S M Arun
COIMBATORE: For the first time since the discovery of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) or Monkey fever in March 1957, the disease which is endemic in the state of Karnataka has entered Tamil Nadu. A black faced langur found dead in Mudumalai in the Nilgiris could have been infected with the disease, say forest officials. The body of black-faced langur was found a week ago in Mudumalai and the autopsy report revealed that the death was due to the KFD virus. Since it is the first time the presence of the disease is confirmed in Tamil Nadu, health officials in both Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts were put on high alert.
The disease is transmitted by bite of KFD infected ticks and has a mortality rate of 4 % to 15 % in human being; say Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) studies. Hunters, forest workers, farmers, campers and trekkers are those who are highly susceptible to the disease as infected ticks could transmit it to humans when they enter forests. They might carry the ticks with them to their homes and it could become epidemic. Coimbatore deputy director of health services Dr R Damodharan said after KFD was reported in Mudumalai, forest department staff in the Nilgiris have been vaccinated against the disease.
"Health officials have been put on alert. So far no KFD incidents have been reported in Coimbatore. We have also intensified the monitoring and surveillance," he said. He said 11 human KFD cases were reported in Gundlupet area recently and one of them succumbed to the disease. The symptoms include fever with bleeding disorders and a reduction in platelet counts, RBC and WBC. "Hospital on wheels and Medical Outreach (MO) Services in tribal areas have been put on alert in Coimbatore-Nilgiri border areas," he added.
Though vaccinations are available against KFD, there is no specific treatment. But, timely supportive therapy reduces mortality in humans. Besides tick bites, humans can get infected by the disease following contact with an infected animal. The disease was named after the forest area where it was discovered. Diagnosis of KFD is normally through enzyme-linked immunosorbent serologic assay (ELISA), the same test which is used to diagnose dengue.
With more and more people taking to trekking and camping in forests and also visiting tourist spots like Mudumalai in the Nilgiris, the risk factor is higher and the transportation of infected ticks from forests to cities will be disastrous especially at this juncture when the KFD infection has been confirmed in Mudumalai.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Monkey-fever-detected-in-black-faced-langur-in-Mudumalai/articleshow/18438275.cms
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| Common Langur or Tufted gray langur |
The disease is transmitted by bite of KFD infected ticks and has a mortality rate of 4 % to 15 % in human being; say Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) studies. Hunters, forest workers, farmers, campers and trekkers are those who are highly susceptible to the disease as infected ticks could transmit it to humans when they enter forests. They might carry the ticks with them to their homes and it could become epidemic. Coimbatore deputy director of health services Dr R Damodharan said after KFD was reported in Mudumalai, forest department staff in the Nilgiris have been vaccinated against the disease.
"Health officials have been put on alert. So far no KFD incidents have been reported in Coimbatore. We have also intensified the monitoring and surveillance," he said. He said 11 human KFD cases were reported in Gundlupet area recently and one of them succumbed to the disease. The symptoms include fever with bleeding disorders and a reduction in platelet counts, RBC and WBC. "Hospital on wheels and Medical Outreach (MO) Services in tribal areas have been put on alert in Coimbatore-Nilgiri border areas," he added.
Though vaccinations are available against KFD, there is no specific treatment. But, timely supportive therapy reduces mortality in humans. Besides tick bites, humans can get infected by the disease following contact with an infected animal. The disease was named after the forest area where it was discovered. Diagnosis of KFD is normally through enzyme-linked immunosorbent serologic assay (ELISA), the same test which is used to diagnose dengue.
With more and more people taking to trekking and camping in forests and also visiting tourist spots like Mudumalai in the Nilgiris, the risk factor is higher and the transportation of infected ticks from forests to cities will be disastrous especially at this juncture when the KFD infection has been confirmed in Mudumalai.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Monkey-fever-detected-in-black-faced-langur-in-Mudumalai/articleshow/18438275.cms
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