With the objective of tackling the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), which is also known as monkey fever, effectively, the Department of Health and Family Welfare has revised the guidelines for vaccination in the affected areas.
The KFD is a tick-borne viral disease that was first reported in the Kyasanur forest area in Shivamogga district in 1957. The disease gets transmitted from monkeys to humans through tick bite. The symptoms of the disease include high fever, pain in the joints, bleeding in nose and gums. According to sources, so far, 530 persons have died due to KFD in the State.
District Surveillance Officer B.S. Shankarappa told The Hindu that 92 cases of KFD infection were reported in the district in 2012. The number, however, came down to three in 2013. In 2014, the KFD again spread its tentacles with 143 persons having tested positive in that year. With the objective of curtailing the spread of the disease effectively, the guidelines for vaccination had been revised, Mr. Shankarappa said.
The ticks attain maturity after the monsoon. As a result, the infection spreads rapidly between December and May. So far, the vaccination was being undertaken in the affected areas during this period. To minimise the morbidity and mortality rate, it had been decided to keep the vaccination round-the-year.
The Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, Bengaluru, which produces the vaccines, had supplied 92,000 vials of vaccine this year. Adequate stock of vaccine had been maintained at all primary health centres in the affected area, he said.
So far, persons below six years of age and those above 65 years were being excluded from vaccination drive. As 10 positive cases were reported in this age group also in 2013, it had been decided to relax this guideline too. “This year, persons above 65 years of age, who do not have hypertension and cardiac-related problems, have also been vaccinated. The department has sought the opinion of Indian Paediatrics Association on vaccinating children below five years,” he said.
According to the existing guidelines, the vaccination drive was being undertaken in a radius of 10 km from the place where a positive case was reported. From 2014-15, it had been decided to enhance the area to 15 km radius, he said. Five persons, who had been vaccinated, had also tested positive this year. There was a demand from the people of Tirthahalli and Hosanagar taluks to enhance the potency of the vaccine. A meeting on tackling KFD was held at Bengaluru on January 12, in which the experts from the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, Bengaluru, took part. The experts had been apprised about the need to conduct research on enhancing the potency of the vaccine, he said.
Vaccination drive to be taken throughout the year to prevent KFD from spreading
Residents of Tirthahalli and Hosanagar taluks want the potency of the vaccine enhanced
