Cayman Islands - Samples go to CDC - Dengue Confirmed

[Ronan Kelly]

Dengue fever samples go to CDC for confirmation
Posted on Wed, 02/03/2010 - 22:20 in Health
(CNS): The three blood samples sent to the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) from three Grand Cayman residents with suspected dengue fever have been forwarded to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) branch in Puerto Rico. Public Health officials said today (Wednesday, 3 February) that the samples did show signs of the mosquito borne disease and have therefore been sent for further testing.

?The initial test results indicated the possibility of dengue and as suggested by CAREC second samples were sent,? Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kiran Kumar explained. ?CAREC staff decided to send them to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) branch in Puerto Rico as that lab has more technologically advanced testing equipment, and is a World Health Organisation reference lab.?

Dr Kumar said that the samples were initially sent to the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) after the three patients were hospitalised with acute viral infections but had since been discharged after treatment and are no longer infectious. ?Currently there have been no further reports of similar cases,? he added.
Dengue fever is a disease transmitted to humans by the bites of infected aedes aegyptii mosquitoes. Symptoms are high fever, severe headache, backache, joint and eye pain, nausea and vomiting, and rash. Most people recover, using pain relievers and bed rest, without any complications.
Meanwhile, the HS A also reminded residents that the H1N1 vaccine is currently being provided free of charge it will be available at the John Gray High School Health Centre on Wednesday and Friday during February from 3-6 p.m. (Parents must be present), onThursday, 4 February from 5-8 p.m. at Foster?s Strand and on Friday, 5 February from 5-8 pm at Foster?s Countryside and on Saturday, 6 February from noon-4 pm at Kirk?s Supermarket.

Next week it will be available on Thursday, 11 February from 5-8 pm at Kirk?s Supermarket, on Friday, 12 February from 5-8 p.m. at Foster?s Strand and on Saturday, 13 February from noon-4 p.m. at West Bay?s Republix Supermarket. Health officials will also be issuing the vaccine on Wednesday, 17 February from 10 am-4 p.m. at the Agricultural Show.

The vaccine is also available every weekday between 10 am and 2 pm in the Cayman Islands Hospital?s Atrium. People can also be vaccinated at all district health centres, at Faith Hospital on Cayman Brac and the Little Cayman Clinic every weekday from 2-4 pm.
http://www.caymannewsservice.com/health/2010/02/03/dengue-fever-samples-go-cdc-confirmation

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Cayman Islands - Dengue fever samples go to CDC for confirmation

Re: Cayman Islands - Dengue fever samples go to CDC for confirmation

Source: http://www.caymannewsservice.com/sc.../02/23/dengue-cases-not-related-mrcu-spraying

Dengue cases not related to MRCU spraying
Posted on Tue, 02/23/2010 - 07:55 in Science and Nature

(CNS): Although the recent suspected cases of dengue fever in the Cayman Islands have yet to be confirmed, government officials say that even if they prove to be positive the appearance of the virus is not related to any reduction in aerial spraying by the MCRU. The mosquito which can carry the dengue fever is present in the Cayman Islands but generally breeds in urban areas and is therefore not controlled by the widespread spraying from the air but by targeted reduction of stagnant water sources in gardens and yards.

MRCU Director Dr William Petrie told CNS that although there are issues currently relating to the unit's resources and its ability to spray, the Aedes aegypti -- the culprit when it comes to passing on the dengue fever virus -- does not populate the islands? swamp areas, where most other mosquitoes set up home and the areas targeted by the aerial spraying.

Dr Petrie said that, as a result, people should be taking extra care to ensure that they turn over pots and empty buckets, wheel barrows, coconut shells or any other vessels that can collect water around their property. He said sceptics who suggest that such efforts can do little to combat the mosquito problem are wrong and that by making sure there is nowhere for this particular mosquito to breed in your garden you will keep them away from your own yard and those around you.

?The Aedes aegypti is not found in swamp areas and tends to breed in urban areas where we do not use aerial spraying. We are encouraging people to keep their yards and gardens as free of standing water as possible as this will keep the population down,? he said.

Explaining that if the three cases are dengue fever, he said the patients would have contracted the virus from a mosquito or mosquitoes that would have in turn have contracted the virus from another person who was already infected. ?The mosquitoes in the Cayman Islands do not carry the dengue fever virus themselves but they can pick it up from another host and pass it on,? Dr Petrie added.

Public health officials have also confirmed that there have been no further cases reported since the three samples were sent for analysis and which are now with the Centre for Disease Control in Puerto Rico. Dr Kiran Kumar confirmed Dr Petrie?s comments regarding the spread of dengue fever and added that it cannot be transmitted via person to person.

Around 100 million cases of dengue fever occur worldwide each year and it is prevalent in the Caribbean as well as Central and South America including Jamaica, Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana and Puerto Rico. ?We do have imported cases from time to time. There has been no evidence of local transmission in the Cayman Islands,? Dr. Kumar said.

With no major outbreaks around the region recently, however, Dr Petrie said it was unusual that these victims had managed to be infected in Cayman as they had no history of travel and without a major outbreak in the region we should not expect to see large numbers of infected people travelling to Cayman unaware of their condition.

He also noted that 2009 had not been a particularly bad year for mosquitoes as the season was not exceptionally wet, but he did admit there was an increase in the overall population around October.

With a constant battle to keep the multiple types of mosquito populations at bay every season, Dr Petrie noted that there were concerns about the MRCU?s stock and the need to keep costs down would impact the battle against the islands' leading pest, but he said everyone can help by reducing the opportunities for the insect to breed.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Cayman Islands - Samples go to CDC - Dengue Confirmed

Source: http://www.caymannewsservice.com/health/2010/03/12/dengue-cases-confirmed-officials

Dengue cases confirmed by officials
Posted on Fri, 03/12/2010 - 11:24 in Health

Cayman Islands News, Grand Cayman health news Cayman Dengue Fever(CNS): Some two months after tests were submitted to the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) in Trinidad, health officials have now confirmed three suspect cases of dengue fever. The Heath Services Authority said that the results were received late yesterday (11 March) from CAREC showing that three Cayman Islands residents, who became ill in January, did indeed have dengue type 2 and had contracted the virus in the Cayman Islands. However, the Medical Officer of Health has stated that there have been no other cases reported.

?We are glad to say that those three persons had recovered by late January, and equally glad to say there are no more suspected dengue cases in the Cayman Islands,? said Dr Kiran Kumar...