Thread: THAILAND: Dengue fever "crisis" looms

Photo: WHO The 'Aedes aegypti' mosquito which is the carrier of dengue fever
BANGKOK, 5 June 2008 (IRIN) - Rising temperatures, longer rainy seasons and increased urbanisation are leading to an explosion of dengue fever cases in Thailand in what health officials are calling a near-crisis situation.

"At least 14,000 people have been diagnosed with dengue in 2008 alone - most since April when the rains started early," said Wichai Satimai, director of the Department of Disease Control.

The 2008 outbreak marks a 72 percent increase in proven cases since last year, according to the department.

"[Dengue] is the most important neglected communicable disease in Thailand … it is all over the country," said Chawalit Tantinimitkul, a spokesman for the World Health Organization (WHO), in Bangkok.

At the BNH Hospital in Bangkok, one doctor said dozens of cases had been admitted in May alone. "It is impossible to cure dengue," the doctor, who wished to remain anonymous, told IRIN. "We just monitor their blood platelet levels and make sure they are properly hydrated and fed."



Photo: Wikimedia Commons Dengue is a tropical, mosquito-borne virus found mostly in urban areas
Dengue is a tropical, mosquito-borne virus found mostly in urban areas. The disease is more common than malaria in Thailand. "Malaria is mostly confined to the border areas [of Thailand],'' according to Chawalit, while dengue is more common in urban areas. With dengue, the patient usually develops a high fever, joint pain and a rash that can last up to six weeks.

Health authorities are also reporting increases in the more dangerous form of the disease, Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS), which are more likely to kill. In a written response to IRIN, the WHO called the spread "a major public health problem of international concern".

According to the WHO, the disease was first detected in Thailand in 1949 when about 2,100 cases were reported. Since then there have been two major epidemics – in 1987 and 1998. The most recent outbreak has been more severe because of increased population and warmer and wetter conditions, said government officials.

Dengue is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito. Unlike malarial mosquitoes, which live in rural or forested areas and breed in muddy water, the aedes aegypti mosquitoes breed in stagnant, clean water. Often called Tiger Mosquitoes because of their stripy tails, they are active during the day, unlike malarial mosquitoes.

IRIN Asia | Asia | Thailand | THAILAND: Dengue fever "crisis" looms | Early Warning Health & Nutrition | News Item

I see these kinds of skeeters all the time. Gulp.

Have had dengue and it really does you in. Asked the local authoraties here to smoke the drains around my house as the mosquito will not travel more than 150 meters from its birth place. They were not interested one little bit and when I asked the doctor if he had to report cases he also said local authoraties didnt give a damn

There seems to be a lot more mosies around this time of year here in my part of town

I had an inoculation to prevent Dengue last year.

Originally Posted by Luckydog

I had an inoculation to prevent Dengue last year.

Would go and double check that if I were you. No vaccine for dengue as yet, although there are a few trials ongoing.

Luckydog must be a member of the trial group. Perhaps he got the placebo.

Originally Posted by Luckydog

I had an inoculation to prevent Dengue last year.

Utter bollocks.

--

You can go to your local land office or amphur office and ask for mosquito sand. Shit you put in your standing water tanks that has an insecticide in it.

Originally Posted by mrsquirrel

Originally Posted by Luckydog

I had an inoculation to prevent Dengue last year.

Utter bollocks

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Would go and double check that if I were you

poTAYto, poTAHto

Dengue outbreak hits Bangkok , 48 dead so far


By Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
Published on August 1, 2008


Dengue fever has spread across the country, killing 48 people and infecting more than 40,000 so far this year, Public Health Minister Wicharn Meenchainant said yesterday.

Up to last Saturday, 41,307 patients have been diagnosed nationwide with dengue haemorrhagic fever and Bangkok was the hardest hit with 3,763 patients, according to the Disease Control Department's Bureau of Epidemiology.

