International symposium on rheumatic fever opens

CHANDIGARH, January 12: Medical specialists from all over India and the USA are attending a five-day workshop and symposium on "Survill...

CHANDIGARH, January 12: Medical specialists from all over India and the USA are attending a five-day workshop and symposium on "Survillence of Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Diseases" which began at the PGI here today. The workshop is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organisation.

Indo-US Vaccine Action Programme chairman, Dr Richard M. Krause, outlined initiatives taken around the globe to prevent the disease through vaccination. A vaccine which provides life-time immunity has been developed but is hard to come by. Otherwise, a penicillin dose administered thrice a week over a year cures the disease and at Rs 220 for the entire treatment it is relatively cheap.

Some 25 million Indian children, mostly between 5 and 15 years, are suffering from rheumatic heart diseases. This is the age-group which has the lowest immunity to the disease. Patients tend to ignore the ailment because they are ignorant of the nature of the disease or its seriousness. Persons living in overcrowded conditions are most vulnerable to this air-borne infection.

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Starting as a streptococcal infection characterised by sore throat, the ailment can progress to a cardiac condition which can be fatal if left untreated. The patient feels inflammation in heart, swollen joints and tiredness.

Dr Sudershan Kumari of WHO described the WHO’s efforts in spreading awareness about the disease, especially among parents, students and teachers. They have been taught to identify rheumatic fever among the school population. Most recently training has been given at a school in Manimajra, where methods of collection and examination of the throat culture and the tests to diagnose streptococcal infections were demonstrated.