Tracing FMD : A Report

http://web.oie.int/boutique/extrait/05dinardo6385.pdf

HENDRA VIRUS, EQUINE - AUSTRALIA (13): (QUEENSLAND)

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A ProMED-mail post



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International Society for Infectious Diseases





Date: Thu 14 Jul 2011

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald [edited]







Bat colonies should be moved from urban centres and farms, but not

killed, to prevent further outbreaks of the Hendra virus, a north

Queensland MP says. Veterinarians and horse breeders in far north

Queensland are concerned the region's large flying fox population

could result in a spread of the deadly virus, following an outbreak at

a property west of Cairns this week [11-14 Jul 2011]. A pony named

Cheeky died from the virus at the Blazing Saddles trail-riding

property near Kuranda earlier this week. So far, 9 horses have been

killed or put down since 20 Jun [2011] as a result of the virus

following outbreaks in Queensland and New South Wales (NSW).



Independent MP Bob Katter on Wednesday [13 Jul 2011] called for bats

who nested in urban areas to be shot or moved on to prevent further

outbreaks, a position rejected by Biosecurity Queensland.



Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch labelled calls to shoot the bats a

"knee-jerk reaction" but said authorities should use non-lethal means

to force bats to relocate from farms and urban areas. "The bats play a

very important role in our ecology, if we exterminated them

pollination in our native forests would just crash. "But we need to be

looking at ways of managing this." He said authorities could use

noise, such as the sound of gunshots, to disrupt bat colonies as they

slept during the day. "There are non-lethal ways that bats can be

encouraged to leave the area and go back to live in forests where they

belong," he said. However, he said the population of bats had grown

dramatically in north Queensland due to the availability of food

sources such as commercial crops and authorities should consider

efforts to reduce numbers through management programs.



Meanwhile, Blazing Saddles owner Michael Trout has said all staff

working at the property would be tested for the virus as a precaution.

"Just for absolute safety's sake, all staff will be tested at one

o'clock today and their results will be back tomorrow so there is 100

per cent clarity there," he told ABC Radio in Cairns. 4 staff and 2

visitors who had contact with Cheeky as well as all 36 horses

remaining on the property have already been tested.



--

Communicated by:

ProMED-mail





[Biosecurity Queensland

and the

NSW government



listed a number of precautions to avoid exposure of horses and people

to Hendra virus. Neither source mentions elimination or moving the

bats (see ProMED-mail archive no. 20110713.2110). Dispersal brings

with it the risk of spreading the virus to other locations.



These bats are highly mobile, and there is no assurance that they

will not return to their location of capture on release, since there

are food sources and good roosting places there. Or other flying foxes

may move into the vacated habitats. The logistics and cost of attempts

to eliminate the bat populations or move them to other locations would

be considerable and most likely unsuccessful.



A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of

Queensland can be accessed at

. - Mod. TY



A map showing the locations of the outbreaks can be seen at

. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]



[see also:

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (12): (QL,NS) 20110715.2137

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (11): (QL,NS) human exposure

20110714.2125

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (10): (QL,NS) human exposure

20110713.2110

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (09): (QL,NS) human exposure

20110712.2098

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (08): (QL,NS) 20110710.2084

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (07): (QL,NS) 20110706.2045

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (06): (QL,NS) human exposure

20110705.2036

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (05): (NSW) human exposure

20110702.2012

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (04): (QL) 20110701.1997

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (03): (QL) human exposure

20110630.1989

Hendra virus, equine - Australia (02): (QL) 20110629.1984

Hendra virus, equine - Australia: vaccine 20110525.1589]

.................................................mpp/ty/ejp/lm

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Fleas, rodents, pets, blamed for (lab-made?) Plague

PRO/AH> Plague, animal - USA (04): (NM) canine



ProMED-mail promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu to promed-ahead

show details 3:42 PM (10 hours ago)



PLAGUE, ANIMAL - USA (04): (NEW MEXICO) CANINE

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A ProMED-mail post



ProMED-mail is a program of the

International Society for Infectious Diseases





Date: Tue 28 Jun 2011

Source: Alamogordo Daily News [edited]







The New Mexico Department of Health's Scientific Laboratory Division

confirmed plague this week in a dog in Rio Rancho. The dog was most

likely infected when running in open fields on the north end of the

city and encountering sick or dead rabbits and other rodents, health

officials said.



"A plague case in a pet serves as a warning that there is plague

activity in rabbits, rodents, and their fleas in the area," said Dr

Catherine Torres, the Department of Health's cabinet secretary. "I

encourage everyone to follow simple prevention recommendations to keep

themselves and their families and pets safe."



Plague, a bacterial disease of rodents, is generally transmitted to

humans through the bites of infected fleas, but can also be

transmitted by direct contact with infected animals, including

rodents, rabbits and pets. "Pets infected with plague are often

hunters who have eaten an infected rodent or been bitten by a rodent's

fleas prior to getting ill," said Dr Paul Ettestad, public health

veterinarian for the Department of Health. "Pets can transport the

fleas back into the home where they can infect people."



