Team collects larvae samples from Rajasthan, will be sent to labs for testing
Recently, a case of Japanese Encephalitis was detected in the state. The samples were collected from the affected area. Once the larvae grow into mosquitoes, they will be tested for the JE virus.
The larvae of Culex mosquitoes, collected by a team of entomologist, epidemiologist and microbiologist from Keshoraipatan, have been kept at the health directorate for observation. Recently, a case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) has been found at Keshoraipatan in Bundi district. Once the larvae grow into mosquitoes, they will be tested for the JE virus.
In Keshoraipatan, a 30-year old woman, Manju Panchal, was admitted to the government hospital in Kota on October 8 with complaints of fever, but soon she went into a coma and she died while undergoing treatment on October 16. The hospital sent her blood samples to NIV, Pune, which on November 10 confirmed that it was a case of JE. The team visited the area to collect samples of larvae of Culex mosquitoes, which carry the JE virus.
Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) nodal officer Dr SN Dholpuria said that on November 13, the team brought back the larvae samples and they are growing at the health directorate. “Hopefully, the larvae will grow in adult mosquitoes by November 27, after which they will be sent to Desert Medicine Research Centre in Jodhpur and National Centre for Disease Control in Delhi to check if the mosquitoes are carrying the JE virus.”
The team also collected samples from seven humans and six pigs. The human samples were sent to Sawai Man Singh Medical hospital in Jaipur and National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. Dr Dholpuria said that they have received the report from SMS hospital and it stated that one sample was positive for dengue and the report from NIV Pune will be received by the end of the month. Similarly, samples of pigs have been sent to Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly and the report is expected by the first week of December.
Additional director rural health Dr Ravi Prakash Mathur said that this is not the first case of JE. A total of four cases have been reported so far in the state —Udaipur and Rajsamand in 2009, Rajsamand in 2016 and now in Keshoraipatan.
“Earlier, there was no facility for diagnosing JE in Rajasthan and samples were sent to NIV, Pune, but after this incident in Bundi, the central government (under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme) has issued three kits each to Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur and to New Government Medical College in Kota,” said Dr Mathur.
He said that all joint directors, chief medical and health officers, principal medical officers and block chief medical and health officers have been asked to remain alert. They have also been made aware of JE through powerpoint presentations.
Dr Mathur added that microbiologist, pathologist and two lab technicians working at Bundi district hospital have been sent for training to the Kota Medical College.
Most JE infections are characterised by rapid onset of high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, seizures, spastic paralysis and others. JE is transmitted to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes of the Culex species (mainly Culex tritaeniorhynchus). The virus exists in a transmission cycle between mosquitoes, pigs and water birds.