Archive for Global Disease Alerts
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Zimbabwe (14): elephant, new speculation
Anthrax -- ZimbabweThe number of elephants dying in western Zimbabwe from a suspected bacterial infection, possibly from eating poisonous plants, has risen to 22, and "more deaths are expected," a spokesman for the country's parks agency said Wednesday [2 Sep 2020]. Most of the elephants dying in the Pandamasue Forest, located between the vast Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls, were young or weak, said Tinashe Farawo, spokesman for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.With Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African horse sickness – Malaysia: (TE) serotype pending, OIE
African Horse Sickness -- MalaysiaInformation received on [and dated] 2 Sep 2020 from Dr. Dato'Dr Norlizan Mohd Noor, Deputy Director General, Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Putrajaya, MalaysiaSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 6 Aug 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 27 Aug 2020Date submitted to OIE: 2 Sep 2020Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed disease in the countryCausal agent: African horse sickness Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Eastern equine encephalitis – North America (12): USA, Canada, deer, horse
-- United StatesThe Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) Saturday [29 Aug 2020] confirmed this year's [2020] 1st positive detection of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in a mammal.DEM's Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) responded to a report of a white-tailed deer -- disoriented and walking in circles -- in North Kingstown on 21 Aug 2020. DLE euthanized the animal, and its tissues were subsequently tested for EEE by RIDOH's Rhode Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – India (04): (OR, Similipal Nat'l Park) elephant calf
Anthrax -- IndiaAn elephant calf died of anthrax disease in Similipal National Park of Mayurbhanj district. As per reports, initially, locals spotted the carcass of the elephant calf near Rajapal village under Jamuani section in Similipal today [1 Sep 2020].After being informed, Forest personnel reached the spot and recovered the carcass of the elephant calf.The age of the elephant calf was in between 2 to 3 years. Following post mortem, it was known that the baby elephant died of anthrax, said a Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Monkeypox – Africa (07): Congo DR (SN)
Monkeypox -- DR CongoA monkeypox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has claimed 10 lives, while 141 people have been infected so far, local media reported on Tuesday [1 Sep 2020]."From the 1st week of surveillance until the 33rd, we recorded 141 confirmed cases, with 10 deaths," Dr. Aime Alengo, a health official in Sankuru province, told the local Actualite news website.Alengo said the disease affects those who are mostly less than 5 years old. "We are one of a few countries in Africa Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (386): Americas HCWs, wastewater transmission susp, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownIntroduction------------Between [1 Jan 2020] and [28 Aug 2020], the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the Americas exceeded the number of cases reported in all the remaining 5 WHO Regions during the same period by 1.4 million cases. As of [28 Aug 2020], a total of 13 005 995 cases of COVID-19, including 458 444 deaths, have been reported in the 54 countries/areas/territories in the Region of the Americas.During the previous 4 weeks, a 26% relative increase in Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Zimbabwe (13): elephant, NOT, cause uncertain
Anthrax -- ZimbabweThe mysterious deaths of 11 elephants in Zimbabwe may have been the result of bacterial infection, officials say. Authorities had already ruled out 2 possibilities after the carcasses were discovered on Friday [28 Aug 2020] in Pandamasue Forest, between Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls, in the west of the country.The dead elephants were found with the tusks still on their bodies, meaning they were not killed by poachers, and cyanide poisoning has also been ruled out as a Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (43): Congo DR (EQ) WHO
Ebola -- DR CongoEbola virus (EBOV) is an enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus that can cause Ebola virus disease (EVD). It is thought that EVD survivors are protected against subsequent infection with EBOV and that neutralising antibodies to the viral surface glycoprotein (GP) are potential correlates of protection. Serological studies are vital to assess neutralising antibodies targeted to EBOV GP; however, handling of EBOV is limited to containment level 4 laboratories. Pseudotyped viruses can Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Schistosomiasis – Malawi: (Lake Malawi) S. mansoni
Schistosomiasis -- MalawiAbstract--------Background. Intestinal schistosomiasis was not considered endemic in Lake Malawi until November 2017 when populations of _Biomphalaria pfeifferi_ were first reported; in May 2018, emergence of intestinal schistosomiasis was confirmed. This emergence was in spite of ongoing control of urogenital schistosomiasis by preventive chemotherapy. Our current study sought to ascertain whether intestinal schistosomiasis is transitioning from emergence to outbreak, to Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (385): guidelines for working with wildlife
