Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (MSP)

Puttur, Jun 2: The death of a boy from Adkar in Sullia taluk, suffering from brain fever, in a private hospital here was reported on Friday May 30. The medical fraternity does not deny the fact that unless Chikungunya is properly treated and the control measures to arrest the spread of the disease are not implemented on a war footing, the disease has the potential to give rise to brain fever infections.

Brain fever, also known as Meningitis in medical terms,  is a fatal disease in which membranes of the brain get infected and puss is formed. Delay in diagnosis and treatment might cause permanent brian damage and death. The symptoms of this disease include nausea, fever and acute fatigue. This is spread through viruses which are spread by flies and mosquitoes apart from infection through wounds and cuts.

Diagnosis of the disease requires drawing of liquid from the spinal chord. Diagnosis facilities are not available in small towns and villages. The district has very low incidents of brain fever. Still, the health department needs to wake up to the need to be extremely vigilant and stop this menace before it gets a firm footing in the Malnad region of the district.