Archive for Global Disease Alerts
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Uganda (03): (Queen Elizabeth Natl Park) wildlife
Anthrax -- UgandaThe Uganda Wildlife Authority has registered over 150 deaths of wild animals due to anthrax at Queen Elizabeth National Park this year [2020]. Sam Mwandha, the executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), said the majority of the animals that died from anthrax include hippos, buffalos, bush pigs, among other species of wildlife.To ensure that anthrax does not get out of control and end up in humans, Mwandha said: "Early this year [2020], when we saw the strange death of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (83): Germany, Netherlands, wild bird, HPAI H5N8, H5N1, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N1 -- GermanyInformation received on [and dated] 9 Nov 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: 2 Nov 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 4 Nov 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 25 May Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> E. coli EHEC – USA (06): O157, lettuce
E. coli -- United StatesCDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the FDA are investigating a multistate outbreak of _E. coli_ O157:H7 infections.Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by the CDC. DNA fingerprinting is performed on _E. coli_ bacteria isolated from ill people by using a standardized Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Sea star wasting syndrome – North America: (CA) absence of recovery
Other Animal Disease -- United StatesThough some sea stars are recovering from the 2013 wasting epidemic, others, like Monterey Bay's once-abundant sunflower star, may never be coming back, say sea star experts."What we found when the epidemic hit is that there were definite winners and losers," said Joe Gaydos, Science Director for the marine conservation program SeaDoc Society. Of the more than 2000 species of sea stars, the winners seem to be the rarer species. "The losers were a few of the most Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (485): animal, Italy, dog
COVID-19 -- Italy1. Corman VM, Landt O, Kaiser M, et al. Detection of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) by real-time RT-PCR. Euro Surveill. 2020; 25(3): 2000045. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.3.2000045. PMID: 31992387; PMCID: PMC6988269; .Nicola Decaro, Gabriella Elia, Eleonora Lorusso, Vito Martella, Canio BuonavogliaDepartment of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of Bari, Italy--Nicola Decaro, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ECVMFull Professor of Infectious Diseases of AnimalsDepartment of Veterinary Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (484): nasal antiviral, frozen food, reinfection, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesAbstract--------BackgroundIt is currently unclear whether SARS-CoV-2 re-infection will remain a rare event, only occurring in individuals who fail to mount an effective immune response, or whether it will occur more frequently when humoral immunity wanes following primary infection.MethodsA case of re-infection was observed in a Belgian nosocomial outbreak involving 3 patients and 2 health care workers. To distinguish re-infection from persistent infection and detect potential Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Zika virus (06): Americas, research, observations
Zika virus -- United StatesSignificance------------Zika virus (ZIKV) has been identified as a cause of microcephaly. However, the mechanisms by which ZIKV disrupts neurogenesis and causes microcephaly remains poorly understood. Here, we first report that ZIKV exposure causes neural progenitor cell pyroptosis, mediated by activation of caspase-1 and gasdermin D in vivo as well as in vitro, which links ZIKV to the development and progression of microcephaly. Consistent with this notion, caspase-1 deletion Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Africa (15): Nigeria (BA, DE, EN)
Yellow Fever -- Nigeria"Yellow fever is a vaccine-preventable disease. A single vaccination provides immunity for life. Symptoms of the disease include yellowness of the eyes, sudden fever, headache and body pain," the NCDC boss said in Saturday's [7 Nov 2020] statement. "The yellow fever vaccine is available for free in primary health care centres in Nigeria as part of the national childhood routine immunisation schedule," he added.Unfortunately, the low immunization rate in the country has been Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Vibrio vulnificus – USA (02): (FL)
Vibrio vulnificus -- United StatesFlorida state health officials have reported more _Vibrio vulnificus_ cases and deaths than in 2020 than was reported in 2019, according to the latest data. Through [6 Nov 2020], the Department of Health saw 33 cases in 20 counties with Brevard and Hernando counties reporting the most with 4 each. A total of 6 deaths have been reported to date from Duval, Hernando, Lake, Martin, Pasco and Santa Rosa, each reporting 1 fatality. This compares to all of 2019 when 27 Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Salmonellosis – Canada (02): (Ontario) restaurant
