Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/02/news-scan-feb-04-2021
News Scan for Feb 04, 2021
Fatal chimp disease; Avian flu outbreaks in Europe
Filed Under:
Misc Emerging Topics; Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
Scientists identify always fatal disease in chimpanzees
An international team of researchers has identified a new and always lethal neurologic disease in chimpanzees living in a sanctuary in Sierra Leone. The scientists, including researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, reported their findings yesterday in Nature Communications.
Since 2005, 56 western chimpanzees in Sierra Leone's Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary have suffered from the disease, despite medical treatment.
Now genetic analysis has helped the researchers identify the pathogen and name the disease, which they call "epizootic neurologic and gastroenteric syndrome" (ENGS), caused by a novel Sarcina bacterium now known as Sarcina troglodytae. The scientists isolated the bacterium from the chimps' brain and lung tissue samples.
The researchers do not yet know how the animals got infected, but they describe neurologic and gastrointestinal symptoms for an average of 6 days before apparent recovery or death. All animals that appeared to recover later suffered a recurrence of infection and died.
Because of the genetic similarities between chimpanzees and humans, the authors are concerned ENGS could jump to people, but so far no staff with close contact to the infected chimps have gotten sick. A literature review showed only 44 people have been known to be infected with Sarcina bacteria, all successfully treated with antibiotics.
Feb 3 Nature Comm study
H5N8 avian flu strikes more poultry farms in Europe
European countries continue to report more highly pathogenic H5N8 avian flu outbreaks in poultry, including 34 more events in France's hard-hit southwestern region, according to the latest notifications from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
France's latest outbreaks mainly involve duck farms in the foie gras producing region. The outbreaks began from Dec 29 to Jan 30, and, taken together, the virus killed 5,819 of 236,031 birds. The survivors were culled to curb the spread of the outbreaks. Also, France reported a low-pathogenic H5N3 outbreak at a duck farm in Pyrenees-Atlantiques department. The event began on Jan 25, and the 3,140 birds at the facility were destroyed.
Also, Germany reported an H5N8 outbreak at a turkey farm in Brandenburg state that started on Jan 31, killing 7,166 of 14,332 birds. Poland reported five more outbreaks affecting four provinces. The outbreaks began from Jan 28 to Jan 30, affecting commercial farms, including some raising turkeys, and among all of the events, the virus killed 9,819 of 187,545 birds.
Feb 4 OIE report on H5N8 in France
Feb 3 OIE report on low-path H5N3 in France
Feb 3 OIE report on H5N8 in Germany
Feb 3 OIE report on H5N8 in Poland's Wielkopolska province
Feb 3 OIE report on H5N8 in three Polish provinces
News Scan for Feb 04, 2021
Fatal chimp disease; Avian flu outbreaks in Europe
Filed Under:
Misc Emerging Topics; Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
Scientists identify always fatal disease in chimpanzees
An international team of researchers has identified a new and always lethal neurologic disease in chimpanzees living in a sanctuary in Sierra Leone. The scientists, including researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, reported their findings yesterday in Nature Communications.
Since 2005, 56 western chimpanzees in Sierra Leone's Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary have suffered from the disease, despite medical treatment.
Now genetic analysis has helped the researchers identify the pathogen and name the disease, which they call "epizootic neurologic and gastroenteric syndrome" (ENGS), caused by a novel Sarcina bacterium now known as Sarcina troglodytae. The scientists isolated the bacterium from the chimps' brain and lung tissue samples.
The researchers do not yet know how the animals got infected, but they describe neurologic and gastrointestinal symptoms for an average of 6 days before apparent recovery or death. All animals that appeared to recover later suffered a recurrence of infection and died.
Because of the genetic similarities between chimpanzees and humans, the authors are concerned ENGS could jump to people, but so far no staff with close contact to the infected chimps have gotten sick. A literature review showed only 44 people have been known to be infected with Sarcina bacteria, all successfully treated with antibiotics.
Feb 3 Nature Comm study
H5N8 avian flu strikes more poultry farms in Europe
European countries continue to report more highly pathogenic H5N8 avian flu outbreaks in poultry, including 34 more events in France's hard-hit southwestern region, according to the latest notifications from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
France's latest outbreaks mainly involve duck farms in the foie gras producing region. The outbreaks began from Dec 29 to Jan 30, and, taken together, the virus killed 5,819 of 236,031 birds. The survivors were culled to curb the spread of the outbreaks. Also, France reported a low-pathogenic H5N3 outbreak at a duck farm in Pyrenees-Atlantiques department. The event began on Jan 25, and the 3,140 birds at the facility were destroyed.
Also, Germany reported an H5N8 outbreak at a turkey farm in Brandenburg state that started on Jan 31, killing 7,166 of 14,332 birds. Poland reported five more outbreaks affecting four provinces. The outbreaks began from Jan 28 to Jan 30, affecting commercial farms, including some raising turkeys, and among all of the events, the virus killed 9,819 of 187,545 birds.
Feb 4 OIE report on H5N8 in France
Feb 3 OIE report on low-path H5N3 in France
Feb 3 OIE report on H5N8 in Germany
Feb 3 OIE report on H5N8 in Poland's Wielkopolska province
Feb 3 OIE report on H5N8 in three Polish provinces