webfact Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Bangor University lecturer in coma in Thailand after being struck by virusBY TOM DAVIDSONHighly-respected conservation expert Sophie Williams is critically ill in a Bangkok hospital after becoming infected with Japanese encephalitisBANGOR: -- A Bangor university lecturer is in a coma on life support after being struck by a virus while on a research trip to Thailand.Sophie Williams, a highly-respected conservation expert, is in a Bangkok hospital after becoming infected with Japanese encephalitis, a type of viral brain infection spread through mosquito bites, earlier this month.The lecturer was on a trip to the Far East undertaking botanical research with students from Bangor University 400 miles from the city of Kunming in China when she began to feel unwell on July 6.The 31-year-old, from North Yorkshire, complained of feeling very tired, headaches and nausea before being found unconscious and taken to hospital.Dr Williams’ father Mike, owner of Castlegate News in Yorkshire, has said family and friends were facing a nervous wait ahead of further news.A spokesman for Bangor University said: “Dr Sophie Williams, a lecturer in Conservation Science at Bangor University is currently in a critical condition after falling ill during a visit to China.“After initial assessment and treatment in China, she was transferred to another hospital in Bangkok where she remains in a critical condition.“The staff of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Garden as well as the health-care staff at the hospitals in Xishuangbanna and Bangkok have provided excellent care and support for Sophie and her family.“In addition, the staff of the British Embassy and the insurance company have provided invaluable assistance. Full story: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/bangor-university-lecturer-coma-thailand-9716053 -- DAILY POST UK 2015-07-24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somtamnication Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Very sad. I hope she recuperates. “In addition, the staff of the British Embassy and the insurance company have provided invaluable assistance" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Very sad. I hope she recuperates. “In addition, the staff of the British Embassy and the insurance company have provided invaluable assistance" That was an "extremlely useful" post........ One of the points in this topic is that insurance is much needed where ever you go in the world and it seems the lady in question had adequate insurance for her trip... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casualbiker Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I think the most interesting thing is that the British Embassy actually has done something promptly for a British subject! Wonders will never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao Lao Beach Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 What about in Thailand, is this virus here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manarak Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 What about in Thailand, is this virus here ? it is, but only in remote rural areas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rak sa_ngop Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 What about in Thailand, is this virus here ? I knew an English NGO worker who died from this after a protracted illness. I believe he spent time working in the rural areas of Laos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amerasianex Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 The insurance company provided exactly nothing is more like it. And the Embassy provided exactly the same. This I know for certain... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IAMHERE Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 This scares me, who is to say she hasn't been bitten by a mosquito while in hospital and now the disease is in an urban area. Other than that anybody visiting the 'rural' area can bring back a mosquito with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobobirdiebuddy Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I wonder what hospital she is in. Bangkok has excellent medical care and not only at the Samitevej/Bumrungrad/BNH varieties. Rama, Chula and Siriraj are great hospitals and I hope she can recover fully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brit_Doggie Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 So what you mean is she won't be talking about it humor aside feelings for her and her family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmarleesco Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I think the most interesting thing is that the British Embassy actually has done something promptly for a British subject! Wonders will never cease! Yes, but which embassy? China, or Thailand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmarleesco Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 The insurance company provided exactly nothing is more like it. And the Embassy provided exactly the same. This I know for certain... Perhaps you would care to expand on your knowledge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmarleesco Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I assume they know more of the disease in Bangkok than in China. But it is also a disease for which the lady should have received a vaccination before leaving home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Definitely scary, but your odds of being killed in a road accident in China are orders of magnitude higher. Some 600 every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywais Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Didn't know that there is a vaccine for it. Japanese Encephalitis Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis in Asia and the western Pacific. For most travelers to Asia, the risk for JE is very low but varies based on destination, duration of travel, season, and activities. JE virus is maintained in a cycle involving mosquitoes and vertebrate hosts, mainly pigs and wading birds. Humans can be infected when bitten by an infected mosquito. Most human infections are asymptomatic or result in only mild symptoms. However, a small percentage of infected persons develop inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), with symptoms including sudden onset of headache, high fever, disorientation, coma, tremors and convulsions. About 1 in 4 cases are fatal. There is no specific treatment for JE. Patient management focuses on supportive care and management of complications. Steps to prevent JE include using personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites and vaccination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InsertUserName Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Didn't know that there is a vaccine for it. Yeah, the vaccine is usually not recommend as a must have for visitors but i decided to get it recently as i visit asia so often. Its easy to get at the travel clinic in Bangkok Hospital for Tropical Diseases just near victory monument. It seems almost bizarre to me that she wouldn't have had the vaccine given her line of work, I'm wondering if she had it but it wasn't effective or maybe she didn't get the follow up booster. Do insurance companies help out when you contract a vaccine preventable disease? