Re: Fiji: Mystery illness targets children - HFMD?
Re: Fiji: Mystery illness targets children - HFMD?
ProMED agrees.
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,86192
Archive Number 20101211.4411
Published Date 11-DEC-2010
Subject PRO/EDR> Undiagnosed illness, children - Fiji: RFI
UNDIAGNOSED ILLNESS, CHILDREN - FIJI: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
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[1]
Date: Fri 10 Dec 2010
Source: Radio Fiji, FBS [edited]
<http://www.radiofiji.com.fj/fullstory.php?id=32903>
Mystery illness attacks children
--------------------------------
A mystery illness targeting children has prompted the Health Ministry
to warn parents and guardians to be extra careful and seek medical
help if their children are sick. The viral infection which has
hospitalised up to 30 children per month since October this year
[2010] shows similar symptoms to chicken pox and scabies.
According to the Health Ministry, children generally get high fever,
rashes or blisters on the palm of their hands, soles of their feet
and around the mouth, with seizures in severe cases. Health
spokesperson Peni Namotu says the illness is spread from person to
person through direct contact. "Viral illness can be mistaken for
chicken pox or scabies but parents need to seek medical attention if
their children experience high fever with the peculiar rash
especially if seizures or fits occur." Namotu is advising the general
public to take preventative measures and visit the nearest health
centre if any of the symptoms present themselves.
[Byline: Shereel Patel]
--
Communicated by:
Thomas James Allen
<tjallen@pipeline.com>
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[2]
Date: Sat 11 Dec 2010
Source: The Fiji Times online [edited]
<http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=161680>
Malaga [?] illness
---------------
Mr Namotu [Health Spokesperson] said one or 2 days after the fever
onset, "painful sores develop in the mouth as small red spots that
blister and often become ulcers." He said the sores were usually
located on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks accompanied by
a non-itchy skin rash. "The rash has flat or raised red spots,
sometimes with blisters and is usually located on the palms of the
hands and soles of the feet, the buttocks and/or genitalia. There may
only be a rash on the mouth in some cases," he said.
Symptoms of the illness could be mistaken for chicken pox and scabies
and parents are urged to seek medical attention if their children
suffer high fever, a peculiar rash and seizures. Communicable
Diseases national adviser, Dr Eric Rafai, said he did not know how
serious the illness was as they were awaiting test results. The World
Health Organisation offered to help pay for the transporting and
testing of the virus at one of its reference laboratories in
Melbourne [Australia].
"Experts suspect it is spread from person to person by direct
contact. The virus is found in the nose and throat secretions,
saliva, blister fluid, and stool of infected persons and is most
often spread by persons with unwashed, virus-contaminated hands and
by contact with virus-contaminated surfaces," he said.
Increased fluid intake is recommended to prevent dehydration
including proper hygiene practices and isolation of victims to lower
infection risks.
--
Communicated by:
Thomas James Allen
<tjallen@pipeline.com>
[
The symptoms of this so far undiagnosed illness resemble closely
those associated with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). HFMD is a
common illness of infants and children. It is characterised by fever,
sores in the mouth, and a rash with blisters. HFMD begins with a mild
fever, poor appetite, malaise and frequently a sore throat. One or 2
days after the fever begins, painful sores develop in the mouth. They
begin as small red spots that blister and then often become ulcers.
They are usually located on the tongue, gums, and inside of the
cheeks. The skin rash develops over 1 to 2 days with flat or raised
red spots, some with blisters.
HFMD may be caused by several different enteroviruses, coxsackievirus
A16 being one of the most common. Rarely, a child with coxsackievirus
A16 infection may also develop aseptic meningitis, in which the child
has fever, headache, stiff neck, or back pain, and may need to be
hospitalized for a few days. Over the past few years enterovirus 71
(EV71) has been the predominant cause of HFMD in several South-east
Asian countries. EV71 may also cause viral meningitis and, rarely,
more serious diseases, such as encephalitis, or a poliomyelitis-like
paralysis. EV71 encephalitis may be fatal.
HFMD occurs mainly in children under 10 years old, but may also occur
in non-immune adults. Everyone is at risk of infection, but not
everyone who is infected becomes ill. Infants, children, and
adolescents are more likely to be susceptible to infection and
illness from these viruses, because they are less likely than adults
to be immune from previous exposures to them. Specific prevention for
HFMD or other non-polio enterovirus infections is not available, but
the risk of infection can be lowered by good hygienic practices.
The outcome of the diagnostic testing at the WHO reference laboratory
in Melbourne is awaited.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Fiji can is available at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/0iMw>. - Mod.CP]
