Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
Archive Number 20070706.2156
Published Date 06-JUL-2007
Subject PRO/EDR> Dengue/DHF update 2007 (26)
DENGUE/DHF UPDATE 2007 (26)
***************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
In this update:
[1] Brazil (Sao Paulo)
[
******
[1] Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Date: 19 Jun 2007
Source: Jornal da Manha [in Portuguese, trans. & summ. Mod.TY, edited]
<http://www.jornaldamanha.com/visualizar.php?not=19052>
Yesterday [18 Jun 2007] Municipal Epidemiological
Surveillance totaled the number of dengue cases
since the start of last week [10 Jun 2007]. From
the data provided, the [municipal] health units
recorded an additional 15 victims [clinically
diagnosed as dengue] plus the 6 that had
laboratory diagnosis by the Adolfo Lutz Institute.
These data bring to a total of 1809 cases of this
disease this year [2007]. In the first days of
the month [Jun 2007] 21 [cases] were registered,
the same number [of cases] as were announced
yesterday.
In the last week of May [2007] there were 61
cases, in the previous [week] 75, and before that
84 and 153. The progressive decline in the
numbers of cases indicate that the epidemic is
easing and may be drawing to an end.
Of the total cases up until the present, 972 were
laboratory diagnosed (serology) and 837
clinically by physicians, based on symptoms.
Despite the dry season, which does not favor the
accumulation of water, essential for the
proliferation of the mosquito _Aedes aegypti_,
the vector of dengue [virus], the population must
remain on alert.
"As temperatures go higher, that is positive for
_Aedes_ breeding. As people permit water to
accumulate, the numbers of dengue cases diagnosed
will continue," affirmed the coordinator of the
Municipal Secretariat of Health, Danilo Bigeschi.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-PORT
<promed@promedmail.org>
[There is an old saying that characterizes
persons [living in] poverty: "they sell their
lunch in order to buy dinner." This is how public
health [addresses] dengue control, counting
case-by-case and the accompanying trends as
though there were a stock market. One case more
or one less does not make a difference -- what is
important is that every 3 or 4 years we will live
through another [dengue] epidemic. - Mod.LJS,
trans. from Portuguese Mods.TY/JW]
[It is extraordinarily difficult to get the
public to continue to eliminate _Aedes aegypti_
breeding sites long after the dengue epidemic
ends, to prevent recurrence of dengue virus
transmission and a new outbreak.
Marilia is located in the western sector of
greater Sao Paulo, Brazil. A map of Marilia can
be accessed at:
<http://www.fallingrain.com/world/BR/27/Marilia.html>. - Mod.TY]
******
[2] Guyana: suspected
Date: 22 Jun 2007
Source: Stabroek News [edited]
<http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_general_news?id=56522970>
Cases of dengue fever have been reported in the
Lethem area, but while authorities are seeing
many persons with signs and symptoms they have no
kits to test them, Acting Regional Health Officer
(RHO) Eugene Xavier says.
When contacted, Xavier confirmed that there was a
number of cases. He said up to last week Friday
[15 Jun 2007] they had kits and they had
confirmed some 11 cases, but the kits have run
out. Since then, they have seen a number of
persons with signs and symptoms who have come up
negative for malaria when tested. He said this
means that more than likely, those persons have
dengue fever, but there is no way to prove this.
Contact was made with Director of Disease Control
Services, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, who told Stabroek
News that he had not heard any such reports. He
said usually the ministry would contact RHOs and
collect data on a weekly basis and it had not
received any such reports. He expressed surprise
that officials could say definitively that it was
dengue fever, since, according to him,
confirmatory tests for dengue had to be done by
the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC).
He said the kits to which Xavier referred were
used to test for antibodies. If a person was
exposed to any of the viruses that cause dengue
fever previously, the antibody would show up. As
a result one should wait until the definitive
test was done by CAREC to diagnose dengue.
Persaud explained that if his department was
informed it would have advised the region's
officials on vector control measures since there
was no specific medication for treating dengue
fever. The public would be advised to cover their
water supply since the _Aedes_ mosquito, which
transmits the disease, thrives in fresh water.
Also, the public would be advised to use insect
repellent and mosquito nets to minimize being
bitten by mosquitoes. Dr. Persaud had promised to
contact the regional officials and had advised
this reporter to call him back but when calls
were placed to his office he was not there.
According to Xavier, no one was hospitalised at
the moment, but the situation was worrying. He
said persons were treated for some of the
symptoms and since most of them live in Lethem
they were being monitored. He said that the
neighbouring Brazilian town, Bon Fim, did not
have a dengue outbreak. On Wednesday [20 Jun
2007] he met the town's Chamber of Commerce head
who informed that while there were cases of
malaria there was no dengue fever. The
authorities there were said to be in the process
of fogging the area. The acting RHO expressed the
need to have the Lethem area fogged as well.
