Zoonotic Diseases

Diseases discussed here have a history of use as an agent for biological warfare, either in the U.S. or abroad. Its use may have been experimental or actual, and any detrimental consequences upon humans, animals or the environment may have been intentional or not, depending on the circumstances, the point in time, and the nature of the disease.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Mouldy Potatos Killed the 200 Wisconsin Cows, Report Says

IPOMEANOL POISONING, FATAL, BOVINE - USA: (WISCONSIN) SWEET POTATO
******************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

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


Date: Sat 29 Jan 2011
Source: CrabbyGolightly [edited]



Fatalists can put away their rosary beads as Wisconsin officials say "bad
spuds" and not the impending Apocalypse killed 200 cows on a Wisconsin farm
last week [week of 14 Jan 2011]. "The cows were poisoned by a toxin found
in moldy sweet potatoes, which apparently were mixed in with potato waste
fed to the animals," said Peter Vanderloo, associate director of the
Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

The 200 Holstein steers keeled over on or before 14 Jan 2011 on a farm near
Portage County just weeks after thousands of birds and fish died in
Arkansas. But in Wisconsin, something less sinister was at work in the
deaths of 200 cattle. Tests on feed samples revealed the presence of
ipomeanol, a mycotoxin found in moldy sweet potatoes, says Dr Vanderloo.

"Based on history, clinical signs, changes in tissue, and test results from
our lab and a referral laboratory, it is likely that a mycotoxin from moldy
sweet potato was a major factor in the disease and deaths of these steers,"
Vanderloo said in the release.

[byline: Elizabeth C]

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[Moldy sweet potatoes have been known for a long time to produce a toxin
that harms the lungs and can cause death. The sweet potato (_Ipomoea
batatas_) is susceptible to the fungus _Fusarium solani_ (_F. javanicum_).
This fungus in the sweet potato produces a furanoterpene, which affects the
pulmonary epithelium causing the characteristic lesions of atypical
interstitial pneumonia when consumed by cattle. The toxin produced is from
the furanosesquiterpenoid phytoalexins. Feeding sweet potatoes is a common
practice. It is only when they get mold that there is a problem. - Mod.TG

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Wisconsin can be accessed at
. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

[see also:
Undiagnosed die-off, bovine - USA (WI), susp resp dis 20110115.0182]

.................sb/tg/mj/sh



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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Japan Culls Poultry in Face of Avian Flu Outbreak

Avian Flu as a biological weapon; http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9833


Article; http://www.worldpoultry.net/news/japan-thousands-of-chickens-culled-in-bird-flu-outbreaks-8421.html

The Deadly Fools of Plum Island

http://www.rense.com/general67/plum2.htm

RIFT VALLEY FEVER, OVINE - SOUTH AFRICA (02):

Rift Valley Fever as a biological weapon; http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/intro/bio_riftvalleyfever-att.htm

Read more; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Whitecoat

VACCINATION POLICY,
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
***************************
A ProMED-mail post

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


Date: Mon 24 Jan 2011
Source: Knysna Plett Herald via ShowMe [summarised, edited]



The Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Services has reported a case of
Rift Valley fever [RVF] in the Great Brak River area. This is the 1st
report of this disease for 2011 and the 1st occurrence of the disease
since the large outbreak that occurred last year [2010]. Last year, 26
people and in excess of 8 500 animals, died from this disease.

The South African Veterinary Services is very concerned about a return
of the disease during the rainy season of 2011. The widespread
rainfall experienced during January 2011 could even trigger a further
occurrence of this disease. Farmers are strongly advised to ensure
that their animals are vaccinated and to be on the lookout for signs
of the disease.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[The recommendation to vaccinate is contrary to the "no vaccination"
policy indicated in South Africa's recent immediate notification on
RVF to the OIE (archived 20110119.0224). One or other of the 2
policies deserves to be officially confirmed. - Mod.AS]

[see also:
Rift Valley fever, ovine - South Africa: (WC) OIE 20110119.0224
2010
----
Rift Valley fever, animal - South Africa (02): control strategy 20100606.1886
Rift Valley fever, animal - Namibia: OIE 20100514.1577
Rift Valley fever - South Africa (18): WHO 20100513.1557
Rift valley fever, animal - South Africa: OIE 20100512.1548
Rift Valley fever - South Africa (15): WHO 20100505.1459
Rift Valley fever - South Africa (09): multi-province 20100407.1119
Rift Valley fever - South Africa (07): WHO 20100331.1016
Rift Valley fever - South Africa (06): (WC) 20100330.1006
Rift Valley fever - South Africa (03): (FS, EC, NC, GT, MP) 20100321.0902
Rift Valley fever, sheep - South Africa: (FS) OIE 20100225.0622]
....................sb/arn/ejp/jw
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EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS - HONDURAS (LEMPIRA)

What is EEE? http://www.nyhealth.gov/diseases/communicable/eastern_equine_encephalitis/fact_sheet.htm

Equine Encephalitis as a WMD; http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/intro/bio_vee.htm

See also; "Operation Whitecoat" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Whitecoat

See also previous CIA operations in this area of Honduras; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Lempira


REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
****************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

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


Date: Sun 23 Jan 2011
Source: La Tribuna [in Spanish, trans. Mod.TY, edited]

An outbreak of equine encephalitis is keeping rural people in distress
in this part of the country [Guarita, in the department of Lempira]
because in one week it has killed 20 horses with an equal number of
equine animals ill. Officials of the Secretariat of Health and the
Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG) are on alert because
[equine encephalitis] can also infect humans.

The disease is characterized by presentation of intense inflammation
of the brain's grey matter, as well as neuronal degeneration and
hemorrhages. It only causes clinical disease in humans and horses [and
other equines], since in other living beings it [the infection] is
asymptomatic. [This statement is not accurate for West Nile virus
(WNV) infections, which can cause severe signs and fatalities in a
variety of bird species and in squirrels. - Mod.TY]. Nonetheless, when
a human has [equine encephalitis virus infection] it causes 70 to 90
percent fatality, so people should not have contact with infected
animals.

