Meningitis - Lativa (Rezekne & Daugavpils)

International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Source: MediaCorp, Today online, Agence France Presse report [edited]
< http://www.todayonline.com/articles/143730.asp>

Latvia: Meningitis epidemic reported in east of country
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Health authorities in Latvia have said an outbreak of serous
meningitis -- acute meningitis accompanied by fluid accumulation in
the brain -- in the east of the Baltic state has reached epidemic
proportions. [Serous meningitis is also known as viral or aseptic
meningitis. - Mod.CP]. "232 cases of serous meningitis have been
registered so far, and we can say that in Rezekne and Daugavpils
counties, it has reached the scale of an epidemic," Public Health
Agency spokeswoman Laura Bundule told Agence France Presse (AFP). As
of Tue 19 Sep 2006, 124 cases of meningitis had been reported in
Rezekne county and 108 in Daugavpils county. Most have been hospitalized.

"Serous meningitis is one of the mildest types of meningitis, but it
is still a serious infection," Bundule said. Symptoms of infection
are high fever, severe headache, loss of appetite, and redness on the
face and neck. The epidemic in eastern Latvia has affected mainly
children and teenagers. "Schools are still open but must apply
security measures, use disposable kitchenware and inform children
about the necessity to wash hands frequently," Bundule said.

According to the Latvian Public Health Agency, a large-scale outbreak
of serous meningitis has also been registered in the region of
Khabarovsk in eastern Russia, and in Serbia and Kosovo [see below]. A
report on Russia's Interfax news agency said that 419 people are
currently being treated in hospitals in Khabarovsk for the disease.

Aseptic serous meningitis is likely to be a consequence of infection
with certain enteroviruses (predominantly echoviruses or
coxsackieviruses) and less frequently mumps virus in childhood, and
herpes simplex virus in adults. Meningitis epidemics are common where
there are weaknesses in social infrastructure and lapses in personal
hygiene. Illness in children may be severe but not is usually
life-threatening, and recovery is complete providing partial or
complete immunity in adulthood.

A map of Latvia locating Rezekne and Daugavpils, adjacent to the
borders with Russia and Belarus respectively, can be accessed at
< http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/europe/latvia_rel98.jpg>.