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownThe Wildlife Health Specialist Group (WHSG) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) have recently released guidelines to minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from people to free-ranging wild mammals. These recommendations are based on 1st principles of biosecurity and hygiene, current knowledge of human-to-animal SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and the precautionary principle.There is a possibility that Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Zika virus (05): Americas, research, observations
Zika virus -- United StatesAbstract--------Mosquito-borne Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission has almost exclusively been detected in the tropics despite the distributions of its primary vectors extending farther into temperate regions. Therefore, it is unknown whether ZIKV's range has reached a temperature-dependent limit, or if it can spread into temperate climates. Using field-collected mosquitoes for biological relevance, we found that 2 common temperate mosquito species, _Aedes albopictus_ and _Ochlerotatus Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (384): HCW serology, vaccine trials, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownThree issues are crucial in planning COVID-19 vaccine trials: (1) whether to demand not only proof of some vaccine efficacy but also proof of worthwhile efficacy; (2) whether the initial trials of vaccine against placebo should prioritise not only single-vaccine trials but also a multivaccine trial; and (3) whether to assess safety, protection against severe disease, and duration of protection by continuing blinded follow-up of the vaccine and placebo groups after definite Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Scrub typhus – Nepal (03): (DR)
Scrub Typhus -- NepalFive scrub typhus cases have been reported in Darchula District [Sudurpashchim Pradesh province], Nepal. The infection has been found in one male person in Mahakali municipality, in 2 women, and one man in Malikarjun rural municipality, and in one male person of Byas rural municipality, Dr Gajendra Duwal at the District Hospital Darchula said.One of the infected people has been referred to Dhangadhi [Kailali District] while another person has been admitted to the District Hospital Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Japanese encephalitis & other – India (12): (BR)
Japanese Encephalitis -- IndiaOf 70 children who were admitted to the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur, 9 died due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), the hospital said on Saturday [29 Aug 2020]. As per the hospital's report on 29 Aug [2020], a total of 56 children were discharged so far after recovering post-treatment from the hospital.There are 2 children admitted to the PICU [pediatric intensive care unit] in the hospital. Last year [2019] over 140 children died Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African trypanosomiasis – Togo: elimination
Trypanosomiasis -- TogoTogo has eliminated African human trypanosomiasis (AHT), also known as sleeping illness, on its territory. It is no longer a public health threat in Togo.The WHO (World Health Organization) has certified that the country has met all the criteria for eliminating this endemic disease in the country. The announcement was made by the Minister of Health, Moustapha Mijiyawa, in a statement. "This report was reviewed by a group of independent experts convened by the WHO regional office. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (383): surveill weakness, poultry plant, 2nd inf, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesSo far in the COVID-19 pandemic, surveillance systems are not monitoring ill health and long-term implications of COVID-19, only deaths are reported. Most are also not tracking all cases, only positive tests are counted. Underestimating the number of cases means inadequate control of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and failure to support those who do not recover quickly from COVID-19. We must universally agree and implement surveillance Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Streptococcus, group B – Singapore: st III, ST283, invasive, RFI
Strep -- Singapore1. Rajendram P, Mar Kyaw W, Leo YS, et al. Group B _Streptococcus_ sequence type 283 disease linked to consumption of raw fish, Singapore. Emerg Infect Dis. 2016; 22(11): 1974-1977; .2. Tan S, Lin Y, Foo K, et al. Group B _Streptococcus_ serotype III sequence type 283 bacteremia associated with consumption of raw fish, Singapore. Emerg Infect Dis. 2016; 22(11): 1970-1973; .3. Chau ML, Chen SL, Yap M, et al. Group B _Streptococcus_ infections caused by improper sourcing and handling Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (382): Netherlands, animal, farmed mink, spread, control
COVID-19 -- NetherlandsThis study looked at the number of animals with antibodies to the virus as an indication of a transmitted infection. In total, 1000 blood samples were examined; 500 for dogs and 500 for cats. These were samples collected by veterinarians and sent to the diagnostic laboratories of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University for regular diagnosis and, therefore, not in any connection with COVID-19 suspicion or due to the animals' contacts with human COVID-19 patients.Antibodies Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> St. Louis encephalitis virus – USA: (TX) mosquitoes
St. Louis Encephalitis -- United StatesCorpus Christi health officials have found a 2nd mosquito test pool with Saint Louis encephalitis [virus] in the city. Pools were also found in Robstown and Kingsville.Late Thursday [27 Aug 2020], city officials said a mosquito pool collected in the 1200 block of Main Drive contained Saint Louis Encephalitis, or SLE [virus], according to a news release.The 1st mosquito pool with SLE was found earlier this month [August 2020] in the 400 block of Bartlett Street. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Zimbabwe (12): elephant, susp
