Viral fever with gastro, dengue cases increase in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Much before the onset of monsoon, in the midsummer, city hospitals received a large number of acute gastroenteritis cases, caused by viral infections, with some cases also needing hospitalisation, according to the medical fraternity in the state capital. The hospitals had also started receiving dengue cases, which were expected to rise sharply in monsoon season, it said.

Symptoms of acute gastroenteritis include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and nausea and vomiting, sometimes associated with fever. Professor and head of paediatric department, Niloufer Hospital, Dr T. Usha Rani said the hospital had regularly received multiple cases of diarrhoea caused by viral gastroenteritis over the past two to three months.

“The infection is usually seen during the intervening time between seasons. Even babies aged 7-8 month who are breastfed are also getting infected. But most cases don’t need hospitalisation and are manageable at home,” she said.

Medical director, senior consultant and laparoscopic surgeon at SLG Hospitals Dr Pradeep Panigrahi said of late, gastroenteritis was appearing as a symptom for most viral infections. “We are getting as many as 7-8 cases per day, of which about 15 per cent are children,” Consultant and general physician at KIMS Hospitals Dr K. Shivaraj said the hospital had received about 10-15 cases of acute gastroenteritis in a week throughout the summer.

While monsoon is the peak season for dengue infections, even before the season, hospitals have been reportedly getting dengue cases. As per the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, until April 30, a total of 293 cases were recorded in Telangana. According to doctors, the number would have significantly risen in May.

Dr Panigrahi said among all patients with fever coming to SLG Hospitals, about 40 per cent of them were being found to have dengue. The hospital was getting about 7-8 dengue cases in a week. Dr Shivaraj said as a couple of dengue cases were recently found, KIMS was now testing every patient with fever for dengue.

Dr Dilip Gude, senior consultant physician, Yashoda Hospital, said the pre monsoon rains and sudden dips in extreme temperatures had helped mosquito breeding and multiplied the chances for dengue transmission. “If this is the situation before monsoon, we can expect very high numbers in and post monsoon,” he added.