Archive for Global Disease Alerts
PRO/AH/EDR> Foot & mouth disease – China (11): (XJ) st O, bovine, OIE
Foot and Mouth -- ChinaInformation received on [and dated] 23 Aug 2018 from Dr Zhang Zhongqui, Director General, China Animal Disease Control Centre, Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China (People's Rep. of)SummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 15 Aug 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 22 Aug 2018Report date: 23 Aug 2018Date submitted to OIE: 23 Aug 2018Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: Read more [...]
PRO/AH> African swine fever – Asia (09): South Korea ex China, contaminated flight food
African Swine Fever -- South KoreaThe deadly African swine fever [ASF] has been discovered in Korea, putting the quarantine authorities on alert.According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Sunday [26 Aug 2018], a virus gene of the disease was found in 2 processed pork products that were brought in and voluntarily reported by 2 travelers who visited Shenyang, China, earlier this month [August 2018].The highly contagious pig disease was 1st reported on 3 Aug 2018 in the northeastern Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Crimean-Congo hem. fever – East Africa (09): Uganda (KM)
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever -- UgandaOne person has died of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) at Naguru Hospital in Kampala today [24 Aug 2018], the Ministry of Health has confirmed.Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the ministry's senior spokesperson, said that the deceased is a 32-year-old female from Bukerere, in Mukono District."The Ministry of Health has dispatched rapid response teams to trace her contacts. She will be accorded a safe burial by our medical teams to avoid future spread of the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (78): Congo DR (NK) case update, health protection of medical teams
Ebola — DR Congo
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed fever – Uganda (09): (KI, MD) RFI
Fever -- UgandaThe Ministry of Health, together with its collaborating laboratory in Atlanta, USA, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, would like to inform the general public that investigations into the alleged ''strange disease'' reported in Mubende and Kibaale districts have been concluded.[Unfortunately, the press release cannot be copied. The following is a summary. - Mod.TY]As of Thu 9 Aug 2018, the investigating team has listed 23 cases, of which 9 died. Blood samples were taken Read more [...]
PRO/AH> African swine fever – Asia (08): China (ZJ) domestic swine, spread, RFI
African Swine Fever -- ChinaAfrican swine fever (ASF) has continued to expand in the mainland. Following Shenyang City in Liaoning province, Zhengzhou City in Henan province and Lianyungang City in Jiangsu province, the ASF epidemic has spread to Zhejiang province, where 340 pigs died on 3 farms in a breeding area in Yueqing City [see ]. Caixin.com reported yesterday [24 Aug 2018] that the source and route of ASF virus entering China is still under investigation; however, there is some evidence and Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Dengue/DHF update (16): Asia, Europe, research
Dengue -- Sri LankaA lineage of type 1 dengue virus found in Brazil is able to prevail over another even though it multiplies less in vector mosquitoes and infected human cells. This discovery was made under the scope of a thematic project supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP involving several Brazilian institutions, as well as a university in the USA.According to the study, the lineage activates a weaker immune response in the patient and is less strongly combated. As a Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (77): Congo DR (NK) case update, risk, control, research
Ebola -- DR Congo- During his visit to the Mangina Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) on Thu 23 Aug 2018, the Minister of Health, Dr. Oly Ilunga Kalenga, witnessed the unloading of 2 patients cured of Ebola. These 2 people are among the first 10 patients to receive the therapeutic molecule MAb114, developed by Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from the serum of a survivor of the Ebola epidemic from 1995 to Kikwit. The short-, medium- and long-term observations of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Angiostrongylus cantonensis – USA (05): (HI) transmission
Foodborne Illness — United States
PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis, cutaneous – Israel (03): animal host, control
Leishmaniasis -- IsraelEnvironmental Protection minister Zeev Elkin announced on Thursday [23 Aug 2018] a plan to curb leishmaniasis, which has spread in Israel in the past 2 years. Elkin's office said that sandflies, which transmit the disease to humans, get the virus [sic] by stinging rock hyraxes who carry it.Therefore, according to Hadashot [TV News], the ministry was dropping the hyrax from the list of protected animals for 3 years to enable authorities to decrease their numbers and contain Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Measles update (54): Americas
Measles -- United StatesData provided on communities in Brazil, VenezuelaAdvice to national authorities- Vaccinate to maintain homogeneous coverage of 95 percent with the 1st and 2nd doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine in all municipalities; - Vaccinate at-risk populations (without proof of vaccination or immunity against measles and rubella), such as healthcare workers, people working in tourism and transportation (hotels and catering, airports, taxi drivers, and others) and international Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) – Brazil (02): (PA) foodborne