[These statements are not altogether accurate. For WNV or Venezuelan
equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) in humans, many infections are only
febrile with no central nervous system (CNS) involvement and very low
case fatality rates (less than one percent for VEEV). Eastern equine
encephalitis virus (EEEV) infections with CNS involvement may have
high case fatality rates in humans. Because they are mosquito-borne,
the risk of EEEV, VEE or WNV transmission by contact to humans from
infected equine animals is nil, but encephalitis due to rabies virus
infection can be directly transmitted. However, clinical signs of
rabies almost certainly would have been mentioned in this report, but
they were not, so rabies involvement in this epizootic is very
unlikely. - Mod.TY].

The illness is bacterial [sic] known as an alphavirus and is
transmitted by mosquitoes. [EEEV and VEEV are alphaviruses, WNV is a
flavivirus. - Mod.TY]

The chief of Epidemiological Health Surveillance, Thomas Guevara,
explained that they have had communication that established that in
just 7 days at least 20 horses have died. Because of that, they have a
team ready that will go to the [affected] area to analyze the cases
that have occurred. The outbreak is in the Guarita community and
vicinity, areas located along the Sumpul River at the border with El
Salvador.

The official stated that to prevent infection, people should stay away
[from areas where affected animals were found? Or from the animals
themselves?] and vaccinate horses. Just contact with the skin of an
[infected] animal or its fluids can cause a person to become infected.
[Untrue. If it is EEEV, VEEV or WNV, they are mosquito transmitted. -
Mod.TY]

If [the infection] is not treated in time, the individual runs the
risk of death, because the infection destroys the grey matter of the
brain and causes neurological damage. [There is no curative treatment
for EEEV, VEEV or WNV CNS infections, only palliative treatment. -
Mod.TY] In previous years, deaths of rural people due to the disease
have been registered, stated the expert.

Guevara told La Tribuna that encephalitis is very common during this
season of the year, so people who work with equines must be aware of
the preventive measures that must be taken. Also, she mentioned that
an epidemiological barrier must be created between Honduras and El
Salvador, since the movement of the disease crossing the border of the
neighboring country and infecting Honduran equines can not be discarded.

The preventive measure is application of vaccines -- trivalent and
inactivated with formalin -- to establish adequate protection against
this virus. [The vaccine] must be applied in 2 doses within a period
of 3-4 weeks. Moreover, the animals must be vaccinated annually. The
[vaccine] must be administered one month before the summer period,
when all types of mosquitoes proliferate.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-ESP


[The Honduras health authorities have not specified the etiology of
the current outbreak. Nonetheless, Venezuelan equine encephalitis
[virus] has circulated in the area, with the occurrence of cyclic
epizootics and human cases. More recently, the possible existence of
epizootics of West Nile virus in equine animals in El Salvador has
been reported based on serological test results. - Mod.JRT]

[Moderator JRT is correct in pointing out that the etiological agent
involved in this outbreak was not specified. Without knowing which of
the potential etiological agents is involved, the only approach for
prevention is to vaccinate the animals against all of the potential
viruses, as the Honduras health authorities propose. Because the
occurrence of outbreaks is sporadic, it is often difficult to convince
horse owners to undergo the trouble and expense of annual vaccinations.

In fairness the the Honduran animal and human health authorities, it
is very difficult to isolate virus from dead animals. One often
arrives too late and finds them not in good condition in the hot
tropical sun. An approach more likely to be successful is to attempt
virus isolation from live, febrile equine pasture mates. Testing of
acute and convalescent sera from surviving animals can also be
helpful, although it is more likely to be complicated in the case of
flavivirus infections, where there may be confusing serological
cross-reactions.

ProMED would be very interested in receiving results of any laboratory
tests that might establish a specific diagnosis for this and any other
current epizootics.

Unfortunately, the La Tribuna article contains a considerable amount
of misinformation, as indicated in the moderator comments in the text
above.

A map showing the location of the Guarita area in southwestern
Honduras can be accessed at
.
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of
Honduras in Central America can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

[See also:
2003
----
West Nile virus, equines - El Salvador 20030504.1116
Venezuelan equine enceph. - Nicaragua, Honduras (02): RFI 20030301.0506
Venezuelan equine enceph. - Nicaragua, Honduras:alert 20030226.0483
2002
----
Venezuelan equine encephalitis - Honduras 20020320.3775
1999
----
Equine encephalitis - Colombia, Honduras, Brazil 19990302.0294
1998
----
Venezuelan equine encephalitis - Honduras (02) 19980815.1619
Venezuelan equine encephalitis - Honduras 19980811.1573]
..............................jw/ty/ejp/jw
*##########################################################*
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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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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

FMD Update / S. KOREA / NOW They Want Our Beef

You will recall the devastation the disease Foot and Mouth Disease wrought upon the beef industry in S. Korea? Most if not all of their meat animals were culled in an effort to stem it.

You will also recall a few years ago when S. Korea citizens came out in the thousands protesting in the streets against the importing of US beef; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns3RJrooaGQ

Apparently NOW they cant get enough, but wasnt that the plan all along? What better way to get them to buy our meat other than to destroy their own?




U.S. beef imports jump amid foot-and-mouth disease

SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- Imports of U.S. beef to South Korea rose sharply last year from one year ago, industry data showed Sunday, as the Asian country continues a three-month-long battle to contain foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

According to the U.S. Meat Export Federation, South Korea imported 84,822 tons of U.S. beef in 2010, up 42.6 percent from one year ago.

The figure outnumbered the overall increase in beef imports to the country, indicating the revived popularity of the American beef, which lost ground in 2008 amid public opposition against U.S. beef imports on mad cow disease fears. The overall beef imports to South Korea rose 16.2 percent last year from 2009, according to the group.

U.S. beef accounted for 32.5 percent of South Korea's imported beef market last year, up 6 percentage points from 2009, it said. American beef also narrowed its gap with Australian beef, which claimed 53 percent of the market in the same year.

