Cases of undiagnosed viral fever, dengue on the rise

Patients coming with forms of viral fever that fall under no category of a known flu has been a trend that city doctors are seeing. From various organs being affected to dropping platelet counts, it has also claimed some lives, doctors say.

"Patients are coming with a history of body pain, high fever, joint pains and alter sensorium and abnormal liver," said Dr Sudarshan Ballal, chairman, Manipal Hospitals, adding that it comes as a surprise that they test negative for dengue, chikungunya and other known viral fevers.

"We have seen 20-30 such cases over the last six months and two of them died. Some recovered. We do not know what the fever is," he said.

In some such cases where the severity is high, patients have low liver functions and inflammation of other internal organs as well.

Similarly, Dr Shankar, consultant physician, Apollo Hospitals, said that he had been attending to cases of fever that test negative for dengue, yet platelets drop in 48 hours.

"They have fever up to the fifth day. When the patient has almost recovered, the platelets start to drop. Patients, who would have had 2.5 lakh in the beginning, have just a few thousands as it begins to drop," he said.

It is not just dengue that has been a concern this season for city doctors. It is the complications that are coming along.

Ballal said they have seen patients with a combination of dengue and chikungunya-like symptoms.

"Dengue Encephalitis is being seen, which is a serious condition. The patient comes with an inflammation of the brain. High fever, headache and seizures are the most common symptoms they have," he said. In addition to this, dengue patients have also been reported to have altered liver functions, Ballal explained.

He suggested control measures like ensuring water does not collect anywhere, anti-mosquito breeding measures, wearing long sleeves and socks and use of mosquito repellents.

Dr Shankar said he has seen patients with dengue encephalitis, who had been in a coma for a week but have recovered. "I have come across the fungal infection. These are unusual complications," he said.

Even as the department of health and family welfare claims that the numbers have improved, doctors said that they continue to attend to fresh cases in the OPD. "We are seeing about two a day," said Dr K S Manjunath, consultant physician, Vikram Hospitals.

State roundup

Over 2,000 cases of dengue have been reported across the state in a month. Officials, however, say that the numbers are on the decline.

Also, five more cases of deaths due to dengue in Karnataka have come to light of late, taking the total number of deaths in the state to 13 this year.

As many as 14,975 cases of dengue have been reported this year, according to the department of health and family welfare, the highest from the BBMP area.

Dr Mahmood Shariff, researcher, National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, said barring a few districts, dengue has been on the decline across the state. "About 300 cases have been reported in BBMP limits in November. This is lesser than the number of cases in October," he said.

Recent deaths

Kolar: 1

Mandya: 1

Dakshina Kannada: 1

Vijayapura 1