Neurocysticercosis and Japanese Encephalitis are an important cause of mortality and morbidity in children, which can be easily managed to a great extent by making people aware about its carriers and teaching them about hygiene, Dr Pratibha D Singhi of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) said.
In both these diseases, it is the brain of the child that suffers the brunt making it one of the main reasons of child mortality and morbidity in many regions where proper healthcare facilities are not available. In the last few years, around 5,000 patients have come to PGI seeking treatment for these diseases. More than 100 patients visit the institute every year. According to a journal, Indian Pediatrics, physicians treating such children feel limited by the lack of uniform guidelines on evaluation and management of these critically ill children in resource-constrained settings.
However, the worst thing about these diseases are that a child once affected, suffers the pang of the ailment throughout their life, said Dr Sunit Singhi, Head of Department Paediatrics, PGI. Many patients who visit PGI are presented with advanced stage of the disease because there are numerous lacunae in the knowledge, problems in epidemiological investigations, lack of diagnostic facilities, as well as difficulties in managing these critically ill children in smaller centres in our country.
“Both these diseases have a common carrier, pig. Pig rearing in the open at various urban and semi-urban regions in our country plays a big role in spreading this disease. Japanese Encephalitis, which spreads through mosquito bite, is viral in nature. The virus is present in the blood of pigs, which gets transferred into the mosquito, when the pig is bitten by it,” said Dr Singhi.
To educate medical practitioner about this particular diseases and other pediatrics problem PGI is hosting a one and a half day CME in Pediatrics from February 22-23. The CME will target practicing pediatricians from all over India. A wide range of common childhood health issues will be covered: such as infections, childhood cancers, juvenile diabetes, polio, TB, autism, deficiencies in immunity, spasticity, poisoning, blood disorders, infections acquired before birth, retinal disease in newborns, and breastfeeding problems.