Published Date: 2000-07-29 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis - Nepal
Archive Number: 20000729.1257
LEISHMANIASIS - NEPAL
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A ProMED-mail post See Also
1998
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Kala-azar - Nepal 980425215351
Kala-azar - Nepal (04) 980829225207
1997
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Leishmaniasis - Nepal 19970408132948
Leishmaniasis - Nepal (02) 19970927121145
[1
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2000
From: Bill Innanen <Bill.Innanen@jhuapl.edu>
Source: Xinhua News Agency [edited
Kala-Azar hits Southern Nepal
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[A Kala-azar epidemic has hit four districts in Terai plain of southern
Nepal since the start of the monsoon season in mid-June.
According to statistics released Thursday by Advance Medicare Hospital in
Birgunj, an industrial city bordering India, out of 1000 people on whom [a
bone marrow test was performed, 148 showed the symptoms [signs of
Kala-azar. At least one person has died of the disease so far, the
hospital [spokesperson said. "It is an alarming situation as 15 percent
of those tested are shown to be affected by the disease," lab chief at the
hospital, Amar Thakur, told the press. "If treatment is not done in time,
thousands of people may die of Kala-azar," he added.
The Administration in the four affected districts -- Parsa, Bara, Rautahat
and Sarlahi -- have not yet taken any measures to combat the disease, a
local report said. District hospitals cannot accommodate the increasing
number of patients due to limited facilities and resources, the report
said.
Kala-azar, a virulent infectious malarial [protozoal but not malaria
disease of oriental tropics, is one of the common diseases in Nepal that
takes a toll of at least several hundred people every year.
--
Bill Innanen
Johns Hopkins Univ. Applied Physics Lab.
Air Defense Systems Dept.
<Bill.Innanen@jhuapl.edu>
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[2
Date: 28 Jul 2000
From: Stephen Berger <mberger@post.tau.ac.il>
Source: GIDEON <http://www.cyinfo.com>
Background information on leishmaniasis in Nepal
Cases of visceral leishmaniasis appear in April, peak in July and then
decline into September.
Thousands of fatal cases were estimated for the 1950's and 1960's in Terai.
The Indian border area experienced an estimated 10 000 cases and 4500
deaths during the 1970's.
4511 cases (165 fatal) were registered during 1980 to 1992. Currently,
nearly 5.3 million persons are considered at risk.
Highest rates are registered in Terai:
356 cases were reported from Sarlahi and Morang in 1988;
327 cases and 14 deaths reported in 1990;
70 cases in 1995;
72 in 1996.
Sarlahi registered 421 cases during the fiscal year 1996 to 1997;
Siraha recorded 441 cases during 1997 to 1998.
Cases are also reported in Bhaktipur, Saptari, Dhanusa, Bara, Banke,
Khusipur, Ishworpur, Gaurishankar, Haripur, Harion and Naukelba.
The local vector is _Phlebotomus [Euphlebotomus argentipes_.
--
Stephen Berger
<mberger@post.tau.ac.il>
[An infection rate of 15% of febrile hospital patients is certainly
alarming. The diagnosis is based on microscopy of bone marrow samples, and
it would be prudent to ask for confirmation of the diagnosis. In any case,
the reports show that leishmaniasis is a diagnosis to be considered in
febrile patients in Nepal and coming from Nepal. - Mod.EP
.............................ep/es
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