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/prome..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,38227
Published Date 06-JUL-2007
Subject PRO/EDR> Dengue/DHF update 2007 (26)
DENGUE/DHF UPDATE 2007 (26)
***************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
In this update:
[1] Brazil (Sao Paulo)
[
******
[1] Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Date: 19 Jun 2007
Source: Jornal da Manha [in Portuguese, trans. & summ. Mod.TY, edited]
<http://www.jornaldamanha.com/visualizar.php?not=19052>
Yesterday [18 Jun 2007] Municipal Epidemiological
Surveillance totaled the number of dengue cases
since the start of last week [10 Jun 2007]. From
the data provided, the [municipal] health units
recorded an additional 15 victims [clinically
diagnosed as dengue] plus the 6 that had
laboratory diagnosis by the Adolfo Lutz Institute.
These data bring to a total of 1809 cases of this
disease this year [2007]. In the first days of
the month [Jun 2007] 21 [cases] were registered,
the same number [of cases] as were announced
yesterday.
In the last week of May [2007] there were 61
cases, in the previous [week] 75, and before that
84 and 153. The progressive decline in the
numbers of cases indicate that the epidemic is
easing and may be drawing to an end.
Of the total cases up until the present, 972 were
laboratory diagnosed (serology) and 837
clinically by physicians, based on symptoms.
Despite the dry season, which does not favor the
accumulation of water, essential for the
proliferation of the mosquito _Aedes aegypti_,
the vector of dengue [virus], the population must
remain on alert.
"As temperatures go higher, that is positive for
_Aedes_ breeding. As people permit water to
accumulate, the numbers of dengue cases diagnosed
will continue," affirmed the coordinator of the
Municipal Secretariat of Health, Danilo Bigeschi.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-PORT
<promed@promedmail.org>
[There is an old saying that characterizes
persons [living in] poverty: "they sell their
lunch in order to buy dinner." This is how public
health [addresses] dengue control, counting
case-by-case and the accompanying trends as
though there were a stock market. One case more
or one less does not make a difference -- what is
important is that every 3 or 4 years we will live
through another [dengue] epidemic. - Mod.LJS,
trans. from Portuguese Mods.TY/JW]
[It is extraordinarily difficult to get the
public to continue to eliminate _Aedes aegypti_
breeding sites long after the dengue epidemic
ends, to prevent recurrence of dengue virus
transmission and a new outbreak.
Marilia is located in the western sector of
greater Sao Paulo, Brazil. A map of Marilia can
be accessed at:
<http://www.fallingrain.com/world/BR/27/Marilia.html>. - Mod.TY]
******
[2] Guyana: suspected
Date: 22 Jun 2007
Source: Stabroek News [edited]
<http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_general_news?id=56522970>
Cases of dengue fever have been reported in the
Lethem area, but while authorities are seeing
many persons with signs and symptoms they have no
kits to test them, Acting Regional Health Officer
(RHO) Eugene Xavier says.
When contacted, Xavier confirmed that there was a
number of cases. He said up to last week Friday
[15 Jun 2007] they had kits and they had
confirmed some 11 cases, but the kits have run
out. Since then, they have seen a number of
persons with signs and symptoms who have come up
negative for malaria when tested. He said this
means that more than likely, those persons have
dengue fever, but there is no way to prove this.
Contact was made with Director of Disease Control
Services, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, who told Stabroek
News that he had not heard any such reports. He
said usually the ministry would contact RHOs and
collect data on a weekly basis and it had not
received any such reports. He expressed surprise
that officials could say definitively that it was
dengue fever, since, according to him,
confirmatory tests for dengue had to be done by
the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC).
He said the kits to which Xavier referred were
used to test for antibodies. If a person was
exposed to any of the viruses that cause dengue
fever previously, the antibody would show up. As
a result one should wait until the definitive
test was done by CAREC to diagnose dengue.
Persaud explained that if his department was
informed it would have advised the region's
officials on vector control measures since there
was no specific medication for treating dengue
fever. The public would be advised to cover their
water supply since the _Aedes_ mosquito, which
transmits the disease, thrives in fresh water.
Also, the public would be advised to use insect
repellent and mosquito nets to minimize being
bitten by mosquitoes. Dr. Persaud had promised to
contact the regional officials and had advised
this reporter to call him back but when calls
were placed to his office he was not there.
According to Xavier, no one was hospitalised at
the moment, but the situation was worrying. He
said persons were treated for some of the
symptoms and since most of them live in Lethem
they were being monitored. He said that the
neighbouring Brazilian town, Bon Fim, did not
have a dengue outbreak. On Wednesday [20 Jun
2007] he met the town's Chamber of Commerce head
who informed that while there were cases of
malaria there was no dengue fever. The
authorities there were said to be in the process
of fogging the area. The acting RHO expressed the
need to have the Lethem area fogged as well.
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/prome..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,38227