BENGALURU: Shiva Prasad, aged 25, who had gone on a trek almost two months ago, developed a fever accompanied by vomiting and severe body pain. The symptoms were managed with IV fluids antibiotics and a variety of medicines in a number of hospitals in Mysuru, but Shiva Prasad’s condition deteriorated, and he died due to multiorgan failure. A seriously ill Prasad was shifted to a Bengaluru hospital but did not survive. His funeral was held in his hometown Mysuru on Tuesday.
It is said that when Prasad was on the trek, his group saw a dead monkey in the forest. They were curious about what had killed the monkey and looked around, trying to find the cause of the death. Shiva Prasad was fine at the time, but later developed a fever and other symptoms.
Sources close to the family initially suspected that he had contracted an infection from the monkey, but a probable diagnosis said it was Japanese Encephalitis. According to sources, Shiva Prasad’s medical reports showed the possible reason could be ‘Japanese Encephalitis’, a virus known to infect the brain and which is carried by mosquitoes.
‘Monkey fever’, also known as Kyasanur Forest Disease which is transmitted by ticks, was initially suspected. He was treated at various hospitals in Mysuru and brought to a private facility in Bengaluru on August 28, where ECMO treatment was started. “Since it affects the entire body, the patient’s blood was transfused artificially. ECMO drains the venous or impure blue blood from the right atrium and returns balanced volumes after reoxygenation to the iliac artery.” This did not work either, and Prasad passed away due to multi-organ failure.