How an Elderly Maid Diagnosed a Disease, Surpassing an Indian Doctor's 17 Years of Studies

In a revelation that sparked intrigue, a hepatologist in Kerala stumbled upon a profound realisation: ‘Everyone has something to teach.’ This enlightenment dawned as he recounted an unexpected turn of events involving his elderly househelp, who, in a mere ’10 seconds,’ identified a baffling disease that had missed the doctor’s diagnosis.

Taking to ‘X’,  Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known as The Liver Doc, recounted his exhaustive efforts in vain to pinpoint the cause of his family member’s puzzling symptoms. “My adult family member had episodes of relentless low grade fever with chills and crippling fatigue and arthritis and a weird rash and 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 lamented.

Turning to medical literature for solace, the doctor found an unlikely ally in his domestic maid.

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“My elderly maid comes in and tells me she has seen this rash in her grand children and it’s called ‘Anjaampani’ in local language (5th Disease) and I don’t have to worry and got checked for Parvovirus B19 and it came positive,” Dr. Philips recounted with a mixture of awe and humility. “17 years of medical school and a Harrisons on my lap and my elderly maid got it in like 10 seconds.”

This revelation prompted him to reflect on a profound lesson, “Everyone has something to teach. Just listen.”

Take a Look:

Comments poured in on the viral post, echoing sentiments of appreciation. “Sometimes practical knowledge beats theoretical knowledge,” remarked one user. Another added, “Shows how receptive you are to knowledge and validating it, irrespective of the source. Kudos to you!!”

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For those unfamiliar, the Fifth Disease, as described by Medline Plus, is caused by human parvovirus B19. It is more common among children than adults and spreads through fluids in the nose and mouth when someone coughs or sneezes. It is characterised by a bright-red rash on the cheeks that spreads to the body and can cause other symptoms. While most common in children aged 5 to 15, older children and adults can also be affected.