INTRODUCTION

In view of the regional and national public health emergency set off by the dengue epidemic, which is currently that with the greatest impact over the last 20 years, the Medical College of Beni is promoting an Interinstitutional Health Meeting (5 and 6 February, 2009), in the city of Trinidad, with the purpose of generating specific action with positive effects over the short term that will restore confidence in the health sector and mitigate the current psychosocial and labour crisis environment.

Considering that to date there are no specific measures enabling protection against the dengue virus, that the entire population is at risk of contracting this disease owing to ecological, climate, labour development conditions, plus the immunological susceptibility conditions of a great majority of our population, it was resolved at the Interinstitutional Health Conference to prioritise the preparation and implementation of an intervention protocol to monitor the cases of dengue at the German Busch Municipal Hospital, by means of the eubiotic beverage VILAC PLUS, as a coadjuvant component of the treatment standardised by the Ministry of Health, based on and supported by international experience and satisfactory results at a regional level.

JUSTIFICATION

To date, epidemiological interventions aimed at controlling proliferation of the vector and preventing its attack have been implemented, carrying out cleanup and fumigation operations with insecticides in the home and in communities to eliminate the breeding grounds for mosquito larvae, which are important measures that are nonetheless limited in their reach and have only a relative (temporary) impact.

Considering the physiopathology of the disease and the relative nature of the measures described above, we consider that one of the solution patterns would be addressed at strengthening human defences, taking into account a human’s immunological susceptibility and his or her role as a(n) (accidental) source of contagion in the chain of transmission of the disease.

The eubiotic beverage VILAC PLUS is recognised as a food supplement of plant origin (Houttunia Cordata, Ganoderma Lucidum, Boesenbergia Rotunda, sugar cane), synergised with milk bacteria that additionally confer on it the characteristics of a probiotic.

The regenerative qualities of this Thai phytotherapy are summarised in its immunostimulant and anti-oxidant power par excellence, which clinically translates to preventing infectious contagious diseases and/or reducing their intensity, duration, recurrence and convalescence time in humans.

Its innocuousness and safety of administration is another advantage in its use in any age group.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the utility of the coadjuvant Eubiotic Beverage “Vilac Plus” in the symptomatic treatment of dengue of persons admitted to hospital under suspicion of dengue in the city of Trinidad Beni.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

-To determine the time in days required for an improvement of the general symptomatic picture
-To determine the time in days required for specific symptomatic remission of dengue
-To determine the presence of general and specific complications of dengue
-To determine the average number of days in hospital of patients with dengue and treated with Vilac Plus
-To determine the number of suspected and confirmed cases of dengue by means of laboratory tests, by sex and by age group
-To determine socio-economic (costs for the patient) and institutional (care and hospitalisation) efficiency advantages in the treatment of cases of dengue
-To identify natural treatment alternatives to break the epidemiological chain
-To determine user satisfaction aspects to improve the quality of care in regard to treatment for cases of dengue

METHODOLOGY

The intervention is initiated by applying the pertinent protocol; for the present article, the unit of analysis is defined as “Any user visiting the hospital facility requiring attention due to suspicion of dengue”.

The free demand of the population at the hospital for suspicion of dengue made it possible to gather a group of 19 select patients having received the indication of hospitalisation for observation, monitoring and clinical and laboratory evaluation. Once registered following the standards of epidemiological vigilance, the patients were informed of the administration of the eubiotic beverage Vilac Plus as a coadjuvant in the treatment related to suspicion of dengue.

The patient selection criteria were that at least three signs of a compromised general condition be present. According to case definition, such signs are: intense headache, myalgia, dehydration and haemorrhagic manifestations (epistaxis, gingivorrhagia, hematuria) and they presented with greater frequency.

Cases were confirmed by clinical and laboratory diagnosis in all 19 patients. For the clinical diagnosis, the basis adopted was the case definition according to the Guide to Clinical Handling of Dengue, Ministry of Health and Sports, which states as follows: Fever, frontal headache, retroocular pain, muscle and joint pain, loss of taste, rash, morbilliform, pruritus – stabbing pain, with or without hemorrhagic manifestation.

For the laboratory diagnosis, the following tests were carried out in the 17 patients: Full blood work and serology for dengue.

Conduct for treatment followed protocol standards attentively, with – depending on the patient’s tolerance – oral parenteral hydration with dextrose 5%, vitamin C, B complex, Normal Ringer, dexamethasone 16-24 mg.; paracetamol; and also incorporating administration of the eubiotic beverage Vilac Plus at a dose of 0.5 ml/kilo of body weight, three times a day.

Similarly, hospital personnel (Social Work and Medical Interns) were appointed to carry out the pertinent intrahospital follow-up and outpatient care, to guarantee compliance with the administration of the eubiotic beverage Vilac Plus for a period of five days.

During the follow-up for outpatient care, complications, relapses and whether the patient carried out daily activities were observed.

RESULTS

Direct observation of the unit of analysis, “Any user visiting the hospital facility requiring attention due to suspicion of dengue, presenting signs or symptoms indicating a compromise in general condition, in which phytotherapy with the eubiotic beverage Vilac Plus is initiated as a coadjuvant treatment”, describes the following data:

Number of patients: 17 with dengue serology confirmed
Age range: 12-73, mean 31 years
Range of hospital stay period: 48 – 72 hours
Type of release requested: 82% (14/17)
Type of hospital release: 18% (3/17)

CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT

General symptomatology resolved:
100% at 48 hours (17/17)

Specific resolved symptomatology:
82% at 48 hours (14/17)
100% at 72 hours (17/17)

Complications: none
Adverse reactions to the eubiotic beverage Vilac Plus: none

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Administration of the eubiotic drink Vilac Plus as a stimulant to improve the body’s immune defence system is a natural alternative for intervention in the source of the epidemiological chain as is the case with Dengue.

There is a decrease in clinical trends as a result of the remission of the general and specific symptoms of dengue.

Therefore, hospital stays are shorter.

The convalescence time has been reduced, resulting in patients resuming their social and work activities in less than five days with the phytotherapy treatment.

No adverse reactions and/or side effects were found with the eubiotic beverage Vilac Plus.

No complications have been evidenced.

Decrease in the social and institutional costs of care for dengue patients.

It is suggested that this trial be conducted in further depth by incorporating it in the medical protocols developed for the treatment of infectious and contagious diseases in general, in particular of dengue, for the epidemiological moment.

Dr. Arvi Tordoya Guzman
DIRECTOR,
GERMÁN BUSCH HOSPITAL

Dr. Rubén Dario Aukel M.
PRESIDENT OF THE
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF BENI