Salmonella -- CanadaDozens of people have contracted salmonella after eating at a restaurant in Sarnia and food truck in Corunna during October 2020, according to Lambton Public Health.On [Mon 9 Nov 2020], the local health unit confirmed that 41 people have now been diagnosed with salmonella after eating at the Barakat restaurant in Sarnia and the Barakat Food Truck in Corunna between [19 and 29 Oct 2020]. In total, the health unit said that more than 180 people have had symptoms consistent with Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (483): vaccine efficacy, Americas region, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownAll 54 countries and territories in the Region of the Americas have reported COVID-19 cases and deaths. [4] Since the [15 Oct 2020] PAHO/WHO Epidemiological Update on COVID-19 [3] and as of [5 Nov 2020], 592 561 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 54 832 deaths, have been reported in the Region of the Americas, representing a 14.3% increase in cases and a 8.5% increase in deaths.In the last 7 weeks (between [16 Sep 2020] and [4 Nov 2020]), a relative increase Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (82): Germany (MV,BB) wild bird, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- GermanyInformation received on [and dated] 6 Nov 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: 4 Nov 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 5 Nov 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 25 May Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Pepino mosaic virus, tomato – Russia ex Armenia, Belarus: intercepts
Other Plant Disease -- RussiaRussia is threatening to ban the imports of Armenian tomatoes. This follows the detection of _Pepino mosaic virus_ [PepMV] in a batch of tomatoes from Armenia. The [responsible Russian] department warned Armenia about a possible ban on the import of these vegetables, Rosselkhoznadzor [Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance] reported.Rosselkhoznadzor has carried out monitoring in Russian greenhouse complexes and farms that grow tomatoes in the open Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Asia (26): Myanmar (SA) Laos (XA) domestic, OIE
African Swine Fever -- MyanmarInformation received on [and dated] 7 Nov 2020 from Dr. Ye Tun Win, Chief Veterinary Officer Director General, Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Nay Pyi Taw, MyanmarSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 13 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 4 Nov 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 9 Oct 2020Manifestation of disease: Clinical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Caprine arthritis/encephalitis – Romania: (BC) OIE
Encephalitis -- RomaniaInformation received on 5 Nov 2020 from Dr Robert Viorel Chioveanu, President, Secretary of State, Chief Veterinary Officer, Veterinary Services, National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority, Bucharest, RomaniaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 14 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 21 Oct 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 27 Nov 2017Manifestation of disease: clinical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Strangles – North America (04): Canada (PE) horse
Strangles -- Canada"Historically, strangles got its name as affected horses were sometimes suffocated from large, infected lymph nodes that obstructed their upper airway or trachea. The hallmark clinical signs of infection are fever (temperature higher than 101.5 deg. F / 38.6 deg. C), nasal discharge, and enlarged submandibular lymph nodes (in the space between the lower jawbones), which ultimately abscess. Purulent nasal discharge is typically present, although it may initially be clear. The retropharyngeal Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (481): animal, Denmark, mink, zoonotic, eradication, discussed
COVID-19 -- DenmarkA mutant form of coronavirus found in Denmark has arisen previously in mink, scientists have revealed.The mutated virus, which appears to have spread from animals to humans in Denmark, has been detected retrospectively at a mink farm in the Netherlands, according to a leading Dutch expert. The mink were culled, and the mutation did not infect humans there, he said.A total of 6 countries have reported coronavirus outbreaks at mink farms. They include the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (81): Japan (KG) poultry, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- JapanInformation received on [and dated] 6 Nov 2020 from Dr Norio Kumagai, Director, Chief Veterinary Officer, Animal Health Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo, JapanSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 4 Nov 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 4 Nov 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 14 Jan 2018Manifestation of disease: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Murine typhus – USA: (CA) initial misdiagnosis as COVID-19
COVID-19 -- United StatesWhen a 25-year-old man from Southern California experienced headaches, fever, chills, and muscle pain in July [2020], the 1st thing his doctor did was test him for COVID-19. The patient tested negative, but his symptoms persisted and he sought care at the emergency department. Eventually -- after another negative COVID-19 test and almost 3 weeks of symptoms -- he was diagnosed with murine typhus, a flea-borne illness.According to a case report published in BMJ Case Reports Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Meningitis, meningococcal – Australia (02): (SA) fatal, infant
