A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
[1]
Date: 14 Sep 2010
Source: Bulletin epidemiologique hebdomadaire 2010; 14 September: 15-17
[translated, edited]
Animal anthrax in France. A 10-year report (1999-2009) with special
emphasis on the 2009 summer outbreaks
------------------------------------------
Abstract:
Between 1999 and 2009, 74 outbreaks of animal anthrax, primarily in cattle,
were confirmed by isolation of _Bacillus anthracis_ in 14 French districts
(annual mean: 7 outbreaks). All cases occurred in areas where outbreaks had
been reported previously. While the annual number of outbreaks remained low
and stable from 1999 to 2007 (0-6 outbreaks/year), 19 outbreaks were
recorded in 2008 (of which 17 clustered outbreaks in Doubs) and 22 in 2009
(of which 17 clustered outbreaks in Savoie). All cases occurred in cattle,
except for one horse case in 2001, while goat and horse cases occurred in
2009. The relatively high number of outbreaks observed in Savoie and in
Doubs is not fully explained, but certainly related in part to the local
anthrax history and to weather conditions during summer.
Outbreaks by year: 1999 (5), 2000 (5), 2001 (3), 2002 (0), 2003 (6), 2004
(3), 2005 (2), 2006 (3), 2007 (6), 2008 (19), 2009 (22).
Farms in 2009
In 2009, a total of 24 farms were suspected (of anthrax) in 8 departments.
These suspicions were confirmed in 5 departments. (A department is similar
to a state in the USA) The outbreaks occurred in areas already affected by
anthrax (fievre carboneuse) in the past. The 1st 2 outbreaks in June-July
2009 involved 2 cattle herds, respectively, in the Puy de Dome (one dead
animal) and Cote-d'Or (3 dead). The 3rd outbreak, which occurred in July
2009 in Aveyron, was in a holding of mixed cattle and goats and began with
the death of a heifer in a field with a water point. The calf was
necropsied in the pasture without special protection as it was thought to
have been killed by lightning. The body was moved using a tractor. A week
later, 4 more corpses were discovered over 3 days in this field, and 2 had
been consumed by scavengers.
A 2nd necropsy was done, this time with some caution, and anthrax
diagnosed. A total of 19 goats and 5 heifers died in this breeding
establishment. The tractor used to move the corpses had been used in
transporting feed to the goat barn and specifically their common feed
trough. This undoubtedly contributed to the extension of infection in the
goat population. During this outbreak, preventive chemotherapy was put in
place for the employees of the establishment and the family (of the) the
breeder and veterinarians who performed the autopsies. The operation to
vaccinate the cattle was also rapidly implemented.
The following farms, where a significant episode occurred, are in Savoie in
the township of La Rochette (Valee des Huiles). In less than a month (26
Jul to 15 Aug 2009), 17 outbreaks were confirmed. 15 cattle herds and 2
horses were infected, which led to the deaths of 32 head of cattle and 2
horses located in 11 nearby municipalities. Seven other herds experienced
deaths of cattle over the period but were not confirmed as anthrax. A 3rd
horse which showed clinical signs of anthrax was treated. The 3 horses had
been in contact with each other and were epidemiologically linked to at
least one cattle farm. Cases of anthrax in horses are usually rare in
France. A single outbreak was recorded in Mayenne in 2001, where a horse
had died of anthrax. Previous episodes of confirmed anthrax in Savoy had
been reported in Bauges in 2000 and in the same area of Valee des Huiles in
1997.
Two outbreaks were also confirmed in Isere in August 2009. They involved 2
herds with the same common boundary with 2 already infected communes in Savoy.
Vaccination of livestock in Savoie and Isere was very quickly established
in 16 Communes. No human cases have been reported, but preventative
treatment was administered to exposed people. Control for public health and
milk safety was put in place on the infected farms following an assessment
by the competent authorities (Direction General of Health, Direction
General of Food, National Reference Center, French Food Safety Agency).
Suspicious strains were isolated by departmental veterinary laboratories
(LVD) and/or the NRL mainly from cattle (23), but also goats (1) and horses
(2), and were confirmed as _B. anthracis_ by specific PCR and were
susceptible to penicillin, facilitating a preventive antibiotic for people
exposed. Molecular typing by MLVA [multi-locus VNTR analysis] analysis
using 10 VNTR (variable number tandem repeat) loci was performed on all
strains. The profiles of recent strains and those isolated since 1982, in
the same departments, were compared. The same VNTR genotype was found in
each department, regardless of place and date of isolation. For all
households of Savoy, the strains showed the same genotype (10 identical
loci) suggesting a common origin (for example epidemiologically linked to
outbreaks, contaminated land, same genotype). The ongoing review of other
VNTR loci is likely to test this hypothesis.
The question that remains unanswered, after successive episodes in Doubs
(French Department on Swiss border) in 2008 and Savoy in 2009, concerns the
mechanisms that led to the emergence of a significant number of affected
farms in a given location over a short period in some regions, while in
others -- fortunately in most instances -- only isolated sporadic cases
were seen. In historically contaminated areas and in favourable
hydro-geological conditions, along with delayed diagnosis, the movements of
animals, people or materials, and weather conditions all certainly
contribute each in their own way to the occurrence of multiple episodes of
disease over a short period.
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[I am very grateful to my colleague Susan for her translation. I only have
schoolboy French and of the mid-1950s. Interested readers are encouraged to
read the full article, which contains a table of outbreaks by year,
1999-2009, department, and species affected. This table differs here and
there from the OIE data in WAHID. - Mod.MHJ]
******
[2]
Date: 14 Sep 2010
Source: Bulletin epidemiologique hebdomadaire [edited]
Anthrax in man: review of cases and persons exposed and treated during
recent animal outbreaks in France, 2002-2008
---------------------------------------------------
Anthrax has been subject to compulsory notification since 2002. Since that
time, 4 cases of human anthrax have been identified. In 2003, a case of
cutaneous anthrax was diagnosed in a patient exposed while butchering an
infected sheep in an enzootic area. In December 2008, 3 cases of cutaneous
anthrax were identified in men who had taken part in the evisceration and
butchering of a cow with anthrax. The investigation identified 11 people in
contact with that cow who were possibly infected and consequently received
antimicrobial prophylaxis. A risk assessment was carried out concerning the
consumption of meat from cows gutted with the same knives previously used
to gut the infected cow and concerning the consumption of meals handed by
one of the cases. [1] They were diagnosed by PCR of skin biopsies from the
lesions. All responded favourably to treatment and without complications. [2]
References:
1. Mailles A, Alauzet C, Mock M, Garin-Bastuji B, Veran Y. Cas groupes de
charbon cutane humain en Moselle - Decembre 2008. Saint-Maurice: Institut
de veille sanitaire, fevrier 2010 ;4 p. Available at
2. Cinquetti G, Banal F, Dupuy AL, Girault PY, Couderc A, Guyot P, et al.
Three related cases of cutaneous anthrax in France: clinical and laboratory
aspects. Medicine (Baltimore). 2009;88(6):371-5.
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[see also:
2009
---
Anthrax, bovine - France (03): (AV) caprine 20090811.2863
Anthrax, bovine - France (02): (SV,IS) 20090810.2838
Anthrax, bovine - France: (SV) 20090808.2813
2008
---
Anthrax, human - Germany ex France (02) 20081213.3924
Anthrax, human - Germany ex France 20081211.3897
bovine - France (02): (Doubs) 20080821.2609
Anthrax, bovine - France: (Doubs) 20080818.2572]
......................mhj/msp/sh
No comments:
Post a Comment