|
About EINet
|
The EINet listserv was created to foster discussion, networking, and collaboration in the area of emerging infectious diseases (EID's) among academicians, scientists, and policy makers in the Asia–Pacific region. We strongly encourage you to share their perspectives and experiences, as your participation directly contributes to the richness of the "electronic discussions" that occur. To respond to the listserv, use the reply function. In this edition:
The case fatality rate for those infected with the Nipah virus is 38%, while those infected with the Japanese Encephalitis virus have a case fatality rate of 36%. The mortality rate for combined infection with both viruses was estimated to be 52%. The Nipah virus is said to have killed less than 5% of infected pigs proving to be more deadly in humans. The number of pig farms included in culling activities has been increased in Perak, and the buffer zone has been expanded by another 10 km. Smuggling of pigs from the affected areas continues to be a problem, as evidenced by the discovery of the Nipah virus in Sungai Siput, a new area in Perak. Experts from Japan are expected to join researchers in Malaysia, though their focus will be on Japanese Encephalitis. A third virus is being suspected in cases that have not been explained by either the Nipah or Japanese Encephalitis virus. The actual number of patients infected by the Nipah virus is not known as there were cases of patients who were infected by both the Japanese Encephalitis virus and Nipah virus. The epidemic has affected 40% of the country's 2,100 pig farms, and pig farmers have lost RM250 million ($114 million) in export earnings. 16 hotels in the Port Dickson area are expected to retrench 1,200 workers as a result of falling profits. Occupancy rates have fallen from an average of 55% to 12㪧% on weekdays, and 15㪱% on weekends. The hotels used to enjoy 70㫨% occupancy during the weekends before the outbreak. The situation is made worse as government officials had cancelled bookings to hold functions at the hotels. Indonesia may lose at least $20.8 million from cancelled hog exports to Malaysia and Singapore. Monitoring of hog flows from Malaysia along the borders in Indonesia is still in process. Thailand has banned imports of live pigs, horses and cats, as well as pork from Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand in an effort to prevent the outbreak of the viruses. [ProMed, April 7㪫, 1999] [Xinhua, April 14, 1999] [Reuters, April 08㪫, 1999] [The Straits Times Interactive, April 08, 1999] [The Star, April 19, 1999]
HONG KONG– AVIAN FLU (H9N2)
A new strain of influenza A (H9N2) was isolated from 2 hospitalized children
early March in Hong Kong, who recovered completely without complications.
This is the first time that an avian influenza virus has been isolated
from humans in Hong Kong. The results were confirmed by the WHO Influenza
Collaborating Reference Laboratories in the United Kingdom and the United
States. The virus was found to be sensitive to amantadine and remantadine.
The isolated viruses are also genetically closely related to influenza
A/quail/Hong Kong/GI/97 (H9N2) detected during the outbreak of 1997. The
mode of transmission to humans is under investigation, and the potential
for global impact of this discovery is also being assessed. Aerosol transmission
is under consideration as one of the patients had contact with poultry.
The clinical presentation of illness caused by this virus is similar to
other influenza viruses. While health authorities in Hong Kong are confident
about monitoring and taking control of the situation due to experience
gained from the last outbreak of avian flu in 1997, it appears that five
(China) mainlanders were infected with the new virus in August 1998. This
brings the total number of infected individuals to seven. The five cases
were not reported to WHO as there were no signs of an outbreak. They were
believed to have been infected through contact with poultry in Guangdong
province in China. SINGAPORE– ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE The number of antibiotic resistant Streptoccus pneumoniae bacteria in
1997 increased to 47% in comparison to 2% in 1991. Resistance to penicillin
and new classes of antibiotics was reported. It is not clear as to whether
this number was for one hospital or whether it represented a Singapore–wide
trend. AUSTRALIA– AEDES ALBOPICTUS An extensive program of fumigation and trapping is to be carried out in
port areas in New South Wales following the discovery of the dreaded disease–carrying
Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopticus) in Sydney. The mosquito, most
probably came from a ship carrying tyres from Japan, and was caught in
a surveillance trap set by quarantine officers last month. Dengue and
yellow fever are some of the deadly diseases that are spread by this species
of mosquito. Health authorities are particularly worried as the city is
the venue for the Olympic Games in the year 2000. NEW ZEALAND– WHOOPING COUGH EPIDEMIC PREDICTED An epidemic of whooping cough has been predicted later in the year as a result of low child–immunization rates. The Immunization Advisory Centre
said that the last outbreak was in 1996, when more than 500 people were
hospitalized. Nearly 70% of the victims were under the age of 2 years.
Since 1980 there have been 2 deaths in New Zealand from whooping cough.