In the pork market, the U.S. product was the most popular here. South Korea purchased 75,362 tons of U.S. pork in 2010, accounting for 26.1 percent of the nation's imported pork consumption. Canadian pork was the runner-up with an 18.9 percent share.

Market watchers attributed the rising popularity of U.S. meat in South Korea to the spread of animal diseases that forced the nation to cull over 3 million livestock in the last three months, due to the most severe FMD outbreak in the country's history.

In December, imports of U.S. beef to South Korea spiked to nearly 2,500 tons a week, according to the federation.

The South Korean government estimates that FMD has incurred more than 2 trillion won (US$1.8 billion) of damage since the first outbreak of the disease was reported in November.

After conventional quarantine methods of culling animals failed, the local farm ministry has been vaccinating livestock since Dec. 25. There are some 3 million heads of cattle and 10 million pigs in the country.

"As local meat supplies decline due to the FMD and public concerns rise about the disease, South Korea is expected to increase their dependence on imported meat," an industry official said.




A South Korean consumer looks at U.S. beef in a local market. (Yonhap file photo)


ylee@yna.co.kr




FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE - SOUTH KOREA (06): VACCINATION
****************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

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


[1]
Date: Mon 24 Jan 2011
Source: Arriang News, Korean Global Television [edited]



2 million pigs and 130 000 cows were put down in recent weeks
following the massive outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease [FMD] in Korea.

In an effort to prevent the further spread of the disease, President
Lee Myung-bak announced plans to pursue domestic production of
anti-FMD vaccines. During his bi-weekly radio address on Monday [24
Jan 2011], President Lee said Korea will seek ways to develop vaccines
to prevent recurrences of the contagious disease and join Britain and
the Netherlands as the sole manufacturers of internationally-approved
vaccines.

[Interview: President Lee Myung-bak] "For now, the United Kingdom and
the Netherlands are the only countries manufacturing internationally
approved vaccines. But the government will actively review the
possibility of producing vaccines here in Korea."

Pointing out that over 8-million people have traveled back and forth
between Korea and FMD-prone countries in Asia, President Lee said that
vaccinations are the best policy to prevent future outbreaks of this
highly-contagious animal disease. However, the Korean leader added he
expected to see the situation under control before the Lunar New Year
holiday next week, thanks to emergency measures to vaccinate livestock.

[Interview : President Lee Myung-bak] "The 1st round of vaccinations
of all cattle and swine is expected to be completed by the end of this
month [January 2011]. We are hoping that the outbreak will be under
control before the Lunar New Year holiday."

Many FMD-hit regions across the nation are showing signs of easing as
the number of cattle and swine testing FMD positive has dropped
following Korea's securing of vaccines for 12 million head of
livestock last month [December 2010].

[Byline: Hwang Sung-hee]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail

******
[2]
Date: Mon 24 Jan 2011
Source: Korea Times [edited]



President Lee Myung-bak called for the development of vaccines for
foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) Monday [24 Jan 2011] as a means to fight
the highly contagious animal disease. But analysts said it will take a
long time before the country could actually develop a vaccine of its
own, while its commercial viability remains unclear.

Lee's remark came as the disease has spread to most parts of the
country with over 2 million animals having been culled despite
nationwide quarantine operations, causing unprecedented financial
damage worth more than 2 trillion won [USD 1.784 billion].

"Examining the whole situation, I realize we're no longer safe from
the disease," President Lee said in a nationally televised speech. "As
the world is connected like a net, dangerous elements like the FMD
virus can spread globally very quickly. Traditional quarantine efforts
have limits, and vaccination is the best solution, given the
circumstances."

However, the development plan will not be an instant solution to the
current epidemic as it takes more than a year to produce a reliable
and accredited vaccine. Following the remark, the Ministry for Food,
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said it will form a taskforce to
review necessary steps. The National Veterinary Research and
Quarantine Service (NVRQS), a unit of the ministry, will undertake the
task.

"We'll maintain the current quarantine efforts to tackle the epidemic,
and the development of a vaccine will be a precautionary measure for a
possible outbreak in the future," said an official from the NVRQS. "It
will be a long-term project that requires a lot of financial
investment and manpower."

The plan may also require the nation to give up its FMD-free status as
the development involves the handling of the deadly virus, the
official said [see comment].

In the past, South Korea, like many other countries, refrained from
using vaccines because of the high cost and concerns of the country
being unable to quickly regain FMD-free status, causing a negative
impact on both exports and imports.

Analysts are also skeptical as to whether the vaccines will be
commercially viable. They said it could be risky to deal with the
virus in the process of the development of the vaccine, and it will be
costly to build all the necessary facilities.

"President Lee seems to have made a hasty decision. It would have been
better if he had made it in March or April [2011] when the epidemic
would be under control," Park Bong-kyun, a professor at the College of
Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, said. "Farmers can see
it as an action from the government to give up necessary quarantine
efforts and the country's FMD-free status, which will cause them
financial damage in the future."

He basically agreed on the development of a vaccine given the deadly
contagious characteristics of the disease. But he stressed that the
government should take a more careful stance as there are things that
should be examined such as the management of the facility that will
grow viruses and test the vaccine's safety and effectiveness.

It was not until last December [2010] that the government decided to
vaccinate all cows and pigs as the conventional quarantine efforts of
the mass culling of animals turned out to be ineffective. The local
biochemical industry is showing interest in President Lee's remark,
expecting that the government will come up with necessary supporting
measures for them.

"The vaccine development involves complicated procedures. Even if
you're successful in developing a vaccine, the test of its
effectiveness and safety is another complicated step," said a
spokesman from the Choongang Vaccine Laboratory. "There are many
things to cope with for the commercialization of vaccines."

[Byline: Kim Tae-jong]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail

******
[3]
Date: Mon 24 Jan 2011
Source: Zenopa Animal Health Supplier News [edited]



Merial has highlighted the role played by its vaccine antigen banks in
Pirbright, Surrey in combating this winter's [2010-2011] international
(FMD) outbreak.

