Kolkata: Odd report - "New symptoms indicate new virus strain in action"

[alert]

Influenza? Dengue? Somthing else? None of the four subtypes of dengue typically cause these symptoms.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/new-symptoms-indicate-new-virus-strain-in-action/996778/

New symptoms indicate new virus strain in action

Kolkata, Mon Sep 03 2012, 00:10 hrs

The state government is now collaborating with National Institute of Virology to identify the type of dengue virus present in Kolkata and its suburbs. Experts are of the opinion that this time a different strain of dengue virus is affecting the people.

Earlier, Type-3 virus was more prevalent in the city. This year, those down with dengue-like symptoms have external symptoms like stomach pain or pneumonia, which were not found earlier. They feel that external symptoms related with pneumonia are confusing the doctors in the diagnosis of the disease. Amitva Nandi, a doctor in medicine and associated with School of Tropical Medicine, said the dengue virus appears to be reducing immunity of the affected persons to such an extent that cross infection appears to be leading to gastro-intestinal infection or respiratory infection.

Meanwhile, officials from National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) said they are yet to receive any samples for identification of the sub-type of the dengue virus in circulation this year.

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Kolkata: Odd report - "New symptoms indicate new virus strain in action"

an earlier TOI report;

Dengue trend alarms doctors
TNN Aug 30, 2012, 04.15AM IST

KOLKATA: The dengue epidemic this year has claimed nine lives so far, though none of them had haemorrhagic fever ? a trend which has left doctors worried.

None of the nine had capillary leak syndrome, which results from very low platelet count. Instead, they suffered organ failures after a bout of high fever. Several patients who are now under treatment at various hospitals are suffering from organ dysfunction as well. The reason could be an altered genome in the dengue virus, say experts.
...
"A huge number of people have been affected this time, which points to an altered strain. Secondly, some viral infections, including dengue, can affect the heart, leading to cardiac myopathy. It could be fatal as has been proved in some cases this year," said Amitabha Saha, consultant at Ruby Hospital.

In a majority of the cases, however, the attack has been mild, said doctors. "But the severe cases have been more severe than usual. Many have suffered a quick renal failure, even though their blood-pressure was normal. Some have even suffered a twin organ failure ? usually lung and kidney ? in the space of 24 hours. This is deceptive and we are having to monitor the patients closely and round-the-clock," said Arindam Kar, director, Medica Institute of Critical Care.

Mary Banwar, the support staffer at Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS), who succumbed to dengue on Tuesday, didn't have haemorrhagic dengue. She suffered a cardiac arrest even though her platelet count was normal. "It suggests that the dengue virus triggered cardiac myopathy. But we can't be sure unless the strain is analyzed," said Saha.
...

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-30/kolkata/33498606_1_dengue-virus-platelet-count-arindam-kar

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Kolkata: Odd report - "New symptoms indicate new virus strain in action"

Dengue virus mutation worries Chandigarh doctors
Shimona Kanwar, TNN | Sep 6, 2012, 05.52AM IST


CHANDIGARH: A recent gene mutation of the dengue virus has left the scientists and doctors baffled. The change in the gene pattern has weakened the effect of the available vaccine against dengue.

This was revealed at a workshop held at the PGI here. Experts from National Vector Borne Disease Control Program also attended the workshop. The PGI lab is working on developing specific agents to target the changes and overcome the vaccine's limitations. PGI is the reference lab for Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh.

"We have come across mutations in the dengue virus on molecular level. The virus has four types of serotypes/strains and there are further sub types. There is a change in the genetic pattern of the virus," said Dr R K Ratho, head of the virology department, PGI.
...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dengue-virus-mutation-worries-Chandigarh-doctors/articleshow/16274871.cms