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Published Date: 2012-12-21 15:29:43
Subject: PRO/AH> Glanders, equine - Brazil (02): (CE)
Archive Number: 20121221.1462945
GLANDERS, EQUINE - BRAZIL (02) (CEARA)
**************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: Sat 15 Dec 2012
Source: Diario do Nordeste [in Portuguese, trans. Mod.RNA, edited]
Epidemic in horses leaves the state on alert
The State Department of Health has recorded 5 cases [of glanders] in animals and is attentive to the risk of the disease in humans.
A rare disease that affects horses has been the subject of alerts in Ceara state. The cause of concern is an outbreak of glanders in some regions of the metropolitan area of Fortaleza, as Caucaia, and Aquiraz Horizonte, which generated an epidemiological alert from the State Department of Health (Sesa) healthcare professionals.
The disease is transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food or water and affects horses, donkeys, and mules.
In October this year [2012], there were 5 cases in the state (3 in Caucaia, 1 in Aquiraz, and 1 in Horizonte).
Although it is a zoonotic disease, glanders has not been registered in any humans in Brazil, but the animals are at serious risk.
The last record of the disease, according to the Ceara Agricultural Defense Agency (Adagri), was in 2007. Besides Ceara, Minas Gerais State, also recorded 5 cases in July [2012]. Over the past 10 years, glanders affected horses in 15 states of Brazil.
The disease caused by the bacterium _Burkholderia mallei_ can infect other animals besides horses, including dogs, cats, and goats [and camels. - Mod.TG]
The disease can also affect humans -- no cases have been recorded in Brazil -- through contact with the skin, mucous membranes, tissues, or body fluids of infected animals. In humans, general symptoms include fever, sweats, malaise, myalgia, and headache. As there is no cure, the disease is considered fatal.
Glanders in animals is associated with necrotic ulcers and nodules in the nasal cavity and pneumonia, abscesses, and nodular progressive deterioration of the internal organs. Animals testing positive for glanders are sacrificed. If there is suspicion of infection in an animal, the situation must be reported immediately to Adagri.
"The disease is dangerous because the only way to solve it is by euthanizing the animal. Warning the population against glanders is fundamental because it is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans, and is of concern because it has no cure, "says the Adagri head of Epidemiology and Risk Analysis, Maria Ribeiro Hermeline. The most attention, according to Hermeline, should be given to people who care for animals, such as veterinarians, grooms, cowboys, and laboratory professionals.
To prevent more cases in Ceara, Adagri met with the Board of Animal Health to develop an emergency plan, beyond the Ceara Health Department for science and record keeping of cases of animals and people exposed to close contact with animals.
[byline: Livia Lopes]
--
communicated by:
ProMED-PORT
<promed-port@promedmail.org>
[Glanders is a contagious and fatal bacterial disease of horses, donkeys, and mules, and is caused by infection with the bacterium _Burkholderia mallei_. The disease causes nodules and ulcerations in the upper respiratory tract and lungs. A skin form also occurs, known as "farcy". While glanders primarily affects horses, mules, and donkeys, it can also occur in dogs, cats, goats, and camels. The disease can be fatal in mules and donkeys. The disease can also be severe for hamsters and guinea pigs.
Horses get glanders by close contact with other infected horses, especially through shared water and feed troughs as well as by nuzzling (direct contact). The bacteria can also be spread by fomites (non-living objects contaminated by infected animals), such as brushes, halters, or harnesses.
Carnivores, especially cats, can get glanders after eating contaminated meat.
The commonest sign of infection in animals is yellow-green nasal discharge and ulcers on the nose. The horse may have enlarged lymph nodes and nodules on the skin. In some cases, they may look like long, hard ropes, under the skin. Severe coughing can also occur. Long term infections can occur in horses, which may last for several years.
Disease in mules and donkeys can start rapidly (acute) and can lead to death in 1 to 2 weeks after exposure.
People can get glanders by having direct contact with infected animals or contaminated objects. Entry of the bacteria occurs through the skin (wounds, cuts) or through surface of the eyes and nose. People in close contact with horses (veterinarians, farriers, other animal workers, as well as laboratory personnel) are at greater risk for getting glanders.
In people, the disease can affect the skin, lungs, or the entire body (systemic). Signs may include fever, chills, muscle aches, and chest pain; pneumonia can rapidly develop. Nodules or ulcers may occur in the skin or the nose, eyes, or mouth. Glanders is a very painful disease and can lead to death without treatment.
Control of glanders requires testing of suspect clinical cases, screening of apparently normal equids, and elimination of positive reactors. Because it is transmitted to humans by direct contact with sick animals or infected materials, carefully washing hands following handling of animals is important. The wearing of gloves should be encouraged.
All infected or potentially infected material must be handled in a laboratory that meets the requirements for Containment Group 3 pathogens. In the untreated acute disease in man, there can be 95 per cent mortality within 3 weeks. However, survival is possible if the infected person is treated early and aggressively with multiple systemic antibiotic therapies.
One wonders by what test the diagnosis was made. One also wonders what precautions are being taken to keep the equine owners and handlers safe. What education has been provided to them?
For further details on the disease and its diagnosis, see chapter 2.5.11. in OIE's Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals at http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/en...1_GLANDERS.pdf.
Portions of this comment have been extracted from http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/FastFac...glanders_F.pdf.
