Dropsy Outbreak in a Single Family in Punjab, India

Dengue Outbreak in Ludhiana ( Punjab ) , India , 1996

An outbreak of dengue fever/dengue haemorrhagic fever was reported from Ludhiana city in Punjab state, India, during October 1996. The outbreak started in the last week of September and lasted up to the first week of December. The number of cases reported during the outbreak was 720, with 19 deaths. A community survey revealed a very high attack rate of fever cases (4.10%). Serological tests su...

Epidemic dropsy in India.

Epidemic dropsy is a clinical state resulting from use of edible oils adulterated with Argemone mexicana oil. Sanguinarine and dehydrosanguinarine are two major toxic alkaloids of Argemone oil, which cause widespread capillary dilatation, proliferation and increased capillary permeability. Leakage of the protein-rich plasma component into the extracellular compartment leads to the formation of ...

Changing Pattern of Epidemic Dropsy in North India

Background:Epidemic dropsy occurs due to ingestion of mustard oil contaminated with oil from Argemone mexicana, leading to edema and tenderness of the abdomen, upper and lower limbs. In this study, clinical profiles of patients presented with epidemic dropsy in north India are described. Methods: This was a prospective study of patients presented with epidemic dropsy to the emergency department...

An Outbreak of Epidemic Dropsy in a Closed Community

An Outbreak of Epidemic Dropsy

Chopra et al. (1939) showed, by a controlled feeding experiment in man, that argemone oil (expressed from the seeds of a weed Argemone mexicana) produces symptoms resembling those of epidemic dropsy. In this experiment five individuals, who ate food cooked in mustard oil containing known quantities of argemone oil, developed well-marked oedema and two of them showed the characteristic flushed a...