conjunctivitis are adenoviruses but doesn't say what testing is being done, if any.

Northern Vietnam reels from massive conjunctivitis outbreak


Hanoi and its surrounding provinces are facing the worst and longest-running conjunctivitis epidemic in the last five years, Doctor Tran Hoang Cuong of the capital?s Central Eye Hospital said.

It had begun at the end of July but the outbreak was still raging with more than 20,000 patients having come to the hospital in that period.

Hanoi was the worst infected area due to its dense population which helped the virus spread.

Nearby provinces like Hung Yen, Hoa Binh, and Hai Phong, were also badly hit.

Among the most common disease-causing agents were adenoviruses which spread easily in hot and humid weather.

He advised people to wash their hands and eyes properly and not to share eye-drops, tissues, eye makeup, clothes, towels, or pillowcases with other people.

Infected people should be completely isolated and kept away from public places like workplaces and schools.

Victims remained carriers for a week after recovering from the disease while their own immunity to this virus type lasted less than a month, Cuong warned.

Source: Vnexpress ? Translated by Tuong Nhi

Story from Thanh Nien News
Published: 23 August, 2006, 22:12:04 (GMT+7)
Copyright Thanh Nien News

http://www.thanhniennews.com/healthy/?catid=8&newsid=19201

 

[HenryN]

Re: August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

Another source with a little more information - It mentions the most common sources of conjunctivitis are adenoviruses but doesn't say what testing is being done, if any.



http://www.thanhniennews.com/healthy/?catid=8&newsid=19201

H7N7 and H7N3 cause conjunctiviutis in humans (and there is no reason to assume a mild H5N1 doesn't cause conjunctivitis).

 

[Niko]

Re: August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

H7N7 and H7N3 cause conjunctiviutis in humans (and there is no reason to assume a mild H5N1 doesn't cause conjunctivitis).

Correct.

H7N7, Netherlands, 2003: The Netherlands reported outbreaks of influenza A (H7N7) in poultry on several farms. Later, infections were reported among pigs and humans. In total, 89 people were confirmed to have H7N7 influenza virus infection associated with this poultry outbreak. These cases occurred mostly among poultry workers. H7N7-associated illness included 78 cases of conjunctivitis (eye infections) only; 5 cases of conjunctivitis and influenza-like illnesses with cough, fever, and muscle aches; 2 cases of influenza-like illness only; and 4 cases that were classified as ?other.? There was one death among the 89 total cases. It occurred in a veterinarian who visited one of the affected farms and developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and complications related to H7N7 infection. The majority of these cases occurred as a result of direct contact with infected poultry; however, Dutch authorities reported three possible instances of transmission from poultry workers to family members. Since then, no other instances of H7N7 infection among humans have been reported.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/avian-flu-humans.htm

 

[Snowy Owl]

Re: August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

Northern Vietnam faces shortage of conjunctivitis medicine
http://www.thanhniennews.com/healthy/?catid=8&newsid=19536

Conjunctivitis patients in Hanoi complained Wednesday that a drug to treat the disease was not available at many medical stores.

Stocks of Nemydexan eyewash have run out due to the dramatic increase in demand following a recent conjunctivitis outbreak in Hanoi and its neighboring provinces in the last several months.

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Dr Tran Hoang Cuong of the capital?s Central Eye Hospital announced recently that northern provinces were facing the worst and longest-running conjunctivitis epidemic in the last five years with more than 20,000 patients coming to the hospital.

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The epidemic began at the end of July but is still raging with around 200 patients going to the hospital daily.

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Professor Pham Ngoc Dinh, deputy director of the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, explained hot weather, rains, and humidity created a favorable environment for the disease.

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Conjunctivitis is caused by adenoviruses which spread easily in hot and humid weather.

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Reported by Lien Chau, Thu Hang ? Translated by Tuong Nhi​

 

[Sharpe]

Re: August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

Also Thailand

Conjunctivitis is spreading in various areas of Chaiyaphum
Option >>

The Public Health Office in Chaiyaphum Province has issued a warning of eye infection outbreak as more than 1,600 are suffering from the contagious disease.

Mr. Choorat Choosakulrat (ชูรัตน์ ชูสกุลรัตน์) , head of the Chaiyaphum Public Heath Office, has disclosed that in every raining season, there are reports of diseases such as haemorrhagic fever, leptospirosis and conjunctivitis. Meanwhile, the current inundation in the province has caused eye infection to more than 1,600 people from various parts of the province.

He has urged all people infected with the disease to stay away from other people, since the disease can spread easily by touching the disease?s virus. Students are recommended to stay at home while getting the disease and working people should also take a temporary leave from their work.

Even though the eye infection is not considered hazardous disease claiming people?s lives, it can lead to blindness.

 

[gsgs]

Re: August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

we never heard about H5N1 causing conjunctivitis, though.
Is it why they tell us not to touch our eyes ?
The virus (H7N7 etc.) first infects the conjunctiva and then travels
through the tear-duct into nose.
However, it seems to have to enter alpha2-3 cells then

 

[Sharpe]

Re: August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

we never heard about H5N1 causing conjunctivitis, though.
Is it why they tell us not to touch our eyes ?
The virus (H7N7 etc.) first infects the conjunctiva and then travels
through the tear-duct into nose.
However, it seems to have to enter alpha2-3 cells then

Influenza in general often infects people via their eyes first. And you are right, H5N1 has not had documented conjunctivitis yet. That doesn't mean that it doesn't cause conjunctivitis, just that it hasn't been noted yet. People such as those tens of thousands in Vietnam and Thailand are usually just assumed to have an adenovirus infection. If it should be a mild bird flu strain (H5, H7 or H9 for instance), it is very bad news indeed, for it signals rapid transmission that could then recombine with a lethal strain like H5N1 to create a disastrous scenario.

 

[LMonty]

Re: August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

though rare, conjunctivitis has been reported in earlier cases of H5N1
Conclusions
The clinical signs and symptoms of avian influenza H5N1 may be more protean than originally described. During the 1997 epidemic in Hong Kong, patients exhibited fever, headache, malaise, myalgia, sore throat, cough, and rhinitis.[5,8] Although uncommon, conjunctivitis and gastrointestinal symptoms were also reported.[5, http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/482627_3


Author from Tahiland, so I would assume its possible those cases were invloved (admit I didnt look back to see where/when, but I did remember seeing reports about a year ago)

 

[gsgs]

Re: August 25th - Vietnam has reported more than 20,000 conjunctivitis

the 1997 virus was quite different from the actual ones and has
almost died meanwhile.