Malaria cases on the rise in Chandigarh
Shimona Kanwar, TNN | Oct 9, 2013, 05.02 PM IST
Shimona Kanwar, TNN | Oct 9, 2013, 05.02 PM IST
CHANDIGARH: Malaria is turning virulent (severe), as doctors at PGI and Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) are coming across complicated symptoms, including renal failure, following the ailment. The condition is no more limited to chills and fever. The disease is also bringing along dengue-like dip in platelet count and jaundice.
Besides Chandigarh, cases are pouring in from Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ropar, Yamunanagar, Kaithal and Saharanpur (UP), among others.
In the last two months, 1,148 samples have been collected from the two hospitals. "Of these, we found 30 positive for malaria. We have to get other tests and analysis done," said Dr Rakesh Sehgal, main investigator, PGI department of medical parasitology.
According to the parasitologists, of the five known species of plasmodium parasites - plasmodium falciparum, plasmodium vivax, plasmodium ovale, plasmodium malariae and plasmodium knowlesi - vivax is the most common one with 50-80% prevalence in India. However, it does not result in complications unlike falciparum, which is the most lethal and fatal form.
"We have been approached by medicine specialists at PGI and GMCH who have come across malaria cases in severe forms. These are due to vivax, but the symptoms are similar to the ones caused by falciparum. This is worrying. So we have drafted a research to find the reason for the virulent form of malaria," said Dr Sehgal.
Cautious about the coming months when there might be a spurt in malaria cases, he said, "We will go to the areas where the incidence is high. Middle of the coming month will be suitable for the survey as malaria-causing mosquitoes breed during the season."
The unusual symptoms are baffling the doctors. "About 90% of our emergency is crowded with malaria cases of severe form. Patients are coming from Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ropar, Yamunanagar, Kaithal and Saharanpur (UP), among others," said a senior doctor of GMCH department of medicine.
Doctors have been seeing such cases since two to three years.
Concerned over the increasing number of such patients over the years, PGI's medical parasitology department has initiated a research to find if the genetics of malaria-causing parasite has altered or the response following the malaria bite (on the host, that is, human) has undergone a change.
"We got worried when such cases started pouring in. We have entered into a collaborative study with GMCH to ascertain the cause. Once the cause is known, the problem can be tackled," he added.
Symptoms:
Continuous fever instead of intermittent fever and chills
Dip in platelet count
Renal failure
Respiratory failure
Jaundice/anaemia
In the last two months, 1,148 samples have been collected from the two hospitals. "Of these, we found 30 positive for malaria. We have to get other tests and analysis done," said Dr Rakesh Sehgal, main investigator, PGI department of medical parasitology.
According to the parasitologists, of the five known species of plasmodium parasites - plasmodium falciparum, plasmodium vivax, plasmodium ovale, plasmodium malariae and plasmodium knowlesi - vivax is the most common one with 50-80% prevalence in India. However, it does not result in complications unlike falciparum, which is the most lethal and fatal form.
"We have been approached by medicine specialists at PGI and GMCH who have come across malaria cases in severe forms. These are due to vivax, but the symptoms are similar to the ones caused by falciparum. This is worrying. So we have drafted a research to find the reason for the virulent form of malaria," said Dr Sehgal.
Cautious about the coming months when there might be a spurt in malaria cases, he said, "We will go to the areas where the incidence is high. Middle of the coming month will be suitable for the survey as malaria-causing mosquitoes breed during the season."
The unusual symptoms are baffling the doctors. "About 90% of our emergency is crowded with malaria cases of severe form. Patients are coming from Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ropar, Yamunanagar, Kaithal and Saharanpur (UP), among others," said a senior doctor of GMCH department of medicine.
Doctors have been seeing such cases since two to three years.
Concerned over the increasing number of such patients over the years, PGI's medical parasitology department has initiated a research to find if the genetics of malaria-causing parasite has altered or the response following the malaria bite (on the host, that is, human) has undergone a change.
"We got worried when such cases started pouring in. We have entered into a collaborative study with GMCH to ascertain the cause. Once the cause is known, the problem can be tackled," he added.
Symptoms:
Continuous fever instead of intermittent fever and chills
Dip in platelet count
Renal failure
Respiratory failure
Jaundice/anaemia
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