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Didn't know that there is a vaccine for it. Japanese Encephalitis Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis in Asia and the western Pacific. For most travelers to Asia, the risk for JE is very low but varies based on destination, duration of travel, season, and activities. JE virus is maintained in a cycle involving mosquitoes and vertebrate hosts, mainly pigs and wading birds. Humans can be infected when bitten by an infected mosquito. Most human infections are asymptomatic or result in only mild symptoms. However, a small percentage of infected persons develop inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), with symptoms including sudden onset of headache, high fever, disorientation, coma, tremors and convulsions. About 1 in 4 cases are fatal. There is no specific treatment for JE. Patient management focuses on supportive care and management of complications. Steps to prevent JE include using personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites and vaccination. When I first came here in 2002, I got this jab, but not because of Thailand. It was because of the other countries I was visiting. The doc in the US said Thailand was OK, but not the surrounding countries. http://www.cdc.gov/japaneseencephalitis/maps/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmsally Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Years ago I went on a uni trip to rural Southern China and I had to get the vaccination for this. it was on the required list of jabs. Especially if going to rural villages with pigs.Pigs carry the virus. I think it was a course of 3 vaccinations as it was an inactive strain of the disease that they gave you or something similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Didn't know that there is a vaccine for it. Yeah, the vaccine is usually not recommend as a must have for visitors but i decided to get it recently as i visit asia so often. Its easy to get at the travel clinic in Bangkok Hospital for Tropical Diseases just near victory monument. It seems almost bizarre to me that she wouldn't have had the vaccine given her line of work, I'm wondering if she had it but it wasn't effective or maybe she didn't get the follow up booster. Do insurance companies help out when you contract a vaccine preventable disease? Yes, a bit strange not to get this. I went to a travel clinic before my first trip here. It was on the list of recommended jabs. I got many before that first trip! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogmatix Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 There is a vaccination for JE. Probably advisable to have it and keep it up-to-date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrjlh Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Now I am glad I got innoculted for it years ago before I came over. Two part vaccine, two weeks apart. Painless actually unlike some other shots you get. You don't need to be in a remote area either. Its just that the odds are higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamer Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Not available on the NHS and works out around £150 for the 2 shots...wonder if that played any part in it ? Note also a lot of women of child bearing age as she is are often wary of vaccines... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvr181 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Didn't know that there is a vaccine for it. Japanese Encephalitis Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis in Asia and the western Pacific. For most travelers to Asia, the risk for JE is very low but varies based on destination, duration of travel, season, and activities. JE virus is maintained in a cycle involving mosquitoes and vertebrate hosts, mainly pigs and wading birds. Humans can be infected when bitten by an infected mosquito. Most human infections are asymptomatic or result in only mild symptoms. However, a small percentage of infected persons develop inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), with symptoms including sudden onset of headache, high fever, disorientation, coma, tremors and convulsions. About 1 in 4 cases are fatal. There is no specific treatment for JE. Patient management focuses on supportive care and management of complications. Steps to prevent JE include using personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites and vaccination. Interesting comment. See here: http://www.nps.org.au/medicines/immune-system/vaccines-and-immunisation/for-individuals/vaccines-a-z/japanese-encephalitis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTIRIOS Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 ...what happened in the 18 days since she first fell ill....??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 The insurance company provided exactly nothing is more like it. And the Embassy provided exactly the same. This I know for certain... Would you care to expand on your certain knowledge or are you just upping your post count..... Jeez some people on here at time know it all but know nothing but engage their typing finger before brain... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SantiSuk Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 "Dr Williams’ father Mike, owner of Castlegate News in Yorkshire, has said family and friends were facing a nervous wait ahead of further news." By 'eck lad. I'd have been on the first plane out if it was my daughter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooo Upto Me Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 The insurance company provided exactly nothing is more like it. And the Embassy provided exactly the same. This I know for certain... How the hell do u know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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