The most important disease you probably never heard of

Welcome to Johne’s (“yo-knees”), the most important disease that you probably never heard of. It is a serious, debilitating and sometimes fatal illness of cattle, goats, and sheep (among other animals), which the livestock and dairy industry is desperate to keep out of the public consciousness, despite the fact that it costs industrial agriculture many millions of dollars every year.

The reason for such industry reticence is that Johne’s Disease in livestock is very similar – and possibly even identical – to Crohn’s Disease in people, which currently afflicts an estimated 500,000 sufferers in North America alone, causing severe ulcerations of the gastro-intestinal tract, immense pain, and loss of appetite and weight, often requiring surgical removal of the damaged bowel. And the big, dirty secret of today’s industrial dairy and meat producers is that animals suffering from flagrant Johne’s Disease currently provide milk and meat directly to the American consumer.

In short, we eat lots of very, very sick cows, animals so ill that if you knew you were eating them, you wouldn’t.

Full article;

http://chronicle.com/blogs/brainstorm/the-most-important-disease-you-probably-never-heard-of/30509

Johnes Information Center; http://www.johnes.org/zoonotic/index.html

Another good reason to quit eating meat and dairy...if you care about your health and the health of your children and their childrens children....and so on.

S. Korea Devistated by Animal Disease

Recall that in 2008, thousands of S. Korean's protested imports of USA meat ; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/31/tens-of-thousands-of-sout_n_104478.html

and now, only two years later, they are suffering huge outbreaks of Foot and Mouth, a cattle disease, and avian flu;
http://madcowhorses.blogspot.com/2010/12/s-korea-devistated-by-animal-disease.html
with thousands upon thousands of their own animals being culled, they will be BEGGING for USA meat soon.

Yellow Fever Outbreak / Uganda

Viral zoonotic hemorrhagic diseases on the NIAID priority list are yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Chikungunya virus, Hendra virus and Nipah virus hemorrhagic fever. Other hemorrhagic zoonoses on the NIAID list are Ebola hemorrhagic fever, Marburg hemorrhagic fever, Hanta-virus hemorrhagic fever, Rift Valley fever, Lassa fever, Lymphocytic chorio-meningitis virus, hemorrhagic fever, Junin virus or Argentine hemorrhagic fever, Machupo virus or Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, and Guanarito virus.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/172469-list-of-emerging-viral-zoonotic-diseases/#ixzz19RI4Tkfl http://www.livestrong.com/article/172469-list-of-emerging-viral-zoonotic-diseases/

UNDIAGNOSED DISEASE - UGANDA (09): YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION
***********************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Tue 28 Dec 2010
Source: The New Vision (Uganda) [edited]



Yellow fever: ring vaccination not enough
-----------------------------------------
At least 2.5 million people will be vaccinated in northern Uganda
against the yellow fever [outbreak] that had by the weekend [25-26
Dec 2010] killed 45 people and infected 178 others.

The disease [yellow fever], whose fatality rate ranges between 15
percent and 50 percent, is taken so seriously that just one confirmed
case is considered an outbreak by the World Health Organisation.
While the health ministry has instituted measures to contain the
disease, a mass rather than ring-vaccination would be a more
effective control mechanism. Diseases know no borders. With increased
travel within the region the disease could have been transmitted far
beyond the surrounding districts. Therefore, a mass vaccination
[campaign], as was done in the Gambia in the 1970s, is the best
approach in the long run. Yellow fever vaccination could also be
added to the expanded programme for immunisation that currently
covers the 6 killer diseases (tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough,
polio, tuberculosis, and measles).

Global statistics show that yellow fever cases are on the increase
with 90 percent of the 200 000 cases registered annually being in
Africa. Uganda is therefore, likely to experience a resurgence of
yellow fever, just like polio a few years ago.

Since most Ugandan health units are not equipped to test for yellow
fever, the medical workers should be highly suspicious and
investigate all cases with yellow fever symptoms like high fever,
chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, and backache. Anybody who
presents [with] these symptoms should immediately take a medical check-up.

Uganda should be more vigilant since all factors responsible for the
resurgence of yellow fever are prevalent here -- reduced immunisation
against the disease; deforestation bringing people in closer contact
with monkeys; and population movements making it easier to transport
the disease far and wide.

Therefore, unless stringent measures like mass immunisation are taken
in collaboration with neighbouring countries, Uganda is likely to
register more yellow fever outbreaks in other places with its attendant costs.

--
Communicated by:
Thomas James Allen


[The following commentary is predicated on the assumption that the
outbreak of undiagnosed disease affecting several villages in
northern Uganda has been unequivocally identified as an outbreak of
yellow fever virus infection. This remains to be confirmed
unequivocally by laboratory testing.

Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by
infected mosquitoes. Several different species of the _Aedes_ and
_Haemagogus_ mosquitoes transmit the virus. The mosquitoes either
breed around houses (domestic), in the jungle (wild), or in both
habitats (semi-domestic).

The following information is taken from the WHO fact sheet at
:
There are 3 types of transmission cycles.
- Sylvatic (or jungle) yellow fever: in tropical rainforests, yellow
fever occurs in monkeys that are infected by wild mosquitoes. The
infected monkeys then pass the virus to other mosquitoes that feed on
them. The infected mosquitoes bite humans entering the forest,
resulting in occasional cases of yellow fever. The majority of
infections occur in young men working in the forest (such as for logging).
- Intermediate yellow fever: in humid or semi-humid parts of Africa,
small-scale epidemics occur. Semi-domestic mosquitoes (that breed in
the wild and around households) infect both monkeys and humans.
Increased contact between people and infected mosquitoes leads to
transmission. Many separate villages in an area can suffer cases
simultaneously. This is the most common type of outbreak in Africa.
An outbreak can become a more severe epidemic if the infection is
carried into an area populated with both domestic mosquitoes and
unvaccinated people.
- Urban yellow fever: large epidemics occur when infected people
introduce the virus into densely populated areas with a high number
of non-immune people and _Aedes_ mosquitoes. Infected mosquitoes
transmit the virus from person to person.

There is no specific treatment for yellow fever, only supportive care
to treat dehydration and fever. Associated bacterial infections can
be treated with antibiotics. Supportive care may improve outcomes for
seriously ill patients, but it is rarely available in poorer areas.
Vaccination is the single most important measure for preventing
yellow fever. In high risk areas where vaccination coverage is low,
prompt recognition and control of outbreaks through immunization is
critical to prevent epidemics.

To prevent outbreaks throughout affected regions, vaccination
coverage must reach at least 60 percent to 80 percent of a population
at risk. Preventive vaccination can be offered through routine infant
immunization and one-time mass campaigns to increase vaccination
coverage in countries at risk. WHO strongly recommends routine yellow
fever vaccination for children in areas at risk for the disease.

The yellow fever vaccine is safe and affordable, providing effective
immunity against yellow fever within one week for 95 percent of those
vaccinated. A single dose provides protection for 30-35 years or
more, and probably for life.

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Uganda can be accessed
at . - Mod.CP]

[see also:
Undiagnosed disease - Uganda (08): yellow fever susp. 20101224.4531
Undiagnosed disease - Uganda (07): plague suspected 20101208.4382
Undiagnosed disease - Uganda (06) 20101206.4365
Undiagnosed disease - Uganda (05) 20101205.4354
Undiagnosed disease - Uganda (04) 20101203.4340
Undiagnosed disease - Uganda (03) 20101202.4334
Undiagnosed disease - Uganda (02): (TG) 20101130.4302
Undiagnosed disease - Uganda: Acholi, RFI 20101129.4297]
...................................cp/mj/mpp

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S. Korean Ag Tanks Due to Foot & Mouth Disease

FMD is of concern as a biological weapon for the following reasons:

The disease causes a high rate of morbidity in multiple species.
The disease is highly communicable and spreads rapidly once introduced into nonimmune herds. It is defined by the OIE as a category A disease: "Communicable diseases which have potential for serious and rapid spread, irrespective of national borders, which are of serious socioeconomic or public health consequence and which are of major importance in the international trade of livestock and products" (see References: OIE: OIE classification of diseases).
State public health officials and state veterinarians agreed in a 2001 survey that the risk of a bioterrorism attack with an agent affecting animals was greater than the risk of an attack with an agent affecting people. Both groups shared similar risk assessments of FMD as a bioterrorism agent (see References: Tharratt 2002).
FMD can lead to dramatic economic losses (see References: Paarlberg 2002):
Up to $14 billion (9.5%) of US farm income would be lost in the event of an outbreak similar to the 2001 epidemic in the UK, according to recent economic models.
The most affected sectors would be the cattle, milk, sheep, and swine markets.
This model predicted that most loss would not be from decreases in production but rather from lost export markets and decreases in consumer demand. Without adverse consumer reaction, the losses would be closer to $6.8 billion.

