Clues are sought in mystery illness
Posted on 08/20/2002 2:44:14 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Clues are sought in mystery illness
08/20/2002
IRVING - The death of a 13-year-old girl and the hospitalization of her 15-year-old brother led state, county and city health officials to inspect the family's quarantined home Monday.
The girl, Rachel Johnson, died Sunday after experiencing a high fever and breathing problems. Her 15-year-old brother also had trouble breathing four days earlier and was admitted to the intensive-care unit of Children's Medical Center, officials said. The boy remained in isolation Monday.
Investigators said they didn't know what caused Rachel's death and the boy's illness, but they said they had ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning. There also is no evidence of West Nile virus, meningitis or black mold, which health officials said would be unlikely causes.
No other causes have been ruled out, but health officials said they wanted to test homeopathic herbs they think the family used.
They also are investigating whether the ailment might be Legionnaires' disease, a respiratory infection caused by bacteria that breed in cool, moist places, such as air conditioners.
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A third potential cause might be viral pathogens, officials said.
"There's no answer. It's just very suspicious when you have a family member that's sick and another that dies," said Robert Hohman, Irving public health services manager. "It's very unusual."
Officials advised people not to be too concerned about the illness.
"The fact that there hasn't been widespread infection of the neighborhood is a really good sign," said Robb Nance, Irving's animal- and mosquito-control supervisor. "There's no reason to panic."
The family's three other children, who did not experience similar symptoms, were hospitalized as a precaution. The children's parents were not hospitalized, officials said.
The parents asked that no information be released about the conditions of the children.
Police blocked off the 1500 block of Redbud Lane before health and building inspectors entered the house in rubber suits and respirators. The inspectors took water and air samples. After the inspection, officials said they hadn't found any obvious clues.
"Our biggest concern is that there's not some infectious diseases," said Dr. James Zoretic, regional director for the Texas Department of Health.
Medical examiners performed an autopsy on the 13-year-old Monday. Results were not released.
Investigators said they hoped results from the field tests and from the autopsy would give them the needed clues to piece together what happened. Results of the tests will not be available for several days, officials said.
The Irving Fire Department's hazardous-materials team did a preliminary inspection Sunday. Firefighters also went door-to-door in the neighborhood to make sure no one else was experiencing similar symptoms.
Neighbors on the street in east Irving south of Grauwyler Road and east of Walton Walker Boulevard said the family kept mostly to itself. The parents home-schooled their children, who neighbors said were bright and articulate. Family members also are active in an Irving church, neighbors said.
Rose Goad, 14, said she grew up with the 13-year-old and played with her often as a young child. Rose said that after she started going to school, she didn't see Rachel much.
"I was really sad. It made me cry. I can't believe it happened to Rachel," said Rose, adding that she had seen the 13-year-old watering flowers in the family's yard Saturday morning.
E-mail cfrates@dallasnews.com
Thanks!
we've had several hanta cases over the years up here in utah. very scary stuff. just treat the symptoms and pray.
West nile virus causes encephalitis. This is respiratory.
Legioneer's usually hits people with bad lungs, and doesn't kill this fast.
Hanta virus can be picked up when you clean an area with rat feces. It's mainly in the four corners area, but the deer rat is in parts of texas too. And it kills quickly.
we'd been overrun by deer mice prior to that.
Uh, that helped keep a panic down I am sure.
As I recall, it was a very fast-working illness.
(The theory that it's one of the family's homoeopathic herbs doesn't make much sense to me, since homoeopathic remedies are by definition dilute.)
The boy is not improving, and the autopsy results are not being released.
I wonder what that's about? No foul play, I think. It's looking like they
suspect hantavirus.....
Irving: Family illness no risk
Fears of contamination discounted
08/21/2002
IRVING - City officials are trying to reassure neighbors that there is no health danger after a 13-year-old girl died Sunday and her 15-year-old brother was sent to intensive care.
A letter from the city went out to residents Tuesday saying no contamination had been found in the east Irving neighborhood and no one had become ill after being in contact with the family.
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Rachel Johnson died Sunday after suffering upper respiratory problems and losing consciousness. Similar symptoms affected her brother Matthew, who remains in intensive care at Children's Medical Center of Dallas.
Three other siblings are being kept in isolation at Children's while authorities puzzle over what has affected the Johnson family.
The seven-member family resided in a 894-square-foot house with one bathroom, records show. Authorities are awaiting results of tests done at the home in the 1500 block of Redbud Lane. It remains quarantined as a precaution.
"We're in a wait-and-see situation," said Robert Hohman, Irving's public health services manager.
The three children besides Matthew show no hints of sickness, nor do their parents, who spend their days traveling between hospital rooms, said pastor Stephen Nutter of Community Bible Church.
He visited the family Tuesday and is speaking for the Johnsons.
"They are struggling as anyone in their situation would be," Mr. Nutter said.
Community Bible Church The Johnson family was among those who helped found the 16-year-old nondenominational Community Bible Church. |
Matthew has been unconscious since last Wednesday and does not seem to be improving, he said.
An autopsy of Rachel has been performed, but its findings have not been made public.
Both seemed fine until they began having breathing problems and lost consciousness, Mr. Nutter said.
The pastor of the 200-member church just off Airport Freeway said he was working on his sermon Sunday morning when 17-year-old Benjamin, the oldest son, called.
The same thing that happened to Matthew four days earlier was happening to Rachel, he told Mr. Nutter.
Congregants were told of Rachel's death as they filed in for the service.
Since then, prayer chains have gone up, calls of encouragement have come from churches nationwide, and church members have crowded the hospital waiting rooms.
A bank fund has been set up to help cover expenses for the Johnsons, who do not have insurance.
A family friend said "everyone is grieving" but did not want to say more.
The Johnsons were one of the founding families of the 16-year-old nondenominational church and have been active there, Mr. Nutter said.
Rachel sang in the choir, and Matthew and Benjamin are in the Boy Scout troop that meets at the church.
The Johnsons home-schooled their five children including Mary Joy, 10, and Jared, 5 in their 49-year-old home. Father Ben is a self-employed insurance salesman, and mother Sherry is a homemaker.
"They chose to live more modestly and sacrifice some material things to be with their children," Mr. Nutter said.
The air in the home is being tested, as are the window-unit air conditioners. Results are expected in several days.
These tests might reveal a cause such as Legionnaires' disease, a respiratory infection caused by bacteria in cool, moist places.
But Mr. Hohman, with the city of Irving, was not sure.
"Environmental testing probably won't show us anything," he said. "Our suspicion is it's not that."
Not suspected in the children's illness are West Nile virus, carbon monoxide poisoning and black mold.
The city collected homeopathic herbs the family was believed to have used. They will be forwarded to the medical examiner.
City health officials also are looking at a chicken coop in the back yard for signs of rodent infestation, an indication that hantavirus may be present. Hantavirus starts out as a flulike illness. More serious symptoms include respiratory problems and fluid buildup in the lungs. It can be fatal.
More revealing will be medical reports, particularly those from Rachel's autopsy, Mr. Hohman said.
Mr. Nutter, the pastor, said the family sought medical attention when necessary. It was a healthy family of seven, kids brimming with energy looked after by devoted parents, he said.
"They are just a sweet family," Mr. Nutter said. "It's been unbelievable what's happened."
E-mail lkpowell@dallasnews.com
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