Human RVF patient in critical condition in the Comoros

[Gert van der Hoek]

machinetranslated


East Africa: a new virus is rife

L'Express de Madagascar (Antananarivo)

November 28, 2007


A Comorian 12 years old is hospitalized in Mayotte in critical condition following a contamination by Rift Valley Fever (RVF). A virus that is currently wreaking havoc in East Africa, especially in Sudan.

Health authorities fear an epidemic in the Comoros. Pending confirmation biological on the animal population Comorian, surveillance is reinforced at the customs of la R?union

Known for half a century, Rift Vally Fever (RVF), has consistently caused havoc in Africa. After Kenya and Tanzania in recent months, the Sudan, which celebrates.

According to the last item on the World Health Organization, 436 human cases, including 161 deaths have been recorded in the country.

And the virus is dangerously close our borders. So last August, a boy of 12 years old living in Moroni (Grande Comore) has been a medical evacuation to Mayotte.

He developed symptoms three months previously. It took until September for confirmation that it was indeed a case of infection with the Fvr.

At present, the child was hospitalized in Mayotte in critical condition with "serious neurological sequelae."

http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200711280621.html

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Human RVF patient in critical condition in the Comoros

A new virus on our doorstep

CLICANOO.COM | Published November 27, 2007

A Comorian 12 years and is hospitalized in Mayotte in critical condition following a contamination by Rift Valley Fever (RVF). A virus that is currently wreaking havoc in East Africa, especially in Sudan. Health authorities fear an epidemic in the Comoros. Pending confirmation living on the animal population Comorian, surveillance is reinforced at the customs of the meeting.


- snip -

So last August, a boy of 12 years old living in Moroni (Grande Comore) has been a medical evacuation to Mayotte. He developed symptoms three months previously. It took until September for confirmation by the National Reference Center (NRC) in Lyon it was really a case of being infected with RVF.

At present, the child was hospitalized in Mayotte in critical condition, "he has large neurological symptoms," says Pierre Vincent, coordinator of the cell inter Epidemiology (Wax) Réunion-Mayotte.

The child, living in Moroni, has apparently been contaminated by a sick indigenous animal . In the absence of a journey of the child or a relative in East Africa, there is a strong suspicion of an outbreak in the herd of Grande Comore.

A RISK FOR LA REUNION?

Health authorities réunionnaises wanted to assess the risk to the area. Two weeks ago, the veterinary services of Mayotte have sent a hundred test tubes at the Ministry of Health of the Comoros so that it makes borrowing livestock suspect.

Samples that are then shipped to Montpellier at the Center for International Cooperation in Agronomic Research (CIRAD). The results are not yet known but already Vincent Pierre "feared an outbreak in the Comoros". However, the situation n'alarme not our authorities.

"We can not consider that the risk is significant," says Dr. Peter. Indeed, as explained by Dr Nicolas Krieger, deputy director of the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DSV) there is "no exports of ruminants and their products (meat, ndlr) to Europe from countries where this disease is declared.

" France issued a safeguard clause. Cattle, goats, sheep… imported into our island routinely come from a country of the European Union. And even if the virus can be transmitted via the aedes albopictus, the disease could not be transmitted without the presence of the animal, as the coordinator of Cire: "Man does not participate in the development cycle the disease because the virus does not sufficiently multiplies in the blood.

"Mosquitoes would therefore his viral load solely on the animal. Health authorities nevertheless remain on their guard. We also know that the RVF has proliferated in Madagascar. "We have maintained the surveillance measures which were put in place following the outbreak of cholera in the Comoros," said Dr Peter. There is always a very strict application of the prohibition of bringing substances animal from the Comoros.

http://www.clicanoo.com/index.php?id_article=170022&page=article

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Human RVF patient in critical condition in the Comoros

Comment from ProMedmail:


This rather confused report indicates that a single human case of RVF
has been confirmed in the Comoros, although this requires independent
confirmation, as the symptoms and severity of the disease are
unusual.

The patient has no known link with RVF endemic regions in
East Africa, therefore it has been inferred, but not yet established,
that the infection occurred by transmission from an infected animal
on the Comoros. Further information is awaited that would confirm
this extension of RVF beyond its presently known range. - Mod.CP]

[Identification of RVF in the Comoros should not come as a surprise;
it is in the Indian Ocean between the RVF-endemic territories of
Tanzania/Mozambique and northern Madagascar (map at
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/d/d9/Comoros_in_relation_to_Afrika_map.jpg).

Tanzania suffered an RVF outbreak earlier in 2007; Madagascar is also
known to be endemically infected. In 1982, the Zinga virus,
prevailing in Madagascar, was identified by the WHO Reference
laboratory for Arboviruses in Yale as RVF virus.

According to unofficial assessments, the livestock population of the
Federal Islamic Republic of Comores is as follows: cattle - 51 000;
goats - 115 000 - 170 000; sheep - 20 000. Imports of cattle from
Tanzania have been reported during recent years.

References:

1. WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record, 21 Jan 1983.

2. Morvan J, Saluzzo JF, Fontenille D, Rollin PE, Coulanges P.
(1991). Rift Valley fever on the east coast of Madagascar. Res Virol.
142(6):475-482.

- Mod.AS]

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,40260