Archive for Global Disease Alerts
PRO/AH> Bluetongue – Europe (14): Montenegro (DA) cattle, st 4, OIE
Bluetongue -- MontenegroInformation received on [and dated] 28 Dec 2020 from Ms Vesna Dakovic, acting director, Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Podgorica, MontenegroSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 17 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 21 Dec 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 22 Jan 2018Manifestation of disease: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Africa (26): Nigeria, Senegal, WHO
Yellow Fever -- NigeriaThe Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reports one additional confirmed yellow fever [YF] case the week ending 25 Dec [2020] in Delta state. NCDC is currently responding to reports of yellow fever cases in 13 states: Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Kogi, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, and Taraba states.Since the summer [2020], Nigeria has reported 102 confirmed yellow fever cases, including 17 deaths (case fatality rate [CFR] 15.5%). The deaths were Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed deaths, poultry – India: (KL) duck, RFI
Undiagnosed -- IndiaWith ducks dying in large numbers in Kuttanad and upper Kuttanad, samples of affected birds will be sent to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, for analysis. According to authorities, around 22 000 ducks died in the past week or so. The majority of the dead ducks belonged to 2 farmers in Thalavady and Pallippad grama panchayats.The decision to send samples to NIHSAD was taken after tests conducted at a virology lab in Thiruvananthapuram [were] Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rhinotracheitis, bovine (IBR/IPV) – Switzerland (02): (GR) cattle, OIE
Other Animal Disease -- SwitzerlandInformation received on [and dated] 22 Dec 2020 from Mr Hans Wyss, chief veterinary officer, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, Liebefeld-Berne, SwitzerlandSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 9 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 18 Dec 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed disease Date of previous occurrence: May 2015Manifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal agent: bovine herpesvirus Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Crayfish plague – Italy: (FV) European freshwater crayfish, OIE
Other Animal Disease -- ItalyInformation received on [and dated] 28 Dec 2020 from Dr Davide Lecchini, chief veterinary officer, Directorate General for Veterinary Health and Veterinary Medicinal Products (DGSAF), Ministry of Health, Rome, ItalySummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 20 Nov 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 15 Dec 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 2 Sep 2020Manifestation of disease: clinical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Fowl typhoid – Honduras (02): (CM) poultry, OIE
Other Animal Disease -- HondurasInformation received on [and dated] 27 Dec 2020 from Dr Rafael Enrique Rodriguez Alvarado, [head of the Animal Health Epidemiology Department, Animal Health Technical Sub directorate, National Service for Agriculture and Livestock (SENASA), Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock], Tegucigalpa, HondurasSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 2 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 10 Dec 2020Reason for notification: reoccurrence of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (561): variants, China serosurvey, psychosis, WHO
COVID-19 -- ChinaAuthors:Jamil N Kanji (1), Kanti Pabbaraju (1), Matthew Croxen (1), Sandy Shokoples (1) Anita A Wong (1), Kara Gill (1), Vincent Li (1), Nathan Zelyas (1), Brent Friesen (2,4), Robert Verity (3), Mathew Estey (3), Christopher Sikora (4), Nicholas Etches (4), Deena Hinshaw (2), Graham Tipples (1).Affiliations:1. Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Alberta, Canada; 2. Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Alberta Health; 3. DynaLIFE Medical Labs; 4. Public Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Strangles – North America (06): USA (MA) horse
Strangles -- United StatesHorses in 2 Massachusetts counties have tested positive for strangles since the beginning of this month [Dec 2020], according to The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC). The 1st case was confirmed on 14 Dec 2020 in Bristol County. The horse was kept at a public boarding facility where 10 other horses were potentially exposed. The EDCC reports no other cases among those horses. The 2nd case was in a horse at a private facility in Plymouth County. There is no report Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Tetrodotoxin poisoning, puffer fish – Philippines
Food-related toxin -- PhilippinesThree residents in Tabango, Leyte have died due to food poisoning after eating puffer fish, locally known as "butete". The victims are residents of Sitio Patay, Brgy. Tabing, Tabango, according to a report from the Tabango Municipal Police Station. Four other individuals they ate with were also hospitalized with food poisoning.Initial police investigation showed one of those who died cooked puffer fish on Monday [28 Dec 2020] and offered it for free to customers of Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Ehrlichiosis – Australia (05): (WA) dog
Other Animal Disease — Australia
PRO/AH> Equine influenza – Canada: (AB) horse
Equine Influenza -- CanadaAn attending veterinarian has confirmed 2 equids at a boarding facility in Strathcona County, Alberta, Canada with equine influenza. Twelve additional horses at the facility were exposed.The affected equids include a 4 year old Welsh-cross mare and a 5 year old Welsh-cross gelding. The gelding began coughing on 12 Dec 2020, and the mare showed signs of nasal discharge the next day. Both horses were confirmed positive on 16 Dec 2020. Neither horse was vaccinated. A voluntary Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (120): Ukraine (KV) poultry, HPAI H5, OIE
Avian Influenza -- UkraineInformation received on [and dated] 24 Dec 2020 from Dr Olga Shevchenko, deputy head, State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Kyiv, UkraineSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 23 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 24 Dec 2020Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed diseaseManifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal agent: highly pathogenic avian Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed die-off, avian – USA (02): (ID) duck, aspergillosis
Aspergillosis -- United StatesResponse from the USGS National Wildlife Health Center:3 mallard ducks (_Anas platyrhynchos_) collected by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) from this mortality event were necropsied at the US Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Gross and microscopic lesions in the lungs were consistent with acute aspergillosis. Additionally, _Aspergillus fumigatus_ was confirmed on fungal culture of the lung.We have thus determined Read more [...]
