Change in dengue symptoms: Docs suspect virus mutation
Sumitra Debroy
Mumbai:


Physicians across the city have witnessed a sudden and significant shift in dengue symptoms. Some strongly feel the virus has mutated owing to which the disease has been mimicking classic signs of gastritis.
Over the past one week, many have treated dengue patients with distinct signs of gastritis (inflammation of stomach lining) and unrelenting fever. On the brighter side, pathologists point out that the rapid platelet dip is not that rampant in these cases.

Consultant physician Dr Hemant Thacker said, “Patients are coming in with complaints of severe abdominal pain, hyperacidity and loss of appetite. The platelet and white blood cell dip is gradual and slow,“ he said, adding that he has observed the phenomena in at least 15 patients. Patients are also suffering from high-grade prolonged fever that is getting increasingly tough to combat. A KEM Hospital doctor made similar observations, saying that treating fever in dengue patients was more of a challenge than maintaining their platelet count. “Patients have been coming with 103-104 degrees (F) fever that refuses to subside even after four to five days. By then the patient's lung, kidney and liver get involved,“ the doctor said. He added that many doctors, looking at the symptoms, tend to confuse dengue with a stomach ailment.

Thacker too said dengue was mimicking gastritis where patients find it extremely difficult to eat or drink fluids.

Chief pathologist Dr Jude Vaz of Holy Family Hospital, Bandra, agreed that there have been vagaries in the way platelets behave in different patients.

Many patients, for instance, never had any platelet or white blood cell dip. “They went home after a few days of hospitalization and rational fluid intake,” said Dr Harish Bhatt, physician at Nityanand Hospital, Andheri (W). He said that most cases this year did not go into complications.

A civic official said a nip in temperature will bring down cases. Thacker, however, said a temperature dip alone cannot wipe out the viral infection