The facility was able to supply 1.2 million doses of FMD vaccines to
South Korea last month [December 2010] within 6 working days of taking
orders, thanks to the stocks of antigens held at Pirbright, instead of
the 4-plus months it otherwise would have taken.

Antigens are the active ingredients of vaccines, with a ready access
to the compounds being an essential part of combating FMD.

In addition to the South Korean outbreak, Zambia was also heavily
affected by the disease during December 2010, making it the most
significant epidemic of the last 10 years.

Merial Pirbright site director Dr Tim Doel said: "Operations were
taking place during a period of heavy snow ... We had our work cut
out, but I am pleased to say, we met all our obligations."

This comes after Merial announced earlier this month [January 2011]
that it is collaborating with GenVec to develop new FMD vaccines based
on cost-effective new technology.

--
Communicated by:
FMD News,
FMD Surveillance and Modeling Laboratory,
University of California at Davis,
California, USA


******
[4]
Date: Mon 24 Jan 2011
Source: Vets Web [edited]



South Korea has asked a few countries to donate emergency vaccines
against FMD, the disease that currently threatens the South Korean
livestock sector.

One of the countries that responded to the request to donate vaccines
is Belgium. The country donated 800 000 doses to help get the FMD
epidemic under control and to get the swine health status of South
Korea back on track.

--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
Gut Laach
52385 Nideggen, Germany


[S. Korea, finding itself in the unfortunate situation of an FMD
epizootic apparently getting out of control, spreading throughout the
entire country in spite of culling more than 2.3 million animals,
decided to change its traditional policy of "no vaccination, stamping
out with culling of contiguous animals", to the other extreme, "mass
vaccination of all susceptible species without stamping out or with
modified, limited culling" policy. This brought about the demand for
the immediate supply of about 12 million doses FMD vaccine sereotype O
for the primary vaccination of cattle, pigs, small ruminants and deer.

Not being a member of any of the world's existing FMD-vaccine banks
(led by the vaccine banks of the EU, USA and Australia), it applied to
the vaccine banks and, through its embassies, to various countries
where FMD vaccine is used, requesting available quantities to be
urgently supplied. FMD vaccine banks keep, following experts' advice,
3 strains of the serotype O FMD virus: O Taiwan, O Manisa and O BFS as
frozen FMD antigen (see ref below). Luckily, O Manisa seems to confer
protection against the SEA topotype currently circulating in eastern
Asia, and quantities of the antigen have become available, with the
USA, according to unofficial information, leading with about 5 million
doses contributed to S. Korea.

The frozen antigen has to be flown to Pirbright, where it is
reconstituted into an applicable vaccine for field use, with oil
adjuvant or with aluminum hydroxide as adjuvants. The latter is known
to confer earlier immunity of shorter duration, while protection by
oil-adjuvant vaccines takes longer to be established but is generally
of longer duration; both will require, eventually, booster vaccinations.

A worse scenario would have been a case when a new field strain
appears, against which none of the available, frozen batches confer
satisfactory protection.

The OIE formed in 2004 an ad-hoc group on vaccines and antigen banks
which provided the basis of a new chapter in the OIE Manual, namely
Chapter 1.1.10. "Guidelines For International Standards For Vaccine
Banks." The text is available at
.

In addition, OIE's Manual chapter on FMD has been revised, adding
article 6: "Storage and monitoring of antigen concentrates," (at
.

Further reading: "FMD Antigen And Formulated Vaccine Reserves - EUFMD
Survey April 2009," by Dr K. Sumption, available online at
. -
Mod.AS]

[see also:
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (05): update 20110117.0202
Foot & mouth disease - S Korea (04): update, RFI 20110115.0181
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (03): spread, vaccination 20110110.0117
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (02): update 20110106.0072
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea: spread, vaccination 20110103.0032
2010
----
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (25): update, alert 20101229.4587
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (24): spread, vaccination, RFI 20101228.4575
Foot & mouth disease - S. Korea (23): spread, vaccination 20101227.4557
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]
................................................................arn/msp/jw
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
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.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:

************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at .
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org (NOT to
an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name
name and affiliation, it may not be posted. You may unsub-
scribe at .
For assistance from a human being, send mail to:
.

DENGUE/DHF UPDATE 2011 (04)

Dengue as a WMD. Pay particular attention to the 1950s span where it says misquitos with dengue were intentionally released on the public by the military to see if the could spread the disease; http://www.historycommons.org/timeline.jsp?us_military_weapons_of_mass_destruction=us_military_biologicalWeapons&timeline=us_military_tmln
My guess is that it did, and still does.
**************************
A ProMED-mail post

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


In this update:
[1] Peru (Iquitos)
[2] Cases in various countries: Honduras, Bolivia (Beni), Paraguay
(border area with Argentina and Brazil), Brazil (Parana), Philippines
(Santiago City)

******
[1] Peru (Iquitos)
Date: Tue 18 Jan 2011
From: Juan Carlos Celis [in Spanish, trans.
Mod.TY, edited]


The epidemic of dengue [virus]-2 Asian/American [genotype III] has now
been present for a month and a half since the confirmation of the 1st
cases in the Peruvian Amazon region and has reached epidemic levels.
Health services and hospitals continue to apply contingency measures
in the face of increasing demand [for health care] by patients with
serious signs who require hospitalization. Human and laboratory
resources have reached critical levels, and to date, 3 deaths have
been confirmed, and another 3 are highly probable [dengue deaths], but
confirmation has not been possible even though they had clinical
pictures compatible [with dengue infections].

The 2 city hospitals in Iquitos have provided hospital beds in
auditoriums and reorganized [treatment] facilities to meet the demand;
an average of 80 beds are available in each hospital for dengue
patients. Currently, an average of 8-15 dengue [patients] are
hospitalized in each hospital, challenging their installed capacity.

Today [18 Jan 2011], the epidemic took the life of a 10-year-old girl,
who developed dengue shock syndrome on the 4th day of her illness,
with pleural leakage, ascites, liver damage and probably myocarditis,
which led to general organ failure.

