Meningo-Encephalitis Kills 27 In India; 100 Others in Critical Conditions

[Gert van der Hoek]

Meningitis take epidemic form in Gaya

28 Oct 2007,

GAYA: With more than a dozen children dying of meningo-encephalitis (a combination of meningitis and encephalitis owing both to viral and bacterial infections) in the Anugrah Narain Magadh Medical College and Hospital and widespread outbreak of Chikungunya in southern parts of Gaya town, the two diseases have taken an epidemic form.

Nearly 150 meningo-encephalitis victims were admitted to the hospital in recent days. The number of deaths caused by meningitis is said to be much higher than that being given by the health officials, as they have the figures only of the deaths taking place in the hospital. No data is available for meningitis deaths caused in the villages.

The health administration, which has so far taken the two diseases rather lightly and done very little to contain the disease, was woken from its slumber by the Magadh division commissioner K P Rammaiah, who camped in the hospital till late on Friday evening and again spent considerable time on Saturday in the ANMMCH. The commissioner has requisitioned the services of some specialists from the state capital in view of the meningitis outbreak.

In view of the magnitude of the epidemic, the divisional commissioner has sought help from the IMA to join the fight against meningo-encephalitis.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...epidemic_form_in_Gaya/articleshow/2496114.cms

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Meningo-Encephalitis Kills 27 In India; 100 Others in Critical Conditions

This sounds similar to the enterovirus 71 epidemic in Taiwan in 1998.

from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&uid=10498487&cmd=showdetailview&indexed=google

.....There were 405 patients with severe disease, most of whom were five years old or younger.....Complications included encephalitis, aseptic meningitis, pulmonary edema or hemorrhage, acute flaccid paralysis, and myocarditis. Seventy-eight patients died, 71 of whom (91 percent) were five years of age or younger.....Among patients from whom a virus was isolated, enterovirus 71 was present in 48.7 percent of outpatients with uncomplicated hand-foot-and-mouth disease or herpangina, 75 percent of hospitalized patients who survived, and 92 percent of patients who died. CONCLUSIONS: Although several enteroviruses were circulating in Taiwan during the 1998 epidemic, enterovirus 71 infection was associated with most of the serious clinical manifestations and with nearly all the deaths. .......

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[vinny]

Re: Meningo-Encephalitis Kills 27 In India; 100 Others in Critical Conditions

my daughters work colleague has been visiting friends in india,apparently she was refused permission to fly back as she was showing signs of jaundice,should my daughter steer clear of her when she eventually returns to work with us not knowing what caused her jaundice....?

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Meningo-Encephalitis Kills 27 In India; 100 Others in Critical Conditions

I'd imagine that her physician will advise her as to whether she should avoid people when she returns.

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[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Meningo-Encephalitis Kills 27 In India; 100 Others in Critical Conditions

Should this be from Enterovirus 71 & given that Polio VIrus is closely related, I wonder if there is any relationship with the resurgence of polio in India.

I hope not, since CNS involvement of both EV 71 & PV are not good - especially in children.

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[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Meningo-Encephalitis Kills 27 In India; 100 Others in Critical Conditions

Unknown encephalitis has killed 350 children this year in northern India, officials say

The Associated Press

Published: November 12, 2007


LUCKNOW, India: An unidentified strain of encephalitis has killed at least 350 children in northern India in the last nine months, health officials said Monday.

"Scientists and doctors are working to identify the virus so that this dreaded disease could be brought under control," said senior health official Arun Misra.

Outbreaks of mosquito-borne encephalitis are common in Uttar Pradesh, a state of 180 million people where most public health facilities are out of reach for the overwhelmingly poor population.

Japanese encephalitis has been a major problem in the state in recent years, but only seven children in Uttar Pradesh have died of that disease this year, Misra said.

Last year, the disease killed 476 children, a dramatic improvement from 2005 when more than 1,400 children died of the disease.

The progress in fighting Japanese encephalitis is thanks to a massive vaccination drive, begun in 2005, that has reached more than 16 million children, Misra said.

It's unclear whether the children killed by the unknown strain were vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis or not, Misra said.

Adults have so far not been affected by the new strain but health officials provided no other details about it.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/12/asia/AS-GEN-India-Encephalitis.php