EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

[Theresa42]

Google-translated from Arabic:

Poisoning lawyer and his family took the chickens ?? corrupt to have breakfast
Oct 19, 2006

Alexandria Hosni Hafez :

Yesterday was a family of six members took serious cases of poisoning and bad chicken meal in the banquet, the injured were transferred to the university hospital and poisons notified the Department of Public Prosecutions, which ordered the intensification of the investigations on the incident and the police commissioner was alien has received notification from the hospital sooner the arrival of Hasan Gharib Hassan ?? 48 years old lawyer and his wife Fathiya Mohammed Abdullah ?? 40 years of housewives and children, 19-year-Islam ?? 18 ?, Mohamed S. costing and Ahmed ?? 15 years, Karim ?? ?11-year-infected food poisoning

The show they had bought Elsa ?? chicken from one of the shops region and after cooking and handling of the situation felt very tired all were transported to the hospital to receive treatment. Been seized Director responsible for the withdrawal and replace chicken samples of the chicken shop and randomly presented to the Ministry of Health.

http://www.alwafd.org/front/detail.php?id=15081&cat=smal&PHPSESSID=c0316e729219c46111932213b73ea4d4

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Google-translated from Arabic:

[Headline story]
Oct 19, 2006

The crisis escalated mysterious epidemic in Dakahlia yesterday. The number of infected cases, The conflicting statements by officials in the prosecution investigation, which began yesterday, the investigation of the accusations on the causes of the disease. The director of the Department of Sanitation Mansoura impossibility of mixing sewage with drinking water, The chief of the drinking water innocence water from the spread of the epidemic. The Board of Governors discussed the crisis yesterday warned Dr. Hatem Gabali of pumps used in pumping water pumps.

Dakahlia of books - Magdi safety and Samir Beheiri:

And the mysterious epidemic continued to spread in the villages of Mansoura. The number of infected until yesterday to 300 injured received treatment, mostly in private hospitals after refusing hospital pathogenesis of Mansoura reception. Government sources revealed the instructions of the Central Hospital of Dakahlia Viral not seize new cases, The only apparent sign disclosure without registering names in the records of the hospital.

The director of one of the private hospitals Mansoura receive 39 new cases infected with the epidemic, mostly Azab 90th and sound and Rezqallah, Flower splendor.

The source revealed that the emergence of cases in the city of Mansoura, including requesting Marwah resident Hamed Bsendob is subject to treatment in a private hospital.

?? Delegation got the official documentation confirming manipulation of the results of water samples collected by the Directorate of Health in the first and second days of the epidemic. On October 9 the Directorate of Health reports said that the sound of water, then returned to confirm that in October 11 that the water is polluted Bbactiria salmonella!

At the same time, scores of residents from the villages of Al-Mansoura status they did not trust the pledge by the Minister of Health on the responsibility of pumps Congregation for the spread of the disease, They pointed a finger at the gas station located in the heart of the infected region, said they had doubts about the diversion of chemical remnants of the station, which led to the pollution of groundwater and drinking water network.

It Mansoura Abdou Salam wrote:

Counsel issued Majid Mahmoud Attorney General, the decision to start the investigation into the case of B Dakahlia. Turning a team of Mansoura behalf under the supervision of Justice Ahmed Shuwaikh Attorney General of Prosecutions South Mansoura Viral to the hospital, He listened Amr Qutb Chief Prosecutor, Ahmad Al-Aziz Metwalli agent prosecutors to statements the injured. Investigations revealed the injury of 102 citizens with Qi and diarrhea, and very high temperatures. The sharp decline in injury and the situation is still bad. It added that investigations infected residents in the villages of Bljay cypress and the safety of sound and Zidane of the Center for Mansoura. As shown by the adoption of villagers pumps pumps and governmental networks in obtaining drinking water. The infected they depend on water pumps for many years and they did not suffer from any diseases due to use of this water.

He listened Amr Qutb DPP statements to the chief of the drinking water Mansoura. He stressed that the water in conformity with the standard specifications, technical and declare the innocence of drinking water spread of the epidemic. It also said Mohamed Muawad, Director of the Department of Sanitation Mansoura patent sewage, He also announced the impossibility of mixing sewage with drinking water. The prosecution asked for urgent report on the results of forensic analysis of samples of blood infected and the report of the Department of the Environment.

