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Vol. II, No. 13 ~ EINet News Briefs ~ June 30, 1999
****A free service of the APEC Emerging
Infections Network*****
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 AsiaPacific
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:
- Distance learning website on Emerging
Infections of International Public Health Importance
- Overview of infectiousdisease
information from PROMED and other sources
- Updates from previous bulletins
- Notices
- How to add colleagues to the EINet
listserv
1. DISTANCE
LEARNING WEBSITE ON EMERGING INFECTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH
IMPORTANCE
**A new teaching tool has been made available on the web to learn about
Emerging Infections of International Public Health Importance. These materials
include recent lectures and audiovisual materials by international experts,
and are being made available without charge by the APEC EINET project,
and we welcome your comments about their utility in your work. This distance
learning course can be accessed at our website at www.apec.org/infectious
**
2. OVERVIEW OF INFECTIOUSDISEASE
INFORMATION FROM PROMED Here is our regular summary of
relevant AsiaPacific EID issues based on postings to the ProMED Electronic
Network, which is a prototype for a communications system to monitor emerging
infectious diseases globally as an initiative of the Federation of American
Scientists (FAS), cosponsored by WHO.
ASIA
BRUNEI RESTAURANTS SHUT DOWN AS CHOLERA WORSENS
10 restaurants were closed down by health authorities following an outbreak
of cholera that has struck more than 70 people. The restaurants, mainly
in Gadong and the capital Bander Seri Begawan, fell short of required
health standards and were temporarily shut down as part of nationwide
checks on hygiene in food outlets. Supply of fresh food and fruit to schools
were also suspended to stem the spread of the disease. The source of the
outbreak is not known as yet.
[Reuters, June 18, 1999]
CHINESE TAIPEI FIRST INDIGENOUS CASE OF CHOLERA
An 80yearold woman was diagnosed with cholera in a Hsinchu hospital.
This is the first indigenous case of cholera in three decades in Taiwan,
and has triggered panic among residents of Hukuo township, where the woman's
family sells iced products in the local market. Health officials are monitoring
the situation, and have instructed hospitals to report suspected cases.
[China News Agency, June 18, 1999]
KOREA E.COLI O𤪍 REPORTED The first case of E. coli O𤪍
for this year was reported at a hospital in Kumi, Kyongsangpukto on June
10. The patient was a 24year old woman who ate contaminated food on June
6. The National Institute of Health dispatched a medical team to trace
the distribution channel of contaminated food in Kyongsangpukto. This
is the second case of E. coli O𤪍 reported in Korea since 1997.
[Korea Times, June 28, 1999]
OCEANIA
AUSTRALIA ENTEROVIRUS 71 ACTIVITY
Four out of six cases of acute flaccid paralysis in Perth since March
1999 have been attributed to enterovirus 71. Polio infection has been
ruled out in two cases and results are pending on the other two. An additional
12 cases of aseptic meningitis associated with enterovirus 71 have been
identified. These cases have occurred in association with a large hand,
foot and mouth disease (HFM) epidemic in Perth over the same period. An
enterovirus has also been isolated from 15 uncomplicated HFM cases. The
recent epidemics of EV㫟 in southeast Asia may be related to this outbreak,
and molecular epidemiology studies are in progress to identify the source
of the virus.
[ProMed, June 28, 1999]
NEW ZEALAND DRUGRESISTANT BACTERIA WARNING
Doctors have been advised to cut back on prescribing antibiotics to stop
the increasing level of drugresistant strains of bacteria. Penicillinresistant
Streptococcus pneumoniae has increased from 0% in 1992 to 22% in 1998
in the Canterbury and West Coastal areas. Laboratories all over New Zealand
are noticing a similar trend.
[The Press, June 26, 1999]
NEW ZEALAND MENINGITIS MIMICS INFLUENZA
Health officials are warning young Northlanders with the flu to seek medical
care, after 8 cases of meningococcal meningitis were reported in the past
two weeks. The early stages of meningococcal meningitis are identical
to influenza, though unlike the latter, the symptoms continue to intensify
with headaches, fever, skin rashes, and vomiting. Six of the eight hit
by the disease in the past fortnight were aged 5 or under, and the latest
cases bring Northland's total for the year to 18 three more than for
the same period last year. Authorities are on the lookout for clustering
of the disease, but so far there has been no pattern forming in the Northland.
[The New Zealand Herald, June 28, 1999]
AMERICAS
BRAZIL DENGUE
The State Health Secretary of Sao Paulo has attributed a 388% increase
in number of dengue cases in 1998 to failure in prophylaxis in 1997. While
4567 cases of dengue were reported between January 1 and June 4 1999,
only 847 cases were reported during the same period in 1997.
[ProMed, June 18, 1999]
BRAZIL HEPATITIS A
17 students between the ages of 10 and 14 years in a municipal school
in Rio de Janeiro were diagnosed with hepatitis A. The onset of the illness
was between June 1㪬, 1999. The source of infection has not been found
as yet.
