Ahmedabad: A new virus seems to be taking grip in Gujarat.
There is apprehension that the Chandipura virus, which was first reported in north Gujarat, is spreading to new areas.
A total of 26 suspected cases have been reported in the western state over a period of two weeks, most of which are under investigation.
The death of a four-year-old child from Mota Kanthariya in Aravalli district was on Wednesday confirmed as Gujarat’s first due to the Chandipura virus by Health Minister Rushikesh Patel.
Samples of the child, who died at a government hospital in Sabarkantha, came out positive after being tested at Pune’s National Institute of Virology (NIV).
Samples of several other patients – almost all of them children – who have been admitted to different hospitals with symptoms consistent with Chandipura viral encephalitis have been sent to NIV.
Know what Chandipura virus is about
Chandipura virus, or Chandipura vesiculovirus (CHPV), is an RNA virus of the Rhabdoviridae family, which includes rabies virus.
Chandipura causes fever, with flu-like symptoms, and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
The virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies.
First identified in 1965 in a Maharashtra village called Chandipura, the virus mostly affects children – from 9 months to 14 years — and has been associated with outbreaks of acute encephalitis in India.
Though Chandipura virus is a serious pathogen with possibility of rapid onset of severe symptoms, the disease is not contagious.
Symptoms of Chandipura Virus infection
Sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, frequent vomiting, seizures or convulsions.
In severe cases, it can lead to a change in mental status like confusion, irritability and changes in consciousness.
In some extreme cases, the infection can lead to coma and death.
Transmission of virus
Primarily transmitted through the bite of infected sandflies, the exact mechanisms of transmission are not fully clear.
Treatment of virus
Management of Chandipura virus infection has to be done mainly through supportive care to relieve symptoms and prevent complications. No specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for this infection has been discovered yet.
Preventive measures
Use of insect repellents to reduce the risk of sandfly bites is advised.
Reducing sandfly habitats through environmental management and insecticide spraying can prevent outbreak.
Local authorities should educate public in affected areas about risks and preventive measures for Chandipura virus.
Wearing long-sleeved clothing and using bed nets to avoid bites will help.