Foodborne Illness -- BrazilIn Para, Brazil, there has been a cluster of Chagas disease cases that officials believe may be related to the consumption of tainted acai berries. This could be because of carelessness in the conditions [during the] preparation of the product. The disease is typically contracted by consuming food or beverages contaminated by infected triatomine bugs, also known as "kissing" bugs.Illness typically develops by one week after exposure and can last for up to 60 days. Although Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Poliomyelitis update (38): global (Congo DR, Nigeria, Somalia)
Polio -- DR CongoNew wild poliovirus cases reported this week: 0Total number of wild poliovirus cases in 2018: 14Total number of wild poliovirus cases in 2017: 22New cVDPV cases reported this week: 2Total number of cVDPV cases (all types) in 2018: 25 [? 4 new cVDPV case confirmations - 2 in DR Congo, one in Nigeria, one in Somalia - Mod.MPP]Total number of cVDPV cases (all types) in 2017: 96HeadlinesSummary of new viruses this week:- Afghanistan - 2 new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Cyclosporiasis – USA (10): update
Foodborne Illness -- United StatesThe number of people sick from an outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness, called cyclosporiasis, linked to McDonald's salads is now 507, federal health officials said Thursday [23 Aug 2018]. All the illnesses have been confirmed with lab tests. In all, 24 of those individuals have been hospitalized.The illnesses began between 20 May and 21 Jul 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Illnesses have been reported in 16 states: Connecticut, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> MERS-CoV (29): UK (England) ex Middle East, RFI, correction
MERS — United Kingdom
PRO/AH/EDR> Rocky Mountain spotted fever – Mexico: (BN) genetic confirmation
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever -- Mexico"Since 2008, a large epidemic of Rocky Mountain spotted fever has been emerging among humans and dogs in Mexicali, adjacent to the United States in Baja California, Mexico. We molecularly confirmed the causative agent; this information can be used to study the origin and dynamics of the epidemic."Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), caused by the bacteria _Rickettsia rickettsii_, is responsible for more human deaths than any other tickborne disease in North America Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (76): Congo DR (NK) case update, response
Ebola -- DR Congo- On [Thu 23 Aug 2018], the Minister of Health, Dr Oly Ilunga, officially handed over materials to strengthen the fight against the Ebola outbreak in Mandima, Ituri province. In particular, he handed the Governor of the Province an ambulance and 13 motorcycles for surveillance and investigation. Then they visited the site in Makeke [Ituri province] where the new Ebola treatment center (ETC) will be built.- The Minister of Health also met with the customary authorities of Mangina Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus (21): Europe
West Nile Virus -- SerbiaAn outbreak of the deadly West Nile virus is spreading across Europe and more mosquitoes known to spread the disease have been found in Essex.The World Health Organisation has warned of a spike in cases of the mosquito-borne infection, which has killed 3 people in Italy in recent days.Some 401 cases of West Nile virus have been diagnosed across Europe so far this year [2018], with the majority occurring in Serbia, Italy and Greece. 22 people have died as a result of infection.While Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus (22): Middle East (Israel)
West Nile Virus -- IsraelTwo Israelis have died in the past few weeks from West Nile fever, the Health Ministry said [Thu 23 Aug 208], amid the biggest outbreak of the mosquito-transmitted disease in recent years.The ministry said in a statement that 68 cases have been reported -- twice as much as last year [2017] -- and that 14 of the patients were in serious condition.Two people have died, it added, including an 85-year-old man with what the ministry described as "preexisting health problems."The Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Zimbabwe (03): canine sero-surveilance
Anthrax -- ZimbabweCitation: N. L. Mukarati, O. Ndumnego, H. van Heerden, D. N. Ndhlovu, G. Matope, A. Caron, M. de Garine-Wichatitsky, D. M. Pfukenyi: A serological survey of anthrax in domestic dogs in Zimbabwe: a potential tool for anthrax surveillance. Epidemiology & Infection. 2018; 146(12):1526-1532. doi: Abstract. Anthrax is an important disease caused by the bacterium _Bacillus anthracis_ affecting both domestic and wild animals at the wildlife/livestock interface, defined here as a physical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Kyrgyzstan (04): (OH) bovine, OIE
Anthrax -- KyrgyzstanInformation received on Thu 23 Aug 2018 from Dr Kalysbek Jumakanov, Director Chief State Veterinary Inspector (CVO), State Inspectorate of Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Security, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Bishkek, KyrgyzstanSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 12 Aug 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 22 Aug 2018Report date: 23 Aug 2018Date submitted to OIE: 23 Aug 2018Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Asia (07): China (ZJ) domestic swine, spread, OIE