PRO> Invasive mosquito – Dominican Republic
Pests -- Dominican RepublicAbstract--------_Aedes vittatus_ Bigot is distributed throughout Africa, tropical Asia, and southern Europe and occurs in sylvatic as well as peridomestic environments where it readily feeds on humans. Although the vectorial capacity of _Ae. vittatus_ is not well understood, this species is known to play a role in the maintenance and transmission of yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya, and dengue viruses within its native range. In October 2019, after a routine inspection of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (560): variants, Thailand, viral shedding, WHO
COVID-19 -- South KoreaDetection of replication-competent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the most reliable indicator of contagiousness. [1] Although the duration of live-virus shedding is well-characterized in immunocompetent patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), little is known about how long immunocompromised patients are contagious. Consequently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on transmission-based precautions for immunocompromised Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Poliomyelitis update (24): global (WPV1; cVDPV2)
Polio -- PakistanNew wild poliovirus isolates reported this week:Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases: 1Environment: 2Others: 0New circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) isolates reported this week:AFP cases: 29Environment: 25Others: 5Headlines- The 19th report of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) has been published. The IMB notes the strong resumption of polio campaigns following the temporary pause due to COVID-19 and commends the programme for supporting COVID-19 response Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (119): Germany (SN) poultry, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- GermanyInformation received on [and dated] 25 Dec 2020 from Dr Dietrich Rassow, director for animal health and animal welfare, chief veterinary officer, Directorate of Animal Health and Animal Welfare, Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Berlin, GermanySummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 24 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 25 Dec 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 1 Feb Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis – Syria: (DY) cutaneous
Leishmaniasis -- SyriaOfficials at Hajin Hospital are reporting a widespread surge of cutaneous leishmaniasis, aka Aleppo boil, among children in Hajin and its villages east of Deir ez-Zor, according a Radio Al-kul report. It is reported that 1750 cases among children have been seen this year [2020] in the area and demonstrates the need for urgent medical intervention.Leishmaniasis lesions require lengthy and expensive treatment because the medication is imported. It is difficult for the people to Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (559): immunity duration, South Asia, stillbirths, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- AfghanistanAbstract--------Waning humoral immunity in coronavirus disease patients has raised concern over usefulness of serologic testing. We investigated antibody responses of 58 persons 8 months after asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. For 3 of 4 immunoassays used, seropositivity rates were high (69.0%-91.4%).--communicated by:ProMED-mail[Selection criteria for this study were PCR confirmed cases in individuals in Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed deaths, buffalo – Taiwan (02): (Yangmingshan N Park) malnutrition susp
Undiagnosed -- ChinaThe initial findings of an investigation into the recent deaths of 25 wild water buffaloes in Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei indicate that the animals were victims of malnutrition, the spokesman for the park headquarters said on Monday [21 Dec 2020].At a meeting of experts held by the Taipei City Animal Protection Office earlier in the day to discuss the issue, contagious diseases, pesticides, and fences on the mountains were ruled out as causes of death. A "composite environmental Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Americas (14): Brazil (PR) monkeys
Yellow Fever -- BrazilIn a follow-up report on the yellow fever situation in Parana state, Brazil on Wednesday [23 Dec 2020], the Secretariat of Health of Parana released a biweekly yellow fever bulletin recording 3 dead monkeys (epizootics) confirmed in the municipalities of Cruz Machado, Honorio Serpa, and Palmas.The epidemiological period beginning in July 2020 totals 87 notifications of epizootic diseases: 11 were confirmed as the deaths of monkeys infected by yellow fever [virus]; 32 were discarded; Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed illness – India (09): (TG) pesticide susp.
