Published Date: 2006-03-19 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Hand, foot and mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak)(04)
Archive Number: 20060319.0854

HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE - MALAYSIA (SARAWAK) (04)
******************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Sat 18 Mar 2006
From: Pablo Nart <pablo.nart@terra.es>
Source: Yahoo news, Fri 17 Mar 2006 [edited]
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060317/hl_afp/malaysiahealthdisease_060317155943
>

Malaysia's eastern state of Sarawak said it was stepping up efforts
to control an epidemic of hand, foot and mouth disease, with
indications it was spreading to rural areas.
The state's deputy chief minister, George Chan, said Sarawak would
deploy its flying doctor service to monitor people for symptoms of
the disease, which affects mainly infants and young children and
causes mouth and throat ulcers.
The death toll from the disease has climbed from 7 to 8, while cases
have been recorded in the state's interior as well as the smaller
towns of Mukah, on the central coast, and Kapit in central Sarawak,
Chan said.
The majority of cases have so far been recorded in Sarawak's main
towns, including its capital, Kuching.
The minister said the state would also increase staff numbers in
hospitals to cope with the situation.
Sarawak has been hit periodically by the disease. In the worst
outbreak in 1997, the state on Borneo island recorded 31 fatalities.
--
Pablo Nart
<pablo.nart@terra.es>
[A map of the affected area, the state of Sarawak, can be accessed at:
<http://www.abcmalaysia.com/maps/emsia_map.htm>, and
<http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/south_east_asia/malaysia/malays ia.htm>.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) of humans is commonly confused
with foot-and-mouth disease of cattle, sheep, and swine. Although the
names are similar, the diseases are not related and are caused by
different viruses. For information on foot-and-mouth disease, please
visit
<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/fmd/fmd.html>.
HFMD is a common illness of infants and children. It is characterized
by fever, sores in the mouth, and a rash with blisters. For a picture
of hand lesions, see
<http://dermnet.com/image.cfm?passedArrayIndex=6&moduleID=24&moduleGro
upID=327>.
HFMD is caused by enteroviruses. Among them, EV 71 and coxsackievirus
A16 are the 2 major pathogens. HFMD is usually spread by
person-to-person contact. For the HFMD fact sheet, please visit the
USA CDC website at
<http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/submenus/sub_hfmd.htm>.
- Mod.RY]

See Also

Hand, foot and mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak) (3) 20060313.0792
Hand, foot and mouth disease - Brunei 20060308.0744
Hand, foot and mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak) (2) 20060305.0712
Hand, foot and mouth disease - Malaysia (Sarawak) 20060303.0671
2005
----
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (Penang)(2) 20050223.0579
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (Penang) 20050115.0127
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Taiwan (Central) (04) 20050611.1623
Hand, foot and mouth disease - Taiwan (Central) 20050523.1417
2002
----
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia 20020409.3910
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Taiwan (02) 20020514.4196
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Taiwan 20020405.3883
2001
----
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia 20010531.1069
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (04) 20010226.0379
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore & Malaysia 20010105.0042
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore 20010105.0037
2000
----
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia & Singapore (06) 20001025.1849
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore (09) 20001023.1834
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia & Singapore 20000920.1626
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Singapore 20000913.1562
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia (03) 20000521.0806
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Malaysia 20000325.0433
Hand, foot & mouth disease - Taiwan: 1998-1999 20000203.0163
..................ry/msp/jw
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Please support ProMED-mail by donating to the 2005 Internet-
a-thon at <http://www.isid.org/netathon2005.shtml>
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at <http://www.promedmail.org>.
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org
(NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give your
full name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Send
commands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help,
etc. to: majordomo@promedmail.org. For assistance from a
human being send mail to: owner-promed@promedmail.org.
############################################################
############################################################