Anthrax, Cattle / Texas

http://wildhorsewarriors.blogspot.com/2010/07/anthrax-cattle-texas.html

EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS - USA (06): (FLORIDA, GEORGIA

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[1] Florida
Date: 9 Jul 2010
Source: ABC-7.com [edited]



Collier horse dies from mosquito-borne EEE
------------------------------------------
A 3rd horse has died in Collier County, Florida, in less than a month
from Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), according to health
officials. Experts say this is a warning to all county residents --
as humans can also get the disease. The 3 horse deaths come after 24
years of no EEE cases at all in Collier.

Health officials say with the 3 deaths so early in mosquito season,
it's time for people to get serious about protecting themselves and
their animals. Horses should be vaccinated -- check with your
veterinarian on how best to get that done.

EEE symptoms in humans develop 3-10 days after the bite of an
infected mosquito. They include sudden onset of fever, general muscle
pains, and a headache of increasing severity.

Experts say symptoms can become more severe over 1 to 2 weeks and
those infected will either recover or show onset of inflammation of
the brain (encephalitis) with seizures and vomiting.

--
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******
[2] Florida
Date: 9 Jul 2010
Source: JC Floridian [edited]



The Jackson County Health Department has recently discovered 2 horses
in the county that have tested positive for Eastern equine
encephalitis (EEE), with the most recent case from Piney Grove Road,
southwest of Cottondale. County officials were notified Wednesday of
the confirming test results.

Environmental Health Director T.G. Harkrider Jr. says the risk of
transmission to humans has now increased for this area.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, EEE is a
rare but serious viral disease spread by mosquitoes that can affect
people and horses. It is one of the most severe mosquito-transmitted
diseases in the United States with approximately 33 percent mortality
and significant brain damage in most survivors. There is no specific
treatment for EEE; care is based on symptoms.

Jackson County Health Department (JCHD) officials remind residents
and visitors to try to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes in an effort
to avoid contracting encephalitis disease.

Health Department officials are continuing with surveillance and
prevention efforts.

"We encourage everyone to take basic precautions to help limit
exposure by following the our prevention recommendations," Harkrider
said. "Follow the '5 D's'."

The JCHD "5 D's" for mosquito protection are the following:
- Dusk and Dawn: Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are seeking
blood. For many species, this is during the dusk and dawn hours.
- Dress: Wear clothing that covers most of your skin.
- DEET: When the potential exists for exposure to mosquitoes,
repellents containing DEET are recommended. Picaridin, oil of lemon
eucalyptus, and IR3535 are other repellent options.
- Drainage: Check around your home to rid the area of standing water,
which is where mosquitoes can lay their eggs.

Harkrider says that the elimination of breeding sites is one of the
keys to prevention. He offers the following tips for eliminating
mosquito breeding sites:
- Clean out eaves, troughs and gutters.
- Remove old tires or drill holes in those used in playgrounds to drain.
- Turn over or remove empty plastic pots.
- Pick up all beverage containers and cups.
- Check tarps on boats or other equipment that may collect water.
- Pump out bilges on boats.
- Replace water in birdbaths and pet or other animal feeding dishes
at least once a week.
- Change water in plant trays, including hanging plants, at least once a week.
- Remove vegetation or obstructions in drainage ditches that prevent
the flow of water.

Florida Department of Health (DOH) continues to conduct statewide
surveillance for mosquito borne illnesses, including West Nile virus
infections, EEE, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, and dengue.
Residents of Florida are encouraged to report dead birds via the Web
site
.

For more information on mosquito-borne illnesses, visit DOH's
Environmental Health Web site at
,
call the West Nile Virus Hotline at 1-888-880-5782, or call your
local county health department.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


******
[3] Georgia
Date: 9 Jul 2010
Source: The horse.com [edited]



Just one week after the Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services
Commissioner announced a spike in Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)
cases , the
Georgia Division of Public Health has confirmed 2 positive cases of
EEE in horses found in Brooks County on 8 Jul 2010. So far, these are
the only EEE cases reported in Georgia this year [2010].

EEE is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is
transmitted to horses by infected mosquitoes. Horse owners are
strongly encouraged to vaccinate against mosquito-borne diseases like
EEE and West Nile virus (WNV). Georgia has seen confirmed human cases
of WNV in Dougherty and Clayton County already this year, but there
are no reports of horses confirmed with WNV.

