Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2019/04/news-scan-apr-01-2019
News Scan for Apr 01, 2019
MERS in Saudi Arabia; Even more US measles; Acute flaccid myelitis in US; Vaccine hesitancy in UK
Filed Under:
Acute Flaccid Myelitis; Anti-science; MERS-CoV; Measles; Adult (non-flu) Vaccines
[h=3]Secondary exposure noted in latest Saudi MERS case[/h] Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) has reported another MERS-CoV case, marking the second recent case from Khafji in the country's northeast, according to its epidemiologic week 14 report.
The patient is a 25-year-old man who was found to have secondary exposure, meaning he likely had contact with an earlier confirmed MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) case. On Mar 29, the health ministry reported an earlier case in Khafji, that of a 75-year-old man who had contact with camels.
The new case boosts Saudi Arabia's MERS-CoV total for the year to 114, of which 57 are linked to a large outbreak in Wadi ad-Dawasir, with most of the illnesses linked to healthcare spread.
Mar 31 MOH report
[h=3]CDC reports 73 new measles cases as US total tops 2018 levels[/h] In less than 3 months, the United States has already surpassed the number of measles cases logged for all of 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today as it confirmed 73 new infections.
In its weekly update, the CDC said officials in 15 states reported a total of 387 measles cases from Jan 1 to Mar 28?the second-highest total since measles was declared eliminated in 2000. In 2014 the agency recorded 667 measles cases, including at least 383 cases in an unvaccinated Amish community in Ohio. Last year saw 372 cases, now the third-most since 2000.
The CDC said six outbreaks, which it defines as 3 or more related cases, are ongoing, the same number it reported a week ago. The outbreaks are in New York City (214 confirmed cases); Rockland County, New York (157); Washington state (74); Santa Cruz County, California (16); Butte County, California (16); and New Jersey (10).
"These outbreaks are linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring," the CDC said. "Make sure you are vaccinated against measles before traveling internationally."
Besides the states noted above, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Texas have recorded cases this year.
Apr 1 CDC update
[h=3]Seven more acute flaccid myelitis cases noted in US[/h] In a separate update, the CDC late last week reported 5 new cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in 2018 and 2 new cases this year, bringing last year's total to 228 and this year's to 4.
The 228 cases in 41 states?which are by a large margin the most US cases in 1 year?were confirmed from 378 reports of patients under investigation (PUIs). The CDC said no deaths have been attributed to AFM in 2018 or 2019.
The 2019 AFM cases have been diagnosed in Nebraska, North Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia, with Nebraska and West Virginia reporting cases for the first time this year. The 4 cases are among 25 PUIs. The CDC's previous update was on Mar 3.
Texas has reported the most AFM cases in 2018, with 31, which is 2 more than in the previous update. Colorado has 16 cases, California 15 (1 new case), Ohio 14, and Pennsylvania (1 new case), New Jersey, and Washington state have 11.
AFM affects the spinal cord, leaving patients?almost always children?with partial or total limb paralysis or muscle weakness. The cause of the disease is unknown, but 90% of patients report upper respiratory virus symptoms in the weeks before limb weakness. In previous years the syndrome has been tied to enterovirus infections. So far, the condition has peaked in even-numbered years since 2014.
Mar 29 CDC update
[h=3]UK study highlights varying degrees of vaccine hesitancy[/h] UK scientists who adapted a 10-item vaccine hesitancy scale found that 90% of British citizens were hesitant on at least 1 item and 4% on all 10, according to a new study in Vaccine.
The original 10-item scale targeted parental attitudes toward childhood vaccines. The UK researchers adapted it toward a more generic version that captures general attitudes toward vaccination among all ages. They surveyed 1,402 UK citizens.
Some sample statements to which respondents answered from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree" were:
Mar 30 Vaccine study
News Scan for Apr 01, 2019
MERS in Saudi Arabia; Even more US measles; Acute flaccid myelitis in US; Vaccine hesitancy in UK
Filed Under:
Acute Flaccid Myelitis; Anti-science; MERS-CoV; Measles; Adult (non-flu) Vaccines
[h=3]Secondary exposure noted in latest Saudi MERS case[/h] Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) has reported another MERS-CoV case, marking the second recent case from Khafji in the country's northeast, according to its epidemiologic week 14 report.
The patient is a 25-year-old man who was found to have secondary exposure, meaning he likely had contact with an earlier confirmed MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) case. On Mar 29, the health ministry reported an earlier case in Khafji, that of a 75-year-old man who had contact with camels.
The new case boosts Saudi Arabia's MERS-CoV total for the year to 114, of which 57 are linked to a large outbreak in Wadi ad-Dawasir, with most of the illnesses linked to healthcare spread.
Mar 31 MOH report
[h=3]CDC reports 73 new measles cases as US total tops 2018 levels[/h] In less than 3 months, the United States has already surpassed the number of measles cases logged for all of 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today as it confirmed 73 new infections.
In its weekly update, the CDC said officials in 15 states reported a total of 387 measles cases from Jan 1 to Mar 28?the second-highest total since measles was declared eliminated in 2000. In 2014 the agency recorded 667 measles cases, including at least 383 cases in an unvaccinated Amish community in Ohio. Last year saw 372 cases, now the third-most since 2000.
The CDC said six outbreaks, which it defines as 3 or more related cases, are ongoing, the same number it reported a week ago. The outbreaks are in New York City (214 confirmed cases); Rockland County, New York (157); Washington state (74); Santa Cruz County, California (16); Butte County, California (16); and New Jersey (10).
"These outbreaks are linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring," the CDC said. "Make sure you are vaccinated against measles before traveling internationally."
Besides the states noted above, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Texas have recorded cases this year.
Apr 1 CDC update
[h=3]Seven more acute flaccid myelitis cases noted in US[/h] In a separate update, the CDC late last week reported 5 new cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in 2018 and 2 new cases this year, bringing last year's total to 228 and this year's to 4.
The 228 cases in 41 states?which are by a large margin the most US cases in 1 year?were confirmed from 378 reports of patients under investigation (PUIs). The CDC said no deaths have been attributed to AFM in 2018 or 2019.
The 2019 AFM cases have been diagnosed in Nebraska, North Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia, with Nebraska and West Virginia reporting cases for the first time this year. The 4 cases are among 25 PUIs. The CDC's previous update was on Mar 3.
Texas has reported the most AFM cases in 2018, with 31, which is 2 more than in the previous update. Colorado has 16 cases, California 15 (1 new case), Ohio 14, and Pennsylvania (1 new case), New Jersey, and Washington state have 11.
AFM affects the spinal cord, leaving patients?almost always children?with partial or total limb paralysis or muscle weakness. The cause of the disease is unknown, but 90% of patients report upper respiratory virus symptoms in the weeks before limb weakness. In previous years the syndrome has been tied to enterovirus infections. So far, the condition has peaked in even-numbered years since 2014.
Mar 29 CDC update
[h=3]UK study highlights varying degrees of vaccine hesitancy[/h] UK scientists who adapted a 10-item vaccine hesitancy scale found that 90% of British citizens were hesitant on at least 1 item and 4% on all 10, according to a new study in Vaccine.
The original 10-item scale targeted parental attitudes toward childhood vaccines. The UK researchers adapted it toward a more generic version that captures general attitudes toward vaccination among all ages. They surveyed 1,402 UK citizens.
Some sample statements to which respondents answered from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree" were:
- "Vaccines are important for my health."
- "All vaccines offered by the government program in my community are beneficial."
- "Generally I do what my doctor or health care provider recommends about vaccines."
- "I am concerned about serious adverse effects about vaccines."
Mar 30 Vaccine study