Date: Tue 15 May 2012 Source: The Phnom Penh Post [edited] http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012051556163/National-news/dengue-death-tally-skewed.html
An old virus that shares similar symptoms to dengue fever had resurfaced
in Cambodia in recent months and was a leading factor in this year's
[2012] sharp spike in deaths attributed to dengue, health officials said
yesterday [14 May 2012].
Last seen in Cambodia in the early 1990s, the Chikungunya, or CHIKV,
virus had re-emerged in Cambodia over the past 6 to 9 months, World
Health Organization epidemiologist Steven Bjorge said.
"It's been moving through India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand; now it
appears it has reached Cambodia," he said.
Although a completely different virus, it is often confused with dengue,
as the symptoms are similar and the species of the mosquito is the same,
he said.
However, dengue symptoms tended to be more severe, with people
potentially dying from them, unlike CHIKV.
"The problem is that with those viruses, there is no drug to stop the
symptoms, likewise there is no vaccine. The only thing we have left is
to protect against mosquitoes," he said.
Aedes mosquitoes, which transmit the viruses, tended to breed in
man-made containers, he said, adding that putting larvacide or guppy
fish in pools of water and cleaning up small piles of trash would be a
good way of guarding against them.
Char Meng Chuor, director of the National Center for Parasitology,
Entomology and Malaria Control, said the similarity of the viruses and
the rise in CHIKV cases had partly contributed to a 3-fold increase in
dengue numbers.
There were 2579 cases, with 14 deaths, more than the 1st 18 weeks of the
year [2012], an increase of 353 percent if compared to the same period
last year [2011].
Other reasons for the increase in reported dengue cases included more
rainfall and this year [2012] being the climax of a 5-year cycle that
tends to see more deaths, he added.
Health officials have distributed 90 tonnes of Abate, a chemical used to
kill larvae, and will distribute 180 tonnes during the rainy season.
[Byline: Sen David and Cassandra Yeap]
--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>
[There has been a sharp spike in deaths attributed to dengue infection
in Cambodia. A total of 2579 cases and 14 deaths, with a case fatality
rate (CFR) of 0.5 percent, were reported in Cambodia during the 1st 18
weeks of 2012. An increase of 353 percent of dengue infection was
reported in 2012 than for the same period in 2011. Officials stated that
the rise of chikungunya cases had partly contributed to the increase in
dengue cases during 2012. The situation of dengue infection during the
1st 3 months of 2012 in Cambodia was reported in prior PRO/MBDS posting
Dengue - Cambodia (03) 20120423.0928.
Chikungunya shares some clinical signs with dengue infection and can be
misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common. Both chikungunya and
dengue are viral disease but different viruses. Chikungunya virus is an
insect-borne virus, of the genus _Alphavirus_, whereas dengue virus is
an insect-borne virus, of the genus _Flavivirus_. Chikungunya is rarely
fatal. Symptoms are generally self-limiting and last for 2-3 days. In
contrary, dengue infection tends to be more severe, with people
potentially developing lethal complication (see
http://www.who.int/denguecontrol/arbo-viral/other_arboviral_chikungunya/en/index.html).
According to the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office's (WPRO) report on
the dengue situation, dated 3 May 2012, a total of 1649 cases and 9
deaths due to dengue infection, with a CFR of 0.5 percent, were reported
in Cambodia between 1 Jan 2012 and 23 Apr 2012. Relatively sustained
high activity of dengue infection was reported in 2012 compared to
historic seasonal baseline; 370 cases and 4 deaths, with a CFR of 1.2
percent in 2011 for the same period (see
http://www.wpro.who.int/entity/emerging_diseases/DengueSituationUpdates/en/index.html).
For a map of Cambodia with provinces, see
http://ephotopix.com/image/asia/cambodia_province_map.gif. For the
interactive HealthMap/ProMED-mail map with links to other recent
PRO/MBDS and ProMED-mail postings on Cambodia and neighboring
countries, see http://healthmap.org/r/1iGB. - Mod.SCM]
ProMED-mail
Português
Español
Русский
Mekong Basin
Afrique Francophone
Anglophone Africa