Doctors are advising parents to make ensure that their children's whooping
cough vaccinations are up to date. USA– E.COLI OUTBREAK, MEAT RECALL E. coli 0157:H7 was found to be the cause of illness among six people
visiting a Maine ski resort. The illness was traced to contaminated ground
beef produced at a Minnesota meat processing plant. Genetic fingerprints
from the six individuals matched a strain of E.coli in samples of meat
from Rochester Meats in Minnesota. The company has recalled 170,780 pounds
of product produced on December 01, 1998. The products are marked with
the Julian code 83365 and Establishment 8999 in the inspection mark. All
six individuals have recovered, and the CDC is investigating the occurrence
of illness in other states that may be linked to this outbreak. [ CNN
Custom News, April 06, 1999] [ProMed, April 05, 1999] NEW RESEARCH IN SEARCH FOR MALARIA VACCINE
A family of genes that enable survival of malarial parasites in a hostile
environment may become the target of vaccine research. British researchers,
in a letter to the science journal Nature, have identified the family
of genes as p235. The parasite uses the gene family to adapt to changes
ensuring its survival within red blood cells. By developing a vaccine
or drug that dictates red cell selection, fulminant infection can be avoided
if infection is restricted to immature red cells resulting in a more benign
infection. The ability of the merozoites to replicate effectively can
be inhibited by suing a vaccine that targets this gene. Malaria kills
up to 3 million people each year, 90% being children. MOSQUITO BITES AFTER 10 P.M. MORE DANGEROUS Australian researchers at the University of South Australia's Mosquito
Research Laboratory, have reported that it is more dangerous to be bitten
by a mosquito after 10 p.m. than earlier in the night. They found that
mosquitoes carrying viruses are more likely to be in search of a blood
meal at night. The researchers were studying Culex annulirostris or the
banded mosquito, which is the most dangerous species in Australia as it
carries all of the deadly viruses in the country, including Ross River
Virus, Japanese Encephalitis, and Murray Valley Encephalitis. It was found
that older mosquitoes were more likely to feed late at night after 10
p.m. as they do not need to mate, unlike younger mosquitoes that fed early
in order to mate later. Older mosquitoes are also more likely to have
fed on animals or birds picking up diseases in the process. PLASMA PRODUCT RECALL– PARVOVIRUS B19 CONTAMINATION Seven lots of PLAS+SD dating from June and July 1998 were recalled on
April 16 by V.I. Technologies, following the detection of high levels
of parvovirus B19 DNA. A new screening procedure has also been instituted
to ensure that the virus remains below specified laboratory levels. In
the next 2 weeks, the company will implement testing of production to
date to assess the need, if any, for an additional recall. Pregnant women
and immunosuppressed individuals are seriously affected by infection with
this virus, and hence physicians have been asked to exercise caution when
using this product in these patients. PLAS+SD uses a viral inactivation
procedure that eliminates the risks of HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis
C transmission by plasma.
AUSTRALIA– SALMONELLOSIS, RARE TYPE Following the outbreak of salmonellosis caused by the rare phage type
135A, Nippy's fruit juice products have been ordered to be pasteurised
before packaging. The source of contamination has been traced to fruit
supplied to Nippy's, by the Riverland packaging shed. The packaging shed
tested positive for salmonella. The South Australian Health Commission
has banned the packaging shed and its associated orchard from moving or
selling oranges. Health authorities in Victoria are on alert as fresh
oranges from this packaging shed were distributed to an outlet there.
AUSTRALIA– LEPTOSPIROSIS 99 confirmed cases of leptospirosis have been reported in Queensland,
Australia, for the first three and a half months of this year by the WHO/FAO
Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis. Microscopic
Agglutination Test and culture were used to diagnose the cases. The rarely
reported serotype "ballum" has been recently diagnosed in several cases,
while serotypes "hardjo" and "zanoni" continue to account for the majority
of cases in the state. APEC ISTWG MEETINGS – SEATTLE, AUGUST 15㪬 The APEC Working Group on Industrial Science and Technology will meet
in Seattle, August 15㪬. Organizers have planned a seminar for Monday,
August 16, on emerging infections in the region, and a side meeting of
delegates to consider progress under the APEC Initiative on Emerging Infections
(adopted 1997) will be held on Tuesday, August 17. Colleagues in Health
and Science in APEC economies are advised to contact their ISTWG delegation
heads for further information, or to contact Laura Schubert (lschub@u.washington.edu)
for further information. EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES JOURNAL Vol. 5, No.2 (March–April 1999)
of Emerging Infectious Diseases journal is now available on the Web under
Current Issue on the journal's homepage. The articles can be accessed
at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/current.htm
|