African Swine Fever -- ChinaInformation received on [and dated] Thu 23 Aug 2018 from Dr Zhang Zhongqui, director general, China Animal Disease Control Centre, Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China (People's Rep. of)SummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 17 Aug 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 22 Aug 2018Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed diseaseManifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal agent: African swine fever (ASF) Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> MERS-CoV (28): UK (England) ex Middle East, RFI
MERS -- United KingdomPublic Health England (PHE) confirms that an individual has been diagnosed with Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in England. The patient was initially admitted to a hospital in Leeds and was transferred to Royal Liverpool Hospital, an expert respiratory infectious disease centre, where they are [sic] stable and receiving appropriate treatment. The patient is a resident of the Middle East, where they are [sic] believed to have contracted the infection before travelling Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Devil facial tumor, Tasmanian devil – Tasmania: DFT2, mechanisms of spread
Not Yet Classified -- AustraliaAlready suffering from the spread of devil facial tumor disease, Tasmanian devils are now under threat from a 2nd type of face cancer [This 2nd type was discovered in 2014. - Mod.PMB].Scientists have identified the emergence of another similar but distinct disease, devil facial tumour 2, among Tasmania's devil population. Researchers described the threat in a new paper published this week [week of 13 Aug 2018] in the journal eLife.Over the last decade, the Tasmanian Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Asia (06): China (ZJ) domestic swine, spread
African Swine Fever -- ChinaChina, home to the world's largest pig herd, reported its 4th outbreak of the deadly African swine fever [ASF] on Thursday [23 Aug 2018], with more than 400 pigs infected as the disease entered a 4th province, fanning worries about its rapid spread.The infection killed 340 hogs on 3 farms in the coastal city of Wenzhou in eastern Zhejiang province, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a statement. Zhejiang is the 4th region to discover the infection and Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Coccidioidomycosis – USA (02): (CA) increase cases, 2017
Valley Fever -- United StatesThe California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is reporting that in 2017, 7466 new cases of valley fever were reported, making 2017 the highest annual incidence reported in California since coccidioidomycosis became individually reportable in 1995 [1]. It was also the 2nd consecutive record year for reported valley fever cases.Consistent with previous years, the highest coccidioidomycosis incidence in 2017 were reported in counties in the Central Valley and central Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Japanese encephalitis & other – India (18): (BR)
Japanese Encephalitis -- IndiaThis year [2018] the state has recorded 17 Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases so far with 5 cases in Muzaffarpur, 4 in Sitamarhi, 3 in Patna, and one each in Bhojpur, Lakhisarai, Gaya, Sheohar, and Nalanda districts.State epidemiologist Dr Ragini Mishra reportedly said, "We are keeping a close watch on the situation. It has been observed that JE cases registers a sharp increase by the last week of August [2018]. Like every year, we have issued certain guidelines for civil Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (75): Congo DR (NK) cases, WHO, response, perspectives
Ebola — DR Congo
– The Ambassador of the European Union to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mr Bart Ouvry, the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the DRC, Mrs Kim Bolduc, and the Minister-Counselor for Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Belgium, Ms Annelies De Backer, traveled to Beni on Wed 22 Aug 2018. After meeting the teams leading the Ebola response at headquarters, they went to Beni’s General Referral Hospital where they visited Ebola treatment
PRO/AH/EDR> Snake fungal disease – USA: (MI) study on pathogenesis
Other Animal Disease -- United StatesWe have a rattlesnake in Michigan called the eastern massasauga. It's listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. One of the threats it's facing is a disease called snake fungal disease, and it can kill the snakes.Dr. Matt Allender is a veterinarian, and an assistant professor at the University of Illinois. He also directs the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab."Snake fungal disease is a fungal pathogen, an emerging disease similar to white-nose syndrome Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Chlorine poisoning – France (VP) swimming pool
Poisoning -- FranceDisneyland Paris accidentally poisoned 22 guests and staff in its swimming pool with harmful chemicals. People affected suffered sickness, coughing, chest pain and headaches after breathing in the fumes,It's reported the chemicals were mixed incorrectly, causing chlorine gas to be released.When chlorine gas is breathed in, it can cause swelling of the upper airway, coughing, sickness, chest pain and headaches.Emergency services were called, and 4 of the 22 people affected were Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Foot & mouth disease – Israel (06): (HZ) gt O/ME-SA/PanAsia-2(QOM-15) resolved
