COIMBATORE:With the rise in fever cases, more number of children with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) are getting admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Head of the Pediatric Ward, Lakshmana Swamy, told Express that with the opening of schools and the onset of monsoon, chances are very high that more children could contract SFTS and be admitted to the CMCH.
Medical experts have urged parents to provide immediate medical care to children suffering from viral fever to avoid risk to life. Doctors at the pediatric ward told Express that most of the children admitted with SFTS were diagnosed with dengue, viral fever or other strains of viral infections.
Thrombocytopenia is a disorder where there is a relative decrease of platelets. (Platelets are parts of the blood that help the blood clot.) They are smaller than the red or white blood cells. The usual platelet count in a normal person ranges between 150,000 to 450,000, but in thrombocytopenia cases, the count will be very less. If the count is less than 50,000, emergency treatment is required. SFTS is a condition where a patient has severe fever along with Thrombocytopenia.
“This is an emerging infectious disease, and this being a viral outbreak season, chances are very high for several children to get SFTS. Even though SFTS can be cured with adequate treatment, delay in getting medical treatment will risk the patient’s life. Self medication will certainly lead to deterioration in the health of patients,” said Dr MK Appunni, Communicable Disease Control Officer (retired).
He also said that if the platelet count drops below 20,000 treatment may even go ineffective. “If the count of platelets is less, bleeding wont stop in case of injuries. In cases of severe loss of platelets, blood transfusion or platelet transfusion is the only available treatment,” added Appunni.
Internal bleeding is dangerous for patients with SFTS as doctors may not be able to find out bleeding in the brain, lungs or any other internal organs, until a detailed examination is done. By the time the patient is diagnosed with the injury, much of his blood could be drained, and it can be fatal,” added Appunni.
plain speak
■ If your children have fever, avoid self-medication and try to provide immediate medical care
■ If immediate care is not provided the patient may die due to internal bleeding or multiple organ failure
■ SFTS is an emerging infectious disease, where there is a relative decrease in platelets in the blood. A normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 and in thrombocytopenia case the count will be very less. If the count is less than 50,000 emergency treatment is required