NSman dies from unknown virus
By ewenboey | SingaporeScene – Sun, May 22, 2011
A 22-year-old NSman dies of an unknown virus that caused his liver to fail. (Yahoo! photo)
An NS man has died of an unknown virus that led to acute liver failure.
22-year-old Hoo Shuwei developed a high fever on 1 May and was admitted to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) two days later for flu-like symptoms.
According to The Sunday Times, Associate Professor Ooi Choon Jin, head of the hospital's gastroenterology and hepatology department, said Hoo was "already in acute organs failure upon his admission". A team led by liver specialists tended to him.
Common viral causes such as hepatitis A, B, C and E, and other less common causes like metabolic disease and inheritable disorders were ruled out in preliminary laboratory investigations.
Hoo's condition deteriorated and he was put on the priority waiting list for a transplant. However, he died 10 days after his admission, before a donor could be found.
According to SGH, the type of virus is unidentified.
The same paper understands that there are no known trends of unknown causes of acute liver failure in Singapore.
Prof Ooi explained that viruses that can generally cause multi-organ failure either by directly attacking the organs or by the body mounting a huge immune response to the presence of the virus.
"When triggered, the immune response sets off a vicious circle, releasing more substances to overcome the virus, yet in the meantime resulting in damage to the rest of the body or organs," he said.
By ewenboey | SingaporeScene – Sun, May 22, 2011
A 22-year-old NSman dies of an unknown virus that caused his liver to fail. (Yahoo! photo)
An NS man has died of an unknown virus that led to acute liver failure.
22-year-old Hoo Shuwei developed a high fever on 1 May and was admitted to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) two days later for flu-like symptoms.
According to The Sunday Times, Associate Professor Ooi Choon Jin, head of the hospital's gastroenterology and hepatology department, said Hoo was "already in acute organs failure upon his admission". A team led by liver specialists tended to him.
Common viral causes such as hepatitis A, B, C and E, and other less common causes like metabolic disease and inheritable disorders were ruled out in preliminary laboratory investigations.
Hoo's condition deteriorated and he was put on the priority waiting list for a transplant. However, he died 10 days after his admission, before a donor could be found.
According to SGH, the type of virus is unidentified.
The same paper understands that there are no known trends of unknown causes of acute liver failure in Singapore.
Prof Ooi explained that viruses that can generally cause multi-organ failure either by directly attacking the organs or by the body mounting a huge immune response to the presence of the virus.
"When triggered, the immune response sets off a vicious circle, releasing more substances to overcome the virus, yet in the meantime resulting in damage to the rest of the body or organs," he said.
