Anemia occured at random

Although seven county residents were recently diagnosed with a rare form of anemia, the case count is no cause for alarm, said the county’s top public health physician.
Based on statistical odds, the region would have about nine cases of aplastic anemia each year – three for every 1 million residents, said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s interim public health officer.

“Clusters occur, but they may not be related to each other or linked to a common source,” Wotten said. Even though health officials are investigating the recent cases, she said, they most likely occurred at random.

Wooten said her staff’s review of cases around the county has shown that five children and two adults have been diagnosed with aplastic anemia since October.

In addition, two children were diagnosed three and four years ago. A 10th patient is suspected of having the disease but has not been diagnosed officially.

There may be other patients because doctors don’t have to report cases of aplastic anemia to public health officials.

Wooten’s agency launched its joint review with state and federal officials in February after families of several affected children went to the media with concerns that toxins or other environmental factors might be the cause.

While the disease may be linked to a toxin or chemical such as benzene, it also can occur because of a viral infection, drug-induced side effect or genetic predisposition. So far, no cause has been found for any of the recent cases, Wooten said.

Regardless, she said, “When it happens in an area where (the affected families) know each other, it can create hysteria.”

County, state and federal health officials are interviewing the affected families and the patients’ doctors. Two patients are children attending different schools in Carlsbad; the remaining cases are spread throughout the county.

Wooten said it remains unclear whether all the identified cases meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of aplastic anemia, which occurs when bone marrow fails to produce red and white blood cells and platelets. The disease can resemble other blood disorders.

Some physicians may have used broader criteria to make their diagnoses, Wooten said. Diagnosis requires blood and bone-marrow testing.

Aplastic anemia is marked by sudden and easy bruising, which is what happened to Trevor Norby, 9, after he bumped against a wall in December and developed a 4-inch bruise.

Trevor, a Carlsbad resident, is being treated with a serum derived from horses that contains antibodies to suppress his immune system, allowing his bone marrow to resume its proper functions.

The drug seems to be working, said Trevor’s mother, Dawn Norby.

“He ran into the kitchen table the other night about 10 times harder than he bumped the wall in December, and there’s no bruise,” Norby said.

Taken From : www.signonsandiego.com