NEWS SCAN: Raw milk outbreak, response to Europe's EHEC outbreak, measles in Indiana, Vietnam's H5N1 vaccine

Foodborne Disease
Campylobacter
E coli
Measles

Feb 16, 2012

Raw milk Campylobacter outbreak rises to 77 cases
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDH) said today that the number of patients sickened in a multistate Campylobacter outbreak from raw milk produced by The Family Cow diary has risen to 77. Holli Senior, a spokeswoman for the PDH, told CIDRAP News in an e-mail that the new total represents an increase of 12, including 11 patients from Pennsylvania and 1 from Maryland. She said the PDH hasn't seen any new changes in the onset dates, which range from Jan 17 to Feb 1. Patient ages range from 2 to 74, and 34% of the sick patients are younger than 18.
Feb 13 CIDRAP News Scan "Raw milk Campylobacter outbreak grows to 65 cases"

Scientists recommend steps after Europe's 2011 sprout-related E coli outbreak
Europe needs to improve diagnostic, surveillance, and tracing methodology for foodborne outbreaks, according to an international workshop convened to assess response to the large 2011 outbreak of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) cases linked to fenugreek sprouts and centered in Germany. The summary of a workshop last November organized by Germany's Robert Koch Institute appeared today in Eurosurveillance. More than 100 experts attended the meeting, which included working groups in four areas: (1) clinical issues, (2) epidemiology, prevention, and burden of disease, (3) microbiology and pathogenesis, and (4) food safety and zoonotic and environmental aspects. The scientists identified several needs going forward, including improved diagnostic methods and a need to integrate molecular typing into routine surveillance; deeper understanding of the disease's pathology; clinical course and treatment options; better use of systematic food-tracing data; and improved study of pathogen evolution. They also urged adequate funding. The EHEC O104:H4 outbreak involved more than 4,000 cases and 50 deaths.
Feb 16 Eurosurveillance report

Two Indiana schools bar nonimmunized students during measles outbreak
As a measles outbreak in Indiana reached 13 confirmed cases, students from two schools in Hamilton County who are not immunized against the highly contagious disease will be barred until further notice, according to an Indy Star article today. School officials said yesterday that students at White River Elementary and Noblesville Intermediate School without state-required measles vaccination won't be allowed to attend school. Noblesville also canceled evening activities in an effort to curb disease spread. All outbreak cases have been in Hamilton or Boone counties, according to a news release from the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) yesterday. Two of the patients had attended activities at the Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis for about 7 hours on Feb 3.
Feb 16 Indy Star article
Feb 15 ISDH news release

This week's top reads

  1. Common diabetes drug lowers SARS-CoV-2 levels, clinical trial finds

    The mean SARS-CoV-2 viral load was reduced 3.6-fold with metformin.

    Stephanie Soucheray
    metformin

  2. Trial data support non-antibiotic treatment for bacterial vaginosis

    The trial found that the broad-spectrum antiseptic dequalinium chloride was noninferior to metronidazole, and more tolerable.

    Chris Dall
    Bacterial vaginosis

  3. Study: HHS's COVID vaccine campaign saved $732 billion in averted infections, costs

    Researchers say the campaign encouraged 22 million Americans to complete their primary COVID-19 vaccine series, preventing nearly 2.6 million infections.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Vaccine assembly line

  4. Studies yield more clues about H5N1 avian flu susceptibility, spread in dairy cows

    Researchers who examined cow mammary gland tissue found wide expression of avian and human influenza A receptors, which could explain high virus loads in milk of infected cows.

    Lisa Schnirring
    cow udders

  5. Colorado officials probe source of H5N1 in cows as USDA confirms more infected mammals

    Monitoring of about 70 farm workers found no symptoms, and the state's wastewater sampling pilot has found no flu rise.

    Lisa Schnirring
    vet and dairy herd

  6. With H5N1 avian flu silently spreading in US cattle, wastewater testing could be key

    Wastewater treatment systems that have no intake of animal-related sewage could serve as sentinels for human disease, experts say.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Wastewater plant

  7. High-risk patients with COVID symptoms should use PCR rather than rapid tests, study suggests

    The sensitivity of RATs was 47%, compared with RT-PCR and 80% versus viral culture.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Stack of rapid COVID tests

  8. USDA genome study sheds light on H5N1 avian flu spillover to cows, but data gaps remain

    In other developments, the USDA said ground beef samples were negative for the virus and Michigan and Colorado announced emergency measures.

    Lisa Schnirring
    dairy cows in barn

  9. USDA reports more H5N1 detections in poultry, wild birds

    Also, another avian flu outbreak was reported in backyard poultry in Idaho.

    Lisa Schnirring
    farm pigeons

  10. Case report bolsters evidence for H5N1 avian flu spread from cow to Texas dairy worker

    The patient worked at a farm where the illness was suspected in cows and in a region where H5N1 was confirmed in other dairy herds.

    Lisa Schnirring
    milking parlor worker