The office of the Regional Health unit is developing control measures
through a fumigation campaign in Iquitos city and for tomorrow [19 Jan
2011] declared a non-work day for a massive campaign to collect trash
[that could provide breeding sites for _Aedes aegypti_ vector
mosquitoes] in order to contain the epidemic. The rainy season of the
year that is expected to begin in coming months is favoring the
progression [of the epidemic] and making control measures difficult.

--
Juan Carlos Celis Sainas
Tropical infectious disease physician
Travel medicine
Hospital Regional de Loreto, Iquitos, Peru


[ProMED thanks Dr. Celis for this firsthand report updating the
outbreak in Iquitos. This report provides a vivid example of an
outbreak that threatens to overwhelm local health care capabilities in
this geographically isolated region in the Peruvian Amazon. Diverting
patients to other medical facilities is not feasible. Fumigation
efforts will provide only short-term mosquito vector population
reduction at best. It is critical that the vector breeding sites in
and around buildings be significantly reduced, an effort that will
require community participation. One hopes that there is a massive
community education effort to accomplish that goal.

The 23 Jan 2011 edition of El Comercio
() indicated that there have been 9 DHF deaths, and in the Diresa-Loreto area, the dengue cases total 5269 since 25 Dec 2010, when the 1st cases were
reported.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Peru showing the location
of Iquitos in the Amazon region can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

******
[2] Cases in various countries: Honduras, Bolivia (Beni), Paraguay
(border area with Argentina and Brazil), Brazil (Parana), Philippines
(Santiago City)

- Honduras. 21 Jan 2011. The Honduras Ministry of Health today
initiated a national campaign to prevent dengue (virus transmission)
that took 83 lives last year (2010). In the 1st weeks of the year
(2011), at least 78 cases of classical dengue fever have been
registered and 8 suspected DHF cases. In 2010, the worst year for
dengue in 30 years, there were at least 66 646 confirmed classical
dengue fever cases with another 3099 DHF cases that caused 83 deaths.
[in Spanish, trans. Corr.SB,
edited]

[A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of
Honduras in Central America can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

- Bolivia (Beni). According to the Ministry of Health, there were 336
positive cases of dengue in Beni with over 1400 suspected; 19 people
are hospitalized with a serious diagnosis in hospitals in Trinidad. To
date since December 2010, there have been 7 deaths due to dengue in
the region. There are 3 dengue virus serotypes circulating, dengue
viruses - 1, - 2 and - 3.
. [in Spanish, trans. Corr.SB,
edited]

20 Jan 2011. The Bolivian Government declared a national health
emergency (in Beni department) because dengue (virus infection) has
taken the lives of 8 people and infected an additional 1200 confirmed
cases so far in 2011. In addition to the cases in Beni, health
authorities confirmed 178 cases in 5 of the 9 regions of the country
as of the 1st week (of 2011).
.
[in Spanish, trans. Corr.SB, edited]

[A map showing the administrative divisions of Bolivia can be accessed
at . A
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Bolivia can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

- Paraguay (border area with Argentina and Brazil). 21 Jan 2011.
Paraguay health authorities reported the 1st dengue death so far in
2011, in the Iguazu Falls area along the borders of Brazil and
Argentina. The Ministry of Health reported more than 10 000 dengue
cases and 17 deaths in 2010
. [in Spanish, trans. Mod.TY,
edited]

[A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Paraguay can be accessed
at . - Mod.TY]

- Brazil (Parana). 22 Jan 2011. On 21 Jan 2011, the Parana Secretariat
of Health confirmed that there are nearly 300 suspected and 7
confirmed dengue cases in Londrina. In all of Parana (state), there
are 925 cases
. [in Portuguese, trans. Mod.TY,
edited]

[A map showing the states of Brazil can be accessed at
. A
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Brazil can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

- Philippines (Santiago City). 19 Jan 2011. A dengue outbreak has been
declared in Santiago City in Isabela province. A total of 19 cases
have been recorded from 1-14 Jan (2011); one of the patients died due
to dengue shock syndrome
.

[A map showing the provinces in the Philippines can be accessed at
. A
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the Philippines can be
accessed at . -
Mod.TY]

[see also:
Dengue/DHF update 2011 (03) 20110117.0198
Dengue/DHF update 2011 (02) 20110111.0122
Dengue/DHF update 2011 (01) 20110102.0020
2010
----
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (62) 20101220.4483
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (59) 20101129.4300
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (53) 20101018.3777]
.................................dk/sb/ty/msp/jw
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HANTAVIRUS UPDATE 2011 - AMERICAS (05): USA (NEW MEXICO)

Korean hemorrhagic fever (Hantavirus) was one of three hemorrhagic fevers and one of more than a dozen agents that the United States researched as potential biological weapons before suspending its biological weapons program; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantavirus

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

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


Date: Sun 23 Jan 2011
Source: Big Medicine [edited]



The New Mexico Department of Health announced today [23 Jan 2011] that
a 51-year-old woman from McKinley County is hospitalized in critical
condition at UNM [University of New Mexico] Hospital in Albuquerque
with the state's 2nd diagnosed case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
[HPS] this year [2011]. An environmental investigation will be
conducted to determine where the woman may have been exposed to the
virus.

"Cases of hantavirus [infection] in the winter are not as common as in
spring and summer and are usually due to rodents seeking shelter and
food in homes and other buildings due to the cold weather," said Dr
Paul Ettestad, the Department of Health's public health veterinarian.
"Being aware of your surroundings so that you avoid disturbing areas
of rodent infestation, rodent nests, and droppings is very important
along with making sure your house is sealed up so that rodents cannot
enter."

People can become infected and develop disease from hantaviruses when
they breathe in aerosolized virus particles that have been transmitted
by infected rodents through urine, droppings, or saliva. The deer
mouse is the main reservoir for the strain of hantavirus that occurs
in New Mexico, Sin Nombre virus. The Department of Health urges
health-care workers and the general public to familiarize themselves
with the symptoms of hantavirus [infection].

[Byline: Hal Newman]

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail


[There was a previous case of HPS in this same county in May 2010 (see
ProMED-mail archive number 20100509.1509) in addition to a new case 2
weeks ago (see ProMED-mail archive number 20110106.0077), making the
current case the 3rd within the past 9 months in McKinley County.