[Byline: Megan Arszman]

--
Communicated by:
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[Apparently weather conditions of some rain along with some warm
weather on the east coast of the US have combined to begin the EEE
season. Horse owners are encouraged -- strongly encouraged -- to
vaccinate those horses now, and to use mosquito repellent designed
for horses. Keep fans going in the barns, and clean water troughs in
the barn and paddock area to prevent mosquito larvae from developing.

Human beings should heed the advice in the articles about protecting
themselves from mosquitoes. - Mod.TG]

[The interactive HealthMap/ProMED map for Florida is available at:
. Georgia is at:
- CopyEd.EJP]

[see also:
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA (05): (FL) 20100708.2274
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA (04): (FL) 20100630.2178
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA (03): (FL) 20100627.2146
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA (02): (FL) sentinel avian 20100623.2101
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA: (FL) 20100527.1755
Eastern equine encephalitis - Panama (04): (DR, PN), susp. 20100707.2264
Eastern equine encephalitis - Panama (03): (DR, PN) 20100627.2148
Eastern equine encephalitis - Panama (02): (DR, PN) 20100625.2112
Eastern equine encephalitis - Panama: (DR, PN) 20100621.2080)
2009
----
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (22): (NC) 20091217.4260
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA (21): (NH), mosquito surveillance
20091114.3943
Eastern equine encephalitis - Canada (04): (NS) 20091107.3845
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - Belize (02): (CY) 20091025.3690
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - Belize (CY) OIE 20091019.3593
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (20): (RI) 20091014.3543
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - Canada: (NS) 20091001.3416
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (17): (NY) human 20091001.3413
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (15): (NH) emu 20090929.3397
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (10): (ME) 20090905.3127
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine, alpaca - USA: (NC, VA) 20090828.3034
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (05): (MO, VA) 20090714.2507
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (03): (FL) 20090701.2378
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA: (GA) 20090613.2197]

2008
----
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (04): (FL) 20080724.2241
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (FL) 20080705.2045
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA: (FL) 20080323.1101
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (02): (GA) 20080622.1932]
....................tg/ejp/lm

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DENGUE - ITALY ex TANZANIA

Dengue, weaponized in the USA, 1972

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A ProMED-mail post

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


Date: Fri 9 Jul 2010
From: Giuseppe Ippolito [edited]



A case of dengue-3 [virus] infection was recently diagnosed at the
Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases in Rome,
Italy. A traveller who had returned from Zanzibar on 24 Jun 2010,
Tanzania, developed symptoms 3 days later and was admitted to the
tropical diseases ward (Director: Pasquale Narciso).

Virologists of the Institute (Maria Rosaria Capobianchi and Antonino
DiCaro) were able to detect the virus by RT-PCR in a serum sample
collected on 30 Jun [2010]; the Dengue [virus] serotype was confirmed
by sequencing of the NS5 gene. E gene sequencing is ongoing, for
further molecular characterization.

This finding confirms previous PROMED-mail postings reporting the
existence of dengue infection in Tanzania, and in Zanzibar in
particular (ProMED Archive number 20100517.1620), and supports the
hypothesis that Dengue-3 [virus] is circulating in Africa (Franco L.
et al, Recent expansion of Dengue virus serotype 3 in West Africa,
Euro-surveill. 2010;15:19490).

--
Giuseppe Ippolito MD
Scientific Director
National Institute for
Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani
Via Portuense, 29200149 Rome
Italy

[ProMED thanks Dr. Ippolito for this 1st-hand report. As he points
out, this provides addition evidence for the ongoing circulation of
dengue virus-3 in Tanzania. ProMED receives only sporadic reports on
dengue virus transmission in Africa, suggesting that these types of
reports represent the tip of a very large dengue virus African
iceberg. ProMED archive number 20100517.1620 reported 17 dengue cases
in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 15 May 2010. On 9 Feb 2010 and 10 Mar
2010, 2 imported dengue virus-3 cases from Tanzania were confirmed in
Japan (see ProMED archive no. 20100323.0922).

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of
Tanzania in East Africa can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

[See also:
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (23) 20100517.1620
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (19) 20100420.1279
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (15) 20100323.0922]
................................lm/ty/ejp/lm

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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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EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS - USA (05): (FLORIDA)

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

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


Date: Tue 6 July 2010
Source: The Ledger [edited]



Encephalitis advisory issued for Polk County after horses test positive
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A mosquito-borne disease advisory was issued Tue 6 Jul 2010 for all
of Polk County, prompted by the recent deaths of 2 horses that tested
positive for eastern equine encephalitis.

The advisory urges special precautions to avoid exposure to
mosquitoes, which can transmit the potentially deadly disease to
humans.