Undiagnosed -- India[Please note, this is NOT Eluru's mystery illness. This is a different location with only 20 hospitalized people, not over 100 hospitalized and more than 600 affected as in Eluru. These individuals have different clinical signs than those in Eluru. - Mod.TG]As many as 20 people belonging to Bajana thanda of Ayodya village were hospitalised on Fri 25 Dec 2020 after they experienced stomach pain and diarrhoea.According to sources, around 102 persons belonging to the thanda have Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Pigeon fever – Canada (BC): horse
Other Animal Disease -- CanadaThree forms of PF have been described in horses: external abscesses, internal infection, and ulcerative lymphangitis or limb infection. Ulcerative lymphangitis and internal infection must be treated more aggressively with antimicrobial therapy, while use of antimicrobials for external abscesses is generally unnecessary. _C. pseudotuberculosis_ produces various extracellular exotoxins which play a role in virulence and explain the presence of pain and edema at the site Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Chronic wasting disease – North America (07): USA (MT) deer
Chronic Wasting Disease -- United StatesThe Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Department was notified by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) that a tribal hunter harvested a whitetail deer from the Meriwether Road area on 11 Nov 2020, which tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). The tribal hunter had voluntarily provided a sample to MFWP for CWD testing in Bozeman.CWD is a fatal neurologic disease of moose, elk, whitetail deer, mule deer and caribou for which there is no known cure. It Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yersiniosis – Norway (02): lettuce
Foodborne Illness -- NorwayThe source of infection of the national outbreak with _Yersinia enterocolitica_ is probably a pre-cut lettuce product, according to the investigation of the outbreak.The outbreak is considered over. Lettuce has a short shelf life, and the relevant lettuce products are probably no longer on the market, says senior researcher Umaer Naseer at the National Institute of Public Health.The outbreak of _Yersinia enterocolitica_ O3 started in mid-November 2020. In total, as of 21 Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Issyk-Kul virus – Germany: bat, 1st rep
Other Animal Disease -- GermanyBats have been gaining attention as potential reservoir hosts of numerous viruses pathogenic to animals and man. Issyk-Kul virus, a member of the family _Nairoviridae_, was first isolated in the 1970s from vespertilionid bats in Central Asia. Issyk-Kul virus has been described as a human-pathogenic virus, causing febrile outbreaks in humans with headaches, myalgia and nausea. Here we describe the detection of a novel strain of Issyk-Kul virus from _Eptesicus nilssonii_ Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (08): China (HN) H5N6, new case
Avian Influenza H5N6 -- ChinaAccording to the Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, on the evening of 21 Dec 2020, a human case of H5N6 avian influenza was confirmed in Ningyuan County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province. The patient is currently receiving treatment, and his vital signs are stable. Local live poultry trading has been suspended from 20 Dec 2020.It is understood that the patient contracted the disease at a live poultry trading market in Ningyuan County. He was sampled Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (558): variants, Africa, Europe, Hong Kong, trials, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownAll our Nigerian SARS_CoV_2 sequences obtained from the beginning of the pandemic in Nigeria till date are available at . All of these sequences are also available on GISAID.Partners and CollaboratorsAfrican Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State, @acegid.Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State (RUN), @RedeemersUniNigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Abuja, Nigeria, @NCDCgov.Africa Center for Diseases Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (118): Russia (RO) HPAI H5, wild bird, OIE
Avian Influenza -- RussiaInformation received on [and dated] 23 Dec 2020 from Dr Nikolay Vlasov, Deputy Head, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Ministry of Agriculture, Moscow, RussiaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 17 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 21 Dec 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 29 Mar 2017Manifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal agent: highly Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Newcastle disease – Russia (04): (CN) poultry, OIE
Newcastle Disease -- RussiaInformation received on [and dated] 23 Dec 2020 from Dr. Nikolay Vlasov, Deputy Head, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Ministry of Agriculture, Moscow, RussiaSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 7 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 17 Dec 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 29 Apr 2019Manifestation of disease: Clinical diseaseCausal agent: Newcastle Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Africa (25): Guinea, WHO