Ratchaburi suffered the second worst outbreak with 1,710 victims, followed by Nakhon Sawan with 1,582, Phetchabun with 1,304 and Rayong with 1,291.

Vichan said the risk of catching dengue fever from mosquitoes this year was running high compared to last year, which saw 29 fatalities out of 60,000 cases.

The ministry's report identifies four strains. This year's seasonal epidemic was blamed on type 2, while last year type 1 was virulent.

People could hypothetically get infected by each of the four dengue strains separately in their lifetime.

Permanent secretary Prat Bunyawongwiroj said this year type 2 was more dangerous to humans as it was more resistant to the immune system.

Vichan has ordered provincial public health offices to strictly control and monitor the transmission of dengue fever among people in the local area.

Local authorities should spray insecticide to eradicate the adult Aedes aegypti mosquito, which bites humans in the daytime.

Residents should drain off any stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and use abates sand, a pesticide, to destroy their larvae.

seen a lot of those nasty striped bastards around.
Especialy in the daytime!

Two of my students spent a week in the hospital with dengue.

Do they have the spraying trucks out gasing the streets?

Chiang Mai reports highest rate of Dengue Fever infection in over a decade
06 October 2008

Chiang Mai province reports that cases of Dengue Fever are at the highest rate in 10 years with reports that over 3,100 citizens suffer from the illness.

Public Health Authority of Chiang Mai province Dr. Wattana Kanchanakamol (วัฒนา กาญจนกามล) revealed that since January of this year over 3,100 cases of Dengue Fever have been reported. The figure is the highest frequency of cases in 10 years and places Chiang Mai as one of the most infected provinces in Thailand. Chiang Mai previously tallied its highest rate of infection in 2003 at 1,700 cases. This year however, most infections were concentrated in the province's Muang district and Doi Loh (ดอยหล่อ) district. Officials believe the increased rate is due to constant rains spawning more mosquitoes which are developing resistance to insecticides.

Authorities also state that infected citizens who persist to travel and carry on with their daily activities are a main cause for the spread of the disease. The most commonly found strains of the illness in Chiang Mai continue to be strains 1 and 4. The Public Health Office of Chiang Mai has begun to make plans to deter the spread of the disease but assures that the situation has already returned to normal ahead of the rainy season.

thainews.prd.go.th

Originally Posted by Mid

Officials believe the increased rate is due to constant rains spawning more mosquitoes which are developing resistance to insecticides.

they are making it up.

we have had less rain this season than any year since I've been here.

^ interesting reading.

Here in Kimchistan during the hot months when mozzies breed like mad a little truck gases the town once a week with what smells like permethrin based insecticide.

It's not been around for a month now and a few big buggers are back.

I seem to remember in Thailand only ever seeing the mozzy gasser maybe once in the time I was there.

i reckon it's the build up of rubbish that's to blame.

Several factors are contributing to the resurgence of dengue fever:

* No effective mosquito control efforts are underway in most countries with dengue.
* Public health systems to detect and control epidemics are deteriorating around the world.
* Rapid growth of cities in tropical countries has led to overcrowding, urban decay, and substandard sanitation, allowing more mosquitoes to live closer to more people.
* The increase in non-biodegradable plastic packaging and discarded tires is creating new breeding sites for mosquitoes.

Originally Posted by Mid

but assures that the situation has already returned to normal ahead of the rainy season.

thainews.prd.go.th

when was this actually made up? It is now near the end of the rainy season

I haven't seen any of the "Tiger" mossies around, at least in this part of town

There certainly is no shortage of plastic...

