Brain fever in Soro Kanya Ashram, School sets alarm bells ringing, 5 students test positive

The fear of suspected Japanese encephalitis or brain fever in Odisha has allegedly been detected in Balasore district of Odisha on Sunday, said reliable reports.

Balasore ADMO has said, “Samples of 25 students were tested and reports of 5 students came positive. They have been shifted to Balasore hospital. Other students do not have symptoms, but they are under observation.”

It is worth mentioning that as many as five students have been tested positive for suspected Japanese encephalitis or brain fever in Odisha’s Balasore district.

Their health condition is stated to be stable, sources informed.

Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne viral infection. It is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. Humans can get the disease a mosquito that carries the virus bites them.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) cannot transmit from one person to another.

The brain fever cases have been reported from Gandhi Seva Kanya Ashram located in Soro of Balasore. The Balasore Assistant District Medical Officer (ADMO) said that 25 blood samples of students were tested and reports of five students came positive.

They had been admitted in Soro but have now been shifted to Balasore district headquarter hospital (DHH). It is worth mentioning that, other students do not have symptoms, but shall be kept under observation.

It can be mentioned here that a severe outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (JE) and acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) with high case fatality was reported from Malkangiri district of Odisha in September-November 2016 affecting 336 children with 103 deaths.

The typical symptoms of brain fever in children are as follows:

• Sudden high fever.
• Stiff neck.
• Severe headache.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Confusion or trouble concentrating.
• Seizures.
• Sleepiness or trouble waking.
• Sensitivity to light

In Asia brain fever is caused by the Japanese B Encephalitis virus. The virus is found in the blood stream of pigs and the infection is spread from pigs to man by mosquitoes.

Sadly there is still no medicine available to treat viral Encephalitis. Though the treatment is mainly supportive it has been found that early treatment significantly improves prognosis.

Brain fever is dangerous since the rapid speed with which the condition of the children worsens soon after the onset of the disease.