The biggest hospital for children in Rajasthan, JK Lone in Jaipur has recorded 17 deaths in the last two months among the 155 cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MISC) while doctors across the state grapple with rising cases of this rare inflammatory syndrome- a post-Covid-19 complication.
Dr Ashok Gupta, in charge of Centre of Rare Diseases in the pediatrics department at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College said MISC is characterised by fever, inflammation, and multi-organ dysfunction that typically manifests two weeks after the child has been cured of Covid-19.
He said a large number of children exposed to Covid-19 in the second wave were asymptomatic and therefore it was hard to monitor them for post Covid complications such as MISC, which were being reported now. “The parents weren’t aware of this disease and delay in timely treatment worsens the disease,” he said.
High fever for more than 24 hours, skin rashes, stomach ache, fast heartbeat, breathing difficulty, swelling on hand, lips and face etc were among the prominent symptoms of the disease, he said, and added that it was diagnosed through antibody test, inflammatory markers and clinical presentation.
“Early diagnosis and treatment were the only cure,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Early diagnosis and treatment were the only cure,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}At AIIMS Jodhpur, around two dozen MISC cases and a death have been reported.
Head of Pediatric department, Dr Kuldeep Singh said MISC was targeting up to 18-years old children who had been infected with Covid-19. “The antibodies developing post Covid-19 were damaging the body tissue. The impact of MISC was seen after 3-6 weeks,” he said, and added that when the immunity level increased, the antibodies started attacking blood vessels and tissues.
Singh said the disease was easily treatable if timely diagnosed.