Re: Bangladesh: Pesticides in Litchis may have killed 14 kids
http://www.promedmail.org/
Published Date: 2012-06-29 09:53:49
Subject: PRO> Undiagnosed deaths - Bangladesh: (RP), pesticide susp., RFI
Archive Number: 20120629.1184443
UNDIAGNOSED DEATHS - BANGLADESH: (RANGPUR), PESTICIDE SUSPECTED, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Thu 28 Jun 2012
Source: The Daily Star [edited]
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=240106
Experts investigating why 14 children died in Dinajpur and Thakurgaon [Rangpur Division] this month [June 2012] with almost identical symptoms, believe that pesticides used in litchis could be the reason for their deaths.
The children, aged between 2 and 16, died between 1 Jun 20 Jun 2012. Experts at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) suspect that they died after eating litchis on which pesticides were used or after coming in contact with such litchis.
The IEDCR collected blood and urine samples from children with similar symptoms but in their primary tests they could not determine the reason for their deaths with certainty.
ASM Alamgir, an expert at IEDCR, told The Daily Star that the institute lacked the facilities for a thorough test. Samples have been sent to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, USA, for tests.
On 18 Jun 2012, a 4-member team of IEDCR led by its director Prof Mahmudur Rahman went to Dinajpur and visited different areas to collect samples. Mahmudur told The Daily Star that his team visited Dinajpur Medical College Hospital and the area from where the patients had gone to the hospital. He said they had looked into the types of disease the children showed symptoms of, what food they had, and what pesticides the litchi farmers used and their possible links. After some tests, they found evidence to support their assumption that pesticides used in the litchi orchards had links with their symptoms.
He said they found signs in the samples that point towards poisoning and that was why samples were sent to the US for confirmation.
He said that initially the Nipah virus was suspected but tests ruled that out.
He said it would take some time before the results were obtained from Atlanta.
An expert at IEDCR said in Dhamrai on the outskirts of Dhaka in 2009, 3 people died of a mysterious disease. They had suspected that pesticides used in paddy fields and vegetable gardens in the area might have had links with their deaths. Samples were collected and sent abroad for tests. 3 to 4 months later the test reports came in and confirmed their assumption.
The experts said pesticides on fruits generally affect children more than grownups. They have carried on a campaign in the affected areas advising parents to refrain from giving litchis to children.
Moudud Hossain, civil surgeon of Dinajpur, quoting the authorities of Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, said the 1st report of such mysterious deaths of children came in on 1 Jun 2012. 2 children were admitted to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital on 17 Jun 2012 in the morning, with mild fever and were shivering. They died in the evening.
"We collected information on other victims and found that the symptoms were the same," he said.
Moudud said no such incidents were reported after 20 Jun 2012.
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[We are all saddened by the death of this many children. Presumably this is preventable poisoning.
Litchis are a type of fruit, with a bit of a shell that may be bitter, but the pulp is sweet and enjoyable; it has a seed in the center. There are many names for this fruit, including lichee, _Litchi chinensis_, litchi tree, _Nephelium litchi_, leechee, lichi, litchee, litchi nut, lychee, litchi, etc. It is a very tasty fruit and enjoyed by many. It is generally grown in the Philippines, India, and it is native to China and other areas.
What is unclear is what type of pesticide, if any, was used. The clinical signs are extremely generic and could range from a wide array of infectious diseases, including such things as the flu to other maladies including fungal infections.
Perhaps a question of interest is why were the fruits not washed? Would washing the fruit have solved the problem or is the pesticide capable of being sprayed on the tree and being systemic to the plant, thus actually being in the fruit instead of on the fruit?
We look forward to a more thorough report and to the results from the CDC.
A photo of the fruit may be seen at
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/images/Plate32.jpg.
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Bangladesh can be seen at
http://healthmap.org/r/2E*S. The country's divisions may be seen on the map at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bangladesh_divisions_english.png. - Mod.TG]
