Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- Yellow Fever

[Shiloh]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

Source: http://af.reuters.com/article/ugandaNews/idAFLDE6B61C720101207

Pneumonic plague outbreak in Uganda - officials
Tue Dec 7, 2010 2:54pm GMT

* Plague has killed 38 so far in northern Uganda
* Uganda's northern region ravaged by war

KAMPALA, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Pneumonic plague has broken out in northern Uganda, killing 38 people and putting dozens in hospital, a senior health official said on Tuesday.

Issa Makumbi, assistant commissioner in charge of disease surveillance, said investigations into a disease that struck the region in November were continuing but that tentative tests had confirmed it was pneumonic plague...

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

:tiphat:To alert for staying on this story


<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width=480><TBODY><TR><TD class=headline1 colSpan=2>Mysterious Acholi disease is plague</TD></TR><TR><TD>Monday, 6th December, 2010</TD><TD align=right><!-- E-mail and Print Article --><TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"><TBODY><TR><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">http://www.newvision.co.ug/E/8/13/740385</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle"></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle"> </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">http://www.newvision.co.ug/PA/8/13/740385</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>By Conan Businge
and Chris Ocowun

PLAGUE, a disease that affects rodents but can be spread to humans and other animals by infected fleas, has hit the northern Ugandan district of Kitgum, the health ministry has confirmed.

The ministry said they had confirmed that the strange sickness was plague, not a hemorrhagic fever as earlier thought.
?It is controllable, though fatal. We have sent another team to beef up the one we already had on the ground,? it added.
The disease surveillance officer in Kitgum district, Sr. Grace Agwang, said preliminary results from the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta showed that it was plague.

In humans, plague has three forms, bubonic plague (infection of the lymph glands), septicemia plague (infection of the blood) and pheumonic plague (infection of the lungs). Pneumonic plague is the most contagious form, because it is airborne.

The disease, according to the World Health Organisation report