Published Date: 2005-05-06 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Meningococcal disease - India (New Delhi)
Archive Number: 20050506.1256

MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE - INDIA (NEW DELHI)
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Fri, 6 May 2005
From: Richard Wilsnack <rwilsnac@medicine.nodak.edu>
Source: The Times of India (New Delhi) [edited]
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1101210.cms>

21 new meningitis cases in Delhi
--------------------------------
The worst meningitis outbreak in the Indian capital in 2 decades has killed
15 and affected 112 people, with 21 new cases being reported on Fri, 6 May
2005. "Till today 112 cases have been reported, of which 21 are new. The
death toll so far is 15," an official told IANS.
The central health ministry is hopeful the meningitis outbreak in
Delhi would soon be brought under control because the strain
responsible is very sensitive to antibiotics. "Though a highly morbid
disease, it is normally very sensitive to antibiotics. The deaths may
have occurred due to the cases having come to the hospitals very
late," a Health Ministry official said. "Efforts for containing the
disease are on a war footing. It may take a couple more days," he
said.
Patients suffering from suspected meningococcal meningitis -- caused
by the [bacterium] _Neisseria meningitidis_ serotype A and spread through
droplet infection and close contacts -- started surfacing in the old
city areas of the capital last week. The last outbreak of meningitis
in India was in 1985 when 6000 cases and 800 deaths were reported
across the country.
The Delhi government said so far 90 fresh cases had been reported
from various parts of the city. "Stray cases may be coming from
neighboring states but so far there is no report of an outbreak in
any other state," the health ministry official said.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
******
[2]
Date: Fri, 6 May 2005
From: Richard Wilsnack <rwilsnac@medicine.nodak.edu>
Source: BBC News [edited]
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/4520335.stm>

Meningitis outbreak strikes India
---------------------------------
A total of 15 people have died of bacterial meningitis in the Indian
capital, Delhi, officials say. Another 86 people have contracted the
disease, prompting the government to issue an alert about the disease
to communities and hospitals. Meningitis is an inflammation of the
brain lining, or meninges, which can cause serious disability or
death. An outbreak of the disease killed 800 people in India nearly 2
decades ago. Of these 70 people died in Delhi.
The patients in Delhi are suffering from meningococcal meningitis,
caused by the bacterium _Neisseria meningitidis_.
The Delhi health minister Yoganand Shastri told reporters that 7
meningitis deaths were reported on Thu, 5 May 2005 alone. He said an
epidemic had still not been declared as the government was taking
steps to prevent it from spreading. Mr Shastri said a majority of the
cases were being reported from the capital's crowded old city. "If
need be, we will also use loudspeakers to inform people that the
bacteria spreads through nasal drops in congested areas and they
should stay away from crowded places," he told The Hindu newspaper.
--
Richard W. Wilsnack, Ph.D.
Department of Clinical Neuroscience
University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Grand Forks, ND
<rwilsnac@medicine.nodak.edu>
[ProMED thanks Dr. Wilsnack for contributing these 2 reports. It is
being posted separately from our meningococcal disease update, since
a significant outbreak of meningococcal disease in this area has not
occurred for about 20 years.
It should be noted that whether meningococcal disease is
drug-sensitive or not has not been a stumbling block for the
occurrence of outbreaks or controlling them. Indeed, meningococci
remain fairly drug-sensitive organisms. The key steps in control
include widespread immunization with meningococcal vaccine that
contains serotpye A, C, Y, and W-135 (and not B) as well as the use
of chemoprophylaxis for contacts. The strain here appears to be
group A, the classic epidemic serotype. - Mod.LL]
[see also
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (07) 20050407.1001
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (06) 20050325.0868
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (05) 20050323.0838
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (04) 20050215.0510
Meningococcal disease, type C - China (Multi-province) 20050201.0344
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (03) 20050128.0309
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (02) 20050119.0181
Meningococcal disease update 2005 (01) 20050112.0108
2004
----
Meningococcal disease update 2004 (05) 20041129.3189
Meningococcal disease update 2004 (04) 20040412.0997
Meningococcal disease update 2004 (03) 20040329.0857
Meningococcal disease update 2004 (02) 20040319.0771
Meningococcal disease update 2004 (01) 20040317.0740
1996
----
Meningococcal disease - Asia (2) 19960430.0836]
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