It is the Council of Ministers wrote Nasser Fayad:

Dr. Hatim al-Jabali, minister of health from the use of pumps used in pumping water pumps and said in a report to the Board of Governors, said yesterday that the pumps is the main cause of the pollution, the minister pointed to the installation of pumps at a depth of 10 meters, which may help the mixing of drinking water from sewage.

He asked the Board of Governors citizens pumps installed pumps at depths safe.

It is the Ministry of Housing, Mohamed Al-Khalifa:

Dr. Abdaqui Khalifa, Chairman of the Holding Company for Potable Water and Sanitary Drainage has been cleared of all water systems in villages and rural estates adjacent to the village Bljay Badakkhleh separate pumps and pumps for potable water networks, the main city. Khalifa stressed that the central labs proved identical to the water specifications. She appealed to the Holding Company citizens not to use water pumps produced by the Congregation for drinking.

http://www.alwafd.org/front/detail.php?id=15070

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Google-translated from Arabic:

[Headline story]
Oct 22, 2006

Books-Khamaisa and Muhammad Atef Shaaban:

Turning to the mysterious epidemic eastern and western provinces, at a time when the government failed to identify the causes of the disease, which struck some villages Dakahliya, Qalubia last week. 20 injured people from the village citizens Tahlah replies, and five citizens from the town in the eastern village of deer mysterious disease. Infected suddenly felt a strong rise in temperature, vomiting and maintained, They were transported to the hospital in Zagazig and isolated in special rooms. and to prevent people from gathering them.

Explained Dr. Mohamed Mattar, deputy hospital Viral infection that causes food poisoning, although no information on suspicion of wounding two Baltevoed. He said Dr. Hamid Youssef preventive medical director of the Directorate of Health Sharqia that citizens infected with Alanevkshn, and there are attempts to curb. An official source with the Department of Health that the results of analysis of water samples did not show up till now [yet].

In Western nationals killed 24 acute poisoning after addressing the banquet table in the village of Nasiriyah Rahman of the Center for Smnod, They were transported to one of the private hospitals to save their lives. Shows that the citizens took breakfast and felt Pmgs sharp in the performance of prayer. Dr. receive Mr. Husseini, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health published a situation of the citizens, which continued their health. It also found that the owner of the hospital is the round-Rahman.

http://www.alwafd.org/front/detail.php?id=15121&PHPSESSID=a97aca751411c809c277f67e69137bda

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Hat-tip, Aeolus!

Health hazards galore
Reem Leila investigates the recent outbreaks of avian flu as well as salmonella
19 - 25 October 2006

Scores of victims of avian flu and water contaminated with salmonella have raised serious concerns about disease outbreaks in Egypt. Meanwhile, concerned authorities are scrambling to address health hazards caused by ignorance, negligence and poverty.

Reports of people falling sick and dying from sewage-contaminated water in some Delta villages have been rapidly increasing in recent weeks. According to official reports, a salmonella outbreak has already caused one death and illness in 125 victims throughout 11 villages. These include Balgai, Gemezet Balgai and Serw in the Governorate of Daqahliya, located about 120 kilometres northeast of Cairo.

But villagers are inclined to believe the rumour that the sickness is caused by cholera. Panic worsened after reports that Egypt's southern neighbour Sudan is suffering from a deadly cholera epidemic. But health officials have strongly denied that the epidemic has migrated to Egypt, insisting that Daqahliya residents are suffering from salmonella due to water contamination. Ministry of Health spokesperson Abdel-Rahman Shaheen told Al-Ahram Weekly that his ministry "has taken all precautions at the southern border to prevent cholera from infecting Egypt."

After a meeting on Monday, the cabinet issued a report stating that preliminary results indicate that people are afflicted with salmonella, due to contaminated water. During the meeting, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif stressed the need to overhaul Egypt's sewage and potable water systems.