Anthrax -- ZimbabweThe Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has confirmed that 11 elephants were found dead yesterday [Fri 28 Aug 2020] at Pandamasue Forest, New Ziana reports.ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said the authorities were concluding investigations into the deaths of the elephants, but they suspected that they could have died due to anthrax. Said Farawo: "The elephants were found dead in Pandamasue Forest. Zimparks suspects anthrax. Veterinary doctors Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Eastern equine encephalitis – North America (11): USA, horse, mosquito
Eastern Equine Encephalitis -- United StatesClemson Livestock and Poultry Health officials have confirmed eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) in the state's 9th horse for 2020. The affected horse, a 5 year old Tennessee walking horse mare from Lexington County, is deceased.Previous EEE cases in South Carolina have occurred in Berkeley, Edgefield, Florence, Horry, and Marion counties. Horry has been hardest hit, with 4 confirmed cases. Other affected counties have had just one confirmed case each.--communicated Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (381): saliva vs nasopharyngeal, ocular, countries, 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): 482 583 (5522) / 10 435 (128)European Region (61): 4 180 463 (40 870) / 218 845 (382)South East Asia Region (10): 3 987 855 (82 795) / 74 192 (1095)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 1 891 458 (12 968) / 50 183 (300)Region of the Americas (54): 13 001 995 (136 352) / 458 444 (3626)African Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Chikungunya (04): Americas, Asia, Africa, research
Chikungunya -- Worldwide/UnknownAbstractA 53 year old woman with hypertension and raised cholesterol presented to Hospital Federal dos Servidores do Estado (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) on 9 May 2019, with a 2 week history of arthralgia and paresthesia in both hands. Three weeks earlier, she had had a 4 day episode of febrile illness with a diffuse, mildly pruritic rash, arthralgia, and joint oedema. A chikungunya infection was diagnosed by reverse transcription PCR. At the time of presentation, she had Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus (12): Americas, USA (CA,FL) horse
West Nile Virus -- United StatesWNV transmission occurs when infected mosquitoes feed on animals, as well as humans, after having fed on infected birds.Clinical signs of WNV in horses include:- mild anorexia and depression;- fine and coarse muscle and skin fasciculation;- hyperesthesia (hypersensitivity to touch and sound);- changes in mentation (mentality), when horses look like they're daydreaming or "just not with it";- occasional drowsiness;- propulsive walking (driving or pushing forward, often Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (380): excess mortality, 2nd infect, pediatric shedding, WHO
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownSince 2005, the French public health agency (Sante Publique France) has been following up all-cause mortality routinely, based on the administrative data transmitted by the French National Institute for Statistic and Economic Studies (INSEE). The medical causes of death are not recorded.This sample from 3000 cities represents 77% of the total French mortality, varying from 42% to 98% in the 100 districts (1). We obtained the excess all-cause mortality from the difference Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Monkeypox – Africa (06): Congo DR, WHO
Monkeypox -- DR CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) saw another 1000 total monkeypox cases in the past month, rising from 2591 cases on 5 Jul to 3567 on 9 Aug [2020], according to the World Health Organization. The monkeypox death toll in DRC has also risen to 132 through 9 Aug [2020].WHO notes that one major challenge in the DRC to the current emergency includes acquiring the required funding to respond to all the multiple ongoing outbreaks in the country, which include Ebola, COVID-19, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (42): Congo DR (EQ)
Ebola — DR Congo
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (379): animal, rabbit, exptl infect, Netherlands, screening
COVID-19 -- NetherlandsTransmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) between livestock and humans is a potential public health concern. We demonstrate the susceptibility of rabbits, which excrete infectious virus from the nose and throat upon experimental inoculation, to SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, investigations on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in farmed rabbits should be considered.--communicated by:Herve BercovierProfessor (Emeritus) of MicrobiologyThe Faculty of MedicineHebrew Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus (11): Europe (France) horse, OIE
West Nile Virus -- FranceInformation received on [and dated] 26 Aug 2020 from Dr Loic Evain, [deputy director general, CVO, General Directorate of Food, Ministry of Agriculture, Agrifood, and Forestry], Paris, FranceSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 12 Aug 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 26 Aug 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 1 Dec 2019Manifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal agent: West Nile Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (60): Australia (VI) emu LPAI H7N6, chicken LPAI H7N6, HPAI H7N7
Avian Influenza -- AustraliaThousands of emus and chickens will be killed after an outbreak of bird flu in regional Victoria. Veterinarians from Agriculture Victoria are on the farm in Kerang, 3 hours north of Melbourne, to euthanise the emu chicks.The dramatic move came after 200 birds came down with avian influenza earlier this week, spreading to the emu farm in Kerang and an egg farm in the Golden Plains Shire. The detection of bird flu at the 2 new farms takes the total number of affected farms Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Undiagnosed disease, chickpea – Canada: (SK)
