tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40026115694366513032024-03-06T15:00:55.373-05:00HealthMapThe HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-18606399712922375212011-08-15T17:24:00.000-04:002011-08-15T17:24:05.163-04:00The HealthMap Blog is MOVING - Join Us at The Disease Daily!! <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>296</o:Words> <o:Characters>1692</o:Characters> <o:Company>HealthMap</o:Company> <o:Lines>14</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>2077</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Verdana;
mso-fareast-font-family:Verdana;
mso-hansi-font-family:Verdana;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWJEEQ5KaqbFYBM7-fHl4z0zfBmQKgPYs8jExvnXKvsWLWVjfRDK_bzgssAOxM0yEhjLTYClqEJonGf2MLASm9iwbM9hXv_8V_Hjdr4w-uGFLLNIf_fawcp-VS9H7LHS3MMc0A7C3rc0/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-08-15+at+5.19.57+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWJEEQ5KaqbFYBM7-fHl4z0zfBmQKgPYs8jExvnXKvsWLWVjfRDK_bzgssAOxM0yEhjLTYClqEJonGf2MLASm9iwbM9hXv_8V_Hjdr4w-uGFLLNIf_fawcp-VS9H7LHS3MMc0A7C3rc0/s320/Screen+shot+2011-08-15+at+5.19.57+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The HealthMap Blog is moving up in the world! HealthMap has always worked to provide you with the infectious disease outbreak news you need to know along with the geographic and timeline context for you to understand it. In January 2009, we started this blog to provide broader information on outbreaks occurring worldwide. Today we are excited to start <a href="http://www.healthmap.org/news">The Disease Daily</a> and <a href="http://www.healthmap.org/local">HealthMap Local</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At <i>The Disease Daily</i>, we're expanding the coverage you've come to expect at the HealthMap blog.<span> </span>We'll still provide you with the context you need to understand current outbreaks: "Does the report of a new tattoo infection mean there's a scary new disease?,” "Why is there an anthrax outbreak in China?," or "What's going on in the Somali refugee camps?"<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the upcoming weeks, we'll be greatly expanding our reporting beyond what you've seen here: more updates, deeper explanations of outbreaks, and even more extensive coverage. We've created a news section called Outbreaks 101 where we plan to breakdown basic but important questions like "How do you eradicate a disease forever?" or "Why do people need to be vaccinated for measles in a 'measles-free' country?" Have a question you want us to answer? E-mail us at DiseaseDaily@gmail.com and we'll put in on the list for future columns.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While you're checking out <i>The Daily Disease</i> on the new website, don't forget to click over to <a href="http://www.healthmap.org/local">HealthMap Local</a> to see what illnesses have been reported in your area.<span> </span>With HealthMap Local, you can set your location and see what's happening near you, just like checking your local weather forecast online.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank you to all of our blog followers! Your readership and support inspired <i>The Daily Disease</i>.<span> </span>We hope you’ll continue to follow us. Please consider “liking” us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/healthmap">Facebook</a> and “following” us on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/healthmap">Twitter</a> too!<span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-45998613007879346022011-08-12T15:21:00.000-04:002011-08-12T15:21:05.233-04:00CDC Links Rare Bacterial Infection to Tattoos<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/armchairdj/1638793465/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="2005: Dr. Blasphemy by armchairdj, on Flickr"><img alt="2005: Dr. Blasphemy" height="320" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2301/1638793465_a2fc3d35ec.jpg" width="173" /></a><br />
<div style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">September’s </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/17/9/pdfs/10-2011.pdf"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emerging Infectious Diseases</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> journal reports that two individuals’ tattoos were infected by a bacteria normally seen only in people with poor immune systems. In August 2009, an otherwise healthy adult sought medical care for pustules at the site of his new tattoo. When the infection did not respond well to antibiotics, the case was referred to the local public health department and an investigation by CDC and Washington State public health officials was launched.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medical tests isolated </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mycobacterium haemophilum</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,which can be difficult to treat, just like its Tuberculosis-causing relative. The lesions did not fully heal until March 2010. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M. haemophilum</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> does not normally cause the pustules seen in this case. They may have been due to the mode of infection, via tattooing needle. The authors report a second individual had identical symptoms and had been tattooed at the same shop, but tests failed to identify the organism. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An outbreak of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M. haemophilum </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was earlier reported among 12 Swiss women who had their e</span><a href="http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/52/4/488.full"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yebrows tattooed</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as permanent makeup. In addition to lengthy antibiotic treatment, 10 of them needed surgery. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tattoo regulations vary widely in the United States. The tattoo establishment was operating within state safety and sanitation standards. Investigators believe the use of tap water to dilute the tattoo ink may have contributed to the infections. While this practice is permitted, the authors recommended the tattoo establishment use sterile water in the future. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M. haemophilum</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was not found in samples of tap water or on any surfaces in the business, but previous studies have suggested water can be a vehicle for it. It is important to note that this study does not suggest the tap water was dangerous, simply that at some point the water used to dilute the ink could have picked up </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M. haemophilum </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which was then injected into the skin to cause the infection. Since </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M. haemophilum </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">does not normally cause disease in healthy people, injecting it may be a necessary step in causing illness in people with health immune systems.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Traditionally, health officials have been concerned about the risk of blood-borne diseases during tattooing. The widespread adoption of single-use needles has helped reduce this risk. The difference in the story reported here is that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M. haemophilum</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is common in the environment. These infections were not due to transmission between clients.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For more information on tattoos and health, you can visit the CDC’s </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/features/bodyart/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">webpage</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the topic.</span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-53941393291832929432011-08-12T10:57:00.000-04:002011-08-12T10:57:58.178-04:00Outbreak of Cutaneous Anthrax in Liaoning, China<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1ga5kxJDISj-QktQusWgdCQ2cMkwDv892WW0O9NlwR8hKXqITTHIndLJxlBAjAKZ1Xf9_Gv68p_QS4l-ZXESdUT8efA9kCI5Of7GGsatEbNwYCjKm-HSP_8RkaJnMwkv7R2ThhaCtMM/s1600/Anthrax_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1ga5kxJDISj-QktQusWgdCQ2cMkwDv892WW0O9NlwR8hKXqITTHIndLJxlBAjAKZ1Xf9_Gv68p_QS4l-ZXESdUT8efA9kCI5Of7GGsatEbNwYCjKm-HSP_8RkaJnMwkv7R2ThhaCtMM/s1600/Anthrax_01.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As of yesterday, </span><a href="http://society.people.com.cn/GB/15405892.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">30 patients, 3 of which have been confirmed,</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in Haicheng City and Xiuyan County of Liaoning </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Province</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">, were admitted to local hospitals with symptoms of cutaneous anthrax. All sick residents became infected after having recently slaughtered anthrax-infected cows. All sick animals were traced back to one village in Haicheng City where there had previously been an anthrax outbreak among animals. In the preliminary investigation, 4 sick animals were found, 2 of which died. Currently, no deaths have occurred and all patients are being treated at their local hospitals. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002301/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anthrax is a common bacterial infection</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> among hoofed-animals, but humans can become infected after close contact with sick animals or upon being exposed through 3 main routes - open wound, inhalation, or consumption of tainted meat. Cutaneous anthrax is relatively mild and individuals infected usually develop a sore or blister. Inhalation anthrax and gastrointestinal anthrax may lead to internal bleeding, shock, and tissue death. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo courtesy of: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anthrax_01.jpg</span></span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-51659968219631495682011-08-11T09:53:00.000-04:002011-08-11T09:53:21.605-04:00Drought Brings Famine and Disease to Horn of Africa<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oxfameastafrica/5935741517/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Women and children waiting to enter Dadaab camp by Oxfam East Africa, on Flickr"><img alt="Women and children waiting to enter Dadaab camp" height="320" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/5935741517_beb3c11c60.jpg" width="212" /></a>As the Horn of Africa – including Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, and Djibouti - faces its worst drought in over 50 years, thousands of Somali refugees seek shelter in the capital city of Mogadishu and in refugee camps in northeastern Kenya and southeastern Ethiopia. The Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya have swelled to a <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2011-08/06/c_131032894.htm">population of over 400,000</a>, as Somalis walk for 15 to 20 days prior to arrival <a href="http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/decapua-somalia-dadaab-update-10aug11-127453423.html">in search of food and water</a>. The Dolo Ado camp in Ethiopia continues to see an average of <a href="http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/decapua-somalia-ethiopia-9aug11-127311818.html">200-300 Somalis arrive each day</a>. In just the past 2 months, facing imminent starvation and death, an estimated <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-08-10-somalia-famine-refugees_n.htm?csp=34news">220,000 have fled </a>their drought-stricken farms.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The situation in the Horn of Africa continues to worsen with <a href="http://www.aporrea.org/actualidad/n186306.html">confirmed cases of cholera</a> and <a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua/2011-08-10/content_3449918.html">dengue</a> in Somalia (including Mogadishu) and <a href="http://operamundi.uol.com.br/conteudo/noticia/OMS%2BADVERTE%2BSOBRE%2BSURTO%2BDE%2BCOLERA%2BNA%2BSOMALIA%2BE%2BDE%2BSARAMPO%2BNA%2BETIOPIA_14200.shtml">measles outbreaks in refugee camps</a> (with the hardest hit being the Dolo Ado camp in Ethiopia). The United Nations (UN) has warned that the situation could become “<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-08-10-somalia-famine-refugees_n.htm?csp=34news">unbearable</a>,” as the famine is expected to spread throughout southern Somalia in the next 4-6 weeks. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In such an unstable region of the world, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/08/08/pol-somalia-aid.html">delivering aid is challenging</a>, however international organizations are responding. For the first time in five years the UN <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/08/201188174931757878.html">airlifted emergency aid into Mogadishu</a>, and an additional <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/08/09/139261232/aid-boosted-to-somalia-u-s-mogadishu-vet-says-he-would-return">800 metric tons of food</a> is on its way to East Africa. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a <a href="http://www.who.int/features/2011/horn_of_africa/en/index.html">vaccination campaign along the Kenya-Somalia border</a> to protect over 200,000 malnourished children from diseases such as measles and polio. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Visit the World Food Program’s Website at <a href="http://www.wfp.org/">www.wfp.org</a> to learn more about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa or to make a donation.</div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-37414574599622219132011-08-05T11:37:00.000-04:002011-08-05T11:37:26.439-04:00New England Journal of Medicine Reports on New Tick-borne Bacteria<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/afpmb/4699304023/" title="Ixodes scapularis Say: M, F, N by Armed Forces Pest Management Board, on Flickr"><img alt="Ixodes scapularis Say: M, F, N" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4699304023_1f1798b0c9_m.jpg" width="176" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ticks are known for carrying Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesia, among other diseases. Now, there’s a new bacteria on the list. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and from public health departments in Minnesota and Wisconsin, have <a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1010493">identified a new type of Ehrlichia</a> which sickened at least four people in those states.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are several Ehrlichia species, but the two common which sicken humans (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ehrlichia chaffeensis</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ehrlichia ewingii</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) are not found in the MidWest. The researchers isolated this new species through molecular, culture, and serologic methods on patient blood samples and harvested ticks. They have named their discovery ehrlichia species Wisconsin. Patients reported symptoms similar to the previously known </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ehrlichia spp.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2011/08/03/theres-a-new-bacterial-species-causing-tick-borne-illness-in-two-states/?mod=google_news_blog">fever, fatigue, and headache</a>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This discovery is particularly important since ehrlichiosis had not been previously identified in this part of the United States. Now that <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/tick-borne-disease-found-upper-midwest/story?id=14233404">physicians know to test for it</a>, the number of cases identified will likely increase rapidly. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ticks typically feed on rodents and deer, so other mammals are likely part of the life cycle of this bacteria. Among the many emerging human disease threats, 75% have a link to animals. As animal populations move <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/04/emerging-infectious-disease-environment_n_918264.html">due to changes in their environments</a> (be it construction on their habitat, climate changes, or anything else) diseases that have not previously been seen in humans may have the opportunity to make that leap. Given the relatively mild symptoms of the new Ehrlichia species, it is difficult to know if the organism has simply been present but undiagnosed in humans for decades. Additional studies will help describe its epidemiology and give more context to a very interesting discovery.</span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-61791442184432872822011-08-04T15:27:00.002-04:002011-08-04T15:31:12.076-04:00Salmonella from Ground Turkey Leads to Widespread Recall in US<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNslUPhes2ZTyvfkwm5dBUt55eNffGnPxqzfcX1B517aOORxETjDm-z3evmUVJNFah-DEY7TI23FXca0hoql3bzT5dpUgOB8B5ACb0W9PleU71vu1fT0YonBgrITexXOSWVL0aiSgbG0/s200/turkey2.jpg" width="200" /></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Salmonellosis has swept the nation, with</span><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43978664/ns/health-food_safety/#.Tjq6Rr-Stqc"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">76 illnesses and 1 death identified across 26 states</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Beginning March 9 and continuing into August, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Center for Disease Control have followed reports of foodborne illness caused by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Salmonella Heidelberg</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> across the country. Cases have sprung up from Massachusetts to Arizona, with the</span><a href="http://www.officialwire.com/main.php?action=posted_news&rid=18388&catid=60"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lone death occurring in Sacramento, California</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On July 29, the</span><a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_072911_01/index.asp"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> issued an alert about possible contamination of ground turkey, but had not yet determined specific brands under investigation. Just days later, meat producer</span><a href="http://healthland.time.com/2011/08/04/u-s-recalls-ground-turkey-in-salmonella-outbreak/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cargill announced a voluntary recall of fresh and frozen ground turkey</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from its Arkansas plant, believed to be the source of the outbreak. Cargill has halted production while they investigate the cause of contamination and also issued an apology to those who fell ill. With 36 million pounds of ground turkey recalled, this is one of the largest food recalls ever.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Salmonella Heidelberg</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> strain at the center of the outbreak is resistant to many antibiotics, creating significant problems in treatment. Signs of infection with salmonella include abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Symptoms usually begin 12-72 hours after exposure and can last 4-7 days. As a precaution, the CDC reminds that ground turkey must be cooked to an</span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/heidelberg/080111/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Contaminated turkey, if properly cooked, will not cause illness.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Photo </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">courtesy of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/voght/2441818832/" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.flickr.com/photos/voght/2441818832/</a></span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-72994125200149105402011-08-04T12:19:00.000-04:002011-08-04T12:19:06.819-04:00Cerebrospinal Meningitis Outbreak in Ghana Leaves 5 DeadAn <a href="http://gbcghana.com/index.php?id=1.334000.1.496047">outbreak of CSM</a>, commonly known as cerebrospinal meningitis, in the New Nsuta community of Obuasi Municipality in Ghana, <a href="http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=215536">has killed 5 and infected 17 individuals</a>. It has not yet been established how the disease broke out in the area. Fearful residents are <a href="http://news.myjoyonline.com/health/201108/70418.asp">urging local health officials</a> to immediately immunize them, and the Ministry of Health is working to dispatch vaccines to the area, although the strain has yet to be identified. Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal membrane and can be caused by a variety of viruses and bacteria. The outbreak has reportedly taken a toll on businesses in the area, as patrons are pulling out. <a href="http://news.peacefmonline.com/health/201108/60767.php">Last year’s meningitis outbreak</a> in northern Ghana resulted in 54 cases and 27 deaths.The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-44807538823343179332011-08-03T16:41:00.001-04:002011-08-03T16:41:15.483-04:00“Unusual Cluster” of Deadly Meningitis in New Zealand<link href="file://localhost/Users/amysonricker/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link> <style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Health care professionals on New Zealand’s South Island have been told to be extra vigilant after <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/5385491/Meningitis-and-measles-danger">4 cases</a> of a rare and aggressive type of meningitis (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Neisseria</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">meningitidis</i> type C) were confirmed. <a href="http://www.3news.co.nz/Health-authorities-warn-of-meningococcal-outbreak/tabid/423/articleID/220893/Default.aspx">One patient has died</a> (a well-known construction company CEO and father of three), and three others remain hospitalized. The individuals hospitalized include a colleague of the deceased CEO, a Christchurch woman in her 40s, and a toddler in a Dunedin Hospital. All are expected to make a full recovery. What has made this outbreak particularly unusual is the confirmation by public health officials that <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5380417/No-link-as-aggressive-bug-spreads">there is nothing linking the two men with the woman or toddler</a>. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Anyone with suspected infection with meningococcal disease should seek immediate medical attention. <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/symptoms.html">Symptoms can develop quickly</a> and include nausea, fever, headache, stiff neck, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. </div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-44490315991250918662011-07-28T12:11:00.000-04:002011-07-28T12:11:14.269-04:00World Hepatitis Day<div style="background-color: transparent;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.009725143201649189" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today is</span><a href="http://www.worldhepatitisalliance.org/WorldHepatitisDay.aspx"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">World Hepatitis Day</span></a>.<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Since 2008, World Hepatitis Day has worked to increase public and media interest through thousands of events worldwide.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hepatitis is the</span><a href="http://www.who.int/topics/hepatitis/en/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inflammation of the liver</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, generally caused by a viral infection. There are 5 different types of viral hepatitis, differentiated by the letters A, B, C, D, and E. While hepatitis A and E are caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water, the remaining types are spread by contact with infected body fluids. Common means of transmission include sexual contact, blood transfusions of infected blood, shared needles, or through childbirth. Symptoms of hepatitis may include yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain; however, infections are often asymptomatic and individuals may be infected for years without showing signs. Hepatitis B and C may lead to chronic liver disease and can be fatal.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hepatitis is currently a prominent cause of death in</span><a href="http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20110725-290893.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">South/Southeast Asia</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, where it kills more people than any other communicable disease- more than dengue, malaria, and HIV/AIDS combined over the past 10 years. In fact, nearly one-quarter of the global disease burden of hepatitis B and C lies in</span><a href="http://www.dvb.no/news/asian-alarm-at-deadly-hepatitis-spread/16677"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">just 11 countries</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Nepal, North Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Experts predict over 5 million deaths in the region over the next decade.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps most importantly, World Hepatitis Day focuses on</span><a href="http://www.worldhepatitisalliance.org/AboutViralHepatitis/Prevention_Diagnosis_Treatment.aspx"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the importance of prevention and increased access to treatment</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Currently, hepatitis B can be prevented through a 3-dose vaccination series. Hepatitis A can also be prevented with vaccination, or through careful hand-washing and hygiene practices, as can hepatitis E. Unlike other types, hepatitis B is often chronic and can never be considered “cured,” but can be controlled through careful treatment.</span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-16582565005850681042011-07-28T10:09:00.000-04:002011-07-28T10:09:32.091-04:0028 Dead this Month from “Malaria” in Mali?<div style="background-color: transparent;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.694530080538243" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to a </span><a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-07/26/c_121719418.htm&ei=wDEwTrGiMsbegQe_27HmCg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDAQ7gEwAQ&prev=/search%253Fq%253D%25E9%25A9%25AC%25E9%2587%258C%25E6%2597%2585%25E6%25B8%25B8%25E8%2583%259C%25E5%259C%25B0%2526hl%253Den%2526prmdo%253D1%2526biw%253D858%2526bih%253D446%2526prmd%253Divnsu"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chinese </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">news article, a malaria outbreak currently underway in Mopti, Mali has claimed 28 lives since the first death occurred in early July. Mopti, a significant tourist region in the West African country, is completely surrounded by rivers and hence dubbed the “Venice of Mali.” The report claimed that during this rainy season, villagers have been directly drinking from the flooded rivers, thus “causing malaria to spread quickly in the area.” However, malaria is transmitted </span><a href="http://malaria.emedtv.com/malaria/malaria-transmission.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">through bites from mosquitoes</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> infected with the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Plasmodium</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> parasite and not from drinking contaminated water. Healthmap is therefore dubious of the accuracy of this report and suspect the reporter might have confused malaria with cholera. </span><a href="http://www.romandie.com/news/n/_Epidemie_de_cholera_au_Mali_19_deces_en_juillet_plus_de_200_cas270720111707.asp"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">French news reports</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from earlier this month describe a cholera outbreak in Mopti and Timbuktu. Nevertheless, Mali does have a high burden of malaria. According to the </span><a href="http://www.who.int/malaria/world_malaria_report_2010/en/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2010 WHO malaria report</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Mali had 2,331 malarial deaths and 1,633,423 suspected cases in 2009 (the last year reported). Healthmap will continue to monitor for any clarification updates. </span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-5699062747175746402011-07-26T16:53:00.002-04:002011-08-01T13:34:22.532-04:00Hendra Virus Confirmed in Queensland Dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><link href="file://localhost/Users/amysonricker/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link> <style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWV1tb33PHe0Ul8rXP-RqARGitMrBsfxpeWpPiDIR8fp11OF03ILxel0TjT8Xo26VawN-9FCLSmmMIBE1oB5kj6xTQbKSMc7x3C1zAj8SJhI-gINJ8pWKSRaTW_nRrpQj34rpD0Hmpqlg/s1600/Kelpie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWV1tb33PHe0Ul8rXP-RqARGitMrBsfxpeWpPiDIR8fp11OF03ILxel0TjT8Xo26VawN-9FCLSmmMIBE1oB5kj6xTQbKSMc7x3C1zAj8SJhI-gINJ8pWKSRaTW_nRrpQj34rpD0Hmpqlg/s1600/Kelpie2.jpg" /></a></div>The Australian Animal Health Laboratory has confirmed the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201107/s3278389.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">first case of Hendra virus in a dog</a>. Hendra virus has <a href="http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/scientists-guessing-over-hendra-dog-20110726-1hy3e.html" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">only been found naturally within the flying fox bat, horse, and human</a>. This case is the first to be found within a dog outside of a laboratory. The male kelpie showed no signs of disease, but tested positive for antibodies and likely contracted the virus from a positive horse on the property already under quarantine near Beaudesert, Queensland. It has not yet been confirmed if humans can become infected from animals other than horses but the risk is likely low. Researchers and pet-owners fear an evolving disease that can spread more readily from different species.<br />
<br />
