Mysterious disease in Gaibandha char village

A mysterious disease at remote Khatiamari village in the Jamuna River basin area of Fulchhari upazila under the district has become a matter of concern for locals and medical professionals.

Visiting the area last week, an eight-member team of specialists from Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has detected 34 patients with the symptoms of the disease -- a portion of the skin turning whitish, and gradual thinning and weakening of the arms or legs.

Most of the affected ones are children.

Primary investigation by the IEDCR team could not find out the cause and type of the disease.

The unknown disease first appeared after the last flood and the number of affected people continued to increase, especially during the last two months, locals said, adding that all available treatments from local physicians failed to cure or improve the patients' conditions.

“My six-year-old daughter Sufia Akhter has been attacked with the disease. Her arms became thinner and lost usual strength,” said Khaibor Ali of Khatiamari char village.

"As more people are being affected with the unknown disease in the area, we informed the higher authorities for taking measures to check its spread," said Jainul Abedin Jalal, chairman of Fazlupur union parishad.      

Dr Abu Hanif, Fulchhari upazila health and family planning officer, said suspecting leprosy, they tested the blood and tissue of the patients but no symptom of it was found.

Last week, an eight-member team of IEDCR reached the affected areas and started investigation to find out the reason of the unknown disease but their primary investigation failed to identify it.

The team collected all relevant information and took samples of the patients' affected parts for better investigation in Dhaka, the upazila health officer said, referring to Dr Ferhana Huq, outbreak investigation officer of IEDCR.