Shaheen explained that salmonella is a potentially deadly bacteria for human beings. "Salmonella can cause diarrhea and other flu-like symptoms, and can be deadly if not treated promptly with antibiotics," he explained. But according to Shaheen, it was not only the contaminated water that made people sick; all those who fell ill had drunk either fresh mango or guava juice, according to samples taken from their stomachs. "The fruits were also infected with salmonella," revealed Shaheen.

Ten days ago, 19-year-old Sherihan Mamdouh died after she was admitted to hospital with a high fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Others, ranging from ages seven months to 55 years, were admitted to hospitals in Mansoura with similar symptoms over the last few days. So far, 107 people were released from hospital after receiving treatment, while another 18 are still hospitalised.

Nearly 45 samples of the water were taken from villages in Daqahliya to be examined at the ministry's laboratories. Shaheen confirmed that the samples tested positive for three types of salmonella, in addition to the Streptococcus Faecalis microbe causing severe infection of the digestive system.

Fresh water is not available in many of these villages, therefore residents pump underground water which passes very close to decaying sewage pipes, according to Daqahliya Governor Ahmed Said Sawan. Sawan ordered the cutting off of fresh water supplies in affected areas until the problem is fixed, banned water pumps, and ordered the sterilisation of all water in contaminated areas. He also allocated LE50,000 from the Fresh Water and Sewage Fund to supply the village of Serw with fresh water. This will be done by extending a three kilometre-long pipeline in the coming few days. "Other villages will eventually be provided with fresh water," asserted Sawan.

Meanwhile, victim number 15 of human bird flu was admitted to hospital last week. Hanan Abul-Magd, 39, from the Nile Delta Governorate of Gharbiya had contracted avian influenza after buying and slaughtering infected ducks at her home. Abul-Magd is reported to be in a stable condition, and her family is being tested for the virus. Six of the 15 who were infected since the outbreak in February have died.

Health officials blamed Abul-Magd's infection on the poor observance of government regulations aimed at stamping out the virus. According to Shaheen, people are maintaining their old habits and ignoring official warnings. "Earlier this year, the government and international agencies embarked on a nation-wide campaign to persuade people not to keep poultry inside their homes," stated Shaheen. Since then, the government has overseen the culling of some 30 million birds, and imposed tough restrictions on poultry breeding. "A fine ranging from LE1,000 to LE10,000 was strictly enforced on those who breed fowl on roof-tops," he added.

Egypt witnessed a concentration of bird-flu infection this year, causing LE600 million in losses since February. John Jabbour, of the Communicable Diseases Surveillance Department at the World Health Organisation's (WHO) regional office in Cairo, said that "it is a matter of changing behaviour. People are sometimes not honest about breeding birds inside their houses. They know they are in danger, but for other reasons they still keep them." Jabbour continued that the government has succeeded in removing poultry from the homes of people in Cairo, "but in more rural areas people are not accepting that they have to get rid of backyard birds." According to Jabbour, the onset of cooler weather could still cause a flare-up of cases in poultry, and has urged increased surveillance accompanied by a fair compensation scheme.

Experts had previously criticised the government for failing to tackle the first outbreak boldly, resulting in six deaths between March and May. "The first time, the government was partially caught by surprise and did not take all the necessary precautions," stated Mustafa Bastamy, head of the poultry department at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University. "But they have been working very hard since. The threat has decreased since the government slaughtered many infected poultry during the last outbreak."

Minister for Health and Population Hatem El-Gebeili declared that hospitals across Egypt had been put on high alert, and that the ministry was "working to 'recharge' the media message through all available channels."

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/817/eg6.htm

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Deer disease???? Were they eating venison for a Ramadan meal? Those large banquet-style affairs seem to be plagued by food-prep problems everywhere.

.

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Deer disease???? Were they eating venison for a Ramadan meal? Those large banquet-style affairs seem to be plagued by food-prep problems everywhere.

I think "deer" is actually the name of the village they're from, although I'm not 100% sure:

...and five citizens from the town in the eastern [governorate], "village of deer", [were "injured by" a] mysterious disease....

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

Re: EGYPT - Speculation/other illnesses(?) - Oct+ 2006

I think "deer" is actually the name of the village they're from, although I'm not 100% sure:

...and five citizens from the town in the eastern [governorate], "village of deer", [were "injured by" a] mysterious disease....

