- An outbreak of chikungunya, a mosquito-transmitted
viral disease, has affected at least 36 000 people in 9 districts of the
state, according to the state government.
-
- Incidents of the disease have also been
reported from Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in the last few weeks. The
disease, which is caused by an alphavirus and is spread by the _Aedes aegypti_
mosquito, causes the bone-breaking dengue[-like] fever. It has co-existed
with dengue for several years, but is underdiagnosed, according to virologists,
for 2 reasons.
-
- First, unlike dengue, it is not fatal,
but self-limiting (it vanishes by itself). Secondly, the diagnosis of the
disease is not easy even through blood tests.
-
- "It has been there for a long time.
Outbreaks occur mostly after the rainy season. This time, it has come to
light because it was more severe with joint and muscular pain, red eyes
and high fever," said Dr C Nagaraj, research officer, regional office
for health and family welfare, Government of India.
-
- The issue figured in the legislative
assembly on Thu [7 Apr 2006]. Health and family welfare minister R Ashok
said the mosquito thrives on human blood only during the day and breeds
only in clean water. The immediate remedy is to go in for mosquito nets.
-
- "In addition to seeking fogging
machines from Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, we have released Rs 1 400 000
[USD 31 461] per district to control the disease," he said.
-
- Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra
have been severely affected by the disease this time. More than 36 000
cases have been reported in Karnataka alone, with Gulbarga district topping
with 17 000 cases. Other affected districts include Tumkur, Bidar, Raichur,
Bellary, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kolar and Bijapur.
-
- "Samples from Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur,
Bellary and Tumkur districts sent to Pune's National Institute of Virology
have tested positive, while results of remaining districts are awaited,"
Ashok said.
-
- To combat the disease, committees, headed
by respective deputy commissioners and the tahsildar and district health
officers, have been constituted in the affected districts.
-
- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1480834,curpg-1.cms
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- Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD
- Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural Economics
- Univ of West Indies
-
- Please visit my "Emerging Diseases"
message board at:
- http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php
- Also my new website:
- http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/
- Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
- Go with God and in Good Health
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