Archive for Global Disease Alerts
PRO/EDR> Syphilis – USA (02): (WI) cluster, mostly young men, HIV, congenital
Syphilis, HIV/AIDS -- United StatesAt least 125 people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin have tested positive for HIV, syphilis, or both in one of the largest sexually transmitted infection [STI] 'clusters' ever reported in the US. The number of cases is expected to grow as more people come forward and clinicians identify more potential cases through asking those infected for their sexual history.Among the cluster are as many as a dozen high school students, according to Milwaukee's Journal Sentinel. Officials Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Influenza (10): WHO global update, Kenya
Influenza -- KenyaInformation in this report is categorized by influenza transmission zones, which are geographical groups of countries, areas or territories with similar influenza transmission patterns.Summary-------Influenza activity remained high in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere while in the temperate zone of the southern hemisphere activity was at inter-seasonal levels. Worldwide, influenza A and influenza B accounted for a similar proportion of influenza detections.National Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Leptospirosis, melioidosis – Australia: (QL) flooding, alert
Leptospirosis, Melioidosis -- AustraliaThere has been severe rainfall in the area around Cairns [Queensland, Australia] with more than 400 mm [15.7 inches] falling in less than 24 hours in parts of the Tropical Coast and Hinterland on [Thu 8 Mar 2018].A woman spotted a huge crocodile just metres from the road as she made her way home from work in Ingham on Thursday night [8 Mar 2018].One person has died from the soil-borne disease melioidosis in the region since the start of the year [2018], the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (46): Bulgaria (DO) poultry, HPAI H5, OIE, RFI
Avian Influenza -- BulgariaInformation received on [and dated] 8 Mar 2018 from Dr Damyan Iliev, Chief Veterinary Officer & Deputy Executive Director, Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Sofia, BulgariaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 2 Mar 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 2 Mar 2018Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed diseaseManifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rift Valley fever – South Sudan (05): (EL) bovine, OIE
Rift Valley Fever -- South SudanInformation received [and dated] 8 Mar 2018 from Dr Jacob Maiju Korok, Acting Director General, Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Tourism, Animal Resources, Fisheries, Cooperatives, Juba, South SudanSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 11 Dec 2017Date of confirmation of the event: 2 Mar 2018Report date: 8 Mar 2018Date submitted to OIE: 8 Mar 2018Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed disease in the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Foot & mouth disease – China (03): (HE) st. O, livestock, OIE
Foot and Mouth -- ChinaInformation received on 7 Mar 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: 24 Feb 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 2 Mar 2018Report date: 5 Mar 2018Date submitted to OIE: 7 Mar 2018Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed diseaseManifestation of disease: clinical Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Leprosy – India: rifampin resistance
Leprosy -- IndiaA World Health Organization survey of drug-resistant leprosy has detected 8 percent of samples tested in India resistant to rifampicin [also called rifampin in the U.S.], a drug used to treat the infection, leading to concerns that the country could fail to meet its target of completely eradicating the disease by 2020.The global survey was carried out on new and relapsed cases reported between 2008-15 and shows the highest number of samples, apart from Brazil, that were resistant Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (45): UK (England) wild bird, HPAI H5N6, alert
Avian Influenza H5N6 -- United KingdomThe Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Lincolnshire Trading Standards have issued warnings after confirmed cases of bird flu were discovered near Bourne.DEFRA told Lincolnshire Reporter that H5N6 -- a subtype of the species influenza A virus -- was reported in 2 greylag geese and 2 wild pheasants, which were found dead on farmland near Bourne on [28 Feb 2018].Avian influenza (bird flu) has been identified in wild birds in England in Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rift Valley fever – South Sudan (04): (EL) human, livestock
Rift Valley Fever -- South SudanThe Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak in Eastern Lakes state, South Sudan, has grown to 32 cases and 4 deaths, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) update published this week.During the past week, a 17-year-old male who presented to hospital on 19 Feb 2018 with a history of fever, headache, and joint pain that started the same day. On 21 Feb 2018, he vomited coffee grounds and frank blood, passed melena stools, lost consciousness, and died the same day. The Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Jamestown Canyon virus – Canada: (MB)
Other Human Disease -- CanadaA 26-year-old man with no substantial medical history presented to an academic emergency department in Winnipeg [Manitoba] with a headache and associated neurologic symptoms. The patient reported that earlier in the day while driving a car, he had felt a sudden tingling and numbness in his right foot. This subsequently spread up the right side of his body to his right leg, right arm, and the right side of his face. The episode lasted about 10 minutes before the symptoms Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Schmallenberg virus – Europe (05): Ireland, ovine, bovine