Subject: PRO/AH> Glanders, equine - Brazil (02): (CE)
Archive Number: 20121221.1462945
GLANDERS, EQUINE - BRAZIL (02) (CEARA)
**************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: Sat 15 Dec 2012
Source: Diario do Nordeste [in Portuguese, trans. Mod.RNA, edited]
Epidemic in horses leaves the state on alert
The State Department of Health has recorded 5 cases [of glanders] in animals and is attentive to the risk of the disease in humans.
A rare disease that affects horses has been the subject of alerts in Ceara state. The cause of concern is an outbreak of glanders in some regions of the metropolitan area of Fortaleza, as Caucaia, and Aquiraz Horizonte, which generated an epidemiological alert from the State Department of Health (Sesa) healthcare professionals.
The disease is transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food or water and affects horses, donkeys, and mules.
In October this year [2012], there were 5 cases in the state (3 in Caucaia, 1 in Aquiraz, and 1 in Horizonte).
Although it is a zoonotic disease, glanders has not been registered in any humans in Brazil, but the animals are at serious risk.
The last record of the disease, according to the Ceara Agricultural Defense Agency (Adagri), was in 2007. Besides Ceara, Minas Gerais State, also recorded 5 cases in July [2012]. Over the past 10 years, glanders affected horses in 15 states of Brazil.
The disease caused by the bacterium _Burkholderia mallei_ can infect other animals besides horses, including dogs, cats, and goats [and camels. - Mod.TG]
The disease can also affect humans -- no cases have been recorded in Brazil -- through contact with the skin, mucous membranes, tissues, or body fluids of infected animals. In humans, general symptoms include fever, sweats, malaise, myalgia, and headache. As there is no cure, the disease is considered fatal.
Glanders in animals is associated with necrotic ulcers and nodules in the nasal cavity and pneumonia, abscesses, and nodular progressive deterioration of the internal organs. Animals testing positive for glanders are sacrificed. If there is suspicion of infection in an animal, the situation must be reported immediately to Adagri.
"The disease is dangerous because the only way to solve it is by euthanizing the animal. Warning the population against glanders is fundamental because it is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans, and is of concern because it has no cure, "says the Adagri head of Epidemiology and Risk Analysis, Maria Ribeiro Hermeline. The most attention, according to Hermeline, should be given to people who care for animals, such as veterinarians, grooms, cowboys, and laboratory professionals.
To prevent more cases in Ceara, Adagri met with the Board of Animal Health to develop an emergency plan, beyond the Ceara Health Department for science and record keeping of cases of animals and people exposed to close contact with animals.
[byline: Livia Lopes]
--
communicated by:
ProMED-PORT
<promed-port@promedmail.org>
[Glanders is a contagious and fatal bacterial disease of horses, donkeys, and mules, and is caused by infection with the bacterium _Burkholderia mallei_. The disease causes nodules and ulcerations in the upper respiratory tract and lungs. A skin form also occurs, known as "farcy". While glanders primarily affects horses, mules, and donkeys, it can also occur in dogs, cats, goats, and camels. The disease can be fatal in mules and donkeys. The disease can also be severe for hamsters and guinea pigs.
Horses get glanders by close contact with other infected horses, especially through shared water and feed troughs as well as by nuzzling (direct contact). The bacteria can also be spread by fomites (non-living objects contaminated by infected animals), such as brushes, halters, or harnesses.
Carnivores, especially cats, can get glanders after eating contaminated meat.
The commonest sign of infection in animals is yellow-green nasal discharge and ulcers on the nose. The horse may have enlarged lymph nodes and nodules on the skin. In some cases, they may look like long, hard ropes, under the skin. Severe coughing can also occur. Long term infections can occur in horses, which may last for several years.
Disease in mules and donkeys can start rapidly (acute) and can lead to death in 1 to 2 weeks after exposure.
People can get glanders by having direct contact with infected animals or contaminated objects. Entry of the bacteria occurs through the skin (wounds, cuts) or through surface of the eyes and nose. People in close contact with horses (veterinarians, farriers, other animal workers, as well as laboratory personnel) are at greater risk for getting glanders.
In people, the disease can affect the skin, lungs, or the entire body (systemic). Signs may include fever, chills, muscle aches, and chest pain; pneumonia can rapidly develop. Nodules or ulcers may occur in the skin or the nose, eyes, or mouth. Glanders is a very painful disease and can lead to death without treatment.
Control of glanders requires testing of suspect clinical cases, screening of apparently normal equids, and elimination of positive reactors. Because it is transmitted to humans by direct contact with sick animals or infected materials, carefully washing hands following handling of animals is important. The wearing of gloves should be encouraged.
All infected or potentially infected material must be handled in a laboratory that meets the requirements for Containment Group 3 pathogens. In the untreated acute disease in man, there can be 95 per cent mortality within 3 weeks. However, survival is possible if the infected person is treated early and aggressively with multiple systemic antibiotic therapies.
One wonders by what test the diagnosis was made. One also wonders what precautions are being taken to keep the equine owners and handlers safe. What education has been provided to them?
For further details on the disease and its diagnosis, see chapter 2.5.11. in OIE's Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals at http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/en...1_GLANDERS.pdf.
Portions of this comment have been extracted from http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/FastFac...glanders_F.pdf.