A multisystem inflammatory syndrome is emerging in children (MIS-C) after recovery from COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh.
The residual effect of the virus is posing a challenge with rising MIS-C cases.
According to medical experts, MIS-C is a serious condition in which organs such as heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal organs get inflamed leading to malfunction.
It can happen due to several reasons, but at present, most cases are associated with COVID.
It has been seen that antibodies created in children and teenagers during COVID continue to operate even after recovery. At times, these antibodies go out of control and start attacking healthy cells of the organs which results in inflammation.
About 50 cases of MIS-C, including five from Lucknow, have been reported in the past three months in the state capital.
The patients were mainly aged between four and 18 years and had recovered from COVID but developed MIS-C a month after recovery.
King George's Medical University (KGMU) has received 30 such cases from across the state, including five from Lucknow, while 20 patients from eastern Uttar Pradesh have been reported at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS).
Some of these patients also died due to multiple organ failure, but data has not been maintained because it is not a "notifiable disease".
Medical superintendent at KGMU, Prof D. Himanshu, said that although the exact reason behind this is not yet known, initial findings suggest that it happens when the immune system goes haywire and starts damaging healthy cells.
If not addressed in time, it can lead to multi-organ failure, he added.
Common symptoms of such patients are fever for three to five days, severe abdominal pain, bloodshot eyes, skin rashes, sudden drop in blood pressure and loose motions.
Paediatric surgery head and medical superintendent of COVID hospital at RMLIMS, Prof Srikesh Singh, said that emergency symptoms of the disease include amnesia, loss of alertness, disorientation, unusual or strange behaviour and disruptions in perception, breathing trouble and persistent pain or pressure in the chest, besides change in colour of skin, lips or nails to grey or blue.
"Any of these symptoms should be taken seriously and patients should be rushed to hospital," he said.
(This story was published from a syndicated feed. Only the headline and picture has been edited by FIT.)
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