Schmallenberg -- IrelandA high number of suspected Schmallenberg virus (SBV) cases in aborted lambs and calves were recorded by the Regional Veterinary Laboratories (RVL) network in the 1st week of this year [2018].A number of suspect cases particularly in lamb foetuses submitted to Sligo and Athlone RVLs have birth deformities that are very suggestive of the effects of SBV infection of ewes during pregnancy, according to an RVL report.It says while the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results for Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Brucellosis – USA: (TX) unpasteurized milk, B. abortus vaccine strain, 2017, CDC
Brucellosis -- United StatesIn July 2017, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Region 2/3 office reported a human case of brucellosis associated with the consumption of raw (unpasteurized) cow's milk purchased from a dairy in Paradise, Texas. CDC's Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch (BSPB) confirmed the isolate as _Brucella abortus_ vaccine strain RB51 (RB51).Brucellosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease that affects humans and many animal species. In humans, the disease is characterized Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Americas (20): Brazil
Yellow Fever -- BrazilTo increase vaccine coverage, the states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo decided to continue the strategy of vaccination of the population. This effort counts on the help of the Ministry of Health. Preliminary data from the Secretariats of Health of the states of Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to the Ministry of Health indicates that as of [6 Mar 2018], 17.3 million people were vaccinated, including cumulative numbers of the public vaccinated in the municipalities. The Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update (11): Africa
Cholera -- Worldwide/UnknownHighlights----------More than 8459 cholera / AWD cases and 150 deaths (case fatality rate, 1.8 percent) have been reported in 10 of 21 countries of Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) since the beginning of 2018. These countries include; Angola, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Currently, 8 out of the 21 countries in ESAR are reporting active transmission of cholera / AWD (Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Malawi, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Salmonellosis, st Typhimurium – USA (03): chicken salad, CDC report
Salmonella -- United StatesAnother 105 more ill people from 6 states were added to this investigation since the last update on [22 Feb 2018]. As of [6 Mar 2018], 170 people infected with the outbreak strains of _Salmonella [enterica_ serotype] Typhimurium have been reported from 7 states. States / Case CountIllinois / 9Indiana / 1Iowa / 149 Minnesota / 3Nebraska / 5 South Dakota / 2 Texas / 1Total / 170Illnesses started on dates ranging from [8 Jan 2018] to [18 Feb 2018]. Ill people range in age Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Thallium poisoning – Russia: (RO) aircraft factory workers
Poisoning -- RussiaIn Taganrog [Rostov region], an investigation is being conducted in connection with the mass thallium poisoning of employees of an aircraft factory.According to the media, the employees of the company, under unexplained circumstances, were poisoned by toxic metal thallium. In total, 25 people were injured. 17 of them are in the hospitals of Taganrog, Rostov, and Moscow. It is noted all the poisoned employees were of the legal and economic departments, and the most affected is the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> MERS-CoV (09): Saudi Arabia, WHO
MERS -- Saudi ArabiaAt the end of January 2018, a total of 2160 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), including 773 associated deaths (case-fatality rate: 35.8 percent) were reported globally; the majority of these cases were reported from Saudi Arabia (1786 laboratory-confirmed cases, including 699 related deaths with a case-fatality rate of 39.1 percent).During the month of January [2018], 25 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS were reported in Saudi Arabia including Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (44): India (OR) poultry, HPAI H5N1, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N1 -- IndiaInformation received on [and dated] 7 Mar 2018 from Mr Devendra Chaudhry, Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, New Delhi, IndiaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 11 Feb 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 22 Feb 2018Report date: 7 Mar 2018Date submitted to OIE: 7 Mar 2018Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 6 Jun 2017Manifestation Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Haemophilus influenzae, type a – Canada: Indigenous populations, vaccine
H. influenzae -- CanadaFederal researchers have collaborated to develop a preventative vaccine for a potentially deadly bacterium that causes pneumonia, blood poisoning, and meningitis in children and affecting predominantly children in northern and Indigenous communities.Scientists with the Public Health Agency of Canada first identified _Haemophilus influenza_ [serogroup] A (Hia) infections in the mid-2000s in Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Montreal hospitals. Hia is not the common flu -- which is caused Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Undiagnosed toxic agent – UK: (England) nerve agent susp