Meningitis - Neisseria -- AustraliaA newborn baby from Adelaide has died in hospital after contracting meningococcal disease.SA [South Australia] Health confirmed on Sunday [8 Nov 2020] it had been notified of a case of invasive meningococcal disease in a 7-week-old girl. "Tragically, the baby has died in hospital," a statement said.Multiple people were in contact with the child, with 7 told to take clearance antibiotics.Medical experts are yet to identify the exact strain of meningococcus that infected Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (480): cytokine storm, test refusals, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesRecent studies have created doubts about an agent in cytokine storms, and suggest that treatments for it may not help. Medical researchers are raising significant doubts about whether an agent of the human immune system causes some coronavirus patients to end up in the hospital with injured lungs and other organs, struggling to breathe. What remains is a continuing mystery about what causes certain people to die from COVID-19, and how best to prevent that.A hypothesis that Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (480): animal, USA (WI) mink
COVID-19 -- United StatesAn official with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirms 3400 mink have died on a farm in Taylor County.This comes nearly a month after 9 mink tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19 in humans.A quarantine at the specific farm remains in place.Kevin Hoffman, with DATCP, also tells News 9 on 4 Nov [2020] that a 2nd mink farm in Taylor County has a confirmed positive case. He says at this time the farm is under Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Nipah virus – Bangladesh, India
Nipah/Hendra Virus -- BangladeshThe deadly Nipah virus kills nearly 75 percent of the people it infects, but the circumstances under which the bat species known as the Indian flying fox [_Pteropus medius_] transmits the virus to humans has remained a mystery.Now, a 6-year, multidisciplinary study has revealed how the Nipah virus, which claimed the lives of 17 people in Kerala in 2018, spreads among fruit bats, findings which can help predict when the pathogen may spill over to humans.According to Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (479): farmed animals, guidance, OIE
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownCOVID-19, caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2, is a human disease which has emerged from an animal source and become a pandemic through widespread human to human transmission. The nature of this new zoonotic virus, its widespread distribution, and the susceptibility of some animal species to infection has led to animal infections resulting from contact between infected people and susceptible animals and raises the concern that some animal species may become reservoirs Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Measles update (24): Africa, South Sudan (PI)
Measles -- South SudanTwo children have died of measles, and 30 others are in critical condition in a Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) health facility in Pibor Administrative Area, South Sudan, the medical charity has said.In a press a statement seen by the East African on Fri 6 Nov 2020, MSF says the contagious, life-threatening disease is causing a severe crisis."We believe measles is now widespread and getting out of control. It is especially concerning that the Greater Pibor Administrative Area Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Brucellosis – China (03): (GS)
Brucellosis -- ChinaMore than 6000 people in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province in northwest China, have tested positive for a bacterial disease called brucellosis, the local government was cited as saying, in an outbreak caused by a leak at a vaccine plant over a year ago.The government has tested 55 725 people in the city, of which 6620 are positive for brucellosis as of now, the Lanzhou government said at a press conference, according to a report on Thu 5 Nov 2020 by the state-owned Global Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Cyclosporiasis – USA (06): salad mix
Foodborne Illness -- United StatesThe FDA has sent a Fresh Express _Cyclosporia_ warning letter as part of the investigation into the multistate foodborne illness outbreak of cyclosporiasis in the summer of 2020. The outbreak sickened at least 701 people in 14 states. The CDC and the FDA determined that Fresh Express bagged salad mixes that contained iceberg lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage was the source of this outbreak. There was also a Fresh Express _Cyclospora_ outbreak in 2018 associated with Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Plague – Congo DR (11): (IT)
Plague — DR Congo
PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies (30): Americas (USA) coyote, bat, imported dog ex Egypt, human exp
