The efforts by the Karnataka health department to curtail monkey fever or the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) have not been effective despite achieving 28,000 vaccinations. Twenty-six fresh cases have been detected in Karnataka's forest belt covering districts adjacent to the Malnad region now.

The region includes Chikmagalur, Shimoga, Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada districts.

There has also been one death caused by monkey fever, a communicable disease that is not prevalent anywhere else in the world.

According to sources from the department of Communicable Diseases, Karnataka health and family welfare, the number of people affected and succumbed to the disease have come down with the massive awareness drive conducted which included vaccination of the residents in the region.

However, there was only one fatality this year, unlike 12 last year.

The primary health centre (PHC) at Myshi village of Malur reports it has diagnosed and confirmed 26 fresh cases who are undergoing treatment.

In 2003, health department reported 283 KFD cases. The total budget allocation in 2003-2004 for the KFD programme by the State government is Rs 78 lakh, out of which Rs 24 lakh is for immunisation programme. For the year 2002-2003, the health department purchased 1.30 lakh vaccines from the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAHVB) an autonomous body of the Karnataka government and utilised 1.15 doses of the KFD vaccine at a cost of Rs.20 plus 5 per cent tax.

The health department were able to vaccinate 28,000 residents in the region under the total immunisation programmes that comprises vaccinations of two doses of KFD vaccine and one maintenance booster dose for one year. The vaccination is effective only for 6 months to one year. The department was able to organise the total immunisation between November 2003 to March 2004.The patient who died refused vaccination and was a forest fruit collector.

The disease normally begins during the dry period and the maximum cases emerge during April-May. It subsides during the first rains, stated the health department officials. "It is during the dry season the forest witnesses a lot of activity when villagers go to the interiors to collect twigs and other forest materials for their livelihood. The vaccinations are usually planned during this period," they added.

Monkey fever is caused by an arbivorous virus carried by Sylvatic monkeys. The disease is transmitted through ticks, which bite monkeys before it attacks humans. The primary pointer for the prevalence of the disease is the monkey, which has no resistance to the virus. When it is attacked by the virus it drops dead in the forests. Immediately the ticks strike other monkeys or humans. The news of dead monkey is intimidated to the health department through the field stations located at easily accessible points in the forest zone.

The health department officials opined that the success of the vaccination was the setting up of the four field stations in Sagar, Honnavar, Belathangady and Shimoga, that helped to organise extensive surveillance, immunisation programme and assess the effectiveness of the vaccine. There field stations were supported by temporary clinics for vaccination, diagnosis and treatment.