Poisoning -- United KingdomA police officer is fighting for his life, Scotland Yard have revealed, as they confirmed that the "substance" used against Russian spy Colonel Sergei Skripal and his daughter was a nerve agent.Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley made the announcement, hours after the Home Secretary suggested investigators were close to a breakthrough.Mr Rowley said the poisoning was being treated as attempted murder and said the pair had been "targeted specifically". Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Meningitis – Nigeria: fatal
Meningitis -- NigeriaNine children between the ages of 3 and 13 years [of age] have died as a result of an outbreak of cerebral spinal meningitis (CSM) in Majia town of Taura local government area [LGA] in Jigawa State.Sources had indicated by last night [6 Mar 2018] that the death toll had hit over 20 as the outbreak was said to have been recorded in other LGAs of the state.A father of a 3-year-old who died 3 days ago as result of the outbreak told newsmen in Majia that most of the deceased started Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Measles update (16): Asia & Pacific, Europe, South America
Measles -- Pakistan[5] Peru alert[6] Brazil: Venezuelan refugees******[1] Pakistan (Sindh province, Nawabshah)Date: Sun 4 Mar 2018Source: Dawn [edited]Three children died, and at least 3 others were hospitalised in critical condition in Nawabshah, allegedly after being administered expired measles vaccines on Sat [3 Mar 2018], according to hospital officials and family members.Three children [ages 5, 6 and 9 months] died at the Paediatrics Unit of Peoples University Medical Hospital Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (43): China, poultry, HPAI H5N6, H7N9, OIE
Avian Influenza H7N9, Avian Influenza H5N6 -- ChinaInformation received on 7 Mar 2018 from Dr Zhang Zhongqui, director general, China Animal Disease Control Centre, Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China (People's Rep of)Summary:Report type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 22 Fe 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 2 Mar 2018Reason for notification: reoccurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 25 Aug 2017Manifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Listeriosis – Australia (02): fatal, cantaloupe, more cases
Listeriosis -- AustraliaFour people have died, and 2 fresh cases of [listeriosis] have been detected in a national outbreak linked to contaminated rockmelons [cantaloupes]. A Victorian man and a Queensland woman have taken the number of confirmed cases to 17. NSW [New South Wales] and Victoria have both recorded 6 cases; there have been 4 cases in Queensland and one in Tasmania. The outbreak has been linked to 2 deaths in NSW and 2 in Victoria.Rockmelon from a farm [in Nericon, near Griffith in NSW] Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Parvovirus – New Zealand: canine
Parvovirus -- New ZealandPaeroa vets are warning owners to make sure vaccinations are up to date after several dogs have been infected with canine parvovirus.Paeroa Veterinary Services veterinarian Danielle Thomson said one dog had died and 2 others were successfully treated for the deadly virus in the past few weeks.There were also several more dogs diagnosed with parvo at other vet clinics throughout the region, she said."We've also had a few people come in talking about signs resembling parvo, Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Hepatitis A – USA (10): (KY, UT, MI)
Hepatitis A -- United StatesCases / Hospitalizations / Deaths771 / 624 (80.9 percent) / 25 (3.2 percent)--Communicated by:ProMED-mail[Cumulatively, 14.6 percent of the total males are MSM, 2.9 percent of the total are healthcare workers, and 4.6 percent of the total are food handlers. More cases continue to occur, spreading north and west of the main southeastern Michigan focus of the outbreak. The total cases continue to increase and have altogether in numbers and in fatalities surpassed the numbers Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Hantavirus – Americas (18): USA (CO)
Hantavirus -- United StatesFor the 2nd time since the city started tracking the disease in 1993, a Denver resident has been diagnosed with the [a] hantavirus [infection].The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment publicly announced the diagnosis on [Tue 6 Mar 2018]. Health officials characterize hantavirus [infection] as a rare but serious respiratory disease carried by infected deer mice.No evidence of rodents was found when the health department inspected the victim's apartment building, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax, bovine – Argentina: (BS)
Anthrax — Argentina
PRO/EDR> Hepatitis A – Australia (02): (VI) MSM
Hepatitis A -- AustraliaIn a follow-up on the hepatitis A outbreak in Victoria, Australia, Deputy Chief Health Officer, Victoria, Dr Brett Sutton says cases of hepatitis A continue to increase in Victoria, with one death having been confirmed as part of the outbreak. There are now 58 confirmed outbreak cases, 7 probable cases and A death. An additional 16 cases of hepatitis A are under early investigation. All cases are adults with most reporting male-to-male sexual activity, and many have not travelled Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Salmonellosis, st Enteritidis – USA: guinea pig exposure
Salmonella -- United StatesCDC, several states, and the US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are investigating a multistate outbreak of _Salmonella [enterica_ serotype] Enteritidis infections. CDC began investigating in December 2017 when CDC PulseNet identified a cluster of 3 _Salmonella_ Enteritidis infections that whole genome sequencing showed were closely related genetically.A review of the PulseNet database identified 9 more closely related illnesses dating Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Cutaneous & renal glomerular vasculopathy, canine – UK (03): spread, update
