Days after three cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever were detected in Ahmedabad, a 48-year-old resident of Thane has shown clinical symptoms of the viral haemorrhagic fever and is critical.
Days after three cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) were detected in Ahmedabad, a 48-year-old resident of Thane has shown clinical symptoms of the viral haemorrhagic fever and is critical.
Doctors at Jaslok Hospital where Sampat Jain was referred to earlier transferred him to the BMC-run Kasturba hospital on Friday morning.
The disease, also known as Congo fever, has so far claimed three lives in Ahmedabad in the last few days and has resulted in health authorities screening thousands of people. The mortality rate from CCHF is approximately 90%, say doctors, with death occuring in the second week of illiness.
Consulting physician at Jaslok, Dr Pratik Samdhani told DNA, “Sampat was referred to me last night. He had high fever and was disoriented. He was not responding to the treatment given by the local physician for 6-7 days. His MRI scan revealed that he was bleeding in the brain. Besides, he has a low blood platelets count. His kidney and liver were deranged.”
Jain, whose dengue, malaria and leptospirosis tests were negative, is on ventilator.
“Since patients with CCHF have already been detected in Ahmedabad and the disease is infectious, Jain needed to be kept under fourth degree of isolation. Since Jaslok does not have this facility, we decided to shift him to Kasturba Hospital,” explained Samdhani. “There is no improvement in his condition.”
Jain is a vegetarian and had no contact with livestock. His last visit outside the city was to Shirdi some days ago. “We have recommended Kasturba to give him Ribavarine,” Samdhani said.
Jaslok Hospital also gave the medication to 47 of its employees, including Dr Samdhani, as a precautionary measure. The move has cost the hospital around Rs1.5 lakh.
“Jaslok has also instructed Kasturba Hospital to send secretion samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV). This includes nasal swab and sputum,” said Dr Samdhani. Samdhani said the the viral infection could either be arboviral or adenoviral.
Dr GT Ambe, executive health officer, BMC, said he is not aware about the development. Doctors say that the disease is fatal. Unless it is detected at an early stage, and treated aggressively, the patient dies immediately after.
Congo fever was successfully identified by the NIV few days ago. The disease is endemic in many countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. In 2001, cases or outbreaks were recorded in Kosovo, Albania, Iran, Pakistan, and South Africa, according to WHO.
Doctors said after the virus strikes the patient, there is a breakdown of blood and blood products. The tissues get damaged. Thereafter one gets fever and develops a rash that leads to bleeding. It can rapidly deteriorate to headaches, seizures, convulsions and eventually lead to coma. The patient may also experience irritability, and photophobia (irritation to light).
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