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
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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
[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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