Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
Posted on Tue, Jun. 19, 2007
LaCrosse virus reach under study
Local health officials worry rare encephalitis undetected
By Amanda Iacone
The Journal Gazette
The Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health is set to receive $68,000 in federal money next year to help study a specific type of encephalitis among local teens.
Last year, health officials diagnosed two cases of a rare mosquito-borne illness called LaCrosse encephalitis. In one case, the illness caused neurological problems for the patient. But in August, 15-year-old Christopher James Doyle died of the illness.
About 70 cases of LaCrosse are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a year.
But Dr. Deborah McMahan, the county?s health commissioner, wants to know for sure just how common the illness really is.
She hopes to take blood specimens from 1,000 area high school students to see whether they were ever exposed to LaCrosse.
She would also like to encourage doctors to consider testing for these types of illnesses, which can cause future learning problems and seizures for children with the diseases, McMahan said.
Detection can help clue parents and doctors into potential complications, she said.
Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd, was able to secure the $68,000 for the study. The money will be available next year, McMahan said.
The study complements the health department?s shift in focus away from just the risk of West Nile virus, another mosquito-borne disease, to all arboviral diseases.
Previously, the health department had encouraged residents to wear insect repellent near dusk or dawn because West Nile-carrying mosquitoes are out at night. But LaCrosse-carrying mosquitoes are out during the day.McMahan said anyone outdoors should wear repellent regardless of the time of day.
To help reinforce the message to wear repellent, Doyle?s parents, Jim and Sherry Doyle, are organizing a memorial softball benefit from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 28 at the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne softball diamond. The event will also include a raffle, silent auction, food and other games.
Proceeds will go to the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Parkview Hospital, Sherry Doyle told the board of health during its meeting Monday.
Her son?s death was shocking and quick, she told the board.
And the Doyle family wants the community to be aware there are different kinds of mosquitoes and viruses and the need to wear repellent, Sherry Doyle said.
- snip -
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/17388902.htm
LaCrosse virus reach under study
Local health officials worry rare encephalitis undetected
By Amanda Iacone
The Journal Gazette
The Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health is set to receive $68,000 in federal money next year to help study a specific type of encephalitis among local teens.
Last year, health officials diagnosed two cases of a rare mosquito-borne illness called LaCrosse encephalitis. In one case, the illness caused neurological problems for the patient. But in August, 15-year-old Christopher James Doyle died of the illness.
About 70 cases of LaCrosse are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a year.
But Dr. Deborah McMahan, the county?s health commissioner, wants to know for sure just how common the illness really is.
She hopes to take blood specimens from 1,000 area high school students to see whether they were ever exposed to LaCrosse.
She would also like to encourage doctors to consider testing for these types of illnesses, which can cause future learning problems and seizures for children with the diseases, McMahan said.
Detection can help clue parents and doctors into potential complications, she said.
Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd, was able to secure the $68,000 for the study. The money will be available next year, McMahan said.
The study complements the health department?s shift in focus away from just the risk of West Nile virus, another mosquito-borne disease, to all arboviral diseases.
Previously, the health department had encouraged residents to wear insect repellent near dusk or dawn because West Nile-carrying mosquitoes are out at night. But LaCrosse-carrying mosquitoes are out during the day.McMahan said anyone outdoors should wear repellent regardless of the time of day.
To help reinforce the message to wear repellent, Doyle?s parents, Jim and Sherry Doyle, are organizing a memorial softball benefit from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 28 at the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne softball diamond. The event will also include a raffle, silent auction, food and other games.
Proceeds will go to the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Parkview Hospital, Sherry Doyle told the board of health during its meeting Monday.
Her son?s death was shocking and quick, she told the board.
And the Doyle family wants the community to be aware there are different kinds of mosquitoes and viruses and the need to wear repellent, Sherry Doyle said.
- snip -
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/news/local/17388902.htm