Symptoms of plague in humans include sudden onset of fever, chills,

headache, and weakness. In most cases there is a painful swelling of

the lymph node in the groin, armpit, or neck areas. Plague symptoms in

cats and dogs are fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. There may be

a swelling in the lymph node under the jaw. With prompt diagnosis and

with appropriate antibiotic treatment, the fatality rate in people and

pets can be greatly reduced.



To prevent plague, the Department of Health recommends the

following:

- avoid sick or dead rodents and rabbits, and their nests and

burrows;

- keep your pets from roaming and hunting, and talk to your

veterinarian about using an appropriate flea control product;

- clean up areas near the house where rodents could live, such as

woodpiles, brush piles, junk, and abandoned vehicles;

- sick pets should be examined promptly by a veterinarian;

- see your doctor about any unexplained illness involving a sudden

and severe fever;

- put hay, wood, and compost piles as far as possible from your home;

- don't leave your pet's food and water where mice can get to it.



In New Mexico, there have been 2 human cases so far in 2011, both

from Santa Fe County; no human cases in 2010 and 6 human cases of

plague in 2009: 3 from Santa Fe County, 2 from Bernalillo County and

one from Sandoval County. One of the Santa Fe County cases was a fatal

case in an 8-year-old boy. For more information, including fact sheets

in English and Spanish, go to the Department's website at





--

Communicated by:

HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail





[Rio Rancho in central New Mexico can be located via the

HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at

.



Plague, caused by _Yersinia pestis_, is enzootic among rodents in the

western USA. Humans can be infected through 1) the bite of an infected

flea carried by a rodent or, rarely, other animals; 2) direct contact

with contaminated tissues; or 3) in rare cases, inhalation of

respiratory secretions from infected people or animals.



Plague is a category A potential bioterrorism agent. Human infections

are rare but can be life-threatening. The plague case-fatality rate

depends on the clinical presentation (that is, bubonic, septicemic, or

pneumonic) and timing of antibiotic therapy initiation; if untreated,

the case-fatality rate is over 50 per cent for bubonic plague and

approaches 100 per cent for pneumonic plague (1). Rapid laboratory

identification can help guide therapy.



Domestic cats and dogs can also contract plague from infective fleas.

They may carry infected fleas home to their owners or, especially

cats, serve as a direct source of infection. There are many flea

treatments and repellents appropriate for pets and available. Some

products may be suitable for dogs but not cats or may be suitable for

an adult but not a younger animal. Be sure to consult your

veterinarian, as some products may be toxic to cats, kittens, and

puppies, even resulting in fatalities.



Clinical signs in pets involve a localized swelling, such as under

the jaw in cats, but also in the inguinal region or under the front

leg (the armpit if you will), lethargy, anorexia, and fever. Please

take your pet to a veterinarian if you notice any abnormalities in

your pet.



Veterinarians should protect themselves by wearing gloves when

examining these swellings. A bubo that ruptures may infect the

veterinarian or even the pet owner if the pet owner is the one

palpating the swelling.



Another form of the disease is the respiratory form. Cats may acquire

this form and can spread it to their owners or the veterinarians

through infected expiratory droplets. People are also prone to the

respiratory infection as well.



You should also be aware that the fleas that hitchhike into your home

via a pet vehicle can also transmit disease to you, the owner or

caretaker of the pet. Sleeping in the same bed with dogs has been

associated with plague in enzootic areas (2). Plague patients with no

history of exposure to rodents can be infected by _Y. pestis_ if their

pets carry infected rodent fleas into the home. Veterinarians always

should recommend flea control to dog and cat owners.



References

----------

1. CDC. Human plague -- four states, 2006. MMWR 2006; 55(34): 940-3;

available at .

2. Gould LH, Pape J, Ettestad P, et al: Dog-associated risk factors

for human plague. Zoonoses Public Health 2008; 55(8-10): 448-54;

abstract available at . -

Mod.TG]



[see also:

Plague, animal - USA (03): (CO) 20110612.1792

Plague, animal - USA (02): (OR) feline 20110610.1773

Plague - USA (03): (NM) bubonic 20110530.1655

Plague - USA (02): (NM) bubonic 20110510.1439

Plague, animal - USA: (NM) canine, feline 20110421.1240

Plague - USA: (OR), 2010, bubonic, CDC 20110224.0615

Plague, fatal - USA: (IL), 2009, lab strain, CDC 20110224.061

Plague - USA: (OR), 2010, bubonic, CDC 20110224.0615

Plague, fatal - USA: (IL), 2009, lab strain, CDC 20110224.0614

2010

----

Plague - USA (03): (OR) bubonic 20101004.3597

Plague - USA (02): (CA) rodent 20100819.2878

Plague, feline - USA: (MT) 20100807.2693

Plague - USA: (CA) ground squirrel 20100708.2275

Plague, canine - USA: (NM) 20100418.1259

Plague, cougar - USA (WY) 20100208.0429]

.................................................sb/tg/mj/jw

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information, and of any statements or opinions based

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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

damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted

or archived material.

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