Okay, I see it now. I was sitting here literally "tasting" venison - love it.

.

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

Google-translated from Arabic:

The rise in the number of people infected with the mysterious epidemic Sharqia to 50
Oct 23, 2006

Al-Sana and Mustafa Mohamed Shaaban:

The number of those infected in the villages of Tahlah vague replies, and the [village of] deer Sharqia to 50. Most of the injured were transferred to a private hospital She, He got Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health Sharqia leave only contact operations room to check on living! One of the doctors Section prevention Department of Health, it is likely mysterious HIV infection citizens coming from Africa, and warned, the Ministry of Health for several weeks. [Not sure about that "HIV" translation -- Google likes to translate all sorts of viral infections from Arabic as HIV. If I get a chance, I will check the other machine-translator.]

The Prime Minister Hatem al-Jabali, minister of health and population, cases of poisoning, which occurred in the provinces of East and West is a food poisoning normal, and it has nothing to do with Basalmunella [salmonella] that emerged in Dakahlia Governorate, There can be called epidemic case, There were no cases of epidemic since October 17, Dr. Rahman Shahin, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, the emergency room that the ministry received reports last Friday injured seven cases of a single family home within poisoning in a village in the town of Husseinieh Sharqia. It also received communications injured seven others poisoned after addressing meal on the table Rahman was treated at a private hospital. And Dr. Amr Kandil, director general of communicable diseases ministry that the results of the analysis of samples of the infected from the injury pollution in the intestines, result addressing food is corrupt and not contagious health, The outpost, and left the hospital. The director of preventive medicine that it was decided to continue the work of the emergency room throughout the day of Eid Al Fitr for 24 hours a day to receive any reports of cases of food poisoning.

http://www.alwafd.org/front/detail.php?id=15138&PHPSESSID=ec36f1a45e27c73d14f12b161b6416fc

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

...One of the doctors Section prevention Department of Health, it is likely mysterious HIV infection citizens coming from Africa, and warned, the Ministry of Health for several weeks. [Not sure about that "HIV" translation -- Google likes to translate all sorts of viral infections from Arabic as HIV. If I get a chance, I will check the other machine-translator.]

From the other machine-translator (unfortunately, the article doesn't seem to say what virus...):

Machine-translated from Arabic:

One of the doctors by the protection department in the Health Department confirmed, that it prefers the injury of citizens by an obscure virus coming from Africa and the Ministry of Health warned of it since several weeks.

 

[Sharpe]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

One of the doctors by the protection department in the Health Department confirmed, that it prefers the injury of citizens by an obscure virus coming from Africa and the Ministry of Health warned of it since several weeks.

I attach two reports from March and April from Sudan and Uganda--that the Egyptians may be referring to.

Cholera Kills 340 in Southern Sudan

New Vision (Kampala)
NEWS
April 16, 2006
Posted to the web April 17, 2006

By James Oloch
Kampala

A CHOLERA outbreak has killed over 340 people in southern Sudan bordering Uganda, causing fears that the disease will spread into Uganda, especially Gulu and Kitgum districts.

"The situation is bad and we fear it might spread to the northern districts of Gulu and Kitgum," the Rev. Tobiolo Alberio of African Inland Church (AIC) said on Friday.

He said the outbreak began in Juba and Yei and it spread to Eastern Equatoria in Torit, Ikotos and Lopit.

Alberio said some humanitarian organisations, like Norwegian Church Aid, Nations Christian Care, AVIS and Merlin, had responded to combat the epidemic.

All Nations' Christian Care Co-ordinator Mathew Langol on Friday donated a consignment of assorted cholera drugs such as ORS and vitamins, to internally displaced people in southern Sudan to help combat the spread of disease into northern Uganda.

Alberio disclosed that over 90 people had died in Juba, 100 in Torit, 80 in Lotip and at least 70 in Eastern Equatoria.

He urged people to observe proper hygiene to prevent further spread of the disease.

Cholera-like disease kills eight in northern Uganda
font size ZoomIn ZoomOut

An undiagnosed cholera-like disease has hit a district in northern Uganda, killing at least eight people for the last ten days, local media reported on Wednesday.