Full article; http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/biosecurity/ag-biosec/anim-disease/foot-mouth.html#_FMD_as_a


FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE - SOUTH KOREA (23): SPREAD, VACCINATION
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


In this update:
[1] Update as of 25 Dec 2010
[2] The Japanese experience

******
[1] Update as of 25 Dec 2010
Date: 27 Dec 2010 [S. Korean time]
Source: Joongang Daily [edited]

The Grand National Party is pushing for integration of inspections
and a single government body to oversee the deadly foot-and-mouth
disease (FMD) after 2 additional outbreaks of FMD at pig and cattle
farms were confirmed by health authorities yesterday [26 Dec 2010].

"Currently, quarantine operations are divided among 3 government
offices -- the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service,
the National Plant Quarantine Service and the National Fisheries
Products Quality Inspection Service -- but they need to be
integrated," said Chung Woon-chun, a former agriculture minister who
now heads the GNP's special committee for counteracting FMD.

"The GNP will come up with measures to effectively contain the
disease," he said. "And it will also encourage the public's
consumption of beef and pork because an outbreak of FMD doesn't
affect food safety."

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said
yesterday [26 Dec 2010] a pig farm with 2100 pigs in Yeoju County,
Gyeonggi tested positive for the disease. All animals on the farm and
within a 500-meter (0.31-mile) radius were slaughtered to prevent the
disease from spreading.

Of 140 cows raised at a cattle farm in the same county, 2 tested
positive as of yesterday [26 Dec 2010] afternoon and are also slated
to be culled, according to the ministry.

In addition to the Yeoju farm, the ministry received a report of a
suspected FMD case at a farm with 5000 pigs in Icheon, Gyeonggi,
raising concerns among health officials and area residents.

Despite the government's efforts to eliminate the disease by
vaccinating cloven-hoofed animals beginning Saturday [25 Dec 2010],
health officials are facing another obstacle: disinfectants have been
freezing in the recent cold spell and can't be sprayed to help
prevent the spread of FMD.

The Korean government had refrained from using the vaccine because
doing so would make it more difficult for Korea to regain its
FMD-free status, which is necessary for exports.

Since the outbreak of the disease on 29 Nov 2010 in North Gyeongsang,
it has spread to Gyeonggi, Gangwon and Incheon. There have been 51
infections reported, and more than 325 000 livestock have been
ordered to be culled. The Agriculture Ministry estimated losses
related to the disease at around 400 billion (USD 347 million).

The worsening situation is forcing local governments to cancel or
suspend their long-prepared celebrations for the 1st sunrise of 2011,
an annual event held by many communities in Korea.

North Gyeongsang, which has lost the most livestock from FMD, decided
to cancel all such events.

Some events that have been canceled include the Yeongdeok Sunrise
Festival, organized by the Yeongdeok County Office, and a bell
ringing ceremony to mark the new year, organized by the North
Gyeongsang Provincial Government. Cheongwon County in North
Chungcheong decided to cancel its year-end concert and will offer
refunds on purchased concert tickets, officials there said.

President Lee Myung-bak yesterday [26 Dec 2010] ordered winter
gloves, earmuffs and other winter-protection clothes to be given to
farmers and government officials combating the disease after he was
briefed by his Presidential Chief of Staff Yim Tae-hee about current
FMD countermeasures.

[Byline: Kim Mi-ju]

--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
Gut Laach
52385 Nideggen

[The description of the current situation in S. Korea, including
cancellations of public events or gatherings, is reminiscent of the
2001 FMD epizootic in the UK when, on top of such events, most of the
open parks and nature reserves were closed to the public for extended
periods, the countryside badly hit; the rural sector suffered
enormous economical losses in the agri-business, including
agri-tourism and catering, and the general elections had to be
postponed. The UK outbreak started on 19 Feb 2001 and resolved after
more than 6 months.

Britain's "Foot and Mouth Disease 2001: Lessons to be Learned
Inquiry", said in the introduction to the report: "By the end of
September [2001], over 2000 premises had been declared infected,
millions of animals destroyed and many rural lives and livelihoods
affected in a manner unknown for a generation". The crisis was
estimated to have cost Britain BP 8 billion (USD 16 billion) in costs
to the agricultural and support industries, and to the outdoor industry.

The Korean epizootic is even more reminiscent of the recent epizootic
in Japan. Lessons which may have been derived from the Japanese
event, which was caused by the same virus strain currently
circulating in S. Korea, could be helpful for the decision-makers in
S. Korea. Two documents in Japanese, addressing some of the issues,
have already become available (for URLs, see in commentary of posting
20101225.4546). A paper in English, which includes some useful data
and analysis of the Japanese epizootic, is reviewed in item 2 below.

We have received from a subscriber the map (in Japanese): "Main route
of spread of FMD, as of 24 Dec 2010, AM 11.00", for which we are
grateful. The map shows the timeline and traces the suggested routes
of FMDV dissemination throughout 4 administrative districts of S.
Korea, beginning with the apparent index case. The map, published by
Chosun online (Japanese edition), does not include references. See at
.

Legend:
orange line: confirmed route
white line: suspected route
1 spread to Gyeonggi-do
2 to Gangwon-do
3 to Incheon city
4 possibility of national spread

Dates included stand for days of confirmation, such as 11-29, which
means 29 Nov 2010. - Mod.AS]

******
[2] The Japanese experience
Date: December 2010 (Article 1st published online: 15 Aug 2010)
Source: Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 57 (6) (2010) 396-403
[modified, edited]



An epidemic of FMD occurred in Miyazaki, Japan, beginning in late
March 2010. Here, we document the descriptive epidemiological
features and investigate the between-farm transmission dynamics. As
of 10 Jul 2010, a total of 292 infected premises have been confirmed
with a cumulative incidence for cattle and pig herds of 8.5 and 36.4
percent, respectively for the whole of Miyazaki prefecture.

Pig herds were more likely to be infected than cattle herds (odds
ratio = 4.3 [95 percent confidence interval (CI): 3.2, 5.7]).
Modelling analysis suggested that the relative susceptibility of a
cattle herd is 4.2 times greater than a typical pig herd (95 percent
CI:3.9, 4.5), while the relative infectiousness of a pig herd is
estimated to be 8.0 times higher than a cattle herd (95 percent CI: 5.0, 13.6).

The epidemic peak occurred around mid-May 2010, after which the
incidence started to decline, and the effective reproduction numbers
from late May 2010 were mostly less than unity, although a
vaccination programme in late May 2010 could have masked symptoms in
infected animals. The infected premises were geographically confined
to limited areas in Miyazaki, but sporadic long-distance
transmissions were seen within the prefecture. Given that multiple
outbreaks in Far East Asian countries have occurred since early 2010,
continued monitoring and surveillance is deemed essential.

