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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 07/06/2012 : 06:12:19
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This is scary and it's happening to kids in the region where I live. I hope epidemiologists can get to the bottom of this quickly, and save some lives: Investigators probe mystery disease killing Cambodian children
By Madison Park, CNN
July 6, 2012 -- Updated 1135 GMT (1935 HKT)
Hong Kong (CNN) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) and Cambodian health officials are investigating why at least 61 children in the country have died mysteriously after suffering severe neurological and respiratory complications.
Dr. Beat Richner, of the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospitals who first alerted Cambodia's health authorities about the unknown disease said as of Friday, he knew of 64 cases, in which only two children have survived.
Countries surrounding Cambodia were informed of a deadly disease that killed dozens of children earlier this week, through the International Health Regulations event information system, which provides public health communications.
In Hong Kong, a major air hub in the region, health officials responded by alerting doctors to be watchful for patients returning from Cambodia who have respiratory symptoms. Travelers who have been to Cambodia were told to visit their doctors if they developed respiratory symptoms.
The unknown illness appears in children, according to the WHO and the Cambodian Ministry of Health.
The children who fell ill first experienced a high fever followed by respiratory problems. Some of them also had neurological symptoms that included convulsions, according to the WHO.
Richner said the patients suffered from encephalitis, which is the inflammation of the brain.
"They are hospitalized," he said. "They arrive in our hospital, in the last moments... they die because their lungs are destroyed."
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/08/2012 03:40:47
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marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2012 : 20:43:21 [Permalink]
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| As a mother of two young kids and someone who has visited Cambodia on vacation, I am chilled to the bone. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2012 : 04:25:16 [Permalink]
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Looks like a likely and previously know culprit may be causing this disease in Cambodia: Enterovirus Type 71:Health officials say they have made an important discovery in the mystery surrounding the deaths of more than 60 children in Cambodia.
The Institut Pasteur in Cambodia tested samples taken from 24 patients and found 15 had tested positive for Enterovirus Type 71.
"These results now give a good explanation to this outbreak," Dr. Philippe Buchy, head of the institute's virology unit, said in an e-mail. "We will get more results hopefully by next Tuesday or Wednesday."
Though the detection of EV71 is significant, there may be other factors, said Dr. Beat Richner of Kantha Bopha hospitals.
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EV71 has a Wikipedia entry in the Enterovirus article. Since it causes "Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease", it's fairly well known outside Cambodia including the US. Little is done, or is useful, for treatment, however, aside from using aspirin or other meds to reduce fever, and analgesics for the pain from the sores.
Since such a high percentage of kids are dying in this outbreak, I think it's possible this may be a new, more virulent strain. But again, I'm only a friggin' layman.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 04:54:49 [Permalink]
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| CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is in Cambodia looking into the outbreak. It seems the virulence in destroying lungs is one of the main things setting this outbreak apart from "normal" EV71, along with the lack of clustering, which indicates little if any human-to-human contagion. Puzzling stuff. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 05:54:03 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is in Cambodia looking into the outbreak. It seems the virulence in destroying lungs is one of the main things setting this outbreak apart from "normal" EV71, along with the lack of clustering, which indicates little if any human-to-human contagion. Puzzling stuff.
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EV71 goes Spanish Flu of 1918? |
Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 06:11:31 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Valiant Dancer
Originally posted by HalfMooner
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is in Cambodia looking into the outbreak. It seems the virulence in destroying lungs is one of the main things setting this outbreak apart from "normal" EV71, along with the lack of clustering, which indicates little if any human-to-human contagion. Puzzling stuff.
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EV71 goes Spanish Flu of 1918?
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Sooner or later something as bad as that horror will appear, I suppose. My father had to grow up without his own dad when the latter died of that flu in 1920. I suspect the present Cambodian outbreak is going to be an interesting puzzle at best. But at least it doesn't seem to be growing in leaps and bounds. So far.
Any disease that rapidly kills most of its victims (or even just most of those who are young) is to be feared. This thing is potentially one trivial mutation from being a pandemic. But again, I Am Not A Doctor, |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/10/2012 06:28:12 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2012 : 01:17:33 [Permalink]
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Now a "mix of pathogens", along with a horrible misuse of steroids, is suspected:Phnom Penh, Cambodia (CNN) -- The World Health Organization, in conjunction with the Cambodian Ministry of Health, will conclude that a combination of pathogens is to blame for the mysterious illness that has claimed the lives of more than 60 children in Cambodia, medical doctors familiar with the investigation told CNN on Wednesday.
The pathogens include enterovirus 71, streptococcus suis and dengue, the medical sources said. Additionally, the inappropriate use of steroids, which can suppress the immune system, worsened the illness in a majority of the patients, they said.
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Now, corticosteroids can control a lot of bad symptoms, but one thing they also do is suppress immune response. The terrible error of using steroids in precisely the worst situation may be why this virus essentially pureed the kids' lungs in a matter of hours. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/11/2012 01:20:09 |
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Mystery disease killing Cambodian children
