Nepal Mystery Disease Continues March 13, 2009 + Swine Flu Ruled Out

[Extrapolation]

Re: Nepal rules out swine flu as mystery virus kills 13

Which tells us nothing.

Which virus?

No pun intended, but at the top of the 'pecking order' for virual disease in this location to be ruled in or out - should be H5N1 - not H1N1!

We also need to remember - that this area is not the most reliable - as to accuracte intelligence, and reporting.

[AlexanderSJones]

Re: Nepal: Sudden pneumonia deaths

Sounds like influenza to me

[prepdeb]

Re: Nepal rules out swine flu as mystery virus kills 13

I think it was about three years ago we saw something similar in approx. the same area. Turned out to be a viral meningitis doctors told us. It was also at the same time and under the flight path of the infected geese migrating out of China. I am sure that was happenstance but I just never forgot it.

I remember that too Shannon. At the time, I thought it was beginning there, but glad the area was remote.

[Laidback Al]

Re: Nepal: Sudden pneumonia deaths

Map showing the location of Gorkha District in Nepal. This district is not near any of the recent outbreaks of H5N1 among poultry in Nepal.

[Blue]

Re: Nepal: Sudden pneumonia deaths

Interesting.

Do you think anyone there has been here or in Mexico lately? Kind of a remote area...

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Nepal rules out swine flu as mystery virus kills 13

No one on this big blue earth is far from anyone. We really do have just 6* of separation.

[sharon sanders]

Re: Nepal: Sudden pneumonia deaths

Also posted here, too: http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...ighlight=nepal

Thanks Mixin. I merged the threads.

[Snicklefritz]

Re: Nepal rules out swine flu as mystery virus kills 13

For those of you that are new, the quotes below are not ?new? in their nature, and are of no value for the understanding the current H1N1 (2009) virus.

Post # 1

However, Gunaraj Lohani, a doctor leading the medical team to the remote village, said the deaths were not due to swine flu but viral infection.
Influenza is a viral infection. What is important is that Gunarah Lohani has apparently ruled out H1N1 (2009), but has offered no diagnosis as to which virus is responsible. There are many viruses that cause the same symptoms.

Post #4

Victims died hours after they showed such symptoms, reports say.

If true, this is an important point of information. And does suggest that H1N1 (2009) is not responsible. But, there are other viruses, even perhaps H5N1, that could display such virulence. Not enough evidence to decide.

Post #4

More than 50 per cent of the students living in a hostel of Manakamana Deaf Secondary School at Taksar in Gorkha-8 are suffering from pneumonia.
If true, this is a very high ?attack rate?, for any virus.

Post #4

The mystery disease that triggered panic in remote Gumda VDC for the past two weeks has been identified. Health Minister Giriraj Mani Pokhrel arrived here on Thursday along with a team of officials. He announced that Post Viral Pneumonia led to the death of 13 villagers.

I?m not sure what ?Post Viral Pneumonia? is. It could be what we are familiar with as ?secondary pneumonia?, that is, a bacterial infection in the lungs that occurs as an opportunistic infection enabled by a primary virus infection that weakens the bodies immune system. That, in itself, is not unusual. But, what is the primary viral pathogen?

Summary:

There is frequently a disconnect between the facts, and statements made by authorities, and what the media reports.

If you follow influenza for awhile, the fog will clear, and you will become adept at separating the ?wheat from the chaff?. And, the experienced folks here at FluTrackers will help you do that.

Hope this was helpful for everyone.

Snick

[sharon sanders]

Re: Nepal: Sudden pneumonia deaths

Map showing the location of Gorkha District in Nepal. This district is not near any of the recent outbreaks of H5N1 among poultry in Nepal.

Which begs the question: What has been going on in South China adjacent to this province in Nepal?

http://www.visitnepal.com/travelers_guide/where_is_nepal.php#AsiaMap

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Nepal rules out swine flu as mystery virus kills 13

Snick, you also should include the apparent ages of some of the victims as significant. Otherwise healthy kids dying suddenly following a viral infection should be a red flag for us.

[sharon sanders]

Re: Nepal rules out swine flu as mystery virus kills 13

Great Snick! Thanks everyone!

[Snicklefritz]

Re: Nepal rules out swine flu as mystery virus kills 13

Yes, Shannon. The age cohort is very important. WHO has made note of that several times in their daily press briefings, as has CDC.

We should also keep in mind the median age of a country. 26 years of age (arbitrary number) is a lot younger in developed nations than it is in developing nations.

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Nepal rules out swine flu as mystery virus kills 13

Good point about the median life span Snick.

[Treyfish]

Undiagnosed illness - nepal: (rolpa) request for information

************************************************** **********
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: Tue 12 May 2009
Source: Xinhua News Agency [edited]
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/12/content_11361962.htm>


Over 60 people ill due to "mysterious" disease in mid-western Nepal
-------------------------------------------------------------------
More than 60 people at Jaimakashala in Rolpa district in mid-western Nepal
have been taken ill due to a mysterious disease that spread in the village
3 days ago.

According to Tuesday's [12 May 2009] eKantipur.com, most of the victims are
women, elderly, and children. An official at the District Public Health
Office informed that a team of health workers has been dispatched to the
disease-hit area, some 270 km (168 mi) west of Kathmandu, to take stock of
the situation and to offer treatment to the sick.

All patients have similar symptoms of acute headache, fever, and vomiting
up blood, a health worker said. He said that the disease may have been
caused due to consumption of polluted water and inadequate sanitation.

With no health worker at the local health post, the patients could not
receive treatment on time.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Unless the described hematemesis (vomiting up blood) was associated with
intense vomiting leading to esophageal tears and subsequent bleeding,
hematemesis is not usually associated with the variety of microorganisms
that are usually the culprits in waterborne gastroenteritis outbreaks. The
mention of acute headache and fever as a predominant finding does have one
wonder about malaria and the encephalitides such as Japanese encephalitis,
although the possibility of entrance of one of the hemorrhagic fevers such
as CCHF (Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever) or one of the old world
hantaviruses is there as well. ProMED-mail would greatly appreciate
receiving more information from knowledgeable sources in the region.

For a map of Rolpa district in the Rapti Zone of Nepal, see
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolpa>. For a larger map of Nepal to
juxtapose the map of Rolpa, please see
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/nepal_pol90.jpg>. And
for the interactive HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Rolpa Nepal, with links to
other recent outbreaks in Nepal and surrounding regions, see
<http://healthmap.org/r/00bS>. - Mod.MPP]

http://tinyurl.com/opzowl

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Nepal rules out swine flu as mystery virus kills 13

Sixty sick is a significant number. Vomiting up blood does sound hemorrhagic.