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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: Mon 27 Sep 2010
Source: PakTribune [edited]
2 people -- a young doctor and a Chinese engineer -- have died from a
mysterious disease, while a schoolboy was stated to be in a critical
condition at the Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) for the last one week,
official sources said.
The sources in the health department revealed that [these] patients
brought to the ATH from the flood-affected areas showed a decrease in
their blood clotting ability. The sources said the patients initially
suffered fever and headache followed by fits, and later their blood
platelets decreased.
The sudden death of a young resident medical officer, Dr H., caused by
the mysterious viral infection, has raised concern among the senior
doctors as well as the administration of the ATH. Deputy Medical
Superintendent of the Casualty Department of the ATH, Dr Junaid
Sarwar, told this [reporter] that Dr H. contracted fever in Bisham.
Later, investigation revealed that his platelet count dropped to the
range of 135 000 compared to the normal range of 150 000 to 300 000.
His fever was finally controlled on Sunday [19 Sep 2010], and he
rejoined the office. But on Tuesday [21 Sep 2010], he [collapsed] in
the washroom of the college hostel. He was rushed to the hospital's
emergency unit.
Another medical officer said that the ailing doctor's blood pressure
at that time was as low as 80/30, and emergency treatment was provided
to him. "Dr H. was conscious but suffering from severe headache at
that time. He fell unconscious after a few minutes and developed
regular fits," he recalled.
Medical specialists were immediately called; who recommended an MRI,
which diagnosed brain haemorrhage. The young doctor later died.
The younger brother of Dr H. has been showing the same symptoms for
the past few days. In a similar case, a Chinese engineer working in
Allai in Battagram district remained hospitalised at the Ayub Teaching
Hospital for a couple of days and later expired.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[The Ayub Teaching Hospital or ATH is a public sector, non-profit
tertiary level teaching hospital in Abbottabad, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
(previously the North-West Frontier Province), Pakistan. Established
in 1998, it has one of the largest 24-hour emergency centers in
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and caters to much of eastern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,
the Northern Areas of Pakistan, as well as certain parts of Azad
Kashmir (
The signs and symptoms exhibited by the deceased doctor were similar
to those of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and a hospital such as
the Ayub Hospital might be expected to make such a diagnosis rapidly
and take immediate steps to avoid nosocomial infection. It is not
stated whether the deceased doctor, his brother and the deceased
Chinese engineer had any contact with infected livestock or with each
other. Clarification and further information is awaited.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Pakistan can be accessed
at:
[see also:
Crimean-Congo hem. fever - Pakistan (03): (PB) 20100923.3440
Crimean-Congo hem. fever - Pakistan (02): (KI) 20100917.3372
Crimean-Congo hem. fever - Pakistan ex Afghanistan: RFI 20100629.2161]
.............................................mpp/cp/msp/jw
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