Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-persp...an-jun-28-2019
News Scan for Jun 28, 2019
Polio detections in 5 nations; Texas anthrax warning; Delayed babesiosis diagnosis
Filed Under:
Polio; Anthrax; Tick-borne Disease
DRC reports more polio outbreaks; positive tests in 4 other countries
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported two more outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), according to the latest update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). The GPEI today detailed 10 new polio cases in four countries, as well as cVDPV2 in a healthy case contact.
One of the new DRC emergences of the virus is in Sankuru province in south central DRC, and the other is in neighboring Kasai province.
Four cases have been reported in the two provinces involving patients with acute flaccid paralysis onsets from Apr 3 to May 6. So far this year the DRC, which is now experiencing six separate ongoing outbreaks, has reported five cVDPV2 cases.
Elsewhere in Africa, Nigeria reported one more cVDPV2 case in a patient from Kwara state who had an illness onset of May 19, putting the country's total at nine for the year. And in Ethiopia, health officials reported that tests on a healthy case contact identified three cVDPV2 isolates.
In wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) developments, Afghanistan reported two new cases, both from the same district of Uruzgan province with paralysis onsets of May 19 and May 20. So far, the country has reported 10 WPV1 cases in 2019. Also, Pakistan reported three new WPV1 cases, all in different districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bringing the total so far this year to 27. Paralysis onsets ranged from May 29 to Jun 5.
Last year Afghanistan reported 21 WPV1 cases all year, while Pakistan had only 12.
Jun 28 GPEI update
Texas issues warning to avoid dead animals after animal anthrax deaths
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is warning people to stay away from sick or dead wildlife, after 18 recent animals were found dead in Uvalde County, including 2 animals that died from naturally occurring anthrax.
Though no humans have yet contracted anthrax in Uvalde, transmission could theoretically occur if they handled an animal sickened with anthrax.
"Anthrax is caused by spore-forming bacteria [Bacillus anthracis] commonly found in the soil in southern and southwestern Texas," DSHS said. "Deer, sheep, goats, cattle, horses and other animals can contract anthrax when they swallow or inhale anthrax spores while grazing. Animals usually die within two days of showing signs of infection."
DHSH recommends thorough hygiene after animal exposure, and prompt physician follow-up if a person develops a rash or other symptoms after encountering dead wildlife.
Jun 27 DSHS press release
Study: Almost half of babesiosis patients did not recall tick bite
A study yesterday in Open Forum Infectious Diseases from researchers at the Mayo Clinic suggests that almost half of patients with babesiosis, a tick-borne parasite, do not recall being bitten by a tick, and delayed diagnosis was common.
The study was based on 38 cases of babesiosis diagnosed in patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin from 2005 to 2017. No patients died, but 68% required hospitalization, and 21% were admitted to the intensive care unit.
Co-infection with other tick-borne pathogens was fairly common in the 38 patients: 28.9% of patients also had Lyme disease and 10.5% had Anaplasma infection. Co-infections were correlated with more severe symptoms. Diagnosis was most often made in the summer months, peaking in July.
Patients were usually diagnosed more than 2 weeks after symptom onset.
"The majority of patients who become infected are asymptomatic and never present for care," the authors concluded. "Due to the non-specific symptoms of babesiosis, diagnosis is often delayed…. In patients with diagnosis of Lyme disease or Anaplasmosis, if there is no improvement after initiation of therapy, babesiosis should be suspected."
Jun 27 Open Forum Infect Dis study
News Scan for Jun 28, 2019
Polio detections in 5 nations; Texas anthrax warning; Delayed babesiosis diagnosis
Filed Under:
Polio; Anthrax; Tick-borne Disease
DRC reports more polio outbreaks; positive tests in 4 other countries
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported two more outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), according to the latest update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). The GPEI today detailed 10 new polio cases in four countries, as well as cVDPV2 in a healthy case contact.
One of the new DRC emergences of the virus is in Sankuru province in south central DRC, and the other is in neighboring Kasai province.
Four cases have been reported in the two provinces involving patients with acute flaccid paralysis onsets from Apr 3 to May 6. So far this year the DRC, which is now experiencing six separate ongoing outbreaks, has reported five cVDPV2 cases.
Elsewhere in Africa, Nigeria reported one more cVDPV2 case in a patient from Kwara state who had an illness onset of May 19, putting the country's total at nine for the year. And in Ethiopia, health officials reported that tests on a healthy case contact identified three cVDPV2 isolates.
In wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) developments, Afghanistan reported two new cases, both from the same district of Uruzgan province with paralysis onsets of May 19 and May 20. So far, the country has reported 10 WPV1 cases in 2019. Also, Pakistan reported three new WPV1 cases, all in different districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bringing the total so far this year to 27. Paralysis onsets ranged from May 29 to Jun 5.
Last year Afghanistan reported 21 WPV1 cases all year, while Pakistan had only 12.
Jun 28 GPEI update
Texas issues warning to avoid dead animals after animal anthrax deaths
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is warning people to stay away from sick or dead wildlife, after 18 recent animals were found dead in Uvalde County, including 2 animals that died from naturally occurring anthrax.
Though no humans have yet contracted anthrax in Uvalde, transmission could theoretically occur if they handled an animal sickened with anthrax.
"Anthrax is caused by spore-forming bacteria [Bacillus anthracis] commonly found in the soil in southern and southwestern Texas," DSHS said. "Deer, sheep, goats, cattle, horses and other animals can contract anthrax when they swallow or inhale anthrax spores while grazing. Animals usually die within two days of showing signs of infection."
DHSH recommends thorough hygiene after animal exposure, and prompt physician follow-up if a person develops a rash or other symptoms after encountering dead wildlife.
Jun 27 DSHS press release
Study: Almost half of babesiosis patients did not recall tick bite
A study yesterday in Open Forum Infectious Diseases from researchers at the Mayo Clinic suggests that almost half of patients with babesiosis, a tick-borne parasite, do not recall being bitten by a tick, and delayed diagnosis was common.
The study was based on 38 cases of babesiosis diagnosed in patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin from 2005 to 2017. No patients died, but 68% required hospitalization, and 21% were admitted to the intensive care unit.
Co-infection with other tick-borne pathogens was fairly common in the 38 patients: 28.9% of patients also had Lyme disease and 10.5% had Anaplasma infection. Co-infections were correlated with more severe symptoms. Diagnosis was most often made in the summer months, peaking in July.
Patients were usually diagnosed more than 2 weeks after symptom onset.
"The majority of patients who become infected are asymptomatic and never present for care," the authors concluded. "Due to the non-specific symptoms of babesiosis, diagnosis is often delayed…. In patients with diagnosis of Lyme disease or Anaplasmosis, if there is no improvement after initiation of therapy, babesiosis should be suspected."
Jun 27 Open Forum Infect Dis study