Gorakhpur grapples with Japanese Encephalitis

According to official sources, seven new cases surfaced today, bringing the total number of patients undergoing treatment to 105 at the Medical College Hospital. Nearly 727 patients were admitted in hospitals since January.

The situation is grave and alarming. According a senior doctor in Gorakhpur Medical College, the majority of victims in the outbreak were children up to 15 years of age.

To add to the woes of the public, there is a shortage of trained staff to cope with the fresh cases arriving every day.

About Japanese Encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis is a communicable disease of public health importance, and often occurs in epidemic form. It is locally referred to as brain fever since it causes inflammation of the brain tissue.

It spreads to humans when bitten by infected mosquitoes. The mosquitoes breed in rice fields and become infected with the virus, usually by biting infected pigs.

The disease manifests with high grade fever, causes headaches, respiratory problems and convulsions. The disease affects the brain and the spinal cord causing severe complications leading to coma, permanent brain damage and sometimes death. There are instances of survivors left mentally or physically handicapped.

Diagnosis is based on tests of blood or spinal fluid. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for the disease and there are no anti-viral drugs to combat the virus.

According to doctors, the fatality rate due to Japanese Encephalitis is 28-56 percent.

Reasons cited for JE in Uttar Pradesh
Every year, Japanese Encephalitis strikes the northern part of India. It is a seasonal disease that usually occurs in the summers and in the rainy season. During this time mosquito breeding is extensive due to floody waters from Nepal and stagnant waters in the state.

Uttar Pradesh is particularly hit by the disease each year raising issues of hygiene and immunization in the region.