No human cases of EEE have been reported so far this year [2010] in
Polk or anywhere else in the state, but the odds are getting better,
health officials say, because of the wet weather, which promotes
mosquito breeding.

Horses are especially sensitive to the disease, and owners are urged
to get them vaccinated. According to the Florida Department of
Health, a human vaccine is being developed but is not yet available.

The 2 animals that contracted EEE in recent weeks were kept in rural
sections of Lake Wales and Frostproof, said Polk Medical Director
Daniel Haight. They either succumbed to the disease or had to be
euthanized, he said.

Other cases of horse infections have been reported in the Florida
Panhandle in recent weeks.

Cases of humans being infected with EEE are rare, with only 1 or 2
confirmed in Florida each year.

The symptoms can be mild to severe, Haight said, and it's likely that
some people carry the disease and don't know it. Just the same, he
said, the Health Department works closely with emergency room
physicians, so they're especially keen to look for symptoms of the
disease once an advisory has been issued.

"We know with all this rain we're getting, the numbers (of
mosquitoes) are going to go back up," Haight said.

Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, muscle pain, and headache.
Symptoms can become more severe within 1 to 2 weeks of being infected
and may lead to encephalitis, or swelling of the brain.

Mosquito protection is the best defense. The Health Department
suggests the following steps: avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn;
wear clothing that covers skin; use repellents that contain up to 30
percent DEET; rid your home and property of standing water; repair
torn screens.

For more information, contact Polk Mosquito Control, 863-534-7377.

[Byline: Eric Pera]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[The disease in humans may vary from mild to severe, but it is more
often than not fatal to horses. A simple vaccination can protect your
horse from the disease and you and from the pain of euthanizing your
animal. - Mod.TG]

[The state of Florida can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map at
.
County can be located on the map at
. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

[see also:
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA (04): (FL) 20100630.2178
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA (03): (FL) 20100627.2146
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA (02): (FL) sentinel avian 20100623.2101
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA: (FL) 20100527.1755
2009
----
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (22): (NC) 20091217.4260
Eastern equine encephalitis - USA (21): (NH), mosquito surveillance
20091114.3943
Eastern equine encephalitis - Canada (04): (NS) 20091107.3845
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - Belize (02): (CY) 20091025.3690
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - Belize (CY) OIE 20091019.3593
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (20): (RI) 20091014.3543
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - Canada: (NS) 20091001.3416
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (17): (NY) human 20091001.3413
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (15): (NH) emu 20090929.3397
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (10): (ME) 20090905.3127
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine, alpaca - USA: (NC, VA) 20090828.3034
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (05): (MO, VA) 20090714.2507
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA (03): (FL) 20090701.2378
Eastern equine encephalitis, equine - USA: (GA) 20090613.2197]
...................................tg/mj/lm

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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
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or archived material.
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Chemical and Biological Weapons: Possession & Programs, Past & Present

http://cns.miis.edu/cbw/possess.htm#78

Pathogens and Potential Risks in Livestock & Poultry Manure

http://www.extension.org/pages/Pathogens_and_Potential_Risks_Related_to_Livestock_or_Poultry_Manure

PIG VIRUS FOUND IN CHILDRENS VACCINES

FDA FINDS "NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN"

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/ucm211101.htm


ROTAVIRUS VACCINE - USA (02): EXTRANEOUS VIRUS
**********************************************
A ProMED-mail post

