Whitmore’s disease case detected in North Vietnam
VOV.VN - A man residing in the northern province of Hai Duong has been diagnosed with melioidosis, also known as Whitmore’s disease.
The 40-year-old patient was admitted to a local hospital after suffering from coughing, lower back pain, and a high fever.
The patient, who is a brick kiln worker, initially arrived at two local medical facilities to undergo an examination and treatment, but his symptoms did not improve.
He was subsequently transported to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi where he tested positive for melioidosis, along with an underlying condition of severe diabetes.
After 10 days of receiving treatment, the man is currently in a stable health condition.
According to health experts, Whitmore's disease includes symptoms such as fever, pneumonia, and abscesses, as well as inflammation of the brain and joints. It has a mortality rate of around 40%.
There are typically around 10,000 cases detected worldwide every year, with the majority of them recorded during the rainy season. There is currently no vaccine for the disease.
Vietnam has so far recorded several deaths caused by Whitmore’s disease, mostly in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, the central province of Quang Nam, and the northcentral province of Thanh Hoa.