The unusual abdominal infection with symptoms similar to those of cholera had killed two in Maduga village, Obongi county, south of Moyo district.

Hassan Kaps Fungaroho, Obongi county MP-elect said Tuesday that the six people died over the weekend, making the death toll to at least eight.

The first victim of this unknown infection died on March 11 while the second died last Wednesday, showing signs of the disease include vomiting, watery diarrhea and rapid dehydration.

Fungaroho, a trained medical clinical officer, said 22 people had been admitted to Obongi health center in critical condition, with the same symptoms as the deceased.

He said at least five people were admitted everyday with diarrhea, adding that the strange disease might have been caused by the unsafe water sources after the breakdown of the water source that forced people to draw water from River Nile.

Earlier reports said the disease could be cholera, but turned out to be inaccurate, according to Dr Sarafin A'dibaku, the District Director of Health Services.

"It is a kind of diarrhea we cannot explain, but certainly, it is not cholera," A'dibaku said.

With cholera, a patient in critical condition either dies or recovers quickly. However, villagers admitted at Obongi Health Center had been there for almost a week.

Health educators had been put on high alert and dispatched to instruct the residents on proper hygiene practices to prevent further spread of the disease.

In a bid to avoid contracting the disease, local residents had suspended the tradition of shaking hands while greeting.

Source: Xinhua

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

Thanks! Cholera-like but not cholera, huh...?

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

Google-translated from Arabic:

The Minister of Health told the delegation:
Egypt free of cholera .. The health of a mysterious epidemic in Africa
Oct 25, 2006

Sana, Mustafa wrote:

Dr. Hatim al-Jabali, minister of health that Egypt free of cholera, He denied in statements to Al-Wafd ?? entry of any virus in the country during the last few days, He said that there was no truth to reports about a mysterious epidemic in Africa. The minister pointed to the World Health Organization reports the Journal, which confirms that there is no cholera or any other epidemics specific in Egypt. The minister said that what happened in Dakahlia recently due to the emergence of salmonella illness as the analysis of samples infected with exposure to water pollution mixed sewage pumps because of the use of pumps. Chalabi also said that the era of coverage on the disease has ended and we have informed Dr Zuhair Hallaj representative of the World Health Organization salmonella enter Egypt as they arise. He added that the government announced the bird flu disease that [at] once the discovery of the first case referred to the mountainous treat all infected cases in Dakahlia Hospital pathogenesis of Mansoura. And one died out of 107 cases were Balke and persistent diarrhea.

He denied that Saleh Mohamed had died from her Basalmunella [salmonella] and confirmed that the death was due to typhoid. The Minister of Health to continue the analysis of the water so far and attributed the emergence of the disease to the contamination of drinking water sanitation. Regarding the emergence of cases of poisoning enough and Eastern Mountain said that the poisoning was the result eat bad, The ministry has always received numerous reports of mass food poisoning in Ramadan especially in the charity banquets. He pointed out that the communications included injuring seven persons in the village of Nasiriyah Mazdah Rahman was wounded, and seven others in a village Husseinieh Sharqia. The Minister of Health citizens to avoid dining outside the home, especially in the Eid days due to the continuation of air temperature, which allows the formation of bacteria contaminated that produces poison in the food within two hours of preparation.

http://www.alwafd.org/front/detail.php?id=15180&cat=smal&PHPSESSID=59b3111154fcadd806b5d9457c6c75be

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

Google-translated from Arabic:

Mystery disease attacking North level
Oct 30, 2006

Mysterious Disease moved from Delta to the north of Upper attacked Beni Suef Governorate. Al specialist hospital received dozens of cases of infected Balke severe diarrhea and left most precious except Yusuf Hassan 70 years and generations of Ramadan 14 months, and Jamal Mohammed Jamal, Ziad Abdel-Moneim just saw where Nafisa Joseph lying in the Intensive Care Unit since the first day of Eid Al-Fitr. The Directorate of Health imposed and the executive organs conservatism blockade severely injured and the families of diagnosis was the same in all cases and failed to stop diarrhea medicines and excessive speeds, in most cases, while failing to cases where there is still detained in hospital.

http://www.alwafd.org/front/detail.php?id=15260&cat=sec&PHPSESSID=7f9d01ab2e6507bef71ea711a9b47305

 

[Niko]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

Not a better translation than the above, but a little different from World Lingo

Vague illness the level attacks north

The vague illness from the delta moved to north of the level and preservation structures of Sowif attacked.