[Byline: H. Nishiura and R. Omori]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail

[The data from Japan underlining the long-known but sometimes
forgotten picture of pigs being strikingly effective FMD virus
emitters, while cattle are very susceptible (to aerosol infection),
are indeed relevant to the S. Korean situation and predictive of the
extensive spread of the disease as, unfortunately, became realized
there. - Mod.AS]

[see also:
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (22): OIE follow-up, vaccination 20101225.4546
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (21): (KW, GB) susp. 20101222.4502
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (20): (KG), update 20101220.4489
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (19): (KB, KG), update 20101217.4460
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (18): (KB, KG), OIE follow-up 20101215.4446
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (17): (KG) spread 20101215.4442
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (16): (KB), update 20101213.4429
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (15): (KB), spread 20101211.4414
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (14): (KB) OIE follow-up 20101209.4393
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (13): (KB) spread 20101206.4369
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (12): (KB), update 20101204.4348
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (11): (GN) update 20101201.4321
Foot & mouth disease - S Korea (10): (KB), porcine, bovine, st O 20101130.4312
Foot & mouth disease - S Korea (09): (KB) OIE 20101130.4301
Foot & mouth disease - S Korea (08): (KB) recurs, RFI 20101129.4296
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (07): resolved 20100623.2096
Foot & mouth disease - S Korea: update, serotype O, genotyping 20100501.1416
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - S Korea (09): conf, serotype O, OIE
20100410.1168
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - South Korea (08): susp. RFI 20100408.1140
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - South Korea (07): resolved 20100323.0919
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - South Korea (02): serotype A 20100111.0130
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - South Korea: (KG), OIE 20100108.0089]
............................................arn/msp/mpp

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and its associated service providers shall not be held
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Swine Flu (H1N1) Death / Egypt

INFLUENZA (21): EGYPT (NORTH SINAI) H1N1 FATAL
**********************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Thu 16 Dec 2010
Source: Al-Masry Al-Youm [edited]



A 40-year-old woman from North Sinai Governorate died Wednesday night
[15 Dec 2010] from the H1N1 virus [influenza A/(H1N1) 2009 virus],
commonly known as swine flu, at Ismailia General Hospital, medical
sources confirmed. She was reportedly transferred to the hospital
following a severe lung infection.

The hospital sent her blood samples to the Ministry of Health, which
confirmed the H1N1 infection. She died only hours after being moved to
the quarantine ward.

There is another confirmed case of H1N1 in the hospital, a 35-year-old
woman who is currently receiving treatment, the same source added.

[Byline: Hani Abdel Rahman]

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via
ProMED-mail

[This death of the woman in the North Sinai governorate of Egypt as a
result of influenza A/(H1N1) 2009 virus infection and another
confirmed case, which follow reports of cases in Israel and Yemen,
confirm that the winter influenza epidemic is now underway in the
Middle East as well as in parts of Europe. In contrast, cases of avian
A/(H5N1) influenza virus infection in Egypt have occurred sporadically
throughout the year and are believed to have been contracted from
diseased domestic poultry with no spread from person to person. The
most recent human avian influenza case occurred in Gharbia governorate
and was recorded on 2 Dec 2010.

A map of the governorates of Egypt showing the location of North Sinai
in the northeast (at 18) can be accessed at:
. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Egypt is available at
. - Mod.CP]

[see also:
Influenza (20): WHO, Europe, UK 20101217.4463
Influenza (19): Europe, Israel, Yemen 20101216.4454
Influenza (18): WHO update, UK 20101212.4418
Influenza (17): Canada (MB), 1st nation 20101203.4341
Influenza (16): Zimbabwe (MV) 20101126.4274
Influenza (15): WHO update 20101124.4243
Influenza (14): swine origin (tr) H3N2 viruses 20101112.4117
Influenza (13): WHO update 20101111.4092
Influenza (06): WHO update 116 20100912.3295]
......................................................cp/msp/jw
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and its associated service providers shall not be held
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Q-Fever Outbreak Out of Control? Netherlands

http://dangerousnewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/q-fever-outbreak-in-netherlands.html

LEPTOSPIROSIS, SEA LIONS - USA (OREGON)

A case study; http://www.scribd.com/doc/5004380/MYSTERIOUS-FEVER-by-Dr-Leo-Rebello


***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 5 Nov 2010
Source: Gazette Times [edited]



A sharp increase in the number of sick and dead California sea lions
has been reported along the Oregon coast in recent weeks, and
necropsies conducted on dozens of the animals suggest that many may
have died from leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease found in a variety of animal
species and can be transmitted to humans, according to Jim Rice, an
Oregon State University scientist who coordinates the statewide
Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network.

"We are now getting calls for multiple sick or dead sea lions daily,
which is higher than normal," said Rice, an OSU Marine Mammal
Institute researcher who works at the university's Hatfield Marine
Science Center in Newport.

"The overall number of sea lions also has risen, so it's difficult to
compare mortality rates from year to year, but certainly we're seeing
an increase in animals that test positive for leptospirosis."

Rice and his colleagues at the stranding network have sent dozens of
dead animals to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in OSU's College
of Veterinary Medicine. And though not all of the animals have tested
positive, many showed clear signs of leptospirosis, which raises
concern about human health.

Kathy O'Reilly, who heads the bacterial section of the Veterinary
Diagnostic Lab, said leptospirosis can be virulent.

"There have been 50 to 100 cases per year in the United States
reported to the Centers for Disease Control," O'Reilly said, "and in
31 percent of the human cases, it is traced back to contact with
infected rats, and in 30 percent of the cases, it is tracked to infected dogs."

Dogs can be infected with leptospirosis through contact with stricken
sea lions. Rice said coastal visitors should always avoid sea lions
on the beach and during outbreaks of leptospirosis should keep their
dogs on a leash. The disease can be transmitted by direct contact, or
even through contact with damp sand, soil or vegetation contaminated
by the urine of infected animals. Rice said that in 2009, the network
had 350 reports of California sea lions stranded on Oregon beaches,
either dead or severely ill and presumed to have died. And Oregon is
on pace to surpass that total this year [2010], he pointed out.

"Typically, sea lions with leptospirosis are quite emaciated and
lethargic," Rice said. "Those that don't die on the beach may get
washed out to sea and die, or they may move elsewhere. It's possible
that some recover, but these are very sick animals."

The Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network is a collaborative
volunteer effort to respond to reports of sick or dead marine mammals
-- including whales, seals and sea lions -- and report data about the
strandings to the National Marine Fisheries Service. It is
headquartered at OSU's Marine Mammal Institute at the Hatfield Marine
Science Center and coordinated by Rice.

Partners in the Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network include OSU,
Portland State University, the University of Oregon's Institute for
Marine Biology, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the
Oregon State Police, the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation and others.

Persons seeing dead or sick marine mammals on Oregon beaches are
encouraged to call the Oregon State Police at 1-800-452-7888.

[Byline: Mark Floyd]

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via
ProMED-mail

[Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by the spirochete
_Leptospira_ sp. There are over 17 species and various serovars. The
taxonomy can become confusing. Regardless of the taxonomy, this
bacteria infects both human beings and a variety of animals. It is
generally thought of as an infection within the kidneys, because it
can be transmitted by contact with infected urine, or through water
having urine from infected wild animals, rats, etc. There are some
serovars that may affect the liver as well.

The California sea lion (_Zalophus californianus_) is thought to be
infected with _L. interrrogans_.

When sea lions are infected, they demonstrate the unusual behavior of
drinking water. Most sea lions acquire the water they need through
the food they consume. When ill sea lions demonstrate the behavior of
drinking water, they are tested for leptospirosis if they are in a
marine habitat facility.

Animals who are sick and brought to a marine mammal facility where
they can be treated can recover from the disease. However, many
animals in the wild, not recognized as being ill, die and wash up on
shore and are then found.

California sea lions (_Zalophus californianus_) breed in rookeries
along the southern California coast during May and June (Zuerner et
al., 2009). The female sea lions typically stay close to the
rookeries to nurse their pups, but they may move as far north as
Monterey Bay; however, the males travel north and spend the winter
anywhere from California to south Alaska (Melin, 2002). Even though
they stay close to the coast, occasionally they leave to look for
food, and males can cover 644 km on a single trip (Weise et al.,
2006). Their ability to travel great distances gives the disease the
opportunity to spread geographically (Zuerner et al., 2009).

Terrestrial animals may get leptospirosis because sick or injured sea
lions either die at sea or are stranded on beaches where other
animals can come into contact with them. Leptospirosis has a latency
period of about 10-14 days between contact and developing signs,
leading researchers to believe that the animals are able to travel
during this latency period spreading the disease. Since some of the
population is continuously in a latency state of infection, the
distribution of infected animals spreads as animals disperse across
different geographical areas. Infected animals are often found near
fresh water estuaries, which potentially increases the chance of
transmitting the disease to humans, domesticated animals, and
terrestrial wildlife (Zuerner et al., 2009).