Yellow Fever -- GuineaBetween 6 Nov and 15 Dec 2020, 52 suspected cases of yellow fever (YF), including 14 deaths, were reported in Guinea. A total of 50 cases were reported from the health district of Koundara in northwest Guinea, one from the health district of Dubreka (near Conakry, in the southwest), and one from the health district of Kouroussa, in the center of the country. Analysis performed at the Nongo, Conakry Laboratory of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers revealed that 10 cases of suspected YF Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (557): animal, Slovenia (SA) ferret, OIE
COVID-19 -- SloveniaInformation received on [and dated] 23 Dec 2020 from Dr Breda Hrovatin, Head, Animal Health and Animal Welfare Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Ljubljana, SloveniaSummaryReport type: immediate notification (final report)Date of start of the event: 25 Nov 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 1 Dec 2020Reason for notification: emerging diseaseMorbidity: 1%Mortality: 0%Zoonotic impact: noCausal agent: SARS-CoV-2New outbreaks (1)Total outbreaks: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Salmonellosis – Finland
Salmonella -- FinlandTwo different _Salmonella_ outbreaks have been reported in Finland with one linked to zucchini from Spain. The 1st outbreak, in the Finnish city of Rovaniemi, affected 20 people, but a source was not found. The 2nd incident, in the city of Mikkeli, led to 8 illnesses and was caused by contaminated chopped zucchini from Spain that was put in a salad.Officials in Rovaniemi initially reported a suspected outbreak in early December 2020. Onset of symptoms for the 1st patients began Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Shigellosis – India: (KL)
Shigellosis -- IndiaAuthorities in Kozhikode district in Kerala went into high alert mode after a boy was found infected with the contagious _Shigella_ bacterium. Health Minister K.K. Shailaja has called upon the people to observe caution. Shailaja, however, maintained that the situation was under control and that the Health Department was geared up to face any eventuality.The 1.5-year-old child was admitted to a private hospital in Kozhikode following complaints of acute stomach pain and diarrhea. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yersiniosis – Norway
Not Yet Classified -- NorwayThe Norwegian Institute of Public Health has discovered an increased incidence of the gastrointestinal bacterium _Yersinia enterocolitica_ O3. So far, infection has been detected in 10 people who live in several counties. Outbreak investigation has been initiated in collaboration with relevant municipal chief physicians, the Veterinary Institute and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.The patients are between 11 and 59 years old, and all are women. The infected live in Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Salmonellosis, st Potsdam – USA: FDA
Salmonella -- United StatesFDA's CORE Response Teams have published information about food poisoning outbreaks for the last month or so on their CORE Investigation Table. This table lists recent outbreaks caused by _E. coli_, _Salmonella_, _Listeria monocytogenes_, _Campylobacter_, and other pathogens. This table sometimes links to actionable steps for consumers to take, but it may not. At this time, there is no information about the potential food source for the new _Salmonella [enterica_ serotype] Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (556): Egypt, UAE, Thailand, diabetes, mutations, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownWHO region (no. countries/territories):Total confirmed cases (new cases in last 24 hours) / Total deaths (new deaths in last 24 hours)------------------------------------Western Pacific Region (19): 1 043 191 (8637) / 19 397 (84)European Region (61): 24 917 775 (245 610) / 548 256 (4266)South East Asia Region (10): 11 779 854 (33 084) / 179 666 (564)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 4 780 241 (24 537) / 118 097 (521)Region of the Americas (54): 33 878 565 (323 507) / Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Europe (34): Russia (TT) wild boar
African Swine Fever -- RussiaTatarstan isn't considered a safe region regarding the African swine fever [ASF] anymore, claimed vice head of the Main Veterinary Office of the Tatarstan Cabinet of Ministers, Gabdulkhak Motygullin, on 21 Dec [2020]."I will start with the unpleasant news: a mortality case of wild boars in Yelabuga District was found on Saturday [19 Dec 2020]. Samples were taken; a laboratory showed the ASF. The samples were sent to the Federal Centre in Vladimir to confirm the diagnosis. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (555): USA (CO) animal, black-footed ferret, vaccine
COVID-19 -- United StatesIn late summer [2020], as researchers accelerated the 1st clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines for humans, a group of scientists in Colorado worked to inoculate a far more fragile species. About 120 black-footed ferrets, among the most endangered mammals in North America, were injected with an experimental COVID vaccine aimed at protecting the small, weasel-like creatures rescued from the brink of extinction 4 decades ago.The effort came months before US Department of Agriculture Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (554): Nigeria mutation, UK duration of immunity, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- NigeriaAbstract--------BackgroundThe relationship between the presence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the risk of subsequent reinfection remains unclear.MethodsWe investigated the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in seropositive and seronegative health care workers attending testing of asymptomatic and symptomatic staff at Oxford University Hospitals in the United Kingdom. Baseline antibody Read more [...]
