Gujarat has reported a total of 127 cases of AES till Friday and of these, 39 of them have been confirmed positive for the Chandipura virus (CHPV) while over the last month, at least 48 people have died due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) but the state health department officials suspect Chandipura virus in AES outbreak. Causes: In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Arjun Srivatsa, Director and HOD - Institute of Neurosciences at Sakra World Hospital in Bengaluru, shared, “The Chandipura virus (CHPV), belonging to the Rhabdoviridae family and similar to the vesicular stomatitis virus, is spread through bites from insects such as Phlebotomine sandflies, Phlebotomus papatasi, and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The virus lives in these insects' salivary glands and can infect the central nervous system, causing encephalitis, a severe inflammation of the brain.
” He added, “CHPV primarily affects children under 15 years old, causing a febrile illness that can be fatal. It is an emerging threat in India, first identified in Maharashtra, and is mainly transmitted by sandfly bites. Outbreaks are more frequent during the monsoon season due to increased sandfly breeding, with symptoms appearing 1-6 days after infection.
” Signs and symptoms: Dr Arjun Srivatsa revealed, “Typical symptoms of the Chandipura virus include a sudden onset of fever, vomiting, altered mental state, convulsions, diarrhea, and neurological deficits. Signs of meningeal irritation, such as headaches, a sti.
