Alarmed Centre rushes malaria experts to Goa

Alarmed Centre rushes malaria experts to Goa
Team Collects Slides, Report Likely Within A Week
Preetu Nair & Kounteya Sinha TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Panaji/New Delhi: Alarmed by suspected malaria deaths caused by the Plasmodium vivax parasite, the Union health ministry on Thursday rushed a team of experts in vectorborne diseases to Goa.
The team from the National Institute of Malaria Research, an autonomous organisation under the Indian Council of Medical Research, met doctors at Goa Medical College hospital and discussed the clinical and post-mortem aspects of the cases.
The team collected hystopathological slides and blood slides of a woman who died last week from suspected P-vivax infection. Blood slides of Sunil Kumar, a migrant labourer from Bihar who died in Vasco last week, were also taken.
Scientists across the world, including India, are waking up to Plasmodium vivax’s increasing notoriety. Vivax and falciparum are the two major strains of malaria which affect humans globally.
Dr A P Dash, director of ICMR’s Malaria Research Centre, who is heading the team, said, “We want to know whether P-vivax has actually started to kill people. We want to be prepared for its changing clinical profile.”
The team, which also includes Dr Neena Valecha from NIMR, is expected to submit its report within a week to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme.
Dr Valecha said deaths due to P-vivax is a rare phenomenon. “So our investigations will focus on whether the deaths happened solely due to P-vivax infection or whether there was co-infection with P-falciparum. Now, because we are armed with better medicines to combat P-falciparum infections, its cases are going down.”
Dr R Wiseman Pinto, head department of pathology, Goa Medical College, said the team would be doing DNA studies of the parasite. “We have discussed the autopsy report and such cases are extremely rare,” he said.
The vivax strain was recently discovered after pathological tests on a 25-year-old woman from North Goa who had died following multiple organ failure. It was because the woman’s death occurred within seven years of marriage
that it was treated as a medicolegal case and an autopsy was conducted. That is when the new vivax strain came to light.
“Though the woman didn’t get treatment on time for vivax, the parasite alone doesn’t kill. There are many people who suffer from chronic vivax malaria but don’t take treatment for years together and yet survive,” said Dr Pinto.
“The parasite detected in her body may have undergone mutation due to excessive exposure to insecticides, particularly sprays, repellents and creams,” said Pinto.
Dr Dipak Kabadi, deputy director of NVBDCP in Goa, said, “We also want to investigate whether the deaths occurred because of delayed treatment or because the vector is becoming dangerous.” WAR TO COMBAT MALARIA Officials warn against discarded tyres
Panaji: The state health authorities in a bid to control the outbreak of dengue and malaria this monsoon have dashed off letters to all municipal authorities and village panchayats to destroy discarded tyres in their jurisdiction.
Despite precautions taken by authorities, some places , including old discarded tyres, continued to be breeding grounds for the aedes mosquito that transmits yellow fever and dengue.
“Worn out tyres are left in the open. Most of them are found on roofs to hold plastic sheets together. Tyres are also found on roof tops of garages where water accumulates. We advise people to either keep them in safe places or cover them by making holes so that water doesn’t accumulate. We also request the municipality to dispose such tyres,” said Dr Pratima Thali, urban health officer, Mapusa.
In Panaji too, discarded tyres are a menace. “We wrote letters in April and May to the CCP to dispose tyres collected at the Hindu crematorium in St Inez. The mayor recently informed us that all the tyres were cleared by the CCP in six trucks,” said Dr Pradeep Korgaonker. The tyres are generally used to burn bodies. Several tyres however continue to lie at the crematorium. Health authorities have been asked to disclose the quantity of tyres amassed in the state as a Chennai-based firm is willing to collect the discarded tyres.“If the quantity is high, then the firm would be willing to collect tyres. We have already issued directions to health officials and municipal bodies to find out the quantum of discarded tyres. If the firm declines, we will make alternate arrangements,” said South Goa collector GP Naik.
Health officials said that most of the godowns used to house tyres have no roofs and old tyres stored there contain rainwater that helps breeding of mosquitoes. “Once water accumulates in the tyres, it is difficult to remove it, making the tyre a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” said deputy director of Health Services Dr Dipak Kabadi. He brought up the issue during a meeting called by health minister Vishwajit Rane.
As per the Public Health Act, health officials can impose a fine of up to Rs 500 on anyone discarding tyres. However, the act is not being implemented strictly. This year, six persons have been detected with falciparum malaria in the state each day while in 2007 four people developed falcipharum malaria daily.
Cases of vivax malaria have doubled this year. While from January-June 2007 about 2883 cases of vivax were detected, in 2008, 4025 cases have already been reported. Besides, seven malaria-related deaths have also occurred.
Health authorities spread malaria awareness
Panaji: With the growing threat of malaria, health officials at the Urban Health Centre in Panaji are working round the clock to attend to those suffering from the disease.
Health workers have started door-to-door visits advising people not to allow stagnation of water in bottles, coconut shells and other waste. The health department’s antimalaria campaign is aimed at creating awareness among labourers and local residents. TNN

2008 Jul 18 Times Of India Goa