Prof Lucille Blumberg said that the cause of death has been confirmed as an extremely rare syndrome associated with the Epstein Barr virus infection. "As many people know the Epstein Barr virus (causing glandular fever) is a very common illness that affects 95% of people by early adulthood. Typically, it is a mild, self-limiting illness with no adverse outcome. People generally recover completely. In highly exceptional circumstances, in a very small number of people, this leads to a syndrome resulting in a massively disproportionate immune response to the presence of the Epstein Barr virus resulting in organ failure. This syndrome affects less than one in a million individuals with Epstein Barr virus infection."
She stressed that contacts are therefore in no danger and that all contact monitoring has ceased with immediate effect. Additional scientific investigations will be carried out into the underlying reasons for the association between this very rare syndrome being associated with these two deaths.
Jordaan thanked the medical team at the hospital, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service under the aegis of Prof Lucille Blumberg, the Department of Health and the private pathology laboratories involved. "The support that we received from our own healthcare colleagues at the hospital and Prof Blumberg and her team was truly exceptional. Thank you to the staff of Netcare Olivedale Hospital for their committed care of these two young men."
