DOH allots P10 M for testing of possible Enterovirus-71 cases

Manila, Philippines -  The Department of Health (DOH) has earmarked P10 million for the laboratory tests of possible cases of Enterovirus-71, which killed close to 60 children in Cambodia the past few months.

According to DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Eric Tayag, it is costly to examine EV-71 because the re-agents being used in the laboratory tests are imported from Japan.

“It costs some P6,000 to test one specimen and from one patient, we can sometimes take more than one specimen. For example, you already collected stool and throat swab samples. So that will already cost P12,000. But you may also have to take the vesicular fluid (from the lesions) or the cerebro-spinal fluid if the brain of the patient is affected until you confirm what is the illness,” he said in an interview yesterday.

Last Friday, the DOH reported that one of the eight persons who manifested symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) had tested positive for “mild” EV-71. He was a 19-month-old boy from Davao City who recuperated very well from the illness.

But Tayag said the boy is not the country’s first EV-71 case as the illness has been in the country for decades now. 

Two weeks ago, the DOH had required doctors to report to the department any suspected HFMD cases in view of the deadly EV-71 cases in Cambodia.

HFMD can be caused by EV-71 and coxsackie A16.

Guidelines

Tayag also said the DOH will soon be coming up with guidelines on how healthcare practitioners should deal with possible cases of HMFD.

He added the guidelines were agreed upon by the DOH, Philippine Pediatric Society, Pediatric Infectious Disease Society, Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and government and private hospitals during a meeting last Friday.

Under the guidelines, doctors will not give medicine with steroid to possible HFMD cases because of reports that steroid use had worsened the condition of EV-71 patients in Cambodia.

“They don’t even want to give anti-virals because there is no study that supports that it is effective. It will just be supportive – bring down the fever and if dehydrated, give fluids. If there is brain involvement or difficulty in breathing, put the patient in the intensive care unit,” Tayag said.

It was agreed upon that the doctors will report to the DOH every day if they have or have not seen a suspect case.

“That’s what we call zero reporting. They will report to us even if there is no case, they will just report zero case. They will be doing this until we reach our first 100 cases so that we can have a clear picture of what we have - is it true that only children below 10 years old get sick? Things like that,” he said.

Tayag added that the DOH will also come out with guidelines for autopsy in case a suspected case dies before samples were taken from him or if the specimen collected from him when he was alive was not enough. 

‘Report cases’

Malacañang called on the public yesterday to report and bring to the hospital those with symptoms of EV- 71 to avoid an outbreak, giving assurance that the DOH was prepared to handle these cases.

“Number one, DOH is itself prepared. Number two, we need the participation of the citizenry. If you feel that there are symptoms that would lead to Enterovirus 71 (case), immediately bring it to the attention of the doctors,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said over dzRB.

“We cannot wait until the case is severe before taking them to the hospital. We need the engagement of the citizenry. On the part of the DOH, they will be coming out or they have come out with information on the symptoms of Enterovirus 71,” he said.

At the same time, the Palace official encouraged the public to observe proper hygiene and maintain cleanliness in their communities. The DOH is also spearheading a massive public information campaign about EV-71 to raise awareness, he said. – With Aurea Calica