Bundi woman dies of Japanese encephalitis
FIRST CASE The National Institute of Virology confirmed that she had the infection
encephalitis has made its way to Rajasthan with the death of a woman. This is the first case of Japanese encephalitis in the state.
The 30-year-old woman, from Bundi, died last month. Now, the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, in its report has confirmed that she was suffering from Japanese encephalitis.
Manju Panchal, a resident of Keshoraipatan region in Bundi district, was admitted to the New Government Medical College Hospital of Kota on October 8 with complaints of fever, but soon she went into a coma.
“I took my wife to a private hospital (Sudha Hospital) in Kota where neurosurgeon Dr Amit Dev treated her for four days and later she was referred to the Government Maharao Bhim Singh Hospital for treatment, where her blood samples were sent to NIV through the laboratory at the hospital,” said her husband Brajesh Panchal (39).
Manju died at the Government Maharao Bhim Singh Hospital during treatment on October 16.
Now, the diagnostic report from NIV, Pune, confirmed that its Japanese encephalitis said Brajesh, who works as a taxi driver.
When asked about the case, the chief medical and health officer, Bundi, Dr Suresh Kumar Jain, said that he has received the report from the Government Medical College Kota. “Anti-larval activity is on in the region to prevent seasonal diseases. The case has been forwarded to the health directorate from where a health department team is likely to arrive at Bundi on Monday for further action,” he said.
Principal, Government Medical College Kota, Dr Girish Verma said that the viral
KOTA:Japanese
encephalitis is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, which primarily affects children. “Most JE infections are characterised by rapid onset of high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, seizures, spastic paralysis and others,” he said.
Japanese encephalitis is transmitted to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes of the Culex species (mainly Culex tritaeniorhynchus). The virus exists in a transmission cycle between mosquitoes, pigs and water birds, said Dr Verma.
There is no specific treatment to JE and has only supportive treatment but there is effective JE vaccines available to prevent the disease, informed the doctor.