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The Bihar Health Department on Sunday, 23 June, put the total number of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) casualties across 20 districts at 152.
While some were rushed to hospitals, others died before medical help could be sought. Being referred to as ‘chamki bukhaar’ in Bihar’s Muzzafarpur and other parts of the state, the possibility of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) or Japanese encephalitis (JE) has triggered panic all across the area.
Doctors and authorities are speculating the cause of these deaths to be encephalitis and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Terms like chamki, AES or brain fever are being interchangeably used in Bihar, since the true cause of these symptoms is unclear at this juncture. Every year, similar symptoms lead Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh to makes headlines. The exact reasons behind the outbreak still cannot be confirmed. According to experts, malnutrition, unhygienic conditions, humidity and heat, and weak immunity are some reasons that could lead to it.
Encephalitis is a disease which affects the brain tissue, causing it to swell. Mostly a viral infection that affects the brain, if left untreated, it can prove to be fatal. However, in some cases it can also be caused by bacteria and non-infectious inflammatory conditions. It can lead to coma or mental or physical disability.
Viral infection is seen as the primary reason behind the disease. Gorakhphur-based social activist, Dr RN Singh, who has been running a campaign against encephalitis since 2005, says that so far three reasons can be listed down behind encephalitis.
Flu-like symptoms are the most common among those inflicted with encephalitis, according to Mayo Clinic. These include:
If the disease progresses, symptoms can include:
Common symptoms among children:
In case of these symptoms, medical help should be sought immediately. In 2017, doctors at Gorakhpur Medical College stated that children were often brought in at the last stage of the disease. Such a situation makes it tough to fight it.
High fever, strong headache and unconsciousness require immediate medical attention. Dr Shailesh Prasad Singh, Civil Surgeon, Muzzafarpur, told FIT that time is of essence when it comes to treating suspected cases of encephalitis. Any delay can prove fatal for the patient.
Dr RN Singh commented on this in the following manner.
Here are some simple guidelines to follow:
The health department issued an advisory in Muzzarfarpur that asked parents to not let kids go to bed on an empty stomach. It also asked them not to let children step out or play outdoors in the heat.
Dr Singh explains the disease and its geographical presence further.
He further mentions that earlier AES or just encephalitis were primarily caused by the Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV). A vaccination drive for the same was also conducted. However, despite that, there was not a significant fall in deaths.
After looking closely at the disease, it was concluded that not all encephalitis cases are caused by JEV. It can also be caused by water-related enteroviral encephalitis, as mentioned previously. However there is still further study needed to confirm more accurate causes for its presence in India.
(This story was originally published on Fit Hindi. It has been translated to English by Rosheena Zehra.)
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Published: 14 Jun 2019,05:05 PM IST