Hendra virus continues to appear in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Most recently, the virus was found in a horse in <a href="http://empres-i.fao.org/empres-i/2/obd?idOutbreak=163983&rss=t">Chinchilla, Queensland</a>. This is also the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-24/hendra-suspected-in-chinchilla-horse-death/2807900">first case west of the Great Diving Range</a>. Over the past month, 10 horses in Queensland and 4 in New South Wales have died or have been euthanized. It is estimated that a total of <a href="http://beta.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20110725.2243">57 people</a> have been exposed and are being monitored and tested for Hendra virus. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-27505522658293004532011-07-22T16:45:00.000-04:002011-07-22T16:45:08.895-04:001st ever Hantavirus death in Peru & Mexico’s 1st measles case since 2007<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiB4hhsAYmC4F4YqsbwSSLfwT2oDG3EM7vOTpsbdsi8j7kNc1KKTHGdWPYZ6uN3df7spIxe1NNz12_LvxQQwI0aM8uHgLarAutee0zb0XuBBY9Qof2Up5G3UjHYr5SQQad_BTLAGkABw/s1600/3653428404_07ae128b23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiB4hhsAYmC4F4YqsbwSSLfwT2oDG3EM7vOTpsbdsi8j7kNc1KKTHGdWPYZ6uN3df7spIxe1NNz12_LvxQQwI0aM8uHgLarAutee0zb0XuBBY9Qof2Up5G3UjHYr5SQQad_BTLAGkABw/s320/3653428404_07ae128b23.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/madstillz/3653428404/sizes/m/in/photostream/">r.i.c.h.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span id="internal-source-marker_0.46217140342843366" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hantavirus blamed for death in Peru </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A 29-year-old woman is </span><a href="http://www.livinginperu.com/news/15567"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Peru’s first ever Hanatavirus death</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The woman worked as a tour guide </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iquitos"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Iquitos</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest. Health officials are warning people to wear a mask when cleaning rooms that have been closed up for a long period of time.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hantavirus can cause severe respiratory disease. It is present on the feces of many species of mice. Humans may become </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/hps/transmission.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">infected </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">when they clean mouse droppings. Hence, a face mask is recommended when sweeping or cleaning any location that has mouse droppings.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="internal-source-marker_0.46217140342843366" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">First case of measles in Mexico since 2007</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">n </span><a href="http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=408968&CategoryId=14091"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">18-month-old French girl</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> who recently arrived in Mexico has been diagnosed with measles. Health officials are trying to locate the other passengers who were aboard her plane, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the Mexico City neighborhood where she is staying is under </span><a href="http://www.kirotv.com/health/28628819/detail.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">quarantine</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The 2007 case of measles was in a traveler; no Mexican national has been diagnosed with measles in Mexico since 2004.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The case is yet another example of the risks of low vaccination rates in other countries. Recent measles cases in </span><a href="http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/boston/12003619993262/health-officials-work-to-contain-measles-in-boston/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Boston, Massachusetts</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> were linked to a French consulate worker. The </span><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2011310/Why-measles-rise-Just-blame-French.html?ito=feeds-newsxml"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">United Kingdom</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> believes its surge in cases is due to contact with people in France and other European countries where outbreaks have been spreading.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-17912364288039345412011-07-20T13:37:00.000-04:002011-07-20T13:37:47.672-04:00Polio returns to Nigeria, South Sudan's Nodding Disease, & Poisoning outbreak triggers countrywide alcohol ban<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92NGiAxojBpgMcYCaQhzLzrPxJqkDrqt3rODSzRku1dewTmDHrgyW52hnFgzhTqw-KxpwUd2uDK8sAJjs7fwSKsxtjgTrqnHzVcnnJ5BrDbG3EbV1iG4JMZJHbAJGl-kPYzhHhIydhgU/s1600/4181967634_8d6c2abd9e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92NGiAxojBpgMcYCaQhzLzrPxJqkDrqt3rODSzRku1dewTmDHrgyW52hnFgzhTqw-KxpwUd2uDK8sAJjs7fwSKsxtjgTrqnHzVcnnJ5BrDbG3EbV1iG4JMZJHbAJGl-kPYzhHhIydhgU/s320/4181967634_8d6c2abd9e.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Julien Harneis via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/julien_harneis/4181967634/">Flikr</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7251794235377386" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Polio Threatens Nigeria After Progress</span><br />
<a href="about:blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">UNICEF</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> has detected 20 new polio cases in northern Nigeria. These cases threaten to erase the substantial </span><a href="http://www.france24.com/en/20110719-polio-resurgence-nigeria-could-reverse-gains-unicef"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">progress</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Nigeria has made in eliminating the disease. The country reduced polio deaths from 338 to 21 from between 2009 and 2010, but a wild-type poliovirus has now bed reported in six Nigerian state. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In </span><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3313419.stm"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">2003</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Kano state refused to participate in a polio vaccination campaign after a few Muslim leaders stated the vaccines were actually anti-fertility drugs. Eventually health workers were able to allay the fears of parents. Then i</span><a href="http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1675423,00.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">n 2005, 69 cases of polio</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> were found to be due to the live virus in the oral vaccine drop, triggering a new wave of suspicion and fear of vaccination. The World Health Organization has worked closely with local leaders to achieve a high rate of vaccination and drop Kano state’s polio case count to only 1 in 2010. The new cases are in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Yobe.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> WHO has pledged to eliminate polio worldwide by 2012, a goal that will now be even harder to achieve. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nodding Syndrome in South Sudan</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A</span><a href="http://www.scidev.net/en/news/scientists-still-puzzled-by-african-outbreak.html?utm_source=link&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=en_news"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">mysterious disease</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> continues to grow in three African countries, including recently independent South Sudan. Nodding syndrome, named for the uncontrollable nodding that occurs, impairs physical growth, cognitive development and ultimately leads to premature death The characteristic nodding arises from</span><a href="http://www.news-medical.net/news/20110715/CDC-investigators-working-to-understand-nodding-syndrome-among-East-African-children.aspx"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">seizures that cause lapses in neck muscle tone</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, letting the head fall forward. Seizures appear to be triggered by the act of chewing; thus, children have difficulty eating and eventually suffer from malnutrition and stunted growth. The disease is progressive and fatal, usually first appearing between ages 5 and 15.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Though</span><a href="http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/07/14/south_sudan_nodding_%20syndrome/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">first documented in 1962</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, the cause of nodding syndrome remains elusive. Experts have theorized environmental causes (such as toxic residue from ammunition in war zones), genetic factors, or dietary customs are to blame. Other possibilities include </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Onchocerca volvulus, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the parasite responsible for river blindness, or a vitamin deficiency. The disease also exists in parts of Uganda and Tanzania but no linking factors have yet been found between the countries, meaning experts are still unsure of the true cause of nodding syndrome</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alcohol Ban in Ecuador After Poisoning</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Ecuadorian government has imposed a 72-hour ban on the purchase, sale or consumption of alcohol. After drinking adulterated alcohol, 21 people have died and </span><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/231271.php"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">105 people</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> are receiving medical treatment.</span><a href="http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/equador-bans-alcohol-after-21-die-from-bootleg-liquor-ncxdc-071811"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Los Rios province</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> has seen 19 deaths, while Tungurahua ans Azuay provinces have reported one death each. Public Health Minister, David Chiriboga reported that investigators analyzed</span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14186153"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">28 barrels of alcohol</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (each with 55 gallons) and found methanol, a toxic alcohol. Methanol is produced if the alcohol is not distilled properly.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some</span><a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/182279/20110718/ecuador-alcohol-ban-21-dead-bootleg-liquor-los-rios.htm"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">methanol poisoning symptoms</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> include abdominal pain, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting and also difficulty breathing. Although these symptoms can also be confused with drinking too much, it is advised that anyone in Ecuador experiencing such symptoms be aware that it may be due to methanol poisoning.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chiriboga hopes that the 72-hour ban will give the government enough time to discover the source of this poisoning and contain it. Health officials encourage anyone who feels nausea or experiences vomiting to</span><a href="http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=407437&CategoryId=14089"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">immediately seek medical attention</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in order to prevent the situation from spiraling even more out of control.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-48949327161611023412011-07-15T12:53:00.000-04:002011-07-15T12:53:40.515-04:00Cholera in DRC, Massive Diarrheal Outbreak in China, & Lyssavirus in Australia<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvsR8IimxtGoLyiM5ECKURfbwemLQn8dMsWr6H7NMc6uwQVyKpVO_DDaUKeUfVeWoTpWl09W8QNOqhSoE0sjlSM7rnU9wpKxHK9ZoCJCcVkrQokegPETZ02vYR7C8n-Nf4rAPGZJRwZQ/s1600/cholera-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvsR8IimxtGoLyiM5ECKURfbwemLQn8dMsWr6H7NMc6uwQVyKpVO_DDaUKeUfVeWoTpWl09W8QNOqhSoE0sjlSM7rnU9wpKxHK9ZoCJCcVkrQokegPETZ02vYR7C8n-Nf4rAPGZJRwZQ/s1600/cholera-poster.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poster by <a href="http://www.unicef.org/index.php">UNICEF</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span id="internal-source-marker_0.980336837383604" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cholera Hits Hard in the Democratic Republic of Congo</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cholera continues to affect the Democratic Republic of Congo, with</span><a href="http://reliefweb.int/node/425723"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">192 deaths and over 3,000 cases</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> reported by the United Nations. The outbreak</span><a href="http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/drcongo_59220.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">began in March in Kisangani</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and has spread along the Congo River to several provinces and the capital city Kinshasa. The Bandundu province has been especially hard hit, with</span><a href="http://reliefweb.int/node/425723"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">1,271 cases and 72 deaths</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cholera is</span><a href="http://www.who.int/topics/cholera/about/en/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">an acute intestinal infection</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vibrio cholerae. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The bacterium then produces an enterotoxin that causes extreme diarrhea and can rapidly lead to dehydration and death. Cholera is especially dangerous for children and can be fatal in a matter of hours. However, it can be successfully treated with oral rehydration therapy or with intravenous rehydration. Since the outbreak began,</span><a href="http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/drcongo_59220.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">UNICEF has provided</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 2,700 liters of intravenous solution and 20,000 sachets of oral rehydration salts to health centers. The United Nations Stabilization Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian affairs</span><a href="http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/UN-Mission-Helps-Combat-Cholera-Outbreak-in-DRC-125593963.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">have provided additional logistical support</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> so that supplies can reach affected areas.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cholera is considered a</span><a href="http://www.who.int/topics/cholera/about/en/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">key indicator of social development</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> because it can be prevented with adequate sewage systems and water treatment facilities. However, it remains a problem in much of the developing world. Outbreaks have recently occurred in</span><a href="http://ca.news.yahoo.com/cholera-returns-rural-haiti-amid-fears-relief-funds-151334861.html;_ylt=A2KLP6gXgxhOikAAkgEXssB_;_ylu=X3oDMTM3dms1bzZzBHBrZwM3ZGE1OGUzZS1lN2NiLTMxMjctODk4Ny0yNDFiOTdkZTk4YzgEcG9zAzMEc2VjA1RvcFN0b3J5IEZQBHZlcgM1MjhkMzI2MC1hYTQ3LTE"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Haiti</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,</span><a href="http://www.modernghana.com/news/339362/1/2-killed-in-fresh-cholera-outbreak.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Ghana</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,</span><a href="http://www.nepalnews.com.np/archive/2011/jul/jul10/news15.php"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Nepal</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and</span><a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/cholera-kills-4-8-others-in-kano-hospital/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Nigeria</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, in addition to the DR Congo.