Lychee is a tropical fruit, with about 7 Lychee giving your daily dose of Vitamin C. It’s a sweet fleshy fruit, which if had in large amounts can cause stomach cramps and loose motion.
But today I will tell you about a mysterious disease surrounding Lychee.
Lychee contains many phytochemicals. The seeds contain methylene cyclopropyl glycine (MCPG).A chemical with a suspicious role in lowering blood glucose to dangerous levels.
MCPG Hypoglycemiaย
Hypoglycemia is a condition of decreasing blood glucose, which may have acute and long-term effects. For the growing brain, it’s really bad because glucose is the only brain food. The brain survives on glucose as its main energy molecule.No sugar, the brain can stop!
Acute effect of low blood sugar includes convulsions and even death. Chronic hypoglycemia can lead to a long-term poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.
The True story ..stranger than fiction
Children came from lychee-growing areas, with convulsions in the early hours of the morning. Then before they could be stabilized, they tragically died. Nothing seemed to work. Till the blood workup of a few older children who could fight it longer, came back.
These outbreaks of encephalopathy occurring in Indian and Vietnamese children were traced back to Lychee.
Several investigation teams found the condition related to hypoglycin A and MCPG toxicity. Malnourished children eating lychees (especially unripe ones) on an empty stomach and remaining empty stomachs even after that may have life-threatening hypoglycemia. Lychee may also contain unusual amino acids. which influence gluconeogenesis and ฮฒ-oxidation of fatty acids, exacerbating the acute illness.
What happened: Details
An unusual, rapidly deteriorating outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) with high case fatality was reported from Kaliachak- I, II, and III Blocks of Malda District of West Bengal in the month of June 2014 affecting 72 children with 34 deaths.
Children belonged to age groups from ย ย 9 months to 10 years, belonging to the low socioeconomic background of the lychee growing belt of Malda.
Male :(65%ย approx).
The case Fatality Rate was 47.2%.
The main presenting features:
Sudden onset of convulsions (100%) inย the early hours of the morning
Rapid progression to unconsciousness (100%)ย
Decerebrate rigidity (47%).
Fever was present in around one-third of cases.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and leukocytosis(increase in white blood cells ) were two predominant ย laboratory features
Clinical samples subjected to molecular and serological testing were all found negative for known viruses causing acute encephalitis.
What treatment did they receive?
All cases were treated with 10% dextrose infusion in additionย to standard treatment protocol with anticonvulsants, anti-edemaย measures like 20% mannitol, antipyretic (acetaminophen) along with other necessary measures. Serial blood glucose monitoring was done.
At first contact, health care workers and ward sisters were advised, to start dextrose(a type of sugar ) as soon as they saw the cases as the time from reporting to the fatal outcome was horrifyingly low.
Dextrose helped correct the hypoglycemia and helped reduce the fatality in the later reported cases.
Conclusion
Genetically susceptible,ย malnourished child ,who had litchi in large quantity followed by prolonged period of fasting can lead to metabolic encephalopathy ย .
The CDC reportrecommended that parents check , lychee consumption in children .Definitely have an evening meal, elevating blood glucose levels .Both these may help in avoiding this horror.
2 strange unexplained events:
The cases were more during the scorching days. Declined after rain showers.
Though no identifiable virus was not found and exact etiology couldn’t be identified, that hypoglycemia had a role to play is undisputed.
Research continues to find out the exact reasons. Till then it’s better to be safe.Increasing education and awareness about the condition in litchi growing belts have prevented recurrence of cases .
Disclaimer:
All information in this post is for information purposes and is to be taken with respect to the reference provided.
References:
1)Research paper: Epidemiological Investigation of an Outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Malda District of West Bengal, India. Available from:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277249892_Epidemiological_Investigation_of_an_Outbreak_of_Acute_Encephalitis_Syndrome_AES_in_Malda_District_of_West_Bengal_India
I love the idea of spreading positive stories of hope and inspiration.That’s why ย I started writing about blogging journeys.But today for the first day of, We are the world Blogfestย ,I want to share with you a new ย story ย .ย A story about upliftment ย .
In the first post of this ย blog hop ย , I want to tell you about Ulrike and Janwaar castle.
Janwaar ย in Madhya Pradesh in India has Indiaโs first skate park up. The woman behind it is the inspiring Ulrike Reinhard who has many feathers in her cap.
It’s designed as an open-ended the social experiment, where the people are not given moneyย as aidย .They are empowered.They are asked to learn something ,which in its turn is rewarded.Started with children ,this ย model is classic application of ย positive reinforcementย ,acting as a motivator for learningย
Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.
We are the World Blog fest:Teach a man to Fish
Credit is notย known (Chinese, Native American, Italian, Indian, or Biblical. Sometimes it is linked to Lao-Tzu, Maimonides, or Mao Zedong. I love the principle of removing poverty and promoting self-sufficiency. But is it ever easy or full proof? The 12th-century philosopher Maimonides wrote about eight degrees in the duty of charity. In 1826 an analysis of the eighth degree was published in a journal called โThe Religious Intelligencerโ. Boldface has been added to excerpts:ย
Lastly, the eighth and the most meritorious of all, is to anticipate charity by preventing poverty, namely, to assist the reduced brother, either by a considerable gift or loan of money, or by teaching him a trade, or by putting him in the way of business, so that he may earn an honest livelihood and not be forced to the dreadful alternative of holding up his hand for charity. . .
What Ulrike is trying through Janwaar castle is to teach these little children about life; lessons. But not directly.She knows life for them is not easy and choice impossible.But by being an example Ulrike is teaching these children, the future of the world the truth about life and living.About learning and doing.About walking the talk.
So what should we do?What can we do?
It’s not easy trying anything new anywhere in the world and even less in India.But should that stop us ?ย The world belongs to each of us.It’s our duty to each try, in our own space, with whatever time and resources we have, to make this world a better place.I am trying through my blog and through my profession.By choosing to stay in India.Maybe I am making a difference?Maybe not.!But at least I am trying!Are you trying?