An image of _Peromyscus maniculatus_, the rodent host of Sin Nombre
virus, can be accessed at
.

A map showing the location of McKinley County in northwestern New
Mexico can be accessed at
.
A map showing the location of New Mexico in the southwestern USA can
be accessed at
.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the USA can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

[see also:
Hantavirus update 2011 - Americas: Chile, USA 20110106.0077
2010
----
Hantavirus update 2010 - Americas (27): Chile (OH) 20100701.2198
Hantavirus update 2010 - Americas (24): Chile, USA, susp 20100509.1509
2009
----
Hantavirus update 2009 - Americas (12): USA, pediatric 20091223.4323
Hantavirus update 2009 - Americas (11): USA (CA) 20091214.4245
Hantavirus update 2009 - Americas (10): USA (NM) 20090918.3281
Hantavirus update 2009 - Americas (08): USA (NM, AZ) 20090708.2452
Hantavirus update 2009 - Americas (06): USA (NM) 20090511.1753]
........................................ty/mj/jw

SEE ALSO: Washington State; http://meatsubs.blogspot.com/2010/08/hantavirus-update-2010-americas-29-usa.html




*##########################################################*
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Saturday, January 22, 2011

UNDIAGNOSED HEMORRHAGIC FEVER - INDIA: (MAHARASHTRA)

Hemorrhagic Fever as a Bio-weapon; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11988060

*What is interesting about this case, is that the victim was a vegetarian who did not frequent livestock markets,..the "normal" source of infection...but it is suggested (below) that the vector MAY have come from an aerosol spray
???????????????????????

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

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


Date: Sat 22 Jan 2011
Source: DNA (Daily News Analysis) [edited]



Viral haemorrhagic fever in Mumbai
----------------------------------
Days after 3 cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) were
detected in Ahmedabad, a 48-year-old resident of Thane [a city to the
north of Mumbai] has shown clinical symptoms of [a] viral
haemorrhagic fever and is critical. Doctors at Jaslok Hospital where
the patient was referred to earlier transferred him to the BMC
[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation]-run Kasturba hospital on Friday
morning [21 Jan 2011].

The disease has so far claimed 3 lives in Ahmedabad in the last few
days and has resulted in health authorities screening thousands of
people. The mortality rate from CCHF is approximately 90 percent, say
doctors, with death occurring in the 2nd week of illness.

Consulting physician at Jaslok, Dr Pratik Samdhani told DNA, "Sampat
was referred to me last night. He had high fever and was disoriented.
He was not responding to the treatment given by the local physician
for 6-7 days. His MRI scan revealed that he was bleeding in the
brain. Besides, he has a low blood platelets count. His kidney and
liver were deranged." The patient, whose dengue, malaria and
leptospirosis tests were negative, is on ventilator.

"Since patients with CCHF have already been detected in Ahmedabad and
the disease is infectious, the patient needed to be kept under 4th
degree of isolation. Since Jaslok [hospital] does not have this
facility, we decided to shift him to Kasturba Hospital," explained
Samdhani. "There is no improvement in his condition."

The patient is a vegetarian and had no contact with livestock. His
last visit outside the city was to Shirdi some days ago. "We have
recommended Kasturba to give him Ribavirine," Samdhani said.

Jaslok Hospital also gave the medication to 47 of its employees,
including Dr Samdhani, as a precautionary measure.

"Jaslok has also instructed Kasturba Hospital to send secretion
samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV). This includes
nasal swab and sputum," said Dr Samdhani. Samdhani said the the viral
infection could either be arboviral or adenoviral [i.e., presumably
insect or aerosol aerosol transmitted, as opposed to tick-transmitted?].

Dr GT Ambe, executive health officer, BMC, said he is not aware about
the development. Doctors say that the disease is fatal. Unless it is
detected at an early stage, and treated aggressively, the patient
dies immediately after.

CCHF was successfully identified by the NIV few days ago. The disease
is endemic in many countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. In 2001,
cases or outbreaks were recorded in Kosovo, Albania, Iran, Pakistan,
and South Africa, according to WHO.

Doctors said after the virus strikes the patient, there is a
breakdown of blood and blood products. The tissues get damaged.
Thereafter one gets fever and develops a rash that leads to bleeding.
It can rapidly deteriorate to headaches, seizures, convulsions and
eventually lead to coma. The patient may also experience
irritability, and photophobia (irritation to light).

[Byline: Menaka Rao]

--
Communicated by:
Ronan Kelly


[Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is primarily a zoonosis.
Sporadic cases and outbreaks of CCHF affecting humans do occur.
Humans who become infected with CCHF acquire the virus from direct
contact with blood or other infected tissues from livestock during
this time, or they may become infected from a tick bite. The majority
of cases have occurred in those involved with the livestock industry,
such as agricultural workers, slaughterhouse workers and
veterinarians. A detailed account of CCHF can found at the WHO website:
).

In the case of the patient in a Mumbai hospital the diagnosis has
been made mainly by association with a confirmed outbreak of CCHF in
Ahmedabad (in the state of Gujarat), far to the north of Mumbai (in
the state of Maharashtra). The observation that the patient is a city
dweller and a vegetarian is not compatible with the diagnosis of
CCHF. No positive diagnosis of the etiologic agent is reported but
dengue, malaria and leptospirosis infections have been excluded.
Curiously arboviral or adenoviral infection are being considered as
alternative diagnoses.

The results of the tests at the National Institute of Virology in
Pune (Maharashtra) are awaited.

A map of the states of India can be accessed at:
. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of India is available
at:
. - Mod.CP]

[see also:
Undiagnosed hemorrhagic fever, fatal - India (02): (GJ) CCHF
conf. 20110118.0216
Undiagnosed hemorrhagic fever, fatal - India: (GJ) RFI 20110118.0211]
...................cp/ejp/dk

*##########################################################*
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using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
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Thursday, January 20, 2011

AVIAN INFLUENZA (05): SOUTH KOREA, UPDATE

AI as a Bio-Weapon; http://gradworks.umi.com/33/21/3321988.html

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

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


Date: Thu 20 Jan 2011
Source: Yonhapnews [summarised, edited]

Seoul said there was a bird flu outbreak at a chicken farm in Paju,
northwest of Seoul.

