GSVM lacks facility to test dengue

KANPUR: Ironically, when dengue has started spreading its tentacles in the city, the microbiology laboratory of Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial (GSVM) Medical College has no facility to test the disease. The `benefit' of which has been availed by the district health authorities and they are grossly understating the number of dengue cases.
If the private hospitals and pathology labs are to be believed, they are testing nearly one to two dengue cases positive each day.But the health authorities are not counting them positive, stating that they are authorised to keep records of the cases that are being approved only by the medical college. Surprisingly, the medical college lacks the facility of ELISA test, an examination to confirm dengue.
ELISA (Enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay) test gives clear account of the anti-bodies present in the blood serum for early diagnosis. Generally, the antibodies appear five days after the onset of symptoms and persist for one to three months. Only on the basis of the test the severity of the disease is revealed. Acclaimed of giving 100 per cent correct results, ELISA test costs between Rs 1,200 and 1,500.
The district health authorities, already grappling with malaria menace, remained evasive over the issue. When questioned about the rising cases of dengue in the city, chief medical officer Ashok Mishra said: "We cannot consider the reports of private hospitals and labs unless they are reported positive by GSVM Medical College. We have brought the matter to the notice of the principal of the medical college."
Characterised by fever and headache, dengue is also known as break-bone fever for it causes severe pain in the back and joints. The dengue fever affects both children and adults. It begins with fever, headache and pain in muscles and bones. The incubation period of virus within the human body ranges from five to eight days. Rashes start to appear within three to four days. The illness lasts for about 10 days and if given proper medical treatment the patients recovers soon as it is rarely fatal, said Dr Balram of the microbiology department of GSVM Medical College.
But the more severe form of dengue is haemorrhagic fever with shock. Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) remain mostly confined among children of 5-10 years of age group in areas with multiple dengue virus. There are chances of five to ten per cent mortality rate, he added.
The spurt in dengue cases can be gauged from the fact the demand of platelets have also increased. Notedly, dengue patients suffer from thrombocytopenia (internal bleeding) owing to the drastic decrease in the platelet count of the blood. Thus, for the early cure of the patient, the platelets (one of the component of blood) are injected intravenously after they are separated from blood by different procedure.
However, the grimness of the situation is such that the medical college has been facing shortage of platelets with the demand being 10-15 packets per day. Sources in the medical college said that private hospitals and pathological labs sell platelets illegally.