Primary investigation by eye specialists at Rangpur Medical College (RMCH) revealed that a fungus called Aspergilus caused the serious eye infection among many people in northern districts that led to blindness of some patients or removal of eye.
The investigation followed a letter from the Home Ministry to the Director of Rangpur Medical College Hospital four days back after The Daily Star published a story on the disease.
An eye specialist at RMCH told this correspondent yesterday that the infection was found more among farmers from Gibandha and Rangpur districts.
About 70 per cent of the patients at RMCH came from Gaibandha and 20 per cent from Rangpur. The
rest 10 per cent came from Nilphamari, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat.
Doctors have suggested use of spectacles during harvest or thrashingpaddy.
They Director of RHCH Shahariar Kabir however said, "The RMCH does not have adequate equipment to detect it accurately."
When asked if he will invite specialists from Dhaka or abroad to defect it accurately, the director said, "I don't think it is necessary right now as the number of patients is not alarming."
The fungal infection created an alarm among farmers and many people came to the RMCH and other hospitals in the town for treatment. One eye of at least seven patients were removed and three others became blind due to the
infection in the last two weeks.
An eye is infected with the fungus when it comes in contact with ripe Boro paddy. Severe pain and swelling starts immediately. If proper treatment is not done within three-four days, the cornea is damaged and the eye has to be removed because the infection spreads to the other eye.
Tarsorrhapy, akind of operation is the only treatment, RMCH eye specialists said earlier.
The fungus grows on ripe Boro paddy during summer due to excessive humidity in the air. Doctors did not rule out the possibility of growth of the fungus from insecticides.
"We faced such cases once five years back, but the number this year is huge and unprecedented", Dr. Afzal Khan had said.