Rabies -- United StatesA local woman is being treated preemptively for possible exposure to rabies after she fended off a coyote -- with the help of her donkey -- and possibly came in contact with its saliva during 2 incidents on the same day last week, state officials said.State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP or DEEP-WD) Wildlife Division staff were recently contacted by an East Haddam resident who described being attacked by the wild animal 22 Oct [2020], according to Media Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> COVID-19 update (478): genome, mink, mortality rates, FDA, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownAll viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, change over time. SARS-CoV-2 strains infecting minks, which are subsequently transmitted to humans, may have acquired unique combinations of mutations. In order to fully understand the impact of specific mutations, advanced laboratory studies are required. These investigations take time and are done in close collaboration between different research groups.The recent findings reported by the Danish Public Health Authority (Statens Serum Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Africa (14): Nigeria (EN, DE)
Yellow Fever -- NigeriaThe Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is currently supporting the Delta and Enugu State Governments in response to a suspected outbreak of yellow fever. This is following reports of a sudden spike in cases and deaths in some communities in both states.On 2 and 3 Nov 2020, NCDC was notified by the State Ministries of Health of Delta and Enugu States, respectively of cases presenting with symptoms indicative of a viral haemorrhagic fever. Most cases presented with fever, Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Measles update (23): Africa (South Sudan)
Measles -- South SudanMeasles is rapidly spreading in the flooded town of Pibor and surrounding areas, severely affecting young children, Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned today [4 Nov 2020], calling for health organizations to urgently carry out a measles vaccination campaign.MSF treated the 1st children with suspected measles in central Pibor town in August [2020], and the outbreak has grown significantly since then. From August to October [2020], MSF treated more than Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Equine influenza – USA (06): (WA) horse
Equine Influenza -- United StatesThe Equine Disease Communication Center reported a farm in Thurston County, Washington, is under a voluntary quarantine after 3 horses tested positive for equine influenza. The animals from the farm had traveled to a barrel race and came home to expose 4 other horses on the farm.The Washington state veterinarian is currently working with the private vet.For more information about equine influenza go to this AAEP fact sheet: .[Byline: Kimberly S. Brown]--Communicated Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rabbit hemorrhagic disease – USA (09): (CO) domestic, wild
Other Animal Disease -- United StatesA highly contagious disease has been found in domestic rabbits in Montezuma County and is suspected in the wild population, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife [CPW].Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV-2) is a foreign animal disease fatal to domestic and wild rabbits. It is not infectious to people, other wildlife, or other domestic animals.The only signs of the disease often are sudden death and possibly blood-stained noses caused by internal bleeding, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus (27): Europe, ECDC update
West Nile Virus -- Worldwide/UnknownBetween 16 and 22 Oct 2020, EU Member States reported 7 human cases of WNV [West Nile virus] infection: Greece (5), Spain (1), and the Netherlands (1). All cases, except the case in the Netherlands, were reported from areas that have been affected during previous transmission seasons. This week no deaths were reported. No human cases of WNV infection or deaths were reported from EU neighbouring countries.Since the start of the 2020 transmission season and as of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Influenza (13): Canada (AB) swine origin H1N2v
Influenza -- CanadaDue to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, WHO continues to stress the importance of global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological, and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses that may affect human (or animal) health with timely sharing of such changes for risk assessment.In the case of a confirmed or suspected human infection caused by a novel influenza virus with pandemic potential, including a variant virus, a thorough epidemiological Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (80): South Korea (HN, KG) HPAI H5N8, wild bird, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- South KoreaInformation received on 4 Nov 2020 from Dr. Dae Gyun Kim, Chief Veterinary Officer, Director General, Animal Health Policy Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Sejong-si, Korea (Rep. of)SummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 21 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 25 Oct 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 17 Mar 2018Manifestation of disease: Subclinical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (79): Denmark, wild bird, HPAI H5N5, OIE
Avian Influenza -- DenmarkInformation received on [and dated] 6 Nov 2020 from Dr. Hanne Larsen, Chief Veterinary Officer, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Ministry of Environment and Food, Glostrup, DenmarkSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 30 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 5 Nov 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 4 Jan 2019Manifestation of disease: Clinical diseaseCausal agent: High Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Hantavirus – Americas (11): USA (CO) comment