NAGPUR: The deadly Chandipura virus has taken a toll of three more children in the last five days in the region. The death toll due to the disease has touched 17 in the month since June 15. Out of the reported 29 children afflicted in Nagpur division (six districts), 17 have died due to the viral fever, which kills a child if it reaches the brain. All the deaths have occurred in rural areas.
VR Zare, assistant director of malaria for Nagpur Circle, told TOI that the virus had killed more children in Bhandara and Chandrapur districts since June. So far, Bhandara district has reported six deaths from reported 11 attacks on children while Chandrapur district has reported five deaths out of seven children infected.
They are followed by three deaths in Nagpur district out of four reported attacks, two deaths in Wardha district out of the three reported cases and one death out of three reported cases in Gadchiroli district. No case has been reported so far in Nagpur municipal limits.
The deaths since June 12 include one death each in village Rampur in Chandrapur district, village Gunjkheda in Wardha district and village Shendri in Bhandara district. Kushal Kumre (6) from Kushal Kumre village died in government hospital at Chandrapur on June 13. Urvesh Khadse (4) from village Gunjkheda died at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences at Wardha and Mayuri Arvind (3) from Shendri village dies at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nagpur.
A five-member team headed by Dr Yogesh Gurav from National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, visited the region on Monday on the request of the directorate of health services, government of Maharashtra, to investigate the reasons and actual situation of the outbreak in the region. Dr Gurav told TOI that he would submit a report with 4-5 days.
“It is sad that so many children died due to the Chandipura like fever but we should also not forget that out of the 28 children affected doctors could save 12 children. Since there is no specific medicine or treatment for the Chandipura viral fever, which is generally accompanied by gastrointestinal problems too, doctors have to treat the patient symptomatically. It is easier to manage a patient if he/she is brought immediately after the onset of fever,” said Dr Zare.
The virus attacks the brain within few hours of the infection, leading to convulsions and alteration of senses with vomiting. The Chandipura virus is named after the village Chandipura in Bhandara district where it was first detected by NIV in 1965. The virus, known to be carried in dormant stage by sand flies, which live near domestic animals like cows and buffaloes, is transferred from the fly to human beings specifically during monsoon.
Chandipura viral fever is also mostly a disease of the villages, since animals are found in more numbers in rural areas. However, a case was reported in Nagpur city last year. But the child survived the attack.
What is Chandipura virus
Chandipura virus named after Chandipura village in Bhandara district in Vidarbha, where it was first reported in 1965. It had caused havoc in eastern Vidarbha in 2005. It made a comeback and killed 15 children in 2009, 31 children in 2010 and 12 children in 2011.
How is it transmitted
Human beings get it from sand fly, which thrives in cattle sheds. It transmits the virus when it bites humans during the night. Sand flies live on cattle from the beginning of summer to rainy season.
Symptoms
* Acute or high fever during night
* Fever accompanied with convulsions due to severe effect on the brain
* Gastro-intestinal tract disturbance causing vomiting
Treatment
Being a viral disease there is no vaccine as yet. But patients are treated with broad spectrum antibiotics and life saving drugs
Precautions/preventions
* Use mosquito nets
* Keep surroundings near homes clean
* Keep animals away from homes during the season
* Take children immediately to hospital after onset of fever to prevent infection from reaching the brain, which could lead to death
Why does it kill children?
Children below 16 years of age are more prone to death due to low immunity during the age, anaemia and malnutrition. Children have also have less, what is called in medical terms, cell mediated immunity, which makes them bigger target.
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