References:

Melin, S.R., (2002). The Foraging Ecology and Reproduction of the
California sea lion (_Zalophus californianus californianus_).
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Zuerner, Richard L., Cameron, Caroline E., Raverty, Stephen,
Robinson, John, Colegrove, Kathleen M., Norman, Stephanie A.,
Lambourn, Dyanna, Jeffries, Steven, Alt, David P., & Gulland,
Frances. (2009). Geographical dissemination of Leptospirosa
interrogans serovar Pomona during seasonal migration of California
sea lions. Veterinary Microbiology 137 105-110.

Photos of the California sea lion may be seen at:
,
,
.

The state of Oregon can be seen on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map at: - Mod.TG]

[see also:
2004
----
Leptospirosis, sea lions - USA (CA) 20040926.2659]
................................................sb/tg/msp/mpp

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BRUCELLOSIS, BOVINE - USA (02): (MONTANA, WYOMING)

****************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


In this report:
[1] Montana, bison
[2] Montana, bison
[3] Wyoming

******
[1] Montana, bison
Date: 2 Nov 2010
Source: Belgrade News [edited]



One of Ted Turner's bison tested positive for brucellosis on the
Flying D Ranch near Gallatin Gateway, state livestock officials said
Monday [1 Nov 2010]. But the discovery shouldn't affect Montana's
coveted brucellosis-free status, which should not be in jeopardy.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the case
after a 7-year-old cow bison was singled out during routine testing,
the Montana Department of Livestock said. The 4600-head bison herd on
the ranch is quarantined, and 2 more animals are suspected of
carrying the disease.

Animal health officials are conducting an epidemiological
investigation to determine the cause, state veterinarian Dr. Marty
Zaluski said.

"In previous cases, extensive testing indicated that elk, not cattle
or bison, were the likely source of the infections," he said.

Montana regained its brucellosis-free status last year [2009] after
cattle in 2 separate herds tested positive for the disease within one
year, according to state records. Officials are hopeful the state
will not be stripped of its status again because of rule reviews by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Zaluski said.

"USDA is currently reviewing its approach to brucellosis management
nationwide," Zaluski said. "The proposed concept would de-emphasize
state status and allow brucellosis to be managed on a case-by-case basis."

Livestock officials from Montana, Idaho and Wyoming have been working
with the feds to come up with a solution to the long-term problem,
Department of Livestock spokesman Steve Merritt said. The states are
looking for federal rule changes that will grant some flexibility to
establish, designate and change surveillance areas.

A draft concept paper known as the "White Paper" emerged from the
dialogue, and addresses concerns in the tri-state area, but the feds
have not implemented any of the rule changes, Merritt said.

"They're currently not operating under that concept paper," he said
Monday [1 Nov 2010]. "Something did come out of those meetings, but
nothing has been implemented yet."

Merritt said there is "no risk" that the entire state would lose its
status due to the brucellosis discovery in Turner's bison herd.

"We don't expect to lose our status this time," he said. "USDA is
currently evaluating the future direction of the brucellosis program,
and so our understanding is that they are going to start taking this
on a case-by-case basis."

None of the wild bison Turner recently acquired from Yellowstone Park
are infected, Merritt said. Turner took custody of those animals,
numbering 86, from the park last year [2009] as part of a bison
management effort by state and federal wildlife agencies. That herd
is housed at Turner's Green Ranch property south of Three Forks and
is geographically separated from the domestic herd located in the
Spanish Creek area near Gallatin Canyon.

[Byline: Michael Tucker]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail

******
[2] Montana, bison
Date: 1 Nov 2010
Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicles [edited]



Brucellosis has been found in a domestic bison on the Flying D Ranch
near Bozeman, the Montana Department of Livestock said today [1 Nov 2010].

Two other bison at the ranch are also suspected of carrying the
disease. The ranch is currently quarantined.

The brucellosis-infected bison, a 7-year-old cow, was identified as a
suspect during routine disease testing conducted by the ranch, which
is owned by Ted Turner. Cultures performed at the National Veterinary
Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the presence of the
agent that causes brucellosis in the suspect bison.

Brucellosis-infected elk have been found on the Flying D in previous years.

The Flying D bison herd is geographically separate from the Green
Ranch, which received bison from the cooperative USDA-Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks quarantine facility last year [2009]. Those 86
Yellowstone Park bison remain disease-free.

After going more than 30 years without a case of brucellosis, the
state lost its brucellosis-free status when the disease was found
twice within a 12-month period in 2007 and 2008.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail

[Brucellosis is historically thought to have entered the bison
population somewhere around 1920. The bison herds of the plains of
the US were in danger of possible extinction. The herds were
co-mingled with cattle, and the disease was thought to have entered
bison though this co-mingling. Nevertheless, brucellosis is similar
in bison to that in cattle. However, bison are not believed to
demonstrate abortion as do domestic cattle. This may or may not be
true. It might all depend upon the ability to observe and document
the circumstances.

It is encouraging to know the bison from the Yellowstone area remain
free of the disease and are not threatened by contact with the remaining herd.

While elk are suspected as being the source, this is still a
disturbing disease to be found on a ranch whose management is
regarded as very good.

Brucellosis vaccine RB51 has been shown to be effective in bison.
However, handling these wonderful creatures can be another challenge.

With approximately 2 million acres of personal and ranch land, Ted
Turner is the largest individual landholder in North America. Turner
lands are innovatively managed and work to partner economic viability
with ecological sustainability. All Turner ranches operate as working
businesses, relying on bison and outfitting as principal enterprises.
In addition, Turner ranches support many progressive environmental
projects including water resource management, reforestation and the
reintroduction of native species to the land.

Turner Enterprises also manages over 50 000 head of bison across the
various Turner ranches.

The Flying D ranch is 113 613 acres (45 977.549 hectares) and was
acquired in 1989. The ranch supports bison ranching, elk hunting,
wolf restoration, and cutthroat trout reintroduction.

Bison seem to be a politically sensitive topic, and with dwindling
funds for USDA to buy out diseased herds, it is understandable they
will take a case by case approach to find the most workable solution
to this situation.

Portions of this comment have been extracted from:
. - Mod.TG]

******
[3] Wyoming
Date: 5 Nov 2010
Source: Cattlenetwork.com [edited]



Only one more cow has initially tested positive for brucellosis, as
the state continues testing more than 1000 cows in the northern Wyoming area.

The new cow with the disease was from the same herd where the 1st 3
cows tested positive for exposure to the disease in preparation for
sale at a livestock market.

State Veterinarian Jim Logan tells the Powell Tribune that he's
encouraged that extensive testing has yielded only one more positive result.

14 Meeteetse area herds are quarantined under a state order until
testing is complete. Logan expects some results to become available next week.

The source of the brucellosis is not yet known.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail

[Since this cow is from the same herd as the previous 3, it is
unlikely this event will threaten the brucellosis status of Wyoming.
The area around the Greater Yellowstone area has been a difficult
area within which to control the disease. The winter feeding grounds
of elk and bison are enormously popular with tourists. However, the
feeding grounds provide an excellent way to transmit the disease
between animals. Some of these animals then leave the park and
encounter domestic animals, which are sensitive to the disease.

It is good news for Wyoming that only one herd seems to have infected
animals. There has been much hard work on the part of the state
officials to trace where animals have been and where they came from
to try and track down the origin of the disease. - Mod.TG]

[For the HealthMap/ProMED map showing Wyoming, see
. - Mod.MPP]

[see also:
Brucellosis, bovine - USA: (WY) 20101101.3956
Brucellosis, cervid - USA (05): Yellowstone 20100427.1352
Brucellosis, cervid - USA (04): Yellowstone 20100425.1340
Brucellosis, cervid - USA (03): (Gtr. Yellowstone Ecosystem) 20100401.1048
Brucellosis, cervid - USA: (WY) corr. 20100212.0502
Brucellosis, cervid - USA (02): (WY) corr. 20100212.0501
Brucellosis, cervid - USA: (WY) 20100211.0480
2004
----
Brucellosis, bison vaccination - USA (WY) 20040327.0847
1999
----
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (07) 19990606.0950
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (06) 19990528.0893
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (05) 19990526.0884
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (04) 19990524.0870
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (03) 19990521.0835
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (03) 19990519.0827
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control (02) 19990514.0787
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana): control 19990512.0775
1997
----
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana) (03) 19970205.0263
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana) (02) 19970203.0237
Brucellosis, bison - USA (Montana) 19970201.0224]
..........................................sb/tg/msp/mpp

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using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
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or archived material.
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UN Troops Cause of Cholera in Haiti?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101104/hl_yblog_upshot/did-u-n-troops-cause-cholera-outbreak-in-haiti

WHO Warns Haitia re: Cholera Outbreak - Get Ready for Worst Case Senario

CHOLERA - HAITI (10): INCREASED CASES
**********************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases



Date: Wed 3 Nov 2010
Source: Agence France-Presse [edited]



The death toll from Haiti's cholera epidemic spiked to 442 on
Wednesday, 3 Nov 2010, with 105 more deaths since Saturday and more
than a 40 percent jump in new cases, officials said [from the last
statistics reported on 29 Oct 2010 - Mod.LL].