Dengue fever threat growing with climate warming
By Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
Published on April 7, 2009


The increase of global temperature and its adverse affect on health has prompted World Health Organisation (WHO) concern over the spread of dengue fever, that causes 500,000 people worldwide to be hospitalised each year.
Health officials say some 2.5 billion people - two fifths of the world's population - are now at risk from dengue - a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death.Many factors play a role in the increasing threat of emerging diseases - including climate change and adaptation to change by microbes, said WHO's representative to Thailand, Dr Maureen Birmingham.
In dengue fever, the virus type two is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito at 30 degrees Celsius. When temperature increases to more than 32C, the incubation period is shortened and the rate of dengue fever cases increases.
Birmingham said an exception is Bangkok where dengue case rates rise during the hot season with daily mean temperatures of 28 - 30C, and decrease during the cool season with mean temperatures of 25 - 28C.
Dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bite of female aedes mosquitoes. Infected humans are the main carriers and multipliers of the virus, and mosquitoes generally acquire the virus while feeding on the blood of an infected person.
After virus incubation for eight to 10 days, an infected mosquito is capable of transmitting the virus for the rest of its life. The virus circulates in the blood of infected humans with a fever for two to seven days.
Studies have shown that monkeys in some parts of the world play a similar role in transmission.
The clinical features of dengue fever vary according to the age of the patient. Infants and young children may have a fever with rash.
Older children and adults may have either a mild fever or classical incapacitating disease with abrupt onset and high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, and rash.
Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication characterised by high fever, often with enlargement of the liver, and in severe cases circulatory failure.
The illness often begins with a sudden rise in temperature accompanied by facial flush and other flu-like symptoms. The fever usually continues for two to seven days and can be as high as 41C, possibly with convulsions and other complications.
In severe cases, the patient's condition may suddenly deteriorate after a few days of fever; the temperature drops, followed by signs of circulatory failure, and the patient may rapidly go into a critical state of shock and die within 12 to 24 hours, or quickly recover following medical treatment.
According to recent Public Health Ministry records, 5,479 patients nationwide were suffering from dengue fever and six died. Of this number, about 920 patients lived in Bangkok.
A recent WHO report said the number of dengue fever infectious cases in the Southeast Asia region increased from 1,202 people in 2003 to 3,255 in 2008.
The incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades through growing population and urbanisation, human expansion into wildlife habitat, increasing human interaction with domestic or wild animals, more intensified livestock production systems, and globalisation of food supply systems.
WHO estimates there may be 50 million dengue infections worldwide every year.
Birmingham said WHO has launched the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Disease (APSED), an implementation framework of the International Health Regulations (IHR).
It comprises five pillars: surveillance and early warning, rapid response, laboratory diagnosis risk communications, infection control and biosafety, and zoonosis [spreading of disease from humans to animals] prevention and control.
Prevention, risk mitigation and control of emerging diseases requires not only the establishment of IHR core capacities in every country, but also good preparedness plans to address known threats in the region, she said.

Be cautious. Be careful. Dengue isn't fun.

Good info Of course in addition to education prevention and removing stagnant breeding areas which may be as small as puddles barrows garden features etc

Originally Posted by Felix Sphinx

Good info Of course in addition to education prevention and removing stagnant breeding areas which may be as small as puddles barrows garden features etc

Good luck with that, as the season has come in earnest as has the rice planting.

Over 800 people in Ubon Ratchathani infected with dengue fever
Boonsong Lipimas

UBON RATCHATHANI, 8 August 2010 (NNT) – Over 800 people in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani have been infected with dengue fever; reported the Ministry of Public Health.

Dr. Suraporn Loiha of the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Public Health, said 882 people have so far come down with the fever, two of whom already died. The outbreak has been reported in the districts of Nam Yuen, Na Ja Luay, Nam Kun and Buntharik, near the border area.

Dr. Suraporn has also expected that the situation would be more serious than last year’s, as the infection rate has now climbed to 51 per 100,000 people.

Dr. Suraporn added that officers of the Ministry of Public Health and volunteers have been going door-to-door to educate residents on how to prevent the deadly disease. People have been urged to clean places with stagnant water, which are usually mosquito breeding grounds, with larvicide at least twice a week to control the spread of disease.

thainews.prd.go.th