Other Animal Disease -- United KingdomNew Alabama rot [also known as CRGV (cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy)] cases have arisen in the 1st 2 months of 2018, a worrying development. Dog owners fear the number of fatalities will continue to rise as mystified vets struggle to establish a cause or cure for the deadly disease.There have been 135 cases of Alabama rot in the UK since the disease was first detected in 2012 and 2017 was officially the worst year yet with 37 deaths.So far for 2018 Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (43): Bulgaria (DO) poultry, HPAI H5N8
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- Worldwide/UnknownBulgaria has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus on a farm in the northeastern district of Dobrich, the national food safety agency said on [Mon 5 Feb 2018].The virus, found on a farm in the town of General Toshevo, located near the border with Romania, would lead to the death of 140 000 birds, the agency said."A 3-kilometer [2-mile] protection zone and a 10-km [6-mi] observation area around the livestock area were set up," the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Lassa fever – West Africa (16): Nigeria
Lassa Fever -- NigeriaHighlights - In the reporting Week 09 (26 Feb- 4 Mar 2018) 35 new confirmed I cases wererecorded from 5 states: Edo (19 cases), Ondo (5), Bauchi (1), Ebonyi (9), and Plateau (1), with 7 new deaths in confirmed cases from 3 states; Ondo (2), Edo (2), and Ebonyi (3) - From 1 Jan - 4 Mar 2018, a total of 1121 suspected cases. Of these, 353 are confirmed positive, 8 are probable, 723 are negative (not a case) and 37 are awaiting laboratory results (pending). 18 States are active: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (42): USA (MO) poultry, LPAI H7N1, OIE
Avian Influenza -- United StatesInformation received on [and dated] 6 Mar 2018 from Dr John Clifford, official delegate, chief trade advisor, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, United States of AmericaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 26 Feb 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 3 Mar 2018Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 2017Manifestation of disease: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (41): India (GJ) HPAI H5N1, wild bird, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N1 -- IndiaInformation received on [and dated] 1 Mar 2018 from Mr Devendra Chaudhry, secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, New Delhi, IndiaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 11 Feb 2018Date of confirmation of the event: 12 Feb 2018Report date: 1 Mar 2018Date submitted to OIE: 1 Mar 2018Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: June 2017Manifestation Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Colorado tick fever virus – Canada: (SK)
Tick-borne disease -- CanadaColorado tick fever virus is transmitted by _Dermacentor andersoni_ ticks. In Canada, these ticks are found in the southern regions of British Columbia (Rocky Mountains) and Alberta, as well as southwestern Saskatchewan. Colorado tick fever should be clinically suspected in patients presenting with a biphasic febrile illness and leukopenia following tick exposure in the appropriate geographic area.Case----A 65-year-old male presented to a tertiary-care hospital emergency Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rabbit hemorrhagic disease – Canada: (BC), alert
Other Animal Disease -- CanadaNanaimo rabbit owners are asked to be on high alert after an "extremely infectious and lethal disease" was discovered in the corpses of local rabbits.The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations alerted the public early Friday morning [2 Mar 2018] to the discovery. It was made after tests run on several bunnies found dead on VIU's [Vancouver Island University] Nanaimo campus and in the Rotary Bowl area earlier in the week.Dr Helen Schwantje, the provincial Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Listeriosis – South Africa (09): fatal, health dept. press release
Listeriosis -- South Africa"The situation now is as follows:"As of [2 mar 2018], the total of laboratory-confirmed cases has risen to 948, still counting from January 2017. Of these 948, a total 659 patients have been traced and 180 of them have unfortunately died. This constitutes a 27 percent case fatality rate.In our constant search for the source of the outbreak and the treatment of people who are affected, a team from the NICD [National Institute for Communicable Diseases] has interviewed 109 Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Listeriosis – South Africa (08): fatal, more cases, source found, polony
Listeriosis -- South AfricaSouth Africa says it has finally traced the source of an outbreak [of listeriosis] that has killed 180 people in the past year -- said to make it the worst in history.The source is a factory operated by Enterprise Foods in Polokwane in Limpopo. More facilities are being tested to see if they contributed to the outbreak, which infected almost 1000 people.The health minister warned cross-contamination of other processed meats could have occurred in shops. "Avoid all processed Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Crimean-Congo hem. fever – Namibia (02): (OS)
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever -- NamibiaThe family of the 19-year-old man from Okalongo in Omusati region, who died early last month [February 2018] after he was bitten by a tick, are still waiting for the state to inform them of the cause of death, although management at Oshikuku Catholic Hospital hinted the victim died from Congo fever [Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever].New Era has learned that the deceased, had complained of unusual movements in his left ear. He then went to Oshikuku Catholic Read more [...]