Haitian health authorities reported that an additional 1978 people
were hospitalized, raising the total number of cases to 6742. The
developments, announced at a news conference here by Health Ministry
official Jocelyne Pierre-Louis, reflected a surge both in new cases,
which were up 41 percent, and deaths, which climbed 31 percent.

Meanwhile, hospitals have been overwhelmed by cholera cases despite
intensive efforts to respond to a disease that aid groups fear could
spread like wildfire if it reaches densely populated Port-au-Prince.
Hundreds of thousands of people left homeless by a devastating
earthquake in January 2010 live in unsanitary camps in and around the city.

The WHO warned last week that the outbreak is far from over and Haiti
should prepare for the "worst-case scenario", cholera in the capital.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[The tropical storm Tomas appears to be weakening rather than
strengthening; even so, an anticipated rain fall of 4-6 inches will
likely heighten the outbreak substantially. - Mod.LL]

[see also:
Cholera - Haiti (09): PAHO 20101102.3968
Cholera - Haiti (08): south Asia origin 20101101.3962
Cholera - Haiti (07): strain analysis 20101030.3938
Cholera - Haiti (06): WHO 20101029.3927
Cholera - Haiti (05): (AR) 20101027.3899
Cholera - Haiti (04): (AR) 20101026.3876
Cholera - Haiti (03): (AR) Port-au-Prince, O1 20101024.3856
Cholera - Haiti (02): (AR) confirmed 20101022.3821
Cholera - Haiti: suspected, RFI 20101021.3818
Disease situation, post-earthquake - Haiti (02) 20100307.0750
Disease situation, post-earthquake - Haiti 20100207.0411]
.....................................................ll/msp/mpp

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using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
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Anthrax Tainted Heroin to Blame for Junkie Deaths?

What a GREAT way to rid the world of junkies! WHO would have thought up such an idea? WHo I say, WHO is to blame

ANTHRAX, HUMAN - UK (24): (ENGLAND)
***********************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 3 Nov 2010
Source: UK Health Protection Agency [edited]



The Health Protection Agency (HPA) can confirm that the patient being
treated for anthrax infection in a Kent hospital died this afternoon
[3 Nov 2010].

Dr Mathi Chandrakumar, Director of Kent Health Protection Unit, said:
"This is a sad outcome, but I would like to repeat that there is no
risk to the general population, including close family members of the
patient. It is extremely unlikely that this form of anthrax can
spread from person to person."

He added that this was a serious infection which now numbered among
risks to drug users. "We continue to see occasional cases among
injecting drug users, following a cluster of cases earlier this year
[2010]. Exposure to anthrax is now one of a number of risks that drug
users are exposed to. All heroin users should seek urgent medical
advice if they experience signs of infection such as redness or
excessive swelling at or near an injection site, or other symptoms of
general illness such as high temperature, chills or a severe headache
or breathing difficulties, as early antibiotic treatment can be lifesaving."

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail

[Until now, there had been 4 cases this year [2010] in England: 2 in
London (February and March 2010; one died), and 2 cases in the
Northwest (August 2010, Leicestershire) and in the East Midlands
(February 2010, Blackpool); both died.

Though this report states it is an "Update," it is in a very
different part of the UK and near the Channel ports. Logically, it
would appear to be a newly imported batch of heroin. Though Dr.
Chandrakumar does not directly state that the deceased was a heroin
user, it is implied. It will be interesting to see whether it is the
same or a different strain from those seen earlier this year [2010].
There have been 47 heroin associated cases in Scotland with 13
deaths. - Mod.MHJ]

[see also:
Anthrax, human - UK (23): (England, Scotland), report 20100925.3468
Anthrax, human - UK (22): (England) 20100901.3125
Anthrax, human - UK (06): (Scotland, England) 20100329.0991
Anthrax - UK (18): (England) 20100302.0686
Anthrax - UK (14): (England, Scotland) 20100210.0465]
....................................................mhj/msp/mpp

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using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
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EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC FEVER - UGANDA: (BUNDIBUGYO), CASE-FATALITY RATIO

Ebola as a WMD; http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/intro/bio_ebola.htm

*******************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Thu 28 Oct 2010
Source: CIDRAP News [edited]



Ebola studies detail fatality rate
----------------------------------
A detailed report on a 2007 outbreak in Uganda's Bundibugyo district
involving a novel Ebola strain confirmed that the case-fatality rate
(CFR) was lower than seen with the 2 other strains that cause human
illness, researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and Uganda reported yesterday [27 Oct 2010] in
Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) [Case Fatality Proportion of
Deaths for Infection with Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, Uganda A. MacNeil et al.
].

They noted that CFRs in outbreaks of Zaire and Sudan Ebola strains
usually range from 50 percent to 90 percent, but the 2007 outbreak
involving what is now known as the Bundibugyo strain had a 40 percent
CFR (17 of 43 cases). Like the other 2 strains that are human
threats, the Bundibugyo strain was more lethal in people who were
older. Despite the lower CFR, researchers warned that the new strain
is a serious public health concern and showed sustained
person-to-person transmission.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[Previous accounts of the outbreak of Ebolavirus hemorrhagic fever at
Bundibugyo in Uganda left the actual number of cases and fatalities
unresolved (see ProMED-mail archived reports below). This new report
establishes that the case-fatality ratio in the outbreak associated
with the Bundibugyo species of Ebolavirus was lower than that
observed previously in outbreaks caused by the Zaire and Sudan
species of Ebolavirus. But the number of confirmed cases in the
outbreak was less than in some previous estimates of the case number. - Mod.CP]

[see also:
2008
----
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda (06): (Bundibugyo), new species 20081121.3675
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda (05): (Bundibugyo), susp. 20080304.0883
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda (04): (Bundibugyo), WHO 20080221.0704
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda (03): Arua, susp 20080122.0275
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda (02): (Bundibugyo) 20080107.0092
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Uganda: (Bundibugyo) 20080104.0050]
...................cp/ejp/dk

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using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
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or archived material.
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Genetic Engineering & Biological Weapons

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1326447/

Health Institutes Worry Over Time Released Mutant Virus

Page down to bottom to see summary in red text

INFLUENZA (11): SITE 222 MUTATIONS AND OUTCOMES
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Thu 28 Oct 2010
Source: Eurosurveillance, Volume 15, Issue 43 [abbreviated & edited]



Molecular surveillance of pandemic influenza A(H1N1) viruses
circulating in Italy from May 2009 to February 2010: association
between haemagglutinin mutations and clinical outcome
--------------------------------
By: S Puzelli1, M Facchini1, M A De Marco1, A Palmieri1, D Spagnolo1,
S Boros1, F Corcioli2, D Trotta3, P Bagnarelli3, A Azzi2, A Cassone1,
G Rezza1, M G Pompa4, F Oleari4, I Donatelli1, the Influnet
Surveillance Group for Pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 Influenza Virus in Italy5

At:
(1) Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-mediated Diseases,
National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanita - ISS), Rome, Italy
(2) Department of Public Health, University of Florence, Italy
(3) Unit of Virology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Universita
Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
(4) Ministry of Health, Rome, Italy

Summary:

Haemagglutinin sequences of pandemic influenza A(H1N1) viruses
circulating in Italy were examined, focusing on amino acid changes at
position 222 because of its suggested pathogenic relevance. Among 169
patients, the D222G substitution was detected in 3 of 52 (5.8
percent) severe cases and in one of 117 (0.9 percent) mild cases,
whereas the D222E mutation was more frequent and evenly distributed
in mild (31.6 percent) and severe cases (38.4 percent). A cluster of
D222E viruses among school children confirms reported human-to-human
transmission of viruses mutated at amino acid position 222.

