Mysterious malady in Buldhana: After hair loss, villagers lose nails

NAGPUR/ MUMBAI: Nearly four months after citizens of 15 villages in Buldhana district’s Shegaon tehsil woke up to a spate of rampant hair loss, a second shot of panic gripped citizens of at least five villages recently – they are now witnessing deformities and loss of nails on their fingers and toes.

“The phenomenon of rapid hair loss struck in December; and now, for the past four to five days, people have begun losing their nails too,” said Rameshwar Dharkar, sarpanch of Bondgaon village, where nearly 150 villagers had experienced hair loss, some of who have now lost their nails.

A team from the district health department visited the affected areas on Thursday and collected blood samples of the afflicted for analysis. The ailment which was first noticed in Bondgaon, with seven cases, subsequently spread to four other villages -- Kalwad (13 cases), Kathora (10 cases) and Machhindrakhed (7 cases) – in Shegaon tehsil. Ghui village in Meher tehsil saw two cases.

Dr Anil Bankar, a health officer from Buldhana health department, confirmed the development. “Thirty-nine individuals from five villages are exhibiting nail deformities; in some cases, the nails have detached entirely. They have been given preliminary treatment and will undergo further examination at Shegaon Hospital,” Dr Bankar said.

District health officer Dr Amol Gite pointed to elevated selenium levels in human bodies as the likely cause of both hair and nail losses. “We are expecting conclusive test results over the next few days,” he said.

Elevated selenium levels in blood and hair samples were found by a team of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) investigating the mysterious syndrome of hair fall earlier.

A local resident from Bondgaon, shared, “First I lost my hair, and now even my toenails and fingernails are falling off. Three days ago, my nails turned white, then black, and then started peeling off. I have already lost half of them.” A 56-year-old from the same village was vexed over the government’s apparent reluctance to share the reasons that led to hair loss earlier. “We never received a clear answer about the reason behind hair loss. Experts keep coming and going, but give no solution,” he said.

Dharkar added, “Many examinations have been conducted since December. We are yet to receive any medication. There is growing suspicion among residents – what is the government hiding?”

While the root cause of the recent ailment is unclear, experts say environmental pollution and water contamination must be thoroughly studied. Dr Sanjay Mahajan, who runs a hospital near Shegaon, said, “High selenium levels in the body, known as selenosis, can lead to symptoms like nail and hair loss, peeling skin, fatigue and even neurological issues.”

He added, the recommended daily intake of selenium is around 55 micrograms. “Consuming more than 400 micrograms can be toxic. Anyone experiencing symptoms should consult a doctor and get tested to check selenium levels.”

A few months ago, Padma Shri decorated Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, a prominent medical expert from Buldhana, revealed wheat supplied from Punjab and Haryana through ration shops in affected villages, had selenium levels up to 600 times higher than locally grown varieties.

“People affected by hair loss were found to have abnormally high selenium content in their blood, urine and hair. The wheat was not externally contaminated but had naturally absorbed high levels of selenium due to the alkaline, drought-prone soil in the source regions,” he had explained. His findings were not corroborated by any authority.