[ProMed, June 23, 1999]
UNITED STATES (MULTISTATE) SALMONELLA FOUND IN ORANGE JUICE
19 cases of salmonellosis in three states have been linked to contamination
of nonpasteurized orange juice. Sun Orchard Co. of Tempe, Arizona has
recalled the product and halted further distribution. According to a statement
issued by the company, this was the only product that was blended with
juice from an outside supplier. The juice, shipped in gallon, halfgallon
or quart clear plastic containers, had a "use by" date between June 23
and July 8. The serotype in this outbreak is Salmonella serotype muenchen.
[Associated Press, June 28, 1999]
UNITED STATES CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS TRANSMITTED BY NEEDLES
Sharing of intravenous needles among drug users in San Francisco has resulted
in five cases of necrotizing fasciitis, including two fatalities as a
result of infection with Clostridium perfringens.
[ProMed, June 21, 1999]
UNITED STATES (MULTISTATE) CYCLOSPORIASIS
An outbreak of diarrheal illness among participants at a May convention
has been confirmed as cyclosporiasis. Eight of the twentyfour people
who fell ill tested positive for Cyclospora cayetanensis. Investigators
from the CDC are focusing their probe on fresh produce imported from foreign
farms because cyclospora is not typically found in the United States.
Twentyeight states were represented at the convention.
[ProMed, June 25, 1999]
OTHER
VIETNAM TINY ONEEYED CRUSTACEAN COULD ERADICATE DENGUE
Mesocyclops, a tiny oneeyed crustacean offers new hope in the effort
to eradicate dengue in Vietnam. In one year, the introduction of the Mesocyclops
in six test communes in northern Vietnam by volunteers working with school
children has virtually eliminated the mosquito larvae carrying dengue
fever which claims hundreds of lives in Vietnam and thousands worldwide.
The Mesocyclops has a voracious appetite for the larvae of the Aedes Aegypti
larvae and can eat about 40 larvae a day. These hungry crustaceans are
found in abundance in most lakes and ponds in northern Vietnam, and can
be transported to other regions of the country, or grown in laboratories
and sent to villages. The Australian Foundation for the People of Asia
and the Pacific is involved in this venture, which is also financed by
Britain.
[Vietnam News, June 25, 1999]
NEW ZEALAND "BREAKTHROUGH" FLU DRUG
Relenza, new drug for influenza, administered as an oral inhaler has completed
required approval and registration. Clinical trials in New Zealand, Australia,
and South Africa showed that influenza patients treated with the drug
experienced a significant reduction in the severity of their symptoms.
The trials also indicated that recovery speeds up to 30% faster than with
present treatments. Relenza is the first of a new class of drugs known
as neuraminidase inhibitors.
[The Press, June 29, 1999]
3. UPDATES FROM PREVIOUS BULLETINS
MALAYSIA NIPAH VIRUS
Three more pig farms in the state of Johor were found to be positive for
the Nipah virus, bringing the number of affected farms to 11. The Veterinary
Research Institute in Penang will launch "fullscale" Nipah virus tests
on cats and dogs nationwide in two to three weeks. Testing of 95% of pig
farms has been completed. [ProMed, June 18, 1999]
[Star Online, June 19, 1999]
4.
NOTICES
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.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
The International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases will be held
from July 16㪫, 2000 at Atlanta, Georgia. The program will include plenary
sessions and symposia with invited speakers, presentations on emerging
infections activities, and oral and poster presentations. Major topics
will include current work on surveillance, epidemiology, research, communication
and training, bioterrorism, and prevention and control of emerging diseases,
both in the U.S. and abroad. Abstracts are invited and will be accepted
beginning in September, 1999. For more information: Phone: (202)942
email: meetinginfo@asmusa.org website: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/iceid2k.htm
NINTH WFPHA INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
The theme of the 9th World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA)
International Congress to be held at Beijing, PRC from September 2ע,
2000 is "Challenges for Public Health at the Dawn of the 21st Century".
This Congress will be cohosted by the China Preventive Medical Association
(CPMA) and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine (CAPM). Some of
the megatrend issues to be discussed include: Health and the Environment;
HIV/AIDS; Reemerging Diseases; Global Communication; and DemographicEconomic
Transitions and Health. For further information, please contact Allen
Jones at CommIntern2@apha.org
5. HOW TO JOIN THE EMAIL LIST
and receive EINet News Briefs regularly The APEC EINet
listserv was established to enhance collaboration among academicians and public
health professionals in the area of emerging infections surveillance and control.
Subscribers are encouraged to share their own material with their colleagues in
the AsiaPacific Rim. To subscribe (or unsubscribe), please contact Nedra Floyd
Pautler at pautler@u.washington.edu.
Further information about the APEC Emerging Infections Network is available at
http://www.apec.org/infectious.
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