Hand foot and mouth illness spreads in Odisha, medical doctors increase alert

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: After a number of southern states have issued an alert over unfold of hand foot and mouth illness (HFMD) in Kerala, the place it was referred to as the Tomato fever, Odisha too has begun to report an unusually excessive variety of circumstances, with unusual manifestations, this season.

Paediatricians stated that HFMD is being reported in giant numbers from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and a number of other different districts. But, what’s of extra concern is the illness usually seen amongst youngsters beneath 5 years is now discovered affecting older ones too, and in addition with repeat an infection that’s extremely uncommon.

HFMD is attributable to a virus referred to as Coxsackievirus A16. The an infection causes crimson rashes on the palm of the palms, round mouth, soles, knees, chest, again and buttocks, and so on. It is usually accompanied by fever. The contaminated endure from ache, physique ache and lack of urge for food together with cases of  diarrhoea and vomiting.

It is contagious and spreads by contact, shut contact and respiratory modes. The contaminated have to be remoted and follow correct hygiene.The virus is usually self-limiting and resolves inside per week with symptomatic remedy, however in uncommon circumstances has been identified to result in extra extreme encephalitis of the mind.

Leading paediatrician and Dean of School of Allied Health Sciences, AIPH University, Dr Arijit Mohapatra stated, there was a sudden spurt in HFMD in Bhubaneswar with comparable stories coming in from Cuttack and a number of other different districts.

“We are seeing at least 10 per cent of paediatric OPD attendance with HFMD. Typically the virus affects children under five, but we are seeing cases in children as old as 12 and even a 14-year-old. Further, some of them are infected for the second time, which is highly unusual due to the long-lasting immunity of the virus. There have also been cases, where repeat infection is in the same season,” Dr Mohapatra stated.

He stated that this questions the traditional knowledge of immunity after pure an infection and factors in direction of a unique pressure of various virus altogether with comparable sign-symptoms.

“The changes may be caused by a mutated strain of the Coxsackievirus, or a totally different virus. Enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) has been demonstrated in cases of HFMD outbreaks in East and Southeast Asia. We currently do not know our outbreak is due to which strain. In this context, surveillance and sampling of any infectious disease on a regular basis is important,” he emphasised.