Patients coming to the Institute

Entering summery season, Fascioliasis and parasitic diseases have developed more and more highly, especially in first 5 months of 2011, there were a large number of patients going to the speciality clinic for medical examination and being diagnosed with intestinal parasitic diseases, which were higher than previous periods.

According to the statistic of the IMPE - Quy Nhon, in first 5 months of 2011, cases of Fascioliasis and other helminthiases increased highly, especially in summery months, because of not-ensured food hygiene and favourable environment for disease development.

The situation of Fascioliasis and intestinal parasitic diseases

Cases detected helminthiases in the Institute

In first 5 months of 2011, there were 20,927 patients coming to seek diagnosis and treatment at the clinic:

New cases of morbidity: 737 cases of Fascioliasis, 16,536 cases of Toxocara ascanis, 16,361 cases of Strongyloides stercoralis, 12,806 cases of Gnathostoma stercoralis, 14,955 cases of Taenia solium and 5,432 cases of Amoebiasis.

Cases of follow-up examination: 846 cases of Fascioliasis, 1,937 cases of Toxocara ascanis, 907 cases of Strongiloides stercoralis, 379 cases of Gnathostoma stercoralis, 670 cases of Taenia solium and 255 cases of Amoebiasis.

More than 60% of detected cases (included new cases and cases of follow-up examination) was identified to infect 2 to 5 kinds of parasites. It showed that the sources of diseases were very diversified, and the patients were easy to be infected. Cases of Fascioliasis and intestinal parasitic diseases concentrated mainly in the provinces of Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen and some provinces of the West Highlands.

Compared with the same period of 2010, the patients coming to the Institute's clinic were higher and the cases infecting intestinal parasites were also higher, not o­nly in Central Vietnam but also in other provinces of the whole country; most of patients were treated at grassroots level, but they didn't feel better and then were transfered to the Institute's clinic.

Cases detected at localities

          According to the statistic of the provincial centre of Malariology and Endocrinology of Binh Dinh, from February to May 2011, Binh Dinh province detected 243 cases of Fascioliasis, with 56 cases in February, 68 cases in March, 47 cases in April and 72 cases in May.

The remaining provinces had no report or made report unfrequently, so the Institute didn't show the real situation of the disease at localities to give suitable control measures. This is o­ne of the difficulties for the Institute to make a control plan for parasitic diseases, except the Institute's surveys of detecting parasites at communnities.

The situation of providing the specific drugs for treating Fascioliasis

After the IMPE - Quy Nhon was allowed to buy Triclabendazole tablets (Egaten 250 mg) according to the regulations of Ministry of Health, the shortage of anthelmintic drugs was solved. According to the direction of MoH 2009, the Institute imported 15,000 tablets of Egaten 250 mg with the drug price of VND 28,895 per tablet, which is suitable for treating requirement. However, in first months of 2011, the imported drug source was not sufficient for distribution, the drug price in the market raised unusually with VND 300,000/tablets. At present, the Insitute is promoting the import of Triclabendazole (Egaten 250 mg) to provide for patients timely. Other anthelmintic drugs such as Albendazole, Mebendazole, Distocide, etc. still be provided sufficiently.

Patients waiting for medical examination at the Institute's clinic.	Egaten 250 mg.

            Confronted with the increasing situation of Fascioliasis and intestinal parasitic in first 5 months of 2011, the IMPE - Quy Nhon made a plan to direct grass-roots health system to strengthen control measures, diagnosis and treatment for patients; at the same time consulting the people to control the increase of Fascioliasis and emerging parasitic diseases in summery months.

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