[Readers should access the original text to view the data, figures
and literature references. What follows are extracts from the
authors' discussion of their conclusions. - Mod.CP]

Discussion and conclusions:

We have previously described the only documented transmission event
of a D222G mutant pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus; to the best of
our knowledge, this mutation appears to be hardly ever transmitted.
Less is known about the human-to-human transmissibility of D222E
virus mutants. In the present study, we found that this mutation is
much more frequent than the D222G mutation and equally distributed
between severe and mild cases. In particular, we describe a cluster
of close contacts carrying the D222E substitution in a group of high
school students with mild disease returning from England, suggesting
inter-human transmission of D222E pandemic influenza A(H1N1) mutant
viruses. However, the clinical significance of the D222E substitution
remains uncertain.

It is of note that the D222G mutation was detected more commonly
among viruses isolated from severe cases, which were about 7 times
more likely to have this genetic change than those isolated from mild
cases; however, the difference did not reach statistical
significance, probably due to limited study power.

The D222G variants were detected among adults (18-64 age group).
Whether this was due to the fact that this age group had the highest
number of cases (including severe ones) or to unidentified biological
factors remains undefined. In particular, due to the relatively
limited number of cases with the D222G variant, definitive
conclusions about possible age differences cannot be drawn.

Studies conducted in other countries, e.g. Norway and Scotland, also
found D222G to be more common among severe than mild cases. Although
these results indicate that the 222G variant may be more virulent,
this association must be interpreted with caution as the same
mutation was detected in mild cases, and mixed D222D and D222G virus
populations were found in original samples and isolates from patients
with severe disease.

In vitro studies show conflicting results. Studies conducted in the
United States found the 222G mutation only in isolated viruses but
not in the original clinical samples. On the other hand, preliminary
results from in vitro studies suggest that D222G substitution might
enhance binding of HA to alpha2-3 sialic acid (avian-like) cell
receptors, thus increasing virus ability to infect human lung cells.
Moreover, studies from Liu et al. [9] and Chutinimitkul et al. [See
ProMED-mail report: Influenza (10): D222G & severity 20101026.3881.]
suggest an increased receptor affinity of the 222G variant for
ciliated bronchial epithelial cells, which may explain enhanced
disease in humans. Increased binding to macrophages and pneumocytes
of the respiratory tract may indeed have an impact on disease
severity, since those cells are major producers of inflammatory
cytokines upon viral antigen stimulation.

Finally, our data suggest that the D222G substitution is overall
rather infrequent, even among severe cases. However, we confirm that
it occurs with a higher frequency in severe cases. Whether this
association is indicative of higher virulence or is the consequence
of receptor-specific adaptive mutation needs to be further investigated.

--
Communicated by;
ProMED-mail

[These data further document the mutability of the 222 site in the
influenza virus haemagglutinin and demonstrate an association of the
D222G substitution with a severe disease outcome in a subset of
Italian patients, in addition to those previously reported in
patients in Norway, Scotland and elsewhere. However, evidence for
transmissibility of the D222G mutation is lacking. In contrast, a
cluster of isolates from school children with D222E substitutions
confirms human-to-human transmission of viruses mutated at amino acid
position 222. Whether this association of the D222G substitution with
severe disease outcomes is indicative of higher virulence or is the
consequence of receptor-specific adaptive mutation is an open question.


It should be remembered, in addition, that a study carried out at the
WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in
Atlanta found the D222G substitution in 14 virus isolates, but not in
viruses in the original clinical specimens, indicating the D222G
substitution in these 14 virus isolates occurred after growth in the
laboratory

[see also:
Influenza (10): D222G & severity 20101026.3881
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (31): UK (Scotland) D222G mut'n 20100422.1310
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (28): Hong Kong SAR, Norway, D222G mutation
20100409.1147
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) (21): Norway, D222G mutation 20100305.0729]
..........................................................cp/msp/dk

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************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
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information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
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************************************************************
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Cholera Outbreak Threatens Hatians Existance / Notes From Penn

Cholera as a Biological Weapon; http://www.topix.com/forum/afam/T7C5CSLRAH2MQ4AU7/p15#lastPost

Dear Friend,

Haiti is now facing its worst health crisis since the earthquake -- the cholera epidemic that has already claimed over 250 lives, with another 3,000 cases confirmed by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

This fast spreading cholera outbreak—the first to hit Haiti in 50 years – has reached Port-Au-Prince, and J/P has already stepped to the forefront of the action. We are currently fighting a two front battle of treatment and prevention. We've deployed teams and medical supplies to the worst hit areas in the North, while also taking extensive precautions in Petionville camp, which we manage.
Petionville is still initially cholera free. J/P HRO's proactive measures include building an isolation ward separate from our hospital with a capacity for 100 patients and stocking it with the fluids and medical supplies needed for treatment. We’ve also installed additional handwashing stations in camp, and mounted massive education campaigns about hygiene & sanitation not only in the camp but also the surrounding communities.





This outbreak has the potential to wreck this already devastated country, but if we act quickly, we can make a tremendous difference. That's why I'm writing to you to request your immediate help.

Here's what you can do:

Make a contribution to J/P HRO. No matter how much you can afford to give, every dollar of your contribution goes directly to helping the people of Haiti.
Start fundraising for J/P HRO. Help bring your friends and family into the fight against the cholera outbreak in Haiti by setting up your personal fundraising page and asking them to contribute.



In addition, if you work in the medical community, you can help by:
Donating Supplies: Click here for a list of medical supplies we urgently need to fight the cholera outbreak.

Becoming a Medical Volunteer: All sorts of licensed medical personnel are needed in Haiti, including pharmacists. Unfortunately we cannot take EMT's, medical students or under 3rd year resident MD's. This work is first and foremost about saving lives, not a learning experience, so we are looking for people who can manage these roles well in a high stress emergency environment.

Please also be sure to forward this email on to friends, family members or colleagues who may be able to help financially or by volunteering.
We are dependent upon our incredible supporters to achieve what we do. Now, we face our greatest crisis since the earthquake. Please, do what you can today to help us fight this dangerous outbreak of cholera in Haiti.

Thank you for everything you do.
Sean Penn
CEO, J/P HRO

ANTHRAX, HUMAN, BOVINE - BANGLADESH (23)

****************************************

A ProMED-mail post



ProMED-mail is a program of the

International Society for Infectious Diseases





In this update:

[1] Human: IEDCR update

[2] News report



******

[1] Human: IEDCR update

Date: Thu 14 Oct 2010

Source: Bangladesh Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and

Research (IEDCR) [edited]







Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Institute of

Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212



Number of cutaneous anthrax cases from 18 Aug to 25 Oct 2010

------------------------------------------------------------

District / Total / Change since last posting 14 Oct 2010 / In last 24

hours (25 Oct 2010) / Upazilla [subdistrict] (cases)

1. Pabna / 69 / 0 / 0 / Bera (11), Santhia (35), Faridpur (23)

2. Sirajganj / 219 / 0 / 0 / Shadjadpur (56), Belkuchi (54),

Kamarkhanda (99), Ullapara (10)

3. Kushtia / 49 / 0 / 0 / Daulotpur (46), Bheramara (3)

4. Tangail / 26 / 0 / 0 / Ghatail (14), Gopalpur (12)

5. Meherpur / 82 / 0 / 0 / Ganghi (81), Mujibnagar (1)

6. Manikganj / 8 / 0 / 0 / Shaturia (8)

7. Shatkhira / 1 / 0 / 0 / Sadar (1)

8. Lalmonirhat / 107 / 0 / 0 / Sadar (78), Aditmari (29)

9. Rajshahi / 8 / 0 / 0 / Chaghat (7), Tanore (1**)

10. Narayangonj / 12 / 0 / 0 / Araihajar (12)

11. Laxmipur / 25 / 0 / 0 / Kamalnagar (25)

12. Chittagong / 1 / 0 / 0 / City (1)

Total: 607 (0*)



*No new cases reported since 8 Oct 2010

** Imported from Sirajganj



--

Communicated by:

ProMED-mail





[It would appear that this epidemic may be over. - Mod.MHJ]



******

[2] News report

Date: Sun 24 Oct 2010

Source: The New Nation [edited]







Anthrax red alert goes

----------------------

The government the other day lifted the 'red alert' on anthrax it had

issued a month back in the backdrop of an outbreak infecting cattle

and human beings. The prompt government action is aimed at 'removing

unnecessary fear of anthrax disease' from the people as explained by

the fisheries and livestock minister through the press as meat-sale

came almost to a halt throughout the country causing a serious threat

to all the related industries. In fact, the red alert resulted in a

drastic fall in the consumption of beef, mutton, milk, and virtually

halting cattle trade and drying up supply of hides and skin to the

leather industry, as reported.