Foot and Mouth -- IsraelInformation received on [and updated] 21 Aug 2018 from Dr Shlomo Garazi, Chief Officer for Import and Export of the Veterinary Services, Veterinary Services and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, BET DAGAN, IsraelSummaryReport type: Follow-up report No. 2 (Final report)Date of start of the event: 2 Apr 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 8 Apr 2018Report date: 21 Aug 2018Date submitted to OIE: 21 Aug 2018Date event resolved: 16 Jul 2018Reason Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Crimean-Congo hem. fever – Pakistan (11): (Sindh)
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever -- PakistanThe administration of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) confirmed on [Sun 19 Aug 2018] that a 23-year-old man with [Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever] (CCHF) was admitted to one of its isolation wards."[The man], was brought to JPMC emergency with bruises on his body on [Sat 18 Aug 2018] and we shifted him to an isolation ward on suspicion of Congo virus," Dr Seemin Jamali, executive director, said while talking to The News. On [Sun 19 Aug 2018] Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (74): Congo DR (NK) cases, response, WHO, reflections
Ebola -- DR Congo- The Ethics Committee approved the use of 4 additional experimental therapeutic molecules, namely ZMapp, Remdesivir, Favipiravir, and Regn3450 - 3471 - 3479. Ebola Treatment Centers (ETC) treatment and care teams will be able to use these molecules for the treatment of patients infected with Ebola virus disease. The protocols for administering these molecules meet strict conditions related in particular to the condition of the patient, the ease of use of the treatment and the capacity Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Vector mosquito control methods
Pests -- United StatesMosquitoes are some of the most deadly creatures on the planet. They carry viruses, bacteria, and parasites, which they transmit through bites, infecting some 700 million people and killing more than 1 million each year.With international travel, migration, and climate change, these infections are no longer confined to tropical and subtropical developing countries. Pathogens such as West Nile virus and Zika virus have caused significant outbreaks in the United States and its Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed die-off, sea urchin – UK: (England)
Animal Die-off -- United KingdomHundreds of baseball-like sea creatures have washed up on a Cornish beach. The small heart-shaped orbs were sea potatoes, a sea urchin that lives buried in sandy and muddy sea beds all around UK coasts.Rosie Hendricks was on the beach at Wherrytown in Penzance earlier with her daughter, sister and nephew when she spotted the "odd-looking" creatures. Ms. Hendricks, from Penzance, who had never seen anything like it before, said: "I wasn't sure what they were."There Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (93): Russia (KT) poultry, HPAI H5N2, alert
Avian Influenza H5N2 -- RussiaRussian authorities have confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza on a 500 000-bird commercial farm in Kostromskaya, a region to the north-west of the country.According to the disease report, sequencing analysis showed the virus (H5N2) belonged to the Asian strain which has been detected in multiple wild bird and poultry cases across Asia, Africa and Europe since 2014.There have been no human cases associated with H5N2 HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) infection Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Measles update (53): Europe, WHO, worldwide
Measles -- Worldwide/UnknownOver 41 000 children and adults in the WHO European region have been infected with measles in the first 6 months of 2018. The total number for this period far exceeds the 12-month totals reported for every other year this decade. So far, the highest annual total for measles cases between 2010 and 2017 was 23 927 for 2017, and the lowest was 5273 for 2016. Monthly country reports also indicate that at least 37 people have died due to measles so far this year [2018]."Following Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Hepatitis A – USA (37): (KY)
Hepatitis A -- United StatesSince [1 Aug 2017], the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) has identified 1425 cases of acute hepatitis A, a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. An increase in cases since [1 Aug 2017], primarily among homeless people and drug users, prompted declaration of a statewide outbreak in November 2017. Viral sequencing has linked several outbreak-associated cases in Kentucky with outbreaks in California and Utah.The DPH is working closely with the Centers Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Foot & mouth disease – Guinea: bovine, OIE
Foot and Mouth -- GuineaInformation received on [and dated] 19 Aug 2018 from Mr Daouda Bangoura, [National Director of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Livestock], Conakry, GuineaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 5 May 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 19 Aug 2018Reason for notification: reoccurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 27 Mar 2014Manifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal agent: Foot-and-mouth disease virusSerotype: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax: latent infection, comment