Undiagnosed -- CanadaA mysterious disease is plaguing chickpea crops in southern Saskatchewan for a 2nd season [see ProMED-mail post http://promedmail.org/post/20190826.6640755]. Blighted and diminished plants are being found. No one seems to know why. "It's a complex issue, not one thing, so it might be a complex answer," said Dave Greenshields, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers [SPG]. The problem has the same symptoms as seen in the crop last year [2019], with a lot of chlorosis, wilting and some plant Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Alternaria, peanut – India: (TN)
Other Plant Disease -- IndiaLeaf spot disease has begun to affect groundnut plants. Spots due to "alternaria disease" has the potential to inflict more than 50% crop loss. The disease is seen in several places in Ranipet and Vellore districts."It will affect the growth of the plant, resulting in huge loss," [a farmer said]. [He] urged the agriculture department to look into the matter to save the crops. "The authorities must initiate remedial action without delay to save farmers from incurring huge Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (378): Americas, influenza, selected countries, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownAll 54 countries and territories in the Region of the Americas have reported COVID-19 cases and deaths. As of [22 Aug 2020], there are more than 12.3 million cases of COVID-19, including approximately 439 000 deaths, which is nearly [three times as many] reported cases and almost twice the number of reported deaths as noted on 22 Jun 2020 (4.4 million cases, including 224 000 deaths). Of the almost 8 million new cases reported in the prior 2 months, 73% were reported Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Lumpy skin disease – India (03): (MP,AS) cattle, spread
Lumpy Skin Disease -- IndiaAs if coronavirus attack on human beings was not enough, a virus has attacked animals, especially cattle, in Madhya Pradesh. The virus, named lumpy skin virus, has taken hundreds of villages under its influence in Mahakaushal and Vindhya region. Spread of lumpy skin disease (LSD) has been reported from several districts in Mahakaushal region. Thousands of cattle have been infected from this deadly [see comment] virus, but no death has been reported so far.Veterinary university Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (377): stroke, aerosol transmission,selected countries, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownTang S, Mao Y, Jones RM , et al. Aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2? Evidence, prevention and control. Environment international 2020; 144. Highlights----------- Evidence suggests the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via aerosols is plausible under favorable conditions.- We synthesized the evidence for aerosol transmission and highlight the scenarios where SARS-CoV-2 aerosols may be pertinent to transmission.-We summarize precautions and infection control strategies to mitigate Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (376): animal, ferret, mink, comment
COVID-19 -- Netherlands[1] Ferret: COVID-19 susceptibility; farms[2] Ferret farms[3] Farmed mink affected by COVID-19: scientific classification******[1] Ferret: COVID-19 susceptibility; farmsDate: Tue 25 Aug 2020From: Sukie Crandall [edited]An essential qualification about the German study (noted both in their description and in personal communications) is that the ferrets who infected each other did not do so as a casual transmission. Rather, those ferrets were housed together. Ferrets housed Read more [...]
PRO/AH> White nose syndrome, bat – North America (02): USA (WA)
White nose syndrome -- United StatesA fungus that can kill entire colonies of hibernating bats has been detected in the Wenatchee Valley for the 1st time. White-nose fungus has devastated bat populations in 35 states over the last decade. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife says it's now been found in samples taken from a nesting colony of little brown bats (_Myotis lucifugus_) in Chelan County. The precise location of the colony wasn't disclosed.Wildlife officials say the discovery is concerning, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Eastern equine encephalitis – North America (10): USA (MA)
Eastern Equine Encephalitis -- United StatesA Halifax man in his 90s has tested positive for the eastern equine encephalitis [EEE] virus, the state's 3rd human case this year [2020].The state Department of Public Health announced on Wednesday afternoon [19 Aug 2020] that a Plymouth County man in his 90s [had] contracted the rare but serious and potentially fatal mosquitoborne disease and presented with meningoencephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain caused by an infection.As a result of the Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Undiagnosed fungus, pome fruit – Spain: (CT)
Other Plant Disease -- SpainThe growers' association Unio de Pagesos (UP) has warned that this year's [2020] Catalan pome fruit production will be smaller due to a fungal disease that has gone out of control, despite appropriate phytosanitary treatments. Girona [province] has the most affected areas of apples, with a 50% drop in production due to flooded soil for more than 10 days. In Lleida [province], the impact is not as great, with between 15% and 20% lost, since timely phytosanitary treatments Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Japanese encephalitis & other – India (12): (BR) corr, comment