Nine people from northern Bac Giang province have been hospitalised dueto abnormal bleeding, possibly linked to poisonous chemicals.
They were admitted to the National Institute of Hematology and BloodTransfusion, reported the Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper.
The first patient, a six-year-old girl from Tan Yen district, was sentto hospital at the end of October after her parents noticed that shehad bleeding, including nosebleeds, which could not be controlled, saidNgo Hoa, from the institute.
The institute has alsoadmitted a 51-year-old man from Lang Giang district, who sufferedunstoppable gastric haemorrhaging for days. The patient was described ashaving contusions and his skin was crusted over.
After a period of treatment at the institute, the two patients weredischarged in stable condition. However, officials became suspiciouswhen both patients had a relapse within a short time.
"Some relatives of the six-year-old patient have suffered the bloodclotting disorder, so we are considering toxic contact as the cause ofthe symptoms," said Hoa.
Sharing the same opinion,Prof. Nguyen Anh Tri, the institute director, said these patientspossibly ate or came into contact with certain type of drugs or toxicmaterials.
"The substance resulted in the lack ofessential elements which help patients to stop bleeding", he said,adding that the girl's mother suffered the same symptoms when shescratched her skin three months ago, while her father could not stopbleeding after being bit by a leech in June.
Tri also stressed that tests on all nine patients showed that they lack those factors essential for blood clotting.
They, therefore, were given vitamin K supplements to help their bodies to recover the ability to clot.
A team of experts from the National Institute of Hematology and BloodTransfusion, Health Ministry's Examination and Treatment ManagementDepartment, Poison Control Centre of Bach Mai Hospital, today will bedispatched to Bac Giang province to study the cause of the disease.
In addition to blood samples, the experts will carry out tests onsamples of dirt and water from the areas the patients reside in.
Since November 2012, the National Institute of Hematology and BloodTransfusion has received some 20 patients suffering abnormal prolongedbleeding. Nine of them were from the same district of Tan Yen and wererelatives of each other.
Results from theinstitute's study indicated that some of the nine patients had come incontact with insecticides and plant growth stimulants, while others usedwater from wells near an old insecticide warehouse.-VNA
They were admitted to the National Institute of Hematology and BloodTransfusion, reported the Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper.
The first patient, a six-year-old girl from Tan Yen district, was sentto hospital at the end of October after her parents noticed that shehad bleeding, including nosebleeds, which could not be controlled, saidNgo Hoa, from the institute.
The institute has alsoadmitted a 51-year-old man from Lang Giang district, who sufferedunstoppable gastric haemorrhaging for days. The patient was described ashaving contusions and his skin was crusted over.
After a period of treatment at the institute, the two patients weredischarged in stable condition. However, officials became suspiciouswhen both patients had a relapse within a short time.
"Some relatives of the six-year-old patient have suffered the bloodclotting disorder, so we are considering toxic contact as the cause ofthe symptoms," said Hoa.
Sharing the same opinion,Prof. Nguyen Anh Tri, the institute director, said these patientspossibly ate or came into contact with certain type of drugs or toxicmaterials.
"The substance resulted in the lack ofessential elements which help patients to stop bleeding", he said,adding that the girl's mother suffered the same symptoms when shescratched her skin three months ago, while her father could not stopbleeding after being bit by a leech in June.
Tri also stressed that tests on all nine patients showed that they lack those factors essential for blood clotting.
They, therefore, were given vitamin K supplements to help their bodies to recover the ability to clot.
A team of experts from the National Institute of Hematology and BloodTransfusion, Health Ministry's Examination and Treatment ManagementDepartment, Poison Control Centre of Bach Mai Hospital, today will bedispatched to Bac Giang province to study the cause of the disease.
In addition to blood samples, the experts will carry out tests onsamples of dirt and water from the areas the patients reside in.
Since November 2012, the National Institute of Hematology and BloodTransfusion has received some 20 patients suffering abnormal prolongedbleeding. Nine of them were from the same district of Tan Yen and wererelatives of each other.
Results from theinstitute's study indicated that some of the nine patients had come incontact with insecticides and plant growth stimulants, while others usedwater from wells near an old insecticide warehouse.-VNA