A total of 104 cows were infected by anthrax in 3 months from 1 Jul

to 30 Sep 2010 compared to much higher figures of anthrax infection

of 449 last year [2009] and 437 in 2008 as per official records. The

livestock minister held the media responsible for 'over publicity'

given to anthrax which is like many other animal diseases. The

situation came under control following the prompt official response

since the 1st case of infection was detected on 18 Aug 2010 at

Sirajganj. The concerned departments have however been asked to

remain alert and keep watch on the situation.



The red alert was issued on 5 Sep 2010 as anthrax cases were reported

from several districts. Following this, meat sales came to a stop in

the city and elsewhere in the country. The livestock directorate,

civil surgeons were on alert. As no fresh case of anthrax was

reported since 18 Sep 2010, the government lifted the red alert on 7

Oct 2010. The government accordingly instructed to complete cattle

vaccination in the affected districts a month ahead of the holy

Eid-ul-Azha to be celebrated in the 3rd week of November [2010].



--

Communicated by:

ProMED-mail





[In an earlier posting 20101008.3655 the government stated that it

intended to lift the red alert on 7 Oct 2010. It has been done. - Mod.MHJ]



[see also:

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (22) 20101015.3741

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (21): 3 new cases 20101008.3655

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (20): 6 new cases 20101001.3570

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (19): 14 new cases 20100924.3461

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (18): 65 new cases 20100920.3395

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (17) 20100917.3373

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (16) 20100915.3346

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (15) 20100914.3323

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (14) 20100910.3279

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (13) 20100908.3236

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (12): Id alert 20100907.3224

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (11): widespread 20100905.3191

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (10): (KU, TA) 20100902.3140

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (09): (SR, PB) 20100831.3109

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (08): (SR, PB) 20100828.3066

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (07): (SR) 20100827.3044

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (06): (SR) 20100826.3009

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (05): (SR) conf. 20100825.2996

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (04): (SR) susp. 20100824.2970

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (03): (PB) susp. 20100823.2944

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh (02): (SR) 20100820.2914

Anthrax, human, bovine - Bangladesh: (TA) susp, RFI 20100421.1291]

...................................sb/lm/mhj/mj/dk



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First Cholera, Now, New ANTHRAX Outbreak in Haiti

Last week we reported on a Cholera Outbreak in Haiti; http://meatsubs.blogspot.com/2010/10/thousands-die-needlessly-in-haiti-from.html

and now, today,  this;

ANTHRAX - HAITI: (OUEST) FATAL

(Apparently, Haiti has had a problem with Anthrax since the 1990's)


******************************

A ProMED-mail post



ProMED-mail is a program of the

International Society for Infectious Diseases





Date: Sat 23 Oct 2010

Source: Marie-Carmel Charles reported to HealthMap Alerts [edited]







Anthrax - Haiti report

----------------------

First human death of anthrax ("charbon" in French) is confirmed in Leogane.



Communicated by:

Dr Marie-Carmel Charles

to HealthMap Alerts





[This reflects more the invasion of health personnel lately than a

change in the anthrax status of Haiti. Anthrax is hyperendemic in

this western part of Hispaniola -- Santo Domingo manages to be

essentially free. Reports during the past decade have been sparse.

They merely informed OIE that the disease was present in livestock

and humans. However during the 1900's there were significant numbers

of human cases reported most years: 1993 (more than 180), 1994 (622),

1995 (768), 1998 (183 human cases and 220 cattle cases), 1999 (176)

-- and remember the population of Haiti is not large so these

numerator numbers are significant. - Mod.MHJ]



[Leogane, in the Ouest Department of Haiti, can be located on the

HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Haiti at

. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

...................................sb/lm/mhj/mj/dk



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ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that

are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the

information, and of any statements or opinions based

thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in

using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID

and its associated service providers shall not be held

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Nigeria's Cholera Epidemic

http://www.dowell-netherlands.com/2010/10/nigerias-cholera-epidemic-kills-more.html

New Virus Jumps from Monkey to Human, Med Pros Say No Big Deal

http://www.dowell-netherlands.com/2010/10/new-virus-jumps-from-monkey-to.html

Thousands Sicken, Hundreds Die (needlessly) in Haiti from (Suspect) Cholera

Cholera as a WMD; http://www.millennium-ark.net/News_Files/NBC/Bio.Bugs.Cholera.html

CHOLERA - HAITI: SUSPECTED, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION


***************************************************

A ProMED-mail post



ProMED-mail is a program of the

International Society for Infectious Diseases





*****

[1]

Date: 21 Oct

Source: AFP [edited]





Cholera outbreak behind Haiti deaths: health official

----------------------------

An outbreak of cholera was to blame for dozens of

deaths in Haiti in recent days, a health official

said Thursday.



"The first results from the lab tests show that

there is cholera, but we don't know which type,"

an official from the public health ministry told

AFP, asking to remain anonymous.



"The government and the health authorities are

meeting at the moment and an announcement will be

made," he added.



Health officials said earlier that at least 50

people had died from acute diarrhea and hundreds

were being treated in local hospitals as

laboratory tests were carried out to determine

the cause of the illness.



The outbreak of illness was outside the capital,

which was ravaged by a devastating 7.0 earthquake

in January, leaving more than 250,000 people dead

and another 1.2 million homeless.



Cholera is transmitted by water but also by food

that has been in contact with unclean water

contaminated with by cholera bacteria.



It causes serious diarrhea and vomiting, leading

to dehydration. With a short incubation period,

it can be fatal if not treated in time.



The World Health Organization says on its website

that "cholera is an extremely virulent disease.

It affects both children and adults and can kill

within hours."



Aid agencies have voiced fears for months that

any outbreak of disease could spread rapidly in

Haiti due to the unsanitary conditions in the

makeshift camps housing the homeless, with little

access to clean water.



The impoverished Caribbean nation has also been

hit in recent days by severe flooding, adding to

the misery of those struggling to survive in the

scores of tent cities now dotting the country.

--

Communicated by:

ProMED-mail





*****

[2]

Date: 21 Oct 2010

Source: Miami Herald [edited]







Cholera blamed in deaths of more than 100 in Haiti

--------------------------

Haitian health officials are blaming the deaths

of more than 100 people suffering from acute

diarrhea and dehydration on an outbreak of

cholera.



"For sure it is that," said a Ministry of Health

official, who asked not to be identified because

the government had yet to make an official

announcement.



At least 1,000 people had been hospitalized in

the lower Artibonite region in recent days, with

the main hospital in St. Marc filled to capacity.



The conclusion of cholera was supported by

diplomats at one foreign embassy. A report

obtained by The Miami Herald stated that foreign

health experts working with the Haitian

government to identify the problem were "99

percent sure it is cholera" that caused severe

diarrhea and vomiting in St. Marc, Mirebalais,

Drouin and Marchand Dessalines. On Thursday,

Haitian health specialists along with the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta

continued to investigate the source of the

outbreak while the government trucked in

thousands of gallons of water.



South Florida-based Food for the Poor also

announced that it was shipping in antibiotic,

oral dehydration salts, water filtration units

and other critically needed supplies to several

cities and rural villages near the outbreak. So

far, it had not reached Gonaives, the largest

city in the Artibonite region.