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hundreds of Thousands of Possible Cases Linked to Polluted Water Source in Huangchuan County</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Since mid-June, Huangchuan County of Henan Province in China has </span><a href="http://www.cnkeyword.info/huangchuan-county-xinyang-henan-large-outbreak-of-diarrhea/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">seen a sharp rise</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in diarrhea cases, exceeding the capacity of local hospitals and causing many pharmacies to run out of medication. Despite initial claims that the increased diarrheal incidence was simply due to humid weather, dirty food, and aging water plant facilities, officials have since admitted that the </span><a href="http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=476795&type=National"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">tap water was contaminated</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> from its unclean water source in the heavily polluted Xiaohuanghe River. Although the county stopped using this river as a water source four years ago as a result of its heavy pollution, a recent drought that dried up the previously used reservoirs forced the county to return to pulling water from the river using a water plant built in 1979 and had been out of use since 2008. Residents describe their tap water as “disgusting…yellow-black, and sometimes had dead mosquitoes…in it.” Recently, it was discovered that </span><a href="http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=477179&type=National"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">duck farms</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> scattered along the river had been dumping duck excrement and dead animals directly into the river.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While </span><a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-07/11/content_12872009.htm"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">294 cases</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> have been reported in this period, it is believed that some 100,000 individuals may have been sickened by the dirty drinking water. This discrepancy is partially due to failure to report many cases seen at local clinics. One physician reported that many patients have long-standing post-cure symptoms such as nausea and flatulence. While no one may know just how many people became ill, it appears that the number of new cases each day have slowly begun to decline.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lyssavirus in Melbourne, Victoria</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<a href="http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/business/9835243/deadly-virus-discovered-in-flying-foxes/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Australian Bat Lyssavirus</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> has been detected in a colony of fruit bats in </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarra_Bend_Park"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Yarra Bend Park</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which is in the Melbourne suburb of Kew. Lyssavirus is related to rabies and produces similar </span><a href="http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/27_16070.htm"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">neurological symptoms</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: change in behaviour, paralysis, seizures. The only </span><a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/australian-bat-lyssavirus-discovery-triggers-new-killer-bat-alert/story-e6frf7jo-1226093945827"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">two humans cases have ever</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> reported were in Queensland in 1996 and 1998; both resulted in death. It has not been identified in any other animals, and humans can avoid the disease simply by not interacting with bats.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Australian Bat Lyssavirus is a completely different disease from Hendra virus, which is also bat-associated. A Hendra virus outbreak in Queensland has led to calls from some of the public to cull the bat population. The idea has been utterly dismissed by public health authorities; </span><a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/bat-cull-may-increase-hendra-virus-risk-queensland-chief-veterinary-officer-warns/story-e6freoof-1226094111815"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">culling or relocating the bats would stress</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> the urban bat population and thereby increase shedding of the virus, leading to more, not fewer, cases. Additionally, the flying foxes in question are critical for seed dispersal and pollination of many important plants and crops.</span>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-3887084973324085562011-07-13T14:45:00.000-04:002011-07-13T14:45:38.328-04:00Superbug Gonorrhea, Type-3 Polio in Pakistan, and Food Poisoning in Ukranian Summer Camps<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.6507994718849659" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antibiotic resistant gonorrhea detected</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A new gonorrhea “superbug” has hit Japan. This new strain, named H041, is reportedly</span><a href="http://healthland.time.com/2011/07/11/scientists-discover-drug-resistant-gonorrhea-superbug/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">resistant to all existing antibiotics</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><a href="http://healthland.time.com/2011/07/11/scientists-discover-drug-resistant-gonorrhea-superbug/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gonorrhea</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a sexually transmitted disease, is not fatal but is is extremely widespread causing approximately 340 million cases annually worldwide. In the United States, the</span><a href="http://healthland.time.com/2011/07/11/scientists-discover-drug-resistant-gonorrhea-superbug/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CDC reports</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that gonorrhea</span><a href="http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/STDs/27453"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">developed resistance</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to certain antibiotics (penicillin and tetracycline) as early as the 1980s. While no cases of H041 have been identified outside of Japan, the prevalence of gonorrhea and its increasing antibiotic resistance give</span><a href="http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/STDs/27453"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reason for concern</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Gonorrhea can cause pain during intercourse, scarring of the reproductive tract, increased susceptibility to HIV, and if left untreated, infertility. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Type-3 Polio Detected in Pakistan</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lab testing confirmed a child in Pakistan’s Khyber Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Area was infected with </span><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/07/08/bloomberg1376-LNZM3O6JIJUQ01-0I5CGGKNJ6HE2UQS1P0G9J2O3P.DTL"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">wild poliovirus type 3</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (WPV3). This discovery has important implications for polio eradication of this strain as the last WPV3 case in Asia was in November 2010. Of the three polio strains, WPV1 is the most widespread, WPV2 has been eradicated, and WPV3 is primarily in Asia where cases have been declining. The detection of WPV3 raises the spectre of its potential spread to other parts of Asia. Pakistan is one of only four remaining </span><a href="http://www.polioeradication.org/Infectedcountries.aspx"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">polio-endemic countries</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. For current data on global polio cases this year, visit the </span><a href="http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring/Poliothisweek.aspx"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Global Polio Eradication Initiative</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Food Poisoning in Ukrainian Summer Camps</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the "Albatros” summer camp in Sevastepol, </span><a href="http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/health/news/article_1650943.php/78-children-ill-with-food-poisoning-at-Ukraine-summer-camp"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">78 children and 6 teachers have been hospitalized with food poisoning</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. According to preliminary data, the children ate “low-quality” food, which tends to include products served that have been inadequately refrigerated during summer months. Most all of those affected suffered only mild symptoms and are expected to recover quickly.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two other regions - Zaporozhyea and Chernihiv – have reported similar cases in summer camps with children suffering from acute intestinal infections and symptoms of foodborne disease. A total of 34 children (18 and 16 respectively from the regions) required hospitalization and or medical care.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">В оздоровительном лагере «Альбатрос» под Севастополем отравились 78 детей из России Отравившиеся дети были госпитализированы в инфекционную больницу Севастополя. По предварительным данным, дети употребили некачественные продукты питания. Состояние детей - легкой и средней степени тяжести.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Запорожская область, с подозрением на острую кишечную инфекцию в инфекционное отделение было госпитализировано 6 детей, которые находились на отдыхе в детском оздоровительном заведении «Салют» г. Приморск Запорожской области. Дети получили адекватное лечение.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Черниговская область, в детском спортивно-оздоровительному лагере «Колос» в с. Бигач Менского района Черниговской области выявлен 21 ребенок с признаками пищевой токсикоинфекции. Из них 16 госпитализированы в инфекционное отделение Черниговской областной детской больницы. Остальным предоставлена необходима медицинская помощь.</span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-41977402817946662352011-07-08T14:24:00.000-04:002011-07-08T14:24:50.321-04:00Updates on H1N1, C. difficile, Hepatitis C, Malaria, and West Nile Virus<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.6543779957573861" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">H1N1 returns to India</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the return of monsoon season, beginning late May or early June, H1N1 influenza has returned to India.</span><a href="http://www.asianetindia.com/news/h1n1-cases-reported-state-2_282818.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In the southwestern state of Kerala, 17 cases were confirmed this week</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the Pathanamthitta and Alapphuzha districts. The Alapphuza district alone has seen</span><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/article2162107.ece"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">25 cases since the start of the monsoon season</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Across Kerala,</span><a href="http://www.netindia123.com/showdetails.asp?id=1786231&cat=India&head=Four+test+positive+for+H1N1%2C+61+under+Home+Quarantine"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dozens are under quarantine</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, both at home and in hospitals, in efforts to stem the spread of the disease.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elsewhere in India, in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, officials</span><a href="http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-03/jaipur/29732848_1_swine-flu-kota-symptoms"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">confirmed the state’s first death from H1N1</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. As a precaution, extensive screening efforts are being made in the Jhalawar district, the home of the victim.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C. difficile</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Outbreak Continues in Ontario</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C. difficile</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> outbreak in the Niagara region of Ontario continues to escalate. Since the first</span><a href="http://www.610cktb.com/news/local/story.aspx?ID=1439891"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">outbreak was declared in May at St. Catharines</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, outbreaks occurred at 3 more area hospitals, for a</span><a href="http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110704/niagara-health-system-c-difficile-outbreak-110704/20110704/?hub=TorontoNewHome"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">total of 66 cases and 16 deaths</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The affected hospitals include</span><a href="http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/article/1033293--c-diff-outbreak-also-at-gngh-welland-sites"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Greater Niagara General Hospital, Welland Hospital</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and</span><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/07/06/niagara-c-difficile.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Center</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Residents and politicians questioned how the Niagara Health System (NHS) handled the situation and criticized that the public was not alerted earlier.</span><a href="http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/life/health/article/140814--c-difficile-outbreak-in-niagara-sparks-protest"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many protested outside Niagara General Hospital</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meanwhile, over 100 miles/170 kilometers away from the Niagara region, a 5th site in Ontario has reported an outbreak of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C. difficile</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><a href="http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local/article/558455--c-diff-outbreak-declared-at-guelph-general"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guelph General Hospital reported 11 cases over the past 2 months</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a dramatic increase from the usual 1-2 cases per month. However, as 2 weeks have passed without a new case, the Guelph outbreak is likely waning and may be declared over within a few weeks.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hepatitis C cases Increase Across Wisconsin</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are</span><a href="http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20110705/WDH0101/107050433/Hepatitis-C-cases-region-rise"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">six counties in northern and central Wisconsin</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that are investigating why the number of Hepatitis C cases in the population under 30 has significantly increased in the last few years.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Currently, the CDC is collaborating with health officials from Wood, Lincoln, Oneida, Portage, Langlade and Marathon counties to try to identify the issue. Reports from 2004 to 2008 indicate that the six-county region had an average of 12.2 cases per year. However, in 2009 and 2010 this same region averaged 27 cases per year (a 120% increase!)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hepatitis C is a viral disease the causes to inflammation of the liver.