Hospital received [aalzhraa'] the specializations the ten cases from stricken [baalqy'] tough and the diarrhea and output most of them in valuable exclusion of Yousef good 70 year Ramadan narrates 14 month and camels of Mohammed is beauty and Ziad is just and AbdulMoneim witnessed where lie down valuable Yousef in room intensive care since first days of Eid Al-Fitr celebration.

Opening the managerial health and the executive devices in the preservation tough blackouts and families confirmed stricken that the diagnosis was one in all cases and the medicines in stopping failed the diarrhea [waalqy'] quickly in most of cases while the cases failed in front of which does not end withheld in the hospital

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

Not a better translation than the above, but a little different from World Lingo

Thanks, Niko! I didn't realize World Lingo had an Arabic translator. Good to know!

 

[hawkeye]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

I found this post here at FT (hat-tip to Texanna)
Original Post

Location Reference:

Special team to probe mystery illness
By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Health/10079612.html



Dubai: A special team has been set up to investigate the 'mystery illness' that struck down a two-year-old boy and sickened his 8-year old sister and father, the Health Ministry announced.

The Syrian family were admitted to Al Qasimi Hospital on Sunday for high fever and bleeding from the nose.

The boy died on Tuesday, while his sibling and father are reported to be in stable condition.

Dr Ali Shakar, undersecretary at the ministry, told Gulf News that the ministry team is to be headed by Dr Abdul Ghaffar Al Hawi, assistant undersecretary of curative medicine.

He added that the illness, which was suspected to be herpes encephalitis, was unlikely to be contagious as no other similar cases have been reported.



Mystery illness 'could be Herpes Encephalitis'
By Bassma Al Jandaly and Nina Muslim, Staff Reporters

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Health/10079362.html



Dubai: Health authorities are investigating the death of a two-year-old boy who died two days after he was admitted for high fever, unconsciousness and bleeding from the nose.

The toddler died on Tuesday after he was admitted to Al Qasimi Hospital on Sunday, according to his distressed father, who was later admitted to hospital along with his 8-year old daughter, for similar symptoms.

Dr. Ali Shakar, undersecretary at the Health Ministry, told Gulf News that the father and sister were recovering from their illness.

"The father and [sister] are stable and their fever has reduced. We are going to discharge them soon after 48 hours of observation," he said, adding that the hospital was taking appropriate precautions to prevent transmission.

He also said that ministry officials suspected that the boy died of Herpes Encephalitis, a viral infection characterised by high fever, seizures and depressed level of consciousness.

He added that the ministry could not confirm the diagnosis until they received received the results of blood tests sent to laboratories in Germany and the UK, expected today.

He said the infectious disease specialists on the case have so far ruled out mosquito-borne illnesses.

"I can 100 per cent say that it is not haemorrhagic fever, dengue or Japanese encephalitis," he said, explaining that mosquitoes that carried these diseases were not found in the UAE.

He said health officials did not know how the family was infected as they had not travelled or had any contact with animals recently. They also reportedly did not have any food poisoning history.

He also said that there were no reports of similar cases at other hospitals.

The boy's father told Gulf News from hospital that the family had gone to their hometown of Homs, Syria during the summer, returning two months ago.

Herpes type 1 can affect any age group

Herpes Encephalitis is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1. It can affect any age group, but is most common in people under the age of 20 and above the age of 40.

The mode of transmission is usually through exposure to infected saliva or respiratory secretions, which travels along the nose into the limbic lobe.

Symptoms include fever and headache for several days, followed by behavioural changes, seizures, partial paralysis and unconsciousness. Not all cases exhibit these symptoms.

 

[Theresa42]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

Google-translated from Arabic:

Five new infections mysterious disease in Dakahlia
Nov 5, 2006

Mohammed Taher Al-Mansoura: Emerged five new cases of the mysterious disease in Dakahlia. Dr. Magdi Shahat, consultant inner heart and satisfactory access to an outpatient clinic cases suffer from very high temperature with diarrhea Oka. It turned out that the owners of these cases of the division Samnodi and evacuate the city of Mansoura. Dr. Magdi Shahat added that blood tests showed positive for the disease typhoid and the Para "Tivoed That was in the last week of Ramadan was dealing with the cases in a scientific and underwent intensive treatment. He guessed that the injury was caused by water pollution.

The first wave of Mr. Abdallah chemistry and a pair of cases that the disease appeared in the 22 October, and his wife went to a hospital emergency in Mansura and then to the hospital and Viral person doctors situation as inflammation in the course of the urine as a result of kidney salts.

The situation has continued to deteriorate, the temperature rose to 42 degree and decided to flee Pzojti doctor to a specialist and we have analyzed blood and the situation had begun to improve.

http://www.alwafd.org/v2/News/NewsD...st&PHPSESSID=9592b95c168f3eb8ae92202f9cc93cfc

 

[Texanna]

Re: EGYPT illnesses - Oct+ 2006

Toddler's death 'due to adverse drug reaction'
By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Health/10080291.html



Dubai: An adverse drug reaction is suspected to have caused the death of a two-year-old boy in Sharjah instead of a "mystery illness", said the Health Ministry official in charge of investigating the case.

The toddler, a Syrian, died two days after he was admitted to Al Qasimi Hospital on October 29 with high fever and bleeding from the nose. His father and 8-year old sister, who have been discharged, were also admitted to the hospital with high fever.

Dr Abdul Gaffar Al Hawi, who is in charge of investigating the case, told Gulf News that pathologists and experts from the ministry and Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) were "98 per cent" sure that the boy's death was due to an adverse drug reaction.

"We believe, 98 per cent, that his death was due to drug sensitivity" based on tests done on the baby's liver biopsy, he said.

"There is some necrosis and fatty tissue in the liver, which usually indicate drug interaction. The child [probably] died from the adverse drug event, not from the illness," he said, adding that the adverse drug reaction would account for the bleeding.

He said the baby's mother, who is an X-ray specialist at the hospital, most likely gave him medicine when he first took ill. When the child started bleeding, she took him to the hospital.

Doctors are warning the public on the dangers of self-medication, following the death of the boy.

Dr Mohammad Abu Al Khair, drug consultant with Abu Dhabi General Authority for Health Services, told Gulf News that people should always seek advice from doctors, who need to run tests before prescribing any medication to anybody, especially children.

"They should avoid acting like a doctor and making decisions on behalf of kids and sharing medicine between one child and another as infants' organs may not be developed enough to metabolise the medicine," he said.

"We had a 5-year-old boy today who took 19 tablets of asthma medication. He had to be admitted to hospital and is under observation."

Dr Al Hawi, who is also assistant undersecretary for curative medicine, told Gulf News that doctors have not determined which drug was responsible. The mother is too distraught to answer questions, he said. He said they still did not know what the viral infection was, which sickened the Syrian family, as results of the blood samples sent to German laboratories were delayed.

Nurses' fever may be due to worries

Dubai Two nurses who were taken ill while caring for the sick toddler and admitted for observation at Al Qasimi Hospital have been discharged, and their illness ruled "unrelated".A 2-year-old boy, was hospitalised for high fever and bleeding from his nose last Sunday. He died on Tuesday of a suspected adverse drug reaction.

Dr Abdul Gaffar Al Hawi, assistant undersecretary of curative medicine at the Ministry of Health, told Gulf News that the two nurses developed low-grade fevers while taking care of the toddler and were admitted to the hospital, where they remained until Friday, as a precautionary measure.

He said the doctors later ruled the nurses' fever as unrelated to the Syrian family's illness.

Dr Juma Bilal Fairuz, federal director of preventive medicine, told Gulf News that the nurses' fever was most likely a "psychosomatic response" to the intense scrutiny surrounding the family and their "mystery illness".

"They heard all the fuss about the illness, got so worried that they started showing symptoms and thought they had it too," he said.


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Your comments

The Doctor should have checked with the mother and asked if she had given her son any medicine before prescribing anything for the baby!
Shaima
Abu Dhabi,UAE
[/B]