The U.S. Embassy warned U.S. citizens that they

should only drink bottled water, avoid

undercooked or raw seafood and ``seek medical

assistance if you develop acute, water

diarrhea,'' it said.



Cholera is a contagious bacterial disease that

affects the intestinal system. Symptoms include

severe vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration. It can

cause death within four to 12 hours after

symptoms begin if untreated. Spread through

consumption of infected food and water, or feces,

the disease is treated with fluids and

antibiotics.



The disease outbreak is the country's first since

January's 7.0 earthquake claimed more than

300,000 lives.



A spokeswoman with the United Nations Office for

the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the

source of what's causing the problems is still

being investigated.



"We have not received any confirmation on what is

causing an increase of diarrhea in the lower

Artibonite region," Jessica Duplessi, a

spokeswoman with OCHA said. "There has been an

increase in cases of severe vomiting and

diarrhea, which in particular is quite an

epidemic in Haiti. We still don't know if it's

coming from one central source or not. That is

what the doctors and experts are trying to

analyze."



The Pan American Health Organization also warned

against concluding too soon that cholera was the

source of the outbreak.



"We just need confirmation of further

investigation before we change the labeling and

we have a precise diagnosis of the underlying

cause," said Dr. Michel Thieren, senior program

management officer with the PAHO Haiti Office.

"No one can say for sure. We are assisting with

all sorts of rumors."



He said PAHO officials and the ministry of health

officials sent an evaluation mission to the area,

and are awaiting the results of tests.



He said the joint PAHO/Ministry of Health

evaluation mission received reports of 1,526

cases and 138 deaths of unconfirmed severe

diarrhea. The numbers he said must be

investigated and remain "very questionable."



The reports spurred interest among some of

Haiti's candidates in the Nov. 28 presidential

and legislative elections. Both presidential

hopefuls Jude Célestin and Charles Henri Baker

spent the day visiting rural communities impacted

by the outbreak and said they went as concerned

citizens.



"Every courtyard has at least three to four

deaths," Célestin said in a statement, noting

that he first heard the news Wednesday and

traveled to the communities early Thursday

morning. "People told us they had their kids

dying and they did not know what it was. They

said the deaths came after the rain. In Drouin,

the chief doctor told us they had more than 50

deaths."



Baker said he was on a campaign tour in the

region when he heard the news. He described a

scene of people being laid out onto sidewalks,

and children dying in the back of one of his

campaign pickup trucks before it even reached the

hospital.



"It's bad, Baker told The Herald by telephone,

describing the emaciated look of people in the

rural towns of Bac d'Aquin and Danash. ``They

were just putting people on the side of the road.

They look like skeletons.''



Baker said he was told that between 60 and 70

people had died from dehydration and diarrhea. In

one town, he saw only one ambulance, and left one

of the campaign trucks to transport sick

residents.



"I don't even feel like campaigning anymore. It's

unbelievable when they tell you the number of

people who are sick," he said, describing the

problem as "pretty widespread at the moment."



"I don't see anybody really taking charge . . .

The government needs to be here, take some

samples, run some tests and see if it is the

water. We need confirmation, not hearsay. The

urgency is to save the lives of those who are

already sick."



On Wednesday, the National Palace ordered at

least 4,000 gallons of water, and the Center

National des Equipments (CNE), which Célestin

formerly headed, ordered up 6,000 gallons of

water. The deliveries continued Thursday with

thousands more gallons of water delivered in.



[Byline: Jacqueline Charles]

--

Communicated by:

ProMED-mail







*****

[3]

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:06:56 -0500

From: James Wilson





We have indications of an infectious disease

event in Haiti (Artibonite Valley) rated now at a

possible IDIS Category 4 infectious disease event

transitioning to a Category 5, defined as:



IDIS Category 4. Infectious disease event

associated with social disruption. Category

4 events highlight when organized response

has occurred, yet significant social disruption

has been documented.



IDIS Category 5. Infectious disease event associated with disaster indicators.



Key observations as of the date/time of this message:



-Non-routine occurrence of diarrheal disease,

described by Dr. Claude Surena, President of the

Haitian Medical Association, as "according to the

results of the analysis carried out in the

laboratory it is cholera" to AFP



-We note, however, that true laboratory-confirmed

cholera has not been reported since the early

1990s [probably earlier - Mod.LM] and thus are

skeptical of etiology being true cholera

1500 cases reported with 135 fatalities, rapid

disease onset noted along with high pediatric

case counts reported

-Photographs and direct observations from St

Nicholas Hospital in St Marc and comments from

Dr. Surena indicate the hospital is overwhelmed

and now in the process of divesting patients to

other clinics for treatment- indicative /

suggestive of local medical capacity collapse;

photographs show multiple patients on IV therapy

-ORS is being used and is being mobilized.

PROMESS aware, however logistics status unknown.

-Local infrastructure to respond in Artibonite is

severely limited, with evidence of poor

information sharing and alerting capacity.

Public health resources are much more limited

than in Port-au-Prince

-Significant community anxiety noted; indigenous

Haitians claiming the presence of "cholera" and

surging advice via Twitter for proper food and

water handling / sanitation precautions

-International NGOs are mobilizing, and the UN

Clusters are mobilizing around the issue such as

WASH and Health.

-Statements to-date/time from WHO/PAHO and MSPP

emphasize no laboratory confirmation

-Tremendous and abrupt international

sensitization as evidenced by Twitter and HEAS

web portal hit counts



We wish to emphasize the purpose of Infectious

Disease Impact Scale (IDIS) is a heuristic

mechanism to contextualize emerging indicators

pertaining to possible infectious disease

events possibly evolving to crises and perhaps

disasters. Therefore, while we are confident the

event is a true diarrheal disease event, we are

unable to verify if it is truly due to cholera or

that it is truly a Category 4-5 event at this

time. What we are implying is immediate closer

scrutiny and verification is required. Haiti is

currently in the major rainy season, which is

expected to persist through November.



We eagerly await clarity from WHO/PAHO or MSPP.



--

James M. Wilson V, M.D.

Haiti Epidemic Advisory System (HEAS)

Executive Director

Praecipio International





[Cholera entered the Americas region in 1991 with

the initial outbreak starting in Peru (speculated

to be related to a Chinese freighter dumping it's

bilge close to the shore line as it travelled

northward in the country). Checking the table on

the PAHO website

(),

during the period 1991 and 2006 most countries in

continental Latin America were affected at one

point or another with cholera cases (Mexico,

Central America and South America), whereas no

cases were officially reported from the Caribbean

Islands, including Hispanola.



The most recent documented cholera transmission

was in Apr 2009 when there was an outbreak in

indigenous communities in Paraguay

(.



I would not be surprised if there was a cholera

outbreak in Haiti. A 9 percent CFR would not be

surprising for the beginning of such an outbreak

before the supply network is geared up for

distribution of water and ORS, and IV solutions

where needed. (Nigeria reports a 10-14% CFR for

example, although in Peru in 1991 there was a

less than 1% CFR as the country's logistic system

was phenomenal). - Mod.MPP]



[The occurrence of acute watery diarrhea with

many fatalities among adults is indeed suggestive

of cholera. However cholera has not been seen in

Haiti or elsewhere in the Caribbean for many

years and it is difficult to understand how it

could be introduced (food? relief workers?) at

this time. However, laboratory detection of

_Vibrio cholerae_ is not difficult and numerous

media reports (though no official reports) are

now indicating that this has occurred.



Certainly conditions are ripe for the spread of

cholera in Haiti if and when it is introduced,

compounding an already desperate situation.

ProMED awaits further information and

confirmation of the etiology or etiologies, along

with serotype and other details. - Mod.LM]



[See also:

Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2010 (24) 20100914.3324

Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2010 (23) 20100910.3277

Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2010 (22) 20100907.3222

Disease situation, post-earthquake - Haiti 20100207.0411

Disease situation, post-earthquake - Haiti (02) 20100307.0750]

.................lm/mpp/lm

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ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that

are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the

information, and of any statements or opinions based

thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in

using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID

and its associated service providers shall not be held

responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any

damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted

or archived material.

************************************************************

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