</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001329/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Symptoms can vary</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> considerably and tend to be insignificant for those recently infected with the virus. Some people get jaundice, upper right abdominal pain, swelling, dark urine, fatigue, fever or itching. There are many ways to contract Hepatitis C including sexual contact with someone who is already infected, using contaminated needles, and receiving a tattoo from contaminated needles and receiving blood or organs from someone who is infected.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unlike other strains of Hepatitis like A and B, there is no vaccine to protect people from being infected with Hepatitis C and its effects can be serious and even fatal. The reason some health officials believe that the cases in this northern region of Wisconsin are increasing is that more and more people are using</span><a href="http://www.wqow.com/story/15029894/wis-counties-report-spike-in-virus-cases"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">injection drugs</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The public health departments are trying to increase awareness and encouraging people to protect themselves and seek medical attention if they believe they have been infected.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Malaria in Pune</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Along with an increase in H1N1, monsoon season in India brings malaria. There have been </span><a href="http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MAH-PUN-73-cases-of-malaria-reported-in-pcmc-area-2242099.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">73 cases of malaria identified in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Public health officials are taking a firm stance; indicating that </span><a href="http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MAH-PUN-73-cases-of-malaria-reported-in-pcmc-area-2242099.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"strong action"</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will be taken should mosquito larva be found in private residences. Meanwhile, industrial and commercial areas are being fumigated in an effort to reduce the prevalence of malaria carrying mosquitoes. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Central Pennsylvania Watches out for West Nile</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dauphin, Franklin, York, Lancaster, Cumberland and Lebanon counties in</span><a href="http://www.fox43.com/news/wpmt-west-nile-virus-on-the-rise-20110706,0,1132610.story"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">central Pennsylvania</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have been looking out for West Nile virus cases as the number of mosquitoes in the area has unusually increased.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As of July 6, there have been four cases in Dauphin and Cumberland counties as well as other</span><a href="http://www.yorkdispatch.com/news/ci_18416899"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">confirmed cases in the other counties</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Health officials are trying to set mosquito traps in the area and warn and educate the public to protect themselves as the hot and dry summer season continues.</span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-88565797925173831692011-07-01T17:26:00.000-04:002011-07-01T17:26:10.856-04:00Hendra Virus Outbreak, Polio Crisis in Pakistan, Egypt Link in E. coli Outbreaks, La Crosse Encephalitis and Rabies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvZR9j4WXg588PJYTBMcuLhaNYvUVq_yZc-JiuZLCrNWL17RcIXjyIfPMtDRQ3gK5m06EHRXTUqx1alYwXJvIKEHpeBjim9aK46cMIKe9T060iMWIvkSfR3mevCxj5_EqdaG5VtpoI80/s1600/Hendra_Horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvZR9j4WXg588PJYTBMcuLhaNYvUVq_yZc-JiuZLCrNWL17RcIXjyIfPMtDRQ3gK5m06EHRXTUqx1alYwXJvIKEHpeBjim9aK46cMIKe9T060iMWIvkSfR3mevCxj5_EqdaG5VtpoI80/s320/Hendra_Horse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.5379783425014466" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hendra Virus in Queensland and NSW</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/eight-people-tested-for-hendra-virus/story-e6freonf-1226084373833?"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eight people have potentially been exposed</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the deadly Hendra virus outside of Brisbane, Australia after a</span><a href="http://beta.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20110629.1984"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">horse that died was confirmed to be positive</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the disease. It’s believed that horses become infected after eating food contaminated by flying fox (bats of the genus Pteropus found in Australia) urine, saliva, or birth fluids. Humans can acquire the disease after having contact with respiratory secretions or blood from infected horses. Of 7 people ever diagnosed with Hendra virus only 3 have survived. In response to the confirmed Hendra horse death, the area’s mayor has issued that flying fox</span><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/07/01/3258310.htm"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bats in the area of Kerry and Beaudesert, Queensland be culled</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> despite their protected status.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was also discovered today that a</span><a href="http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=18473"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2nd horse was infected with the Hendra virus</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in Wollongbar, New South Wales, and has since been euthanized. The case is unrelated to the horse that died in Queensland earlier this week on June 28th. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Polio Crisis in Pakistan</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yesterday, </span><a href="http://thenews.com.pk/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=17861"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">another polio case </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was discovered in Pakistan’s Khuzdar district, bringing this year’s total to at least 57 for the country. Although Pakistan is now just one of four countries still with endemic polio transmission, the other three countries have reported </span><a href="http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/30/world-warns-pakistan-of-action-over-polio.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">much lower disease burden</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s - with 11 cases in Nigeria, 5 in India, and 4 in Afghanistan for the same period. Most concerning is the discovery of cases in regions within the country long-believed to be polio-free. Last week, </span><a href="http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/pakistan-more-polio-cases-despite-efforts-to-contain-it"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a 2 year old</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was found to have polio in Diamer District of northern Pakistan, an area that has not reported cases for over 12 years. Many believe that internal displacement, problem with the vaccine cold chain, and refusal by parents to have their children vaccinated </span><a href="http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=93077"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as a result of misinformation</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have all contributed to the resurgence of cases within the country. Pakistan now is subjected to </span><a href="http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/01/polio-resurgence.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">much international pressure</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as many European countries are considering imposing travel restrictions on Pakistani citizens and the World Bank has warned that it will convert a grant on polio vaccination for the country into a loan if Pakistan fails to eradicate by 2012. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Egyptian seeds named as source of German and French E. coli outbreaks</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/30/world/middleeast/30ecoli.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Investigators </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">at the European Food Safety Authority have found a common link in Germany’s and France’s recent E. coli outbreaks: contaminated fenugreek </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/30/us-ecoli-europe-egypt-idUSTRE75T1N020110630"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">seeds originating in Egypt</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><a href="http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE7603U620110701"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">German health officials </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">have confirmed the farm at the center of the outbreak had received fenugreek seeds from Egypt. Experts warn that additional </span><a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/7634084.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">contaminated seeds </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are likely still in circulation and may lead to additional outbreaks. The </span><a href="http://www.globalnews.ca/Death+toll+German+based+coli+outbreak+increases/5035383/story.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">death toll </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from the German outbreak has risen to 50 (48 in Germany, 1 in Sweden and 1 in the US); over 4,000 were sickened.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">La Crosse Encephalitis case in North Carolina</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although West Nile Virus gets much of the press, mosquitoes carry other diseases as well. This week, </span><a href="http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wlos_vid_4801.shtml"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">North Carolina</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> saw its first confirmed case of La Crosse Encephalitis this summer. Like West Nile Virus, most people who are infected with </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/lac/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">La Crosse Encephalitis</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> do not become ill. In a small number of people the infection affects the nervous system and can lead to seizures, coma, and paralysis. North Carolina has one of the </span><a href="http://www.nc-cherokee.com/theonefeather/2011/06/08/encephalitis-being-studied-in-cherokee/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">highest rates</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of La Crosse Encephalitis in the US.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabies in Azerbaijan</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the </span><a href="http://www.1news.az/society/20110630100602079.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sheki region of Azerbaijan there was an outbreak of rabies among domestic animals</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Measures have been taken to remove the infected animals which were infected by attacking wolves. Ten animals have been slaughtered while another 8 are suspected to be infected with the virus. In addition, a human case of rabies has been identified in the same village. That person was one of five injured and possibly infected when the attack occurred on June 8. According to the deputy chief physician of the Central Hospital of Sheki, the villager underwent treatment for approximately 20 days with no results.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">В Шекинском районе отмечена эпидемия бешенства среди домашнего скота, проводятся мероприятия по уничтожению зараженных животных. Причиной возникновения болезни стало нападение на домашний скот диких животных. В селе было уничтожено свыше 10 животных, а у 8 животных есть вероятность заражения бешенством.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Кроме того, в селе Кунжут отмечен случай заражения бешенством человека. Житель села является одним из 5 человек, подвергшихся нападению волков 8 июня.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">По словам заместителя главного врача Центральной больницы Шекинского района, проводящееся около 20 дней лечение не дало никаких результатов.</span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-79821711184913587892011-06-29T15:19:00.000-04:002011-06-29T15:19:22.004-04:00Salmonella Outbreak: United States<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.8925961921922863" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak in US</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Officials from the Food and Drug Administration believe s</span><a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2015440319_apustaintedsprouts.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">prouts from northern Idaho are the likely cause of a recent outbreak of salmonellosis</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. So far, 20 cases have been reported in Idaho, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, and New Jersey. The FDA warns not to eat alfalfa or spicy sprouts labeled “Evergreen Produce” or “Evergreen Produce Inc.” Evergreen Produce has not yet recalled the sprouts but has stopped producing and distributing them.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The bacteria </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Salmonella</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can cause an infection in humans known as</span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">salmonellosis</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, starting 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and often resolves without treatment. Some severe cases require hospitalization; persons especially at risk of severe symptoms are infants, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. To prevent salmonellosis,</span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/general/prevention.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">practice food safety hygiene</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and avoid recalled produce.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though this outbreak is not related to the</span><a href="http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/german-food-poisoning-toll-hits-48-510699.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">recent E. coli outbreak in Europe</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that has killed 48 people and sickened 4,000 others, sprouts are at the heart of both. Raw sprouts frequently are linked to foodborne illness because they are grown in moist, warm conditions favored by certain bacteria.</span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-39636052325078119832011-06-24T14:08:00.002-04:002011-06-24T14:14:19.917-04:00Q Fever in the US; H1N1 in Argentina; Scarlet Fever Spreads Throughout Asia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVT0jfpDyg_g2ByNxBnn1Z5_xTviiLUe0sD0juStJRE_aTYG2EgYcw8LrBAd6PyI9DaCV9xhJ5bmFjQlzhBrMoCF0JDA0zf28XW5RxGy_LLwCchuh56A_mHlQnIOWBJSGb6tWRr4yHb9Y/s1600/goats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVT0jfpDyg_g2ByNxBnn1Z5_xTviiLUe0sD0juStJRE_aTYG2EgYcw8LrBAd6PyI9DaCV9xhJ5bmFjQlzhBrMoCF0JDA0zf28XW5RxGy_LLwCchuh56A_mHlQnIOWBJSGb6tWRr4yHb9Y/s200/goats.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7773998402990401" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two Q Fever Outbreaks in the US</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/qfever/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Q fever</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is caused by a bacteria (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coxiella burnetii</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) primarily found in sheep, goats, and cattle. Infected animals secrete the bacteria in milk, urine, feces, and amniotic fluids when giving birth. Humans typically become infected by inhalation of the bacteria present in barnyard dust, dried birth fluids, or feces. Other routes of transmission include tick bites and ingestion of unpasteurized dairy products. Human-to-human transmission is rare. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Currently, two Q fever outbreaks are ongoing in the United States. In</span><a href="http://detnews.com/article/20110623/METRO04/106230477/1015/rss04"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Livingston County, Michigan</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> three cases have been reported, and are associated with the consumption of raw milk products. Local public health officials are reminding consumers of the importance of only consuming pasteurized dairy products.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the states of Washington and Montana,</span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/24/us-disease-goats-idUSTRE75N0HH20110624"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eleven people have been diagnosed</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with Q fever after having contact with infected goats. (</span><a href="http://www.examiner.com/infectious-disease-in-national/washington-state-suspected-q-fever-outbreak-linked-to-infected-goats"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Six cases in Washington and 5 in Montana</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) The goats were part of a now quarantined herd in central Washington that was later sold to a livestock operator in Montana. The <a href="http://www.capitalpress.com/content/mw-Q-fever-070111">investigation into this multi-state outbreak is ongoing</a>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Swine Flu Hits Mendoza, Argentina</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the weather becomes colder, Mendoza, well known for it’s delicious wines, is experiencing a Swine Flu outbreak. On June 22, the Mendoza government finally confirmed that there is indeed an outbreak in the city with</span><a href="http://www.losandes.com.ar/notas/2011/6/22/gobierno-admite-brote-gripe-mendoza-576028.asp"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">54 confirmed cases</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and 1 death. Health officials are urging people in the province to become</span><a href="http://www.lavoz901.com.ar/despachos.asp?cod_des=129910"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vaccinated against H1N1</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as only 41% are currently registered as being vaccinated. The government hopes to contain this outbreak before it</span><a href="http://www.diariouno.com.ar/mendoza/No-hay-brote-de-Gripe-A-no-vamos-a-tomar-medidas-extra-en-el-2009-se-sobreactuo-el-tema-20110622-0028.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">spreads to other cities</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> like Santa Fe and Corrientes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scarlet Fever Continues to Spread Throughout Asia</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Earlier this week, we </span><a href="http://healthmapblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/scarlet-fever-kills-2-hong-kong.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reported</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that a mutated strain of the bacteria that causes scarlet fever resulted in 2 deaths and a record number of cases in Hong Kong for this year. On Tuesday, authorities closed a kindergarten after early testing suggested </span><a href="http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/healthquest/epidemic-of-scarlet-fever-overtakes-hong-kong"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">another suspect death</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in a 5 year old boy. As of June 22nd, Hong Kong has reported </span><a href="http://www.macaudailytimes.com.mo/macau/26553-Authorities-concerned-over-scarlet-fever-outbreak.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">494 cases</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Although scarlet fever occurs every year and is endemic to most of Southeast Asia, this year’s epidemic has been particularly severe. </span><a href="http://english.eastday.com/e/110624/u1a5959461.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shanghai </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reported 771 cases in the last month alone - a 13-fold increase compared to the same period last year, although the mutated strain has not been found to be the cause. The epidemic in Hong Kong has also caused growing concern in </span><a href="http://www.macaudailytimes.com.mo/macau/26497-Macau-reports-cases-scarlet-fever-Hong-Kong-declares-outbreak.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Macau</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, where 49 cases have already been reported, and also in nearby </span><a href="http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20110624-285734.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thailand</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, where authorities are making all effort to assuage public fear in spite of the 524 cases that have already been reported for this year. Experts believe that with the onset of school breaking for the summer, the rate of infection </span><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/hong-kong/2011/06/24/summer-may-subdue-scarlet-fever-outbreak/?mod=google_news_blog"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">could taper off </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as a result of reduced contact among children. </span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-26879268809901623642011-06-21T15:55:00.001-04:002011-06-21T15:55:58.316-04:00Scarlet Fever Kills 2 in Hong Kong, Undiagnosed Disease Strikes Bihar, and More Breaking News<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.19231960969045758" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scarlet Fever Kills Two Children in Hong Kong</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A new strain of Scarlet Fever is spreading through Hong Kong. In the past three weeks, two children, a 15-year-old boy and a 7-year-old-girl, became the</span><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/china/110620/hong-kong-scarlet-fever-outbreak-children-deaths"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> city’s first fatal victims</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the last 10 years. Since January, 419 cases have been confirmed in Hong Kong with 142 cases in the first weeks of June.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scarlet Fever is caused by the Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria and mostly affects children ages 2-8. The disease causes a fever, sore throat and</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001969/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a rash on the neck,</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> face and tongue, and eventually spreads across the entire body. Scarlet Fever is typically treated with antibiotics that are very effective, but this new strain is actually a</span><a href="http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1649690"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mutation of the Streptococcus bacteria</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and is resistant to several antibiotics. A physician from the Hong Kong Medical Association encourage doctors who are treating children infected with the disease to try alternative antibiotics before the disease spreads even more.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Japanese Encephalitis Suspected as Unknown Disease in Bihar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A team of experts from the Union Health Ministry and Regional Malaria Research Institute</span><a href="http://www.merinews.com/article/mystery-illness-leads-to-about-20-childrens-deaths-in-bihar/15853629.shtml"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(RMRI) team</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is investigating an “unknown disease” killing children in the Muzaffarpur region of Bihar, a state in India. The disease has caused the death of</span><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/health/policy-and-issues/article2120247.ece"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">26 children</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the last seven days and affected over 35 others. It is believed to be Japanese Encephalitis. Some of the</span><a href="http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5221621"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">symptoms</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> include high fever, memory loss, convulsions, falling in and out of consciousness, and eventually coma. Hopefully once the disease can be confirmed, health officials will be able to take the necessary precautions to prevent more children from becoming victims.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabies PEP Failure</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A patient in Mumbai, India is now </span><a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_2-contract-rabies-slip-into-coma-in-mumbai_1556612"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in a coma after becoming infected with rabies</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> despite completing the recommended postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) regimen following a dog bite. A 2nd patient is also in a coma with the deadly virus after failing to complete the PEP series of vaccinations. (</span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/medical_care/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PEP typically consists of</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> one dose of immune globulin and four doses of rabies vaccine over a 14-day period.) PEP is usually highly effective, however in a small percentage of patients the vaccine series may not build up enough of an immune response. It is also important that PEP be administered promptly after a rabies exposure and that the </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/medical_care/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">schedule of doses</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is followed. According to the WHO, </span><a href="http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=2400:1001:3243642004592865::::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_ARCHIVE_NUMBER,F2400_P1001_USE_ARCHIVE:1001,20110620.1884,Y"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">India sees 25,000-30,000 deaths due to rabies each year</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mumps Outbreaks in Vancouver </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control has issued a</span><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/06/21/bc-mumps-alert.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> health alert for mumps </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in Vancouver. Although the number of cases has not been released, it is reportedly the largest outbreak since 2008 when almost 200 people were diagnosed. Earlier this year, Whistler saw a mumps outbreak as well. HealthMap will update this story as more details become available.</span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-28931131538203870992011-06-17T18:56:00.000-04:002011-06-17T18:56:21.980-04:00E. coli in France and Sweden: Unrelated to Germany Outbreak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJ-tES1ekd4y65l3Hgbwx1BT9IIr1s7MOn-YuMiDnkTEMum392BsZL7z_5qvWfQ2vgB7xNHAWqX9u-29cpZjrL97-sjbVmVsA2JNiN2i0P2urVrAX5ZMuZgW39ErWc6FukmwyRAg0wPo/s1600/burgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJ-tES1ekd4y65l3Hgbwx1BT9IIr1s7MOn-YuMiDnkTEMum392BsZL7z_5qvWfQ2vgB7xNHAWqX9u-29cpZjrL97-sjbVmVsA2JNiN2i0P2urVrAX5ZMuZgW39ErWc6FukmwyRAg0wPo/s200/burgers.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.5793983992189169" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">E. coli Outbreak Affects Children in France</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seven children in the</span><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110616/hl_nm/us_ecoli_france_3"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nord Pas-de-Calais region</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of France are currently in the hospital being treated for an E. coli infection. Health officials are linking this outbreak to</span><a href="http://news.uk.msn.com/world/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=158257309"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">frozen hamburger patties</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> made by the company Lidl as four of the children consumed these patties before becoming ill. These children range from 18 months to</span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/06/16/france.e.coli.beef/index.html?section=cnn_latest"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8 years of age</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and are all being treated for</span><a href="http://www.about-hus.com/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hemolytic uremic syndrome</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (HUS), which is a kind of kidney failure related to E. coli.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although it has been confirmed that this E. coli strain is not related to the same one that has killed</span><a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2015333460_apeucontaminatedvegetables.html?syndication=rss"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">38 people in Germany</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, one in Sweden and affected over 3,000, people in France are still very concerned. It appears that the “Steak Country” boxes of meat have been expired since</span><a href="http://www.argus-press.com/news/international/article_ac22836a-8187-5d5d-95b0-da54cb09b634.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May 12</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which maybe have led to the outbreak. French health authorities have</span><a href="http://ca.news.yahoo.com/french-health-authorities-recall-hamburgers-5-children-sickened-095410533.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">recalled</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the hamburger meat in hopes to prevent more people from becoming sick.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dog Show in Sweden Spreads EHEC</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After attending a dog show in</span><a href="http://www.thelocal.se/34384/20110616/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Norrköping, Sweden</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the first weekend of June, two Swedes are confirmed as being infected with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). The dog show had about 120 participants, so health officials are expecting many more cases stemming from this event. In addition,</span><a href="http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/2011/06/ehec-dog-show-sparks-new-swedish-ehec-outbreak.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">several dogs</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have come down with stomach pains, which may mean that they were infected as well. The National Food Administration and the Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease Control are trying to determine the outbreak source.</span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-56503974527209326652011-06-14T19:26:00.000-04:002011-06-14T19:26:07.736-04:00N. Dakota Sees Measles; C. difficile in Ontario Hospital; Girl Survives Rabies<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.0783022828400135" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Measles in North Dakota after 24 years</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today, Cass County, North Dakota confirmed its very first case of measles</span><a href="http://www.devilslakejournal.com/newsnow/x1732975508/North-Dakota-has-first-measles-case-in-24-years"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">since 1987</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The Cass County health department says the case is a 50-year-old man who was not previously vaccinated for measles. This man appeared to have caught the virus while traveling on an airplane and was not actually in</span><a href="http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/323275/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">North Dakota</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> while it was contagious so more cases are not anticipated in the state.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Measles, also known as rubeola, is a</span><a href="http://health.yahoo.net/channel/measles-rubeola.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">highly communicable</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> respiratory infection caused by a paramyxovirus. The incubation period for measles is anywhere from six to nineteen days, infectivity from two to four days, and then come symptoms such as runny nose, cough, fever and a rash. Measles can be a very</span><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/measles/DS00331"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">serious infection</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and even lead to death.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since this case confirmation, health officials are encouraging North Dakota residents to become vaccinated. Currently, the state’s</span><a href="http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/555723.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MMR (measles, mumps and rubella)</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> vaccination rate is nearly 94%. This is slightly higher than the national vaccination rate average of 90%. However, people born before 1957 were not routinely vaccinated so they may be more at risk for contracting these diseases.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C. difficile Hits St. Catharines, Ontario Hospital</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An outbreak of the deadly </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C. difficile</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> bacteria was declared on </span><a href="http://www.610cktb.com/news/local/story.aspx?ID=1439891"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May 28th, 2011</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the Niagara Health Systems’ St. Catharines General in Ontario, Canada. To date there have been </span><a href="http://www.610cktb.com/news/local/story.aspx?ID=1441559"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">30 confirmed cases and 5 deaths</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (a </span><a href="http://chch.com/index.php/home/item/3939-deaths-from-c-difficile-continue-to-climb"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6th death</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was confirmed, however contracted the disease outside of the facility) associated with the outbreak with 19 still hospitalized. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clostridium difficile</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> commonly develops in health-care settings in elderly patients and those taking certain antibiotics. The </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/organisms/cdiff/Cdiff_infect.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">infection can spread from person-to-person</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, on contaminated equipment, or on the hands of doctors, nurses, and other providers. Symptoms of infection include watery diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, and nausea. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As part of </span><a href="http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3168336"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">standard outbreak control measures</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the Niagara Health System has implemented increased hand-washing and closer monitoring of antibiotic use at the Hospital. Strict restrictions have also been placed on visitors. The hours open to visitors have been reduced, and visitors to the hospital are not allowed to visit multiple patient rooms. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eight-year Old Girl Survives Rabies without Vaccination</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eight-year old Precious Reynolds became just the </span><a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2011/06/14/california-girl-is-6.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6th person in the world</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to have survived a rabies bite without receiving vaccination. The little girl was scratched on the arms by a feral cat near her school. However, because her </span><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/california-girl-us-survive-rabies/story?id=13830407"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">symptoms</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> began mildly as a stomachache and only later progressed to paralysis in her throat and pain in her neck and back, she did not receive any rabies shots, which are only effective if administered immediately after exposure.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was not until she was admitted to UC Davis Children’s Hospital that tests confirmed a rabies infection, by which point she had also developed encephalitis. The medical team treated her with a regimen known as the </span><a href="http://www.mcw.edu/FileLibrary/Groups/Pediatrics/InfectiousDiseases/Milwaukee_rabies_protocol_V3_1.pdf"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Milwaukee Protocol</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which first puts the patient into a medically-induced coma and then administers antiviral drugs. This treatment was responsible for the recovery of all 6 people who survived without vaccination.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabies is a </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">viral disease </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">transmitted to humans via bites by infected animals, most often dogs, cats, or bats. Prior to 2004, the virus was 100% lethal in humans without vaccination. </span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-21076468654735979142011-06-10T18:25:00.000-04:002011-06-10T18:25:50.935-04:00Source of e. coli Outbreak Discovered; Meningitis Vaccine Reduces Cases; Fungal Infection Strikes Joplin, MO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDo9n5JwBGBWq6rpBGClkaL4Wdx8_LBqFJp-DZSisoBHgQnxwjELETXUG_E05yLatRfO27OXDmmiauCk8GSMzl7p3dFtGtKzOM3KbU5b0QLQ3rZFhDcj4lhYGsyGe8_nRyDSdGvGhQQc/s1600/sprouts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="94" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDo9n5JwBGBWq6rpBGClkaL4Wdx8_LBqFJp-DZSisoBHgQnxwjELETXUG_E05yLatRfO27OXDmmiauCk8GSMzl7p3dFtGtKzOM3KbU5b0QLQ3rZFhDcj4lhYGsyGe8_nRyDSdGvGhQQc/s200/sprouts.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.8762125542853028" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Germany: It’s the sprouts. We mean it this time.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First it was </span><a href="http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15107804,00.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cucumbers</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Spanish), then it was </span><a href="http://www.ajc.com/health/e-coli-outbreak-blamed-967532.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sprouts</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Then it was </span><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gz-0diLg_ZnN7PP_loPbpwnkgHkw?docId=7086397"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cucumbers</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (German) and now officials say it truly was the </span><a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/06/10/europe.e.coli/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sprouts</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Although lab tests failed to find the E. coli on </span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13672161"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">plants at the farm</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which produced the sprouts, the strain was isolated on leftover sprouts from a family which became ill. At the moment, the </span><a href="http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/activities/sciadvice/Lists/ECDC%20Reviews/ECDC_DispForm.aspx?List=512ff74f-77d4-4ad8-b6d6-bf0f23083f30&ID=1105&RootFolder=%2Fen%2Factivities%2Fsciadvice%2FLists%2FECDC%20Reviews"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> reports that 3086 people became ill. Media reports state</span><a href="http://www.expatica.com/de/news/german-news/at-least-33-dead-from-killer-germ-outbreak-germany_155723.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 33 have died</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (all German except for 1 Swede). The </span><a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/157695/20110605/4-u-s-e-coli-cases-suspected-as-travelers-return-from-germany.htm"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">United States</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110606/europe-ecoli-110606/20110606/?hub=OttawaHome"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Canada</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> also reported cases suspected to be associated with the outbreak. Over a quarter of cases experienced the severe form of the infection, </span><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome/DS00876"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This strain has been unusually severe, with doctors noting </span><a href="http://www.libertynewsonline.com/article_303_30668.php"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">neurologic damage</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in many patients.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the end, </span><a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/26873/?p1=Blogs"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">traditional epidemiological studies</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> examining foods consumed and events attended by both sick and healthy individuals showed many of the infected ate at restaurants and cafeterias supplied by one organic sprout farm. From there, investigators were eventually able to track down sprouts that test positive for the strain. Those interested in reading about the methods and challenges of investigating an outbreak of foodborne illness may enjoy this </span><a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2011/06/10/tracking-the-source.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">post</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The outbreak has been devastating to farmers. While </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/06/e-coli-outbreak-spanish-compensation"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spanish cucumber farmers</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were the first to feel the impact, consumers soon began to </span><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304906004576367600365363100.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">avoid all produce</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as no single source was quickly identified.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The German E. coli outbreak has sparked increased news reporting of E. coli cases, even those not linked to the outbreak. The </span><a href="http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/06/09/51500696.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Netherlands</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/thailand-finds-ecoli-in-european-avocados/story-e6freuyi-1226072657054"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thailand</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/domestic-news/general/15662-ecoli-found-in-a-finnish-nursery-.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finland</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> all reported finding E. coli. In </span><a href="http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/jun/06/22/dryden-va-girl-dies-from-e-coli-infection-ar-1088553/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tennessee</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a two year old girl has died and 8 are believed to be ill from E. coli.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) Reduces Cases</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">World Health Organization (WHO) data on the</span><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110609/hl_nm/us_meningitis_vaccine_africa_1"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MenAfriVac</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> vaccine distributed in Meningitis Belt countries show a massive decrease in cases in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The Serum Institute, based in India, developed MenAfriVac against meningitis A, which has been very common throughout the infamous Meningitis Belt. They began distribution for</span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pune-made-Meningitis-A-vaccine-works-wonders-in-3-West-African-nations/articleshow/8796034.cms"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">50 U.S. cents a dose</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> six months ago. In the 2011 meningitis season, Burkina Faso confirmed</span><a href="http://noticias.lainformacion.com/salud/pediatria/un-nueva-vacuna-economica-contra-la-meningitis-reduce-los-casos-en-africa_rgdGiTw84jzFRvglP8ICv1/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 cases</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (compared to 66 this time in 2010), Niger also reported 4 cases (compared to 219 last year) and Mali had no reported cases (10 cases the previous year). These dramatic decreases are promising for the fight against meningitis. The MVP hopes to immunize</span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pune-made-Meningitis-A-vaccine-works-wonders-in-3-West-African-nations/articleshow/8796034.cms"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">250 million people</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in Africa between 2010 and 2015.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rare Fungal Infection Strikes Joplin Tornado Survivors</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On May 22, 2011 much of Joplin, Missouri was destroyed when an</span><a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/ky3-story-joplin-tornado-tuesday-20110524,0,2949240.story"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">EF-5 tornado</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ripped through the small town</span><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/national_world&id=8182903"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">killing 151</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in its path. (The EF-5 rating is the highest rating on the</span><a href="http://www.spc.noaa.gov/efscale/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enhanced Fujita tornado scale</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.) The storm ravaged a</span><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0531/Joplin-tornado-With-one-third-of-homes-gone-where-will-residents-live"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one-mile wide, thirteen-mile long path</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> through Joplin, destroying 8000 homes and apartment complexes, and leaving thousands homeless. The tornado that hit Joplin, MO is the</span><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/05/25/136640447/midwest-storm-deaths-grow-search-continues-for-joplin-survivors"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">deadliest twister</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to strike in the United States since modern record keeping began in 1950.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As if the people of Joplin haven’t suffered enough, a new threat has emerged, as a</span><a href="http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-joplin-fungus-06102011,0,939483.story?track=rss"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">potentially lethal fungal infection</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has been contracted by at least 9 tornado survivors, killing 3. (</span><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/rare-fungal-infection-hitting-joplin-tornado-victims/story?id=13812164"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Jasper county coroner has so far stated that 1 was killed as a direct result of the fungal infection</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> while the other two victims had other medical conditions that could have contributed to their deaths.)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-joplin-fungus-06102011,0,939483.story?track=rss"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zygomycosis (also known as mucormycosis) is caused when commonly present fungi, found in soil and decaying vegetation</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, becomes embedded under the skin. These secondary skin-fungal infections are sometimes seen in survivors of mass trauma where multiple injuries and skin lacerations are treated as quickly as possible in makeshift emergency shelters (such as the 2004 Indonesian tsunami). Doctors began seeing patients in Joplin with fungal infections a week after the tornado. Patients have visible mold growing in their wounds, and surgery is typically required to remove the dead tissue. Zygomycosis can also invade the brain, lungs, or sinuses, and generally kills half of its victims. Despite the severity of zygomycosis, it should be stressed that people should not panic. The infection</span><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/rare-fungal-infection-hitting-joplin-tornado-victims/story?id=13812164"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">does not spread from person to person and does not invade normal, intact skin.</span></a></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-80086209179571882272011-06-06T17:22:00.000-04:002011-06-06T17:22:53.130-04:00AIDS: Thirty Years Later<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJuawWIyz1cFcjsZvMzJzgohQyJ8QPK06NL4gw-YXxvBIY-YeVyZIC3G0w0ePOoEE0Hm8FmWhQNEExAm7cxbLmO_-KN-UVJsq9zZy_3y62xdTx2R5fmeZZtaRe9IY9w8uJYFxSesdNQA/s1600/AIDSribbon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJuawWIyz1cFcjsZvMzJzgohQyJ8QPK06NL4gw-YXxvBIY-YeVyZIC3G0w0ePOoEE0Hm8FmWhQNEExAm7cxbLmO_-KN-UVJsq9zZy_3y62xdTx2R5fmeZZtaRe9IY9w8uJYFxSesdNQA/s200/AIDSribbon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/03/hiv-and-aids-30-years-on"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">June 5, 1981 the first cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) were documented</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in a </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/june_5.htm"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">United States medical bulletin</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of these 1st diagnosed cases of a virus that would become a global epidemic. Since its discovery in 1981, it is estimated that more than </span><a href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health-news/2011/06/05/aids-30-years-on-experts-demand-more-action-91466-28821984/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">20 million lives</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have been claimed by HIV (the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)), and according to the World Health Organization (WHO) another 5000 die each day while </span><a href="http://www.who.int/hiv/mediacentre/feature_story/hiv_strategy/en/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7000 become newly infected</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite these grim figures, hope remains for the development of a vaccine. A recent </span><a href="http://healthmapblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/hope-for-hiv-vaccine-ebola-strikes-in.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HealthMap blog post</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> gave an overview of new research findings out of the Oregon Health Sciences University, where researchers are working on development of a HIV/AIDS vaccine. The new vaccine was tested on rhesus macaque monkeys. The monkeys were infected with Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), the monkey form of HIV. This </span><a href="http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/about/news_events/news/2011/05-09-non-human-primate-studie.cfm"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vaccine prevented infection in thirteen</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the twenty-four monkeys who were originally infected with SIV for more than one year. These thirteen monkeys’ bodies controlled the replication of SIV to the point that highly sensitive tests could not find any traces of the virus. The next steps for the Oregon-based team will be to develop a vaccine for human testing.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">33.3 million worldwide are currently living with HIV, and while a diagnosis of HIV used to be a death sentence, new antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens are able to suppress the virus and slow the progression to AIDS. In addition, it was recently shown that </span><a href="http://www.who.int/hiv/mediacentre/trial_results/en/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ART is 96% effective in reducing HIV transmission</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> where one partner has HIV. This is a crucial development, as sexual transmission accounts for 80% of new HIV infections. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the </span><a href="http://www.unaids.org/en/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“AIDS at 30” report</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> released June 3, 2011 by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) a record number of people are now receiving ART in low- and middle-income countries thanks to </span><a href="http://www.msf.org/msf/articles/2011/05/no-excuse-for-neglecting-10-million-people-with-hiv.cfm"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">many factors</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> including the drop in price of ART over the past decade, newer drugs with fewer side effects (which improves patient adherence), and innovative programs that improve access to treatment. Despite the increase in ART utilization, another 9 million people were eligible for ART but were not receiving it. Even in wealthy, developed nations these highly effective medications are </span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/06/06/marconi.aids.30/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">often difficult to obtain</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This will certainly be one of many topics for discussion this week, as a </span><a href="http://www.un.org/en/ga/aidsmeeting2011/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is held June 8-10 in New York City. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is hoped that international organizations and donor nations continue vigorous efforts to ensure that ART drugs are available and affordable to those in need. New science has shown that ART regimens can help us get ahead of the wave of new infections. The time to do this is now, as the global annual rate of </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/opinion/06mon2.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">new cases of HIV dropped over 25%</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> over the last decade, and the exciting prospect remains that the epidemic could be stopped if all of the 34 million+ infected people could be treated. Ultimately, a vaccine or cure will be needed to halt this epidemic, and the “</span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-robert-frost/aids-30-years_b_871166.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berlin-patient</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” (a man cured of HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant for a deadly form of leukemia) is living proof that this is possible. </span></div>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002611569436651303.post-81699470879078883352011-06-02T15:16:00.002-04:002011-06-02T16:26:36.984-04:00E. coli update: More cases, Strain is new, Source unknown, Trade bans, Spain furious<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFfalCWPITju9jDHo_XBBwOArpEwVMpOG55a7KTRzmjqg8VS22HxjDpBJzhoTCtPFIgibq7SVLULRHRsJMbd6XD9E-1yxXh56YNfX-SEjJAUDGaznBJOAQiAX1BigSK1va695jDVD1qY/s1600/Macconkey_e_coli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFfalCWPITju9jDHo_XBBwOArpEwVMpOG55a7KTRzmjqg8VS22HxjDpBJzhoTCtPFIgibq7SVLULRHRsJMbd6XD9E-1yxXh56YNfX-SEjJAUDGaznBJOAQiAX1BigSK1va695jDVD1qY/s320/Macconkey_e_coli.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span id="internal-source-marker_0.4516760651221916" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The number of cases in Europe’s E. coli outbreak continues to rise. More than </span><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gAa6poQUmbc0d_gHBdvL61cM_dig?docId=CNG.078f707aa6b4c476782f62e5539ecb3e.661"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">2,000 people</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> have been infected and 18 have died (17 in Germany and 1 in Sweden). Denis Coulombier, head of surveillance and response for the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, said </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/01/us-ecoli-idUSTRE7505QV20110601"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">health experts are shocked </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by the outbreak’s size. Today, WHO stated </span><a href="http://www.who.int/csr/don/2011_06_02/en/index.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">10 countries</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> have reported cases to the organization’s Europe branch: Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. According to media reports, the </span><a href="http://www.radio.cz/en/news#3"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Czech Republic</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> also has a case. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43227702/ns/health-infectious_diseases/"><strike>Two</strike> </a><a href="http://www.myfoxny.com/dpps/health/three-cases-of-mysterious-e.-coli-outbreak-reach-us-dpgonc-20110602-ch_13500478">Three US cases</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> have been reported in people who had recently visited Germany.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A WHO spokesperson stated "This is a </span><a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7592278.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">unique strain </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">that has never been isolated from patients before.” </span><a href="http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15126176,00.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">German and Chinese</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> scientists sequencing the genome reported it was new (you may download the analysis at </span><a href="ftp://ftp.genomics.org.cn/pub/Ecoli_TY-2482%29"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">ftp://ftp.genomics.org.cn/pub/Ecoli_TY-2482)</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, but a US CDC scientist has suggested the strain may have been seen earlier in a single case in </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/06/02/general-eu-contaminated-vegetables-europe_8496719.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Korea</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Regardless of the newness of the strain, its </span><a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=why-this-e-coli-outbreak-has-me-sca-2011-06-02"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">resistance to 14 antibiotics</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is quite worrying.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The source of the </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/01/us-ecoli-europe-idUSTRE74U3YO20110601"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">outbreak remains unknown</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. German authorities initially suggested Spanish cucumbers were a possible culprit, but they have since been </span><a href="http://www.euroweeklynews.com/2011053187252/news/spain/spanish-cucmbers-not-to-blame-for-german-ecoli-outbreak.html"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">cleared</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Unfortunately for Spanish farmers, the </span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13621383"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">economic damage</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> cannot be undone. Spain is co</span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/01/us-ecoli-spain-idUSTRE7501YX20110601"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">nsidering legal action </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">against Germany; it believes there was inadequate evidence to implicate Spanish cucumbers. Russia initially blocked vegetable imports from Spain and Germany, but it is now banning </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/us-ecoli-russia-idUSTRE7514OG20110602"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">all European Union produce</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, a move the European Commission condemned as unnecessarily extreme.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">German officials are discouraging consumption of </span><a href="http://www.examiner.com/european-travel-in-national/german-authorities-warn-against-eating-raw-vegetables"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">raw vegetables</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Individuals who have recently traveled to Germany and become sick (especially with bloody diarrhea) should seek medical care and report their travel history to their physician.</span>The HealthMap Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852807927966579059noreply@blogger.com0