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

******
[1]
Date: Fri 7 May 2010
Source: CIDRAP News [edited]


Another rotavirus vaccine found to contain porcine circovirus
-------------------------------------------------------------
Merck, the company that makes the most commonly given rotavirus vaccine in
the United States, yesterday said it has detected very low levels of DNA
from porcine circovirus (PCV) in its Rotateq vaccine, making it the 2nd
rotavirus vaccine found to contain PCV. The company said in a press release
that it used highly sensitive assays to test its vaccine after an
independent testing laboratory found evidence of the virus in the other
US-licensed rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix, made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
On 22 Mar 2010 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that,
although it doesn't appear that the Rotarix poses any safety risks,
physicians should suspend administering it until government and industry
scientists could review the findings.
The FDA's vaccine advisory panel was scheduled to discuss the Rotarix
findings today [Fri 7 May 2010], and yesterday in advance of the meeting it
posted a notice on Merck's PCV findings for its vaccine. It said
preliminary studies from Merck had identified DNA fragments from PCV
subtype 1 (PCV1), the same subtype found in GSK's vaccine, as well as from
PCV subtype 2 (PCV2).
The FDA said neither has been known to cause illness in humans, though PCV2
can cause illness in pigs. It also said it has no evidence that either of
the vaccines poses a safety risk and that both have strong safety records.
At today's meeting of the FDA Vaccine and Related Biological Products
Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), members were briefed on the latest study
findings from FDA and industry scientists. Most members said the benefits
of the rotavirus vaccines clearly outweigh the risks, though several
expressed concerns about the PCV2 findings in Merck's vaccine, due to the
fact that it can cause disease in pigs.
Yesterday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported
that the last 2 rotavirus seasons were shorter than past seasons and that
vaccine coverage has risen to 72 per cent. However, usage is about 13 per
cent lower than 2 other childhood vaccines commonly given to infants. The
CDC findings appear in the latest issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report (MMWR) .
Some VRBPAC members today voiced a need for transparency when talking to
parents about the rotavirus vaccine PCV findings, but they also worried
that news about contamination with extraneous virus fragments could erode
some of the gains in vaccine coverage.
[byline: Lisa Schnirring]
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail

******
[2]
Date: Thu 6 May 2010
Source: FDA (Food and Drug Administration), Vaccine, Blood and Biologics
[edited]


Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting
Background material -- porcine circovirus and rotavirus vaccines
----------------------------------------------------------------
The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting on
7 May 2010 will discuss the findings shared with the public on 22 Mar 2010,
that porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1) DNA was found in GlaxoSmithKline
Biologicals' Rotarix Vaccine. Additional data pertaining to the Rotarix
vaccine will also be presented to the committee.
The FDA recently received information from Merck and Co, Inc that its
preliminary studies have identified fragments of DNA from PCV1 and from a
related porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in its RotaTeq vaccine. Merck's
findings suggest that the number of PCV DNA fragments in its vaccine may be
smaller than what has been found in Rotarix. These preliminary findings
will be included in discussions with the committee.
The FDA has been working closely with manufacturers of the 2 licensed
rotavirus vaccines, has consulted with experts inside and outside of the
federal government, and has considered issues related to the novel testing
that led to the identification of PCV.
The FDA has no evidence to date that these findings pertaining to Rotarix
and RotaTeq pose a safety risk. Both vaccines have strong safety records,
including clinical trials involving tens of thousands of patients and
clinical experience with millions of patients.
PCV1 and PCV2 are both small, circular viruses composed of a single strand
of DNA. PCV1 and PCV2 are common in pigs. Neither PCV1 nor PCV2 are known
to cause illness in humans, however PCV2 may cause illness in pigs.
Rotarix and RotaTeq are the 2 US licensed vaccines indicated for the
prevention of rotavirus disease in infants. Rotavirus disease causes the
deaths of more than 500 000 infants around the world each year, primarily
in low and middle-income countries. Before the introduction of vaccination,
the disease caused more than 50 000 hospitalizations and several dozen
deaths in the US each year. Rotavirus vaccines are given by mouth to
infants to prevent rotavirus disease, which can cause severe diarrhea and
dehydration.
The FDA will continue to work with both GSK and Merck as additional testing
is conducted by both the manufacturers and FDA to further assess the
findings of PCV DNA in rotavirus vaccines.
After considering the input of the committee's experts and the available
scientific information, the FDA will make further recommendations on the
use of the licensed rotavirus vaccines in the US. The FDA will provide
updates to the public and clinical community through
and other communications.
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail

[Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe acute gastroenteritis (vomiting
and diarrhea) among children worldwide. Two different rotavirus vaccines
are currently licensed for use in infants in the United States. The
vaccines are RotaTeq (RV5) and Rotarix (RV1). Before being licensed, both
vaccines were tested in clinical trials and shown to be safe and effective.
In these studies, during approximately the 1st year of an infant's life,
rotavirus vaccine was found to prevent almost all (85-98 per cent)
rotavirus illness episodes that were severe and to prevent 74-87 per cent
of all rotavirus illness episodes.
The presence of fragments of the genomic DNA of the 2 circoviruses in both
vaccines suggests that the contamination was present in the original
rotavirus isolate from which the vaccine viruses were derived, and that the
contamination was not introduced during subsequent development and
production of the vaccines, but that remains to be established
conclusively. So far there appear to have been no deleterious consequences
resulting from the presence of these contaminants in the vaccine. - Mod.CP]
[see also:
Rotavirus - Americas: PAHO alert 20100330.1009
Rotavirus vaccine - USA: extraneous virus 20100322.0914]
...................cp/ejp/sh

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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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