News Scan for Jun 03, 2013

News brief
Topics
Measles
Polio
Tick-borne Disease

Poliovirus detected in Israeli sewage

Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been detected in sewage samples from Rahat, Israel, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today. Israel has not had a case of polio since 1988 and hasn't confirmed WPV in environmental samples since 2002.

Genetic sequencing and epidemiologic investigations are ongoing, the agency said in an alert, but preliminary tests show the virus from the sewage samples is not related to viruses currently infecting children in the Horn of Africa. The samples were collected Apr 9, and the virus was detected during routine environmental surveillance.

"Given that there are high levels of population immunity in the area, and the investigations and response being implemented," the WHO said the risk of spread of WPV1 from Israel was "low to moderate."
Jun 3 WHO alert

 

Four die from tickborne disease in South Korea

A viral syndrome so far known as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and caused by tick bites has been fatal in four older adults in South Korea, according to a story today from the country's Yonhap News Agency.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in May announced the country's first SFTS death, in a 63-year-old woman from the eastern region of the country who contracted her infection last August but whose case was confirmed only last month.

Now the disease has also killed a 73-year-old man and an 82-year-old woman from the southern resort island of Jeju as well as a 74-year-old woman from southeastern South Korea.

In addition, two elderly patients have been treated at hospitals for the disease, although no further information on those cases is given. Symptoms include high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, multiple organ failure, and other blood-related problems, the story said.
Jun 3 Yonhap story
May 22 CIDRAP News item on first Korean case

 

Death toll from measles in Punjab reaches 133

Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province, saw 3 children die of measles yesterday, bringing the total number of deaths from the infection in that city to 81, says an item today in the country's The Nation newspaper. Total measles deaths in the entire province as of yesterday had reached 133.

A ProMED-mail item from last week said that more than 14,000 children in Punjab were suffering from the disease. The situation is causing great concern among officials in Pakistan, as the outbreak is occurring despite a measles vaccination drive there.
Jun 3 The Nation item 

Flu Scan for Jun 03, 2013

News brief
Topics
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Shanghai man is 38th H7N9 fatality

A 59-year-old Shanghai man died of H7N9 influenza on May 31, becoming the 38th person to succumb to the infection, according to a report from the Chinese state new agency, Xinhua. The man had been sick for nearly 2 months, the story said.

Shanghai, where two of the first three H7N9 cases were reported on Mar 31, has had 33 cases, the report said. Fifteen patients have recovered, 15 died, and 3 are still being treated.

Before the death was reported, the official World Health Organization (WHO) count for H7N9 stood at 132 cases and 37 deaths.
May 31 Xinhua story

 

Officials report Danish, Dutch H7 avian flu outbreaks

Outbreaks of low-pathogenicity H7 avian flu on poultry farms in Denmark and the Netherlands have led to the culling of thousands of birds in both countries to contain the virus, officials reported.

In Denmark, authorities culled 1,400 mallards and 12,500 pheasants at a game farm near the city of Viborg, according to a Jun 1 report to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Surveillance turned up low-path H7 in mallards on May 31 during routine surveillance.
Jun 1 OIE report

Dutch authorities, meanwhile, culled 11,000 chickens after avian flu was detected at a farm in that country, Reuters reported Jun 1. The Dutch Economic Affairs Ministry said the chickens "were believed to have the low pathogenic H7 strain," according to the story.

Officials established a 1-kilometer safety perimeter around the farm and banned the transport of poultry, eggs, and farm products. Eleven other area farms would be tested for the virus, the story said.

In 2003 an H7N7 outbreak led to the culling of 30 million birds, about a third of the Dutch poultry flock, Reuters reported.
Jun 1 Reuters story

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. USDA to test ground beef for traces of H5N1 avian flu virus as more poultry outbreaks reported

    Dairy cows make up about 7% of US beef production.

    Lisa Schnirring
    ground beef

  6. 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

  7. 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

  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. 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

  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