Kerala Liver specialist with 17 years of experience fails to identify disease; Maid diagnoses it in 10 seconds
Cyriac Abby Philips, recently found himself perplexed over a family member's illness, despite his medical expertise and extensive tests. The breakthrough diagnosis came from an unexpected source: his elderly maid. Dr. Philips, widely recognized as 'The Liver Doc' on social media, faced a challenging situation. His adult family member experienced persistent low-grade fever, chills, fatigue, arthritis, and an unusual rash. «I tested everything from viral hepatitis to COVID-19 to influenza and dengue and Epstein-Barr Virus, and nothing came back positive, and it was frustrating,» he shared on X.
Unexpected Insight from Maid
As Dr. Philips delved into medical literature for answers, his maid offered a crucial observation. «My elderly maid comes in and tells me she has seen this rash in her grandchildren and it's called 'Anjaampani' in the local language (5th Disease) and I don't have to worry and got checked for Parvovirus B19 and it came positive,» he wrote. «17 years of medical school and a Harrisons on my lap and my elderly maid got it in like 10 seconds.»
Understanding Fifth Disease
According to Medline Plus, fifth disease, or erythema infectiosum, is caused by human parvovirus B19 and primarily affects children. It spreads through respiratory droplets from coughs or sneezes of an infected person. The distinctive symptom is a bright-red rash on the cheeks, often termed «slapped cheek syndrome,» which can extend to other parts of the body and may include additional symptoms.
When questioned by social media users
