GSVM student in coma has H1N1, medical college says pigs notthe cause
The medical college has clarified that H1N1 was influenza A H1N1 virus type and not influenza H1N1 pig. Principal of the medical college Prof Sanjay Kala and senior professor of micro-biology Dr Vikas Mishra said influenza A of H1N1 was contagious and one could catch it from an infected person.
KANPUR: The third-year medical student of GSVM medical college here, who slipped into coma due to acute necrotizing encephalitis (ANE), has been found infected with H1N1 (swine flu). Her blood sample sent to King George’s Medical University (KGMU) and the micro-biology department of the GSVM medical college tested positive for H1N1, said officials here.
However, the condition of the girl student continues to be critical and immunoglobulin therapy is being given to help her fight the virus and for recovery of the damaged brain cells.
The therapy cost ₹2 lakh and this cost was being borne by the medical college, said the doctors.
Another student has been taken off the ventilator and five others being treated for ANE in the special maternity ward are stable. The condition of nearly 70 students down with fever in different hostels is being monitored closely.
The medical college has clarified that H1N1 was influenza A H1N1 virus type and not influenza H1N1 pig. Principal of the medical college Prof Sanjay Kala and senior professor of micro-biology Dr Vikas Mishra said influenza A of H1N1 was contagious and one could catch it from an infected person.
“As being reported on social media, H1N1 has not infected the student because of the pigs. Just one case of H1N1 virus infecting a human has been reported in 2012 in the world as per the Centre for Communicable Diseases (CDC). This is a total misnomer,” said Prof Kala.
The theory gained momentum after more than 30 pigs on the campus suddenly died since Saturday. The death of pigs was being reported from all over the city since June and the blood tests suggested they died of African swine fever.
The college administration, however, hasn’t been able to explain why it or the Kanpur Municipal Corporation (KMC) did not collect the samples of the dead pigs or how come so many pigs entered the gated medical college campus and roamed freely?
The campus inhabitants said on condition of anonymity that the pigs belonged to a pig mafia Romi Khatik who bred them and let them move freely in open spaces. He is reported to have a good rapport with some of the medical college employees, who give access to pigs on the campus.
Khatik is known for engineering violence against the KMC cattle catching teams whenever his pigs are seized. Three months ago, a senior officer of KMC had his skull cracked in one such attack.
Municipal commissioner Shiv Sharan Appa said the corporation had removed several pigs from the medical college campus and was going in for a special drive. “We are identifying the vulnerable points for pig breeding. Also we will initiate strict action against the pig mafia,” he said.
What is ANE?
According to doctors, ANE is hyper immune reaction to influenza (swine flu) and corona virus. It infects the brain and damages a large part of it, particularly the thalamus. ANE often leads to haemorrhage and extreme swelling. The recovery in such patients is much on the lower side and around 40% patient die. These doctors said there was need for a comprehensive investigation to find out if this virus transfer was not related to death of pigs on the campus.
