Date:07/11/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/07/stories/2009110757320300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Karimnagar

‘Deforestation, mining causing fevers’

Staff Reporter

Diseases also spread by wild animals venturing into human habitations: virologist

‘Dengue, viral fever, chicken guinea, Japanese encephalitis, etc are transmitted by sand fly’
Sand fly is vector of Chandipura virus which is carried by wild animals: M. Radhakrishna

KARIMNAGAR: The extensive mining operations, deforestation and entry of wild animals carrying virus into human habitations were stated to be some of the reasons for the outbreak of dengue and viral fever cases in Karimnagar district.

Quoting instances of outbreak of viral fever in Karimnagar district since 2003, M. Radhakrishna, a faculty member of the Department of Zoology, Kakatiya University, and specialist in virology, said that there was high incidence of viral fever cases in Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam districts due to the deforestation, mining operations with the opening up of new stone and granite quarries and the subsequent increase of temperature and spread of virus from wild animals following their visits to human habitations.

Talking to The Hindu on Friday, he said that during the outbreak of mysterious fevers in the year 2003, which claimed several hundreds of children in the district, the National Institute of Virology, Pune, had identified it as Chandipura virus. The sand fly (phlebotomus) is its vector, which is abundant in the forests and carried by the wild animals into human habitations, he said.

Mr. Radhakrishna said that the sand fly-transmitted diseases ranged from dengue and viral fevers to chicken guinea, Japanese encephalitis and others. The decline in platelet counts would not confirm it as dengue fever and it could be viral fever also. He suggested that the virus should be first isolated by doing clinical tests.

Specialists’ visit

He suggested that the virologists from the National Institute of Virology should visit the district to track how the disease was caused. He suggested the people to use the insecticidal mosquito nets to protect themselves from mosquito bite and avoid spread of diseases.