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Scrub typhus is now the most common infectious cause of acute encephalitis syndrome in southern India
Scrub typhus is now the most common infectious cause of acute encephalitis syndrome in southern India

The Hindu

time5 days ago

  • Health
  • The Hindu

Scrub typhus is now the most common infectious cause of acute encephalitis syndrome in southern India

A large multicentre study of 587 children with acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu has revealed that scrub typhus, a bacterial infection, is now the most common infectious cause of AES in southern India. The study by a team of researchers from NIMHANS, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, and St. John's Medical College Hospital has been recently published in The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia. Global challenge AES, characterised by acute onset fever and altered mental status and/or new seizures, presents a significant global public health challenge. It has an incidence of 3.5 to 13.8 cases per 1,00,000 patient-years, disproportionately affects children, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. In India, over 10,000 cases of AES are reported annually to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). Historically, surveillance efforts have prioritised Japanese encephalitis (JE), even as its incidence has significantly declined due to widespread vaccination. Moreover, recent studies reveal a dynamic, region-specific, and evolving aetiology of AES in India. Scrub typhus (caused by bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi), an under-recognised cause of AES, has been increasingly reported in certain regions. Aimed at systematically investigating infectious aetiologies of AES in children from southern India and developing clinical prediction models for diagnosing scrub typhus, the study found that the bacterial infection is now the most common infectious cause (44%) of AES in southern India, far exceeding Japanese encephalitis virus (11%). Scrub typhus and other doxycycline-treatable infections are significant contributors of AES in India. However, limited surveillance in southern India has hindered their recognition and the inclusion of doxycycline in treatment protocols. From tertiary care hospitals The prospective study enrolled children aged above 28 days to 18 years with AES presenting to three tertiary care hospitals in Bengaluru - Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Vani Vilas, and St. John Medical College Hospital. Primary outcomes were microbiological diagnosis of AES and clinical prediction models for diagnosing scrub typhus and identifying patients with doxycycline-treatable causes. Models were developed using multivariable logistic regression, internally validated, and simplified into point-scoring systems. Between March 2020 and February 2023, 714 children were screened, of whom 587 were included. Of these, 315 (54%) had a microbiological diagnosis. Scrub typhus accounted for 138/315 (44%), and doxycycline-treatable causes were diagnosed in 193/315 (61%) of these cases. Key predictors associated with both scrub typhus and doxycycline-treatable causes were age, illness duration, lymphadenopathy, oedema, hepatomegaly, lymphocyte count, platelet count, and serum albumin levels, said Tina Damodar, clinical virologist and DBT-Welcome Trust fellow, Department of Neurovirology at NIMHANS, who is the lead author of the study. 'Among the 315 children with an identified infectious cause, dengue (10%), leptospira (5%), and chikungunya (5%) were also notable. Other detected pathogens included herpes viruses, enteroviruses, pneumococcus, tuberculosis, and measles, reflecting a diverse and region-specific AES landscape. These findings highlight the need to update AES surveillance and treatment protocols,' Dr. Damodar told The Hindu on Thursday. 'The study found that over 60% of microbiologically confirmed AES cases were caused by doxycycline-treatable infections, primarily scrub typhus. Despite this, doxycycline is not routinely included in empirical AES treatment in many parts of India,' she said. Recommendation Another author Reeta S. Mani, head of Neurovirology at NIMHANS, said that based on the results, the study recommends including doxycycline or azithromycin in the initial treatment of children with AES or acute febrile illness (AFI) in southern India - a change already implemented at the participating referral tertiary care hospitals. 'Timely treatment is critical. Among the 138 children with scrub typhus, nearly 40% either died or developed neurological complications, largely due to delayed diagnosis. To address this, the study calls for wider availability of scrub typhus diagnostic tests (IgM ELISA or PCR) at primary and secondary care levels,' the doctor said. The researchers have also developed a clinical prediction model - a simple point-based tool that can help frontline clinicians identify children likely to benefit from doxycycline, even before lab confirmation is available.

How dengue mosquitoes breed and spread: All you need to know
How dengue mosquitoes breed and spread: All you need to know

