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In the current political impbade, Karnataka is grappling with the looming threat of a vector-borne debilitating epidemic – Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), commonly known as "monkey fever."
Reported for the first time in 1957 in the Kyasanur Forest of Sorab Taluk, Shivamogga District, the disease was initially considered less dangerous because it had been confined to a small part of the population. But now, KFD has taken a frightening form as it is spreading rapidly in the districts of Malnad and the Karnataka coast. During the first weeks of its seasonal epidemic, the disease killed seven people and infected hundreds of villagers living in and around the forests.
The health department is caught unprepared this year by the appearance of the monkey fever, which has unleashed a gruesome history of death in a relatively unfamiliar region. A febrile illness in humans related to the sudden death of wild monkeys returned with more virulent traits this time.
A representative sample of samples taken last month in the Aralagodu region of Sagar taluk and tested at the National Institute of Virology, Pune, revealed that the disease had returned with an increased virus burden this year! While the major outbreak, during its 61-year-old outbreak, killed 136 people at 136 deaths in Dakshina Kannada's belthangady taluk, it showed a similar trend this year in a relatively new environment, with several monkeys tested positive for KFD every day.
Although the Department of Health has managed to stop the mortality rate due to rapid rounds of vaccination on the taluk covering more than 15,000 people in less than a few days since the epidemic and by cleaning up the area with surveillance increased, initial damage is still considered insufficient. being a gap on the part of the department due to its biased policies, lack of better medical facilities and lack of research activities due to lack of state government funds.
"The state government has hardly attempted to document or study the disease epidemic in a systematic way. Apart from the seasonal vaccination campaigns and the distribution of DMPs (anti-ticks), the government has not yet taken any steps to fight the epidemic, said one of the members of the KFD Janajagruthi Okkoota, who works to eradicate the disease in Malnad. Region.
Many reasons
Dr. Kiran SK, field worker in Aralagodu PHC, who, alongside an army of health workers and doctors, is leading the Department of Health's fight against the dreaded disease, said the epidemic could have many reasons. "The villages around Sagar Talouk have not been vaccinated against the disease in recent years, although the KFD epidemic has been felt in adjacent Talouks. In general, vaccination is practiced in the areas where he has raised his hood several times. But Aralagodu does not have a history of KFD. This may be one of the main reasons for his virulent outbreak this year, "he said. DH even while supervising treatment facilities at the Aralagodu Primary Health Care Center.
Adding to the woes, a study conducted by entomologists in the region also revealed that villages in the region were counting for a high density of ticks – transmitters of the KFD virus from monkeys to humans. He also added that the outbreak in this region, which is mainly protected by the surrounding water mbades, has proved that the virus is another factor.
"We do not see any large-scale migration of the monkey population from the area to this area because it is surrounded by water bodies. But the way he hit with his virulent properties proved that the region had been a reservoir of the virus with dormant characteristics. However, it is still difficult to determine the trigger that has paved the way for the panic epidemic, "said Dr. Kiran.
Dr. Munivenkata Raju, another health officer stationed in Sagar, said: "The only striking feature about KFD is that there was no reporting before, but that there was Due to increased media attention and public awareness, people have talked about monkey death. This helped the department plan prevention activities and further halt its spread. The epidemic has invaded the region in deep fear such that people who are then reluctant to be vaccinated stand alone to get vaccinated.
Alarming Sign Despite the efforts of the Department of Health, the disease is expanding its tentacles in an unimaginable way, encompbading new geographical terrain. "The death of infected monkeys is an alarming sign as ticks in their bodies fall to the ground and multiply by the thousands to spread the virus among humans who contract it during a tick bite.
Viscera samples taken from dead monkeys revealed positive KFD signs in areas such as Shikaripura, Byndoor, Kundapurand and Udupi, prompting us to undertake vaccination campaigns within a 5 to 10 km radius, "said Dr. Kiran.
Although there is no cure for KFD, the medical intervention is purely based on the treatment of badociated symptoms. "KFD is a biphasic disease whose symptoms are manifested in two stages. Initially, the patient is admitted for fever, chills and headache and is discharged after a week of treatment. After a fortnight, with decreasing fever and cold, the neurological symptoms – mental
vision disorders, blurred vision and tremors badociated with gastrointestinal problems In one of the cases we treated, we were about to release a patient who appeared to have healed. But she suddenly developed neurological symptoms that led to death, "said Dr. Raghunandan, District Surgeon at McGann Shivamogga Hospital.
According to Dr. S. Sajjan Shetty, Deputy Director of the National Vector-borne Disease Control Program, KFD is only observed between December and May. "The ticks that cause the disease die during the monsoon season. It is only at the nymphal stage that they inflict significant damage. While we are providing treatment, we have also arranged for people to be admitted to Kasturba Medical College (KMC) in Manipal for advanced treatment. More health professionals have been deployed in the region for surveillance and treatment. Mobile units patrolled the area and officials rushed to the places where the villagers reported the death of monkeys, "said Dr. Shetty.
In fact, the department has set up three advanced ambulances equipped with fans in Aralagodu PHC. They carry patients with DKK to Manipal twice a day.
"On average, we go to Manipal twice daily with at least four to six patients, but initially, the number of patients was higher," said an ambulance driver. Interestingly, the
PHC has published a notice regarding the list of documents required to be admitted to KMC Hospital, 80 km away. The cost of treatment and ambulance fees
are supported by the state government. While the KFD mortality rate has reached 8 to 10% this year, people refuse to take risks, as well as any patient with symptomatic symptoms.
the fever is transported to Manipal without thinking. While community health workers carry out door-to-door inspections of the situation of people by taking blood samples from people with symptoms, senior health officials and veterinarians dealt with the death of monkey and performed autopsies. In addition, doctors sanitize areas around the monkey's carcbad by spraying malathion, a tickicide, within a 50- to 75-meter radius to kill ticks that have faded from the carcbad.
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