Kolkata: Unknown fever grips city, virus not identified

[Ronan Kelly]

Kolkata: Unknown fever grips city, virus not identified
Press Trust Of India
Kolkata, November 13, 2011First Published: 13:05 IST(13/11/2011)
Last Updated: 13:07 IST(13/11/2011)

An unknown virus showing identical symptoms of dengue and chikungunya has affected a large number of people in the city, leavig virologists flummoxed. Blood samples examined so far have failed to identify the virus at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. A team from the NIV recently visited the city areas, where the disease with the symptom of high fever was reported in the last few days, and took some blood samples to NIV.

"No conclusive evidence has been found in the blood tests about the nature of the virus even as the patients have been showing identical symptoms of either dengue or chikungunya," according to sources in the School of Tropical Medicine.

...

Sources said there was a proposal with the NIV to send the blood samples to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) reference laboratory for final diagnosis.

Of the 25 blood samples taken by the NIV virologists from city areas, only one is that of confirmed chikunguniya, while the real nature of the remaining samples were inconclusive, the sources said.

Although no fatality has been reported, official sources said, it was necessary to pinpoint the virus.

...

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Kolkata/Kolkata-Unknown-fever-grips-city-virus-not-identified/Article1-768489.aspx

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Kolkata: Unknown fever grips city, virus not identified

Mystery fever strikes again
TNN | Dec 8, 2011, 01.19AM IST

KOLKATA: A mysterious fever is back to haunt Kolkata. For the third time this year, an undiagnosed illness has struck thousands in the upmarket neighbourhoods of New Alipore, Alipore, Chetla, Taratala, Behala and parts of Tollygunge in the south, and College Street, Bowbazar and Girish Park areas in the northern part of the city. Children seem to have it the worst, with many falling sick repeatedly, sometimes three-four times a month.

Though the symptoms are close to chikungunya, very few cases have been confirmed through blood tests, which point at the return of the mystery fever that struck the city last during the end of monsoon.

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For the last three weeks, KMC clinics and city hospitals have been flooded with patients suffering from high fever and excruciating joint pain. Most have body rashes, headache and numbness in the limbs as well. Blood tests, however, have not confirmed either chikungunya or dengue.

"The symptoms appear to be somewhere in between the two diseases. While the joint pain points at chikungunya, body rashes seem to suggest dengue. But it's probably neither of the two. Instead, it's more likely to be one of those mystery fevers which have been striking Kolkata frequently this year," said paediatrician Shantanu Ray, who himself suffered a bout of the undetected fever last month.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/11025243.cms

[Emily]

Re: Kolkata: Unknown fever grips city, virus not identified

This sounds like the Oct. 28th 'mimic fever' report in Chandigarh as far as symptoms.
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=175596

I'm going to delete my thread on mimic fever in emerging diseases, but if you use mapping software to plot the locations of the 2 mystery and 1 mimic fever cases, they roughly follow India's northeastern border.

Kolkata India
Siswan India (Near Koobaheri)
Chandigarh India

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Kolkata: Unknown fever grips city, virus not identified

Fever outbreak: Team visits New Alipore
TNN | Dec 9, 2011, 03.25AM IST




KOLKATA: The mystery fever continues to elude civic authorities and experts. A Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) team which visited three blocks in New Alipore, from where it had been reported, failed to confirm either chikungunya or dengue on Thursday. Even though the symptoms are close to both diseases, hundreds suffering from the fever have not been confirmed to be suffering from either. Cases have been reported from upmarket areas of Alipore, New Alipore, Chetla, Behala and parts of Tollygunge.

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Civic officials interacted with a few senior doctors in the New Alipore-Behala area on Thursday. They collected data and case histories. "The idea is to follow up and get tests done to detect if these are chikungunya or dengue. So far, we have not been able to confirm any disease. The vigil will continue," said Atin Ghosh, MMiC (health).

The KMC has sent blood samples to the School of Tropical Medicine, ICMR and even to a WHO laboratory. Reports are yet to reach the KMC. So far, 95 cases of chikungunya have been confirmed in Kolkata this year. "Civic officials spoke to me about the mystery fever and sought my help. They seem to be taking an initiative to check the disease, whatever it might be. Let us hope the spread of this fever will be checked," said Tarun Praharaj, a resident of New Alipore.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Fever-outbreak-Team-visits-New-Alipore/articleshow/11039439.cms

[Emily]

Re: Kolkata: Unknown fever grips city, virus not identified

The unusual deaths of crows in Kolkata over the past two months is being investigated:

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...037#post439037

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Kolkata: Unknown fever grips city, virus not identified

Fever back, with arthritis-like agony
TNN | Feb 10, 2012, 06.41AM IST

KOLKATA: With the mercury sliding up, viral fever is back to haunt Kolkata. But this time it packs a more potent punch. The fever is accompanied by reactive arthritis that is putting patients down with excruciating joint pain, and acute fatigue that keeps them bedridden for weeks.

Though the symptoms are close to chikungunya, the disease has not been confirmed as yet.

Experts are baffled at the repeated strikes of the viral fever but they say the recent surge is was not unexpected. Season change and temperature fluctuations turn viruses active. But what is sweeping Kolkata seems to be a variant of the earlier ones, leaving patients and doctors stumped.

"We have noticed an alteration in the symptoms each time. It could be a remnant of the last viral strain. The worrying thing is that it is accompanied by reactive arthritis which is leaving patients immobile. The joint pain persists even after the fever has subsided. Pain from reactive arthritis can linger for more than six months in some cases," said medicine specialist Debashish Roy.
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/11831867.cms