India Today

time23-06-2025

  • Health
  • India Today

How dengue mosquitoes breed and spread: All you need to know

Dengue fever is a serious mosquito-borne illness that spreads rapidly, especially during the monsoon season. The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads dengue, breeds in clean stagnant water and bites during the day. To protect yourself and your loved ones, it's crucial to understand how dengue spreads and what preventive steps you can Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, along with the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) and National Health Mission (NHM), has issued easy-to-follow guidelines to help citizens stay DENGUE MOSQUITOES SPREADDengue mosquitoes breed in clean, still water that may collect in and around your home. These breeding spots include:Water tanks and containersFlower pots and traysCoolers and bucketsDiscarded tires, cans, and utensilsThe mosquitoes that cause dengue bite mainly during daylight hours, making daytime protection equally ALL WATER STORAGE CONTAINERSEnsure that all tanks, drums, buckets, and utensils used for storing water are properly covered at all is the first and most essential step to stop mosquito breeding at FULL-BODY COVERING CLOTHESTo reduce the risk of mosquito bites, wear long-sleeved shirts, full pants, socks, and shoes—especially during the sleeveless clothing or shorts, particularly for children and the MOSQUITO NETS AND REPELLENTSAlways use mosquito nets while sleeping, even during the can also apply mosquito repellent creams or sprays to exposed skin, especially when going MESH OR NETTING ON WINDOWS AND DOORSFix fine mesh screens on doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering your any holes or tears to ensure full AND EMPTY UNUSED CONTAINERSEmpty and clean all coolers, pots, trays, and containers regularly, especially if they are kept letting water collect in unused dishes, bottles, or broken LARVICIDES IN WATER STORAGE ITEMSWhere water cannot be emptied or replaced frequently, use larvicides as recommended by health authorities to kill mosquito larvae and prevent them from YOUR FAMILY AND NEIGHBOURSCommunity efforts are key to stopping dengue. Spread awareness about mosquito breeding and everyone to keep their surroundings clean and PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CUREDengue can cause high fever, rashes, joint pain, and in severe cases, internal bleeding and organ failure. There is no specific cure for dengue, and treatment is mainly supportive. This makes prevention not just important, but dengue starts at home. With simple daily habits and community cooperation, we can significantly reduce the risk of dengue water containers covered, avoid stagnant water, wear protective clothing, and spread let's build a dengue-free and safer environment for Reel

72% drop in malaria cases in Bastar from 2015, says admin
72% drop in malaria cases in Bastar from 2015, says admin

Time of India

time21-06-2025

  • Health
  • Time of India

72% drop in malaria cases in Bastar from 2015, says admin

Raipur: Bastar division has recorded a 72% drop in malaria cases compared to 2015, under state's disease control programme in one of the most challenging malaria-prone regions, officials said. According to a data released by the state health department, the malaria positivity rate in Bastar has fallen from 4.60% to just 0.46%, while the Annual Parasite Incidence (API) in the region has dropped from 27.4 in 2015 to 7.11 in 2024. At the state level, the API has gone down from 5.21 to 0.98 in the same period. Compared to 2023, malaria cases in 2024 have seen a further decline of 8.52%. Health department officials said that the 10th and 11th phases of the Malaria Mukt Chhattisgarh campaign in 2024 focused on enhanced surveillance and focused treatment, which played a critical role in pushing the numbers down further. The state is conducting the campaign in alignment with guidelines from the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Malaria in Chhattisgarh is primarily concentrated in the tribal and forested districts, especially in Bastar division, due to dense forest cover, remote habitations, poor healthcare access, and favourable conditions for mosquito breeding. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The situation would get tense mostly when a number of security jawans would fall ill or succumb to malaria, after venturing out in forests during monsoon. Frequent incidents of malaria cases among jawans spotlighted the vulnerability of frontline forces and triggered a renewed push for preventive screenings and stricter bed-net enforcement among the troops. CM Sai said that it was a result of community-driven action, consistent fieldwork of health workers, Mitanins, and medical staff. Health minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal said that the target is to get all districts of Chhattisgarh malaria-free, and sustained efforts are underway to realize this goal. He noted that activities such as distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, door-to-door testing, rapid treatment, and community awareness have been key drivers of this progress.

Centre teams inspects health facilities at saran
Centre teams inspects health facilities at saran

Time of India

time12-06-2025

  • Health
  • Time of India

Centre teams inspects health facilities at saran

Chhapra: A three-member central team visited various healthcare facilities in Saran on Thursday to assess the ground realities of the district's medical infrastructure. The delegation included Dr P J Bhuyan, additional director of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP); Shweta Ray, lead consultant at the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) and Dr Mona Gupta, NHSRC adviser. The team began its inspection at Chhapra Sadar Hospital, where they reviewed hospital management protocols and discussed progress made in the elimination of kala-azar with local officials. Their visit included the emergency ward, outpatient department, medicine distribution centre, blood bank, laboratory, kala-azar ward and the nutrition and rehabilitation centre. They also inspected primary health centres in both rural and urban areas, focusing in particular on health and wellness centres, now known as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, in Shitalpur Dih and other locations including Sonepur and Phulwaria (Maker). The team evaluated aspects such as patient satisfaction, staffing levels and availability of medical equipment. Their observations will be compiled into a report to be submitted to central authorities. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .

Central team reviews health services in Saran
Central team reviews health services in Saran

Time of India

time12-06-2025

  • Health
  • Time of India

Central team reviews health services in Saran

Chhapra: A three-member central team visited various healthcare facilities in Saran on Thursday to assess the ground realities of the district's medical infrastructure. The delegation included Dr P J Bhuyan, additional director of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP); Shweta Ray, lead consultant at the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) and Dr Mona Gupta, NHSRC adviser. The team began its inspection at Chhapra Sadar Hospital, where they reviewed hospital management protocols and discussed progress made in the elimination of kala-azar with local officials. Their visit included the emergency ward, outpatient department, medicine distribution centre, blood bank, laboratory, kala-azar ward and the nutrition and rehabilitation centre. They also inspected primary health centres in both rural and urban areas, focusing in particular on health and wellness centres, now known as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, in Shitalpur Dih and other locations including Sonepur and Phulwaria (Maker). The team evaluated aspects such as patient satisfaction, staffing levels and availability of medical equipment. Their observations will be compiled into a report to be submitted to central authorities. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .

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