Phinij calls for better lab diagnosis

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http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/16Aug2006_news12.php

Phinij calls for better lab diagnosis

APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL

Caretaker Public Health Minister Phinij Jarusombat yesterday called for improved laboratory diagnosis of patients in suspected bird flu cases to avoid errors that could lead to more human casualties. ''Rapid confirmation of whether their symptoms are of avian flu or other types of influenza is key to helping save people's lives in time,'' he told a workshop run by the Medical Sciences Department. 

The workshop was attended by some 200 lab and medical experts, as well as public health officials from bird flu-hit areas in the North, including Phitsanulok, Phichit and Uthai Thani provinces. 

Mr Phinij said that a number of recent lab tests of samples taken from suspected bird flu patients in quarantine had produced wrong results. This not only caused confusion about the bird flu situation in the country, but also affected the treatment of patients in hospital. 

The case of a 17-year-old youth who died of bird flu in Phichit province early this month was an example of ''ineffective sampling'' which led to a misdiagnosis and failure to give the patient proper treatment in hospital, he said. 

The man was initially thought to have contracted dengue fever since he tested negative for bird flu. However, it was found later that he had touched the saliva and mucus of his fighting cocks. 

The current bird flu outbreak in Thailand has claimed two human lives so far. A total of 16 people have died in the country since 2004 when the first avian flu outbreak was officially confirmed. 

Medical Sciences Department director-general Paijit Warachit said a lab test for bird flu costs up to 5,000 baht per person, so public health and medical staff should possess enough skills in order to avoid errors while taking samples from patients in quarantine. 

Dr Paijit added that samples of the bird flu virus collected from the 17-year-old patient who died in Phichit would be sent to the World Health Organisation and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for further study to see if there were any genetic changes 

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	http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/16Aug2006_news12.php Phinij calls for better lab diagnosis APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL Caretaker Public Health Minister Phinij Jarusombat yesterday called for improved laboratory diagnosis of patients in suspected bird flu cases to avoid errors that could lead to more human casualties. ''Rapid confirmation of whether their symptoms are of avian flu or other types of influenza is key to helping save people's lives in time,'' he told a workshop run by the Medical Sciences Department. The workshop was attended by some 200 lab and medical experts, as well as public health officials from bird flu-hit areas in the North, including Phitsanulok, Phichit and Uthai Thani provinces. Mr Phinij said that a number of recent lab tests of samples taken from suspected bird flu patients in quarantine had produced wrong results. This not only caused confusion about the bird flu situation in the country, but also affected the treatment of patients in hospital. The case of a 17-year-old youth who died of bird flu in Phichit province early this month was an example of ''ineffective sampling'' which led to a misdiagnosis and failure to give the patient proper treatment in hospital, he said. The man was initially thought to have contracted dengue fever since he tested negative for bird flu. However, it was found later that he had touched the saliva and mucus of his fighting cocks. The current bird flu outbreak in Thailand has claimed two human lives so far. A total of 16 people have died in the country since 2004 when the first avian flu outbreak was officially confirmed. Medical Sciences Department director-general Paijit Warachit said a lab test for bird flu costs up to 5,000 baht per person, so public health and medical staff should possess enough skills in order to avoid errors while taking samples from patients in quarantine. Dr Paijit added that samples of the bird flu virus collected from the 17-year-old patient who died in Phichit would be sent to the World Health Organisation and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for further study to see if there were any genetic changes