Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Dec 18: The herpes simplex virus, which usually causes fever and affects the functioning of the brain, may be the cause of the deaths of 14 children below the age of five years in Malkangiri, public health director Kailash Chandra Dash said here Thursday.
Dash’s statement comes even as blood samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, which is expected to submit its finding to the state Friday.“Initial observation indicated that the cause of the deaths was Japanese Encephalitis. However, further investigation has ruled out the findings. Recently collected blood samples suggest that the cause might be herpes simplex,” said Dash.
Experts of Regional Medical Research Center have collected 34 blood samples off which they found dengue in one and herpes simplex in another. The other 32 blood samples were sent to the laboratory in Pune.
“We have found different characteristic in the tested blood samples which made it impossible to come up with a single result. This kind of an epidemic had occurred in 2012 too but remained unresolved. The cause of this existing disease is something different and more research is needed to solve this,” said RMRC director SK Kar.
People afflicted by the disease exhibit symptoms such as vomiting and unconsciousness. People usually die about 48 hours after being afflicted by the disease.