The outbreak of the virulent strain of the H5N1 virus is the 30th
confirmed case since the 1st was confirmed on 31 Dec 2010.

Seoul said all 7000 chickens on the farm have been ordered destroyed,
and those within 500 meters are to be destroyed as well.

Seoul has destroyed more than 3.8 million birds so far.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail

[South Korea's follow-up report No. 4 was published on 17 Jan 2011.
For the said report, as well as for an interactive map showing all 31
foci, please see
. -
Mod.AS]

[see also:
Avian influenza (03): S Korea, domestic duck, spread 20110112.0134
Avian influenza (02): S. Korea (GN, CB) H5N1, conf., update 20110108.0097
Avian influenza (01): S. Korea (GN, CB) H5N1, susp, RFI 20110101.0006
2010
----
Avian influenza, poultry vs migratory birds (09): S. Korea 20101230.4596
Avian influenza, poultry vs migratory birds (08): S. Korea 20101229.4584]
.........................................................arn/msp/dk
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Sunday, January 9, 2011

E. Coli Meat Recall / Michigan

E Coli as a biological weapon; http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/intro/bio-ecoli.htm


E. COLI VTEC NON-O157 - USA: O45, SMOKED MEAT, ALERT, RECALL
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post

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


Date: Wed 5 Jan 2011
Source: Wausau (MI) Daily Herald [edited]


Three new cases of _E. coli_-related illness have been traced from
Michigan back to a Wausau butcher shop in which an outbreak 1st was
reported just before Christmas 2010.

The illnesses bring to 7 the number of people sickened by _E.
coli_-infected smoked meat products produced at Zillman Meat Market
in late 2010, the Marathon County Health Department said Tuesday [4
Jan 2011]. The department also expanded its advisory on smoked meats
produced at Zillman's to between 30 Sep and 23 Dec 2010, rather than
beginning on 13 Nov 2010, because the department still has not pinned
down the source of the bacteria.

While the 3 cases announced are new, they are related to the prior 4
illnesses and involve some of the same people, said Judy Burrows, the
Health Department's chronic disease prevention director. "The folks
we know from Wausau who were sick had shared some of their smoked
meat products with others from Michigan," Burrows said.

The Health Department advises that any ready-to-eat smoked meat
produced at Zillman's within the advisory range be thrown away, or
that customers contact Zillman's about returns. The advisory relates
only to the smoked meat, and none of Zillman's other meat products
were included in the advisory.

Since the initial advisory on 22 Dec 2010, Zillman's has thoroughly
cleaned all of its equipment, Burrows said. "There are no additional
steps Zillman needs to take because these new cases happened prior to
all of the cleaning, so they're good to go," she said.

Burrows said the Health Department still is trying to pin down
whether the _E. coli_ contamination came from a person or somehow
ended up on Zillman's equipment. She also said very few people came
forward with tales of sickness from the smoked meat after 3 news
releases were issued in December 2010, hampering the investigation on
how and when the contamination 1st occurred. Less information means
the Health Department must cast a wider net with its advisory, Burrows said.

Burrows said the Michigan cases were discovered after the Wisconsin
Department of Health Services contacted other state health
departments in search of illnesses caused by this particular
bacterial strain, _E. coli_ O45, because it is a newer, slightly
different form of bacteria studied for only about 10 years.

Tim Monson, a microbiologist with the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene,
said Tuesday [4 Jan 2011] that E. coli O45 is an "emerging pathogen"
that can transfer its toxins to other bacteria, but it also tends to
be less toxic than other strains of _E. coli_.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[This outbreak once again underscores the relevance of non-O157
strains of verotoxin-producing _E. coli_. Other _E. coli_ serogroups
that have been associated with VTEC (verotoxin-producing _E. coli_)
disease include motile ones such as O26:H11 and O104:H21 and
non-motile ones such as O111:NM (or H-). Such non-O157 isolates can
be obtained from sheep and cattle and, although they cause as many as
30 percent of outbreaks of VTEC (1), appear to be somewhat less (or
at least more variably) virulent in a variety of in vivo and in vitro
assays (2-4).

In analyzing the genetic and phenotypic profiles of non-O157 groups,
it has been found that they belong to their own lineages and have
unique profiles of virulence traits different from O157 (5). The
serogroups appearing to be most prominent are O26, O111, O128, and
O103 (6), the former serotype being the implicated strain in this outbreak.

If a laboratory is using sorbitol-MacConkey (sMAC) plates to identify
VTEC by virtue of O157's inability to ferment sorbitol, the non-O157
strains will be missed. In a 3-year pediatric study from the
University of Washington, USA (7), 1851 stool samples were processed
for sorbitol fermentation as well as toxin production by EIA (enzyme
immunoassay), and 28 strains of O157 were found along with O103 (4
strains), O118 (2 strains), O111 (2 strains), and 3 other strains.

Clinically, the O157 infections had a higher frequency of bloody
stools, fecal leukocytes, and abdominal pain with shorter symptom
duration. Five (18 percent) of O157 infections developed HUS; none of
the non-O157 strains did. Since toxin assay did not identify all O157
strains found on sMAC plates, the investigators did not advocate
performing toxin assay alone. Non-O157 can produce hemolytic-uremic
syndrome, as demonstrated by a cluster of O121 cases associated with
a lake in Connecticut, USA (8).

Since toxin assays are not uniformly performed in many areas, and
most cases do not produce HUS, it is likely that cases due to
non-O157 strains are being missed. How frequent this phenomenon will
become over time is unclear.

Because of the higher risk of morbidity and mortality in VTEC
infections treated with antimicrobials (9), antimicrobials should not
be used for known acute cases.

References
----------
1. Hussain HS, Omaye ST: Introduction to the food safety concerns of
verotoxin-producing _Escherichia coli_. Exp Biol Med 2003; 228(4):
331-2; available at .

2. Blanco J, Blanco M, Blanco JE, et al: Verotoxin-producing
_Escherichia coli_ in Spain: prevalence, serotypes, and virulence
genes of O157:H7 and non-O157 VTEC in ruminants, raw beef products,
and humans. Exp Biol Med 2003; 228: 345-51; available at
.

3. Law D, Kelly J: Use of heme and hemoglobin by _Escherichia coli_
O157 and other Shiga-toxin-producing _E. coli_ serogroups. Infect
Immun 1995; 63(20): 700-2; available at
.

4. Tzipori S, Wachsmuth KI, Smithers J, Jackson C: Studies in
gnotobiotic piglets on non-O157:H7 _Escherichia coli_ serotypes
isolated from patients with hemorrhagic colitis. Gastroenterology
1988; 94(3): 590-7; abstract available at
.

5. Schmidt H, Geitz C, Tarr PI, et al: Non-O157:H7 pathogenic
Shiga-toxin producing _Escherichia coli_: phenotypic and genetic
profiling of virulence traits and evidence for clonality. J Infect
Dis 1999; 179(1): 115-23; available at
.

6. Bettelheim KA: Role of non-O157 VTEC. Symp Ser Soc Appl Microbiol
2000; (29): 38S-50S; abstract available at
.

7. Klein EJ, Stapp JR, Calusen CR, et al: Shiga toxin-producing
_Escherichia coli_ in children with diarrhea: a prospective
point-of-care study. J Pediatr 2002; 141(2): 172-7; available at
.

8. McCarthy TA, Barrett NL, Hadler JL, et al: Hemolytic-uremic
syndrome and _Escherichia coli_ O121 at a lake in Connecticut, 1999.
Pediatrics 2001; 108(4): E59; available at
.

9. Iijima K, Kamioka I, Nozu K: Management of diarrhea-associated
hemolytic uremic syndrome in children. Clin Exp Nephrol 2008; 12(1):
16-9; abstract available at
. - Mod.LL]

[see also:
2010
----
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA (07): O26, ground beef, alert, recall 20100831.3097
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA (06): O145, lettuce 20100528.1777
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA (05): O145, lettuce 20100525.1738
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA (04): O145, lettuce 20100517.1618
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA (03): O145, lettuce, recall 20100507.1483
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA (02): (OH, MI, NY) O145 20100505.1460
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - USA: (MI, OH) 20100427.1358
2008
----
E. coli VTEC non-O157, restaurant - USA (04): (OK), O111 20081201.3779
E. coli VTEC non-O157, restaurant - USA: (OK), O111 20080902.2748
E. coli VTEC non-O157, past. ice cream, 2007 - Belgium: Antwerp 20080218.0655
2007
----
E. coli VTEC non-O157, beef sausage - Denmark 20070602.1784
E. coli VTEC non-O157, 2000-2005 - USA (CT) 20070118.0240
2006
----
E. coli VTEC non-O157, lettuce - USA (UT)(02): background 20060905.2523
E. coli VTEC non-O157, lettuce - USA (UT) 20060904.2521
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - Norway (03) 20060416.1133
E. coli VTEC non-O157 - Norway 20060329.0947
E. coli VTEC non-O157, minced beef - Norway 20060304.0680
2005
----
E. coli O145, fatal - Slovenia 20050916.2739
2003
----
E. coli, VTEC non-O157 - UK (Scotland): correction 20030828.2166
E. coli, VTEC non-O157 - UK (Scotland) 20030825.2144
2001
----
E. coli O26 - South Korea 20010509.0896
1999
----
E. coli O111, diarrhea - USA (Texas) 19990707.1134
1997
----
E. coli, non-0157 - Belgium 19970610.1215]
...................................................ll/msp/mpp

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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Camels Dying / Pakistan

Article; http://tribune.com.pk/story/99212/camels-dying-from-virus-in-cholistan/


ProMed Report

UNDIAGNOSED LETHAL DISEASE, DROMEDARY CAMELS - PAKISTAN: DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post

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


Date: Thu 6 Jan 2011
From: William Taylor [edited]

Since the publication linking PPR with sudden camel death in Sudan
(ref.), this condition warrants consideration and would be easily
verified. There is certainly plenty of PPR in Pakistan.

Ref.
Abdelmelik I. Khalafalla, Intisar K. Saeed, Yahia H. Ali, Magdi B.
Abdurrahman, Olivier Kwiatek, Genevieve Libeau, Ali Abu Obeida and
Zakia Abbas (2010). An outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (PPR)
in camels in the Sudan. Acta Tropica, Vol 116 (2), 161-165.

--
William Taylor


[Dr Taylor's authoritative comment is highly appreciated.

The recent paper referred to includes the following information on
the camel disease in Sudan, eventually diagnosed as PPR:

Mortality rates were up to 50 percent. The main features of the
disease were bloody diarrhea of affected camels, sudden death of
apparently healthy animals and abortion of she-camels. In general,
the clinical feature of PPR in camels, as described in this
communication, was not different from that reported in sheep and goats.

The severity of PPR in camels seemed to be much higher in adult
animals since more than 50 percent of deaths were reported in adult
animals (mostly recently-delivered and pregnant females) in
comparison to calves and young camels. The main post-mortem findings
included lung congestion and consolidation mostly in apical lobes,
paleness and fragility of liver. Lymph nodes were enlarged and
inflamed, and small intestine and stomach showed inflammation and
hemorrhage. In one case, the lips were swollen, and hemorrhagic
ulcers were seen on the tongue.

In line with a comment from a subscriber, we remind readers that the
camels in Pakistan (and in Sudan) are dromedary (single-humped)
camels. - Mod.AS]

[see also:
Undiagnosed lethal disease, camels - Pakistan: Cholistan, RFI 20110105.0051
2010
----
Undiagnosed disease, camels - Pakistan: Thar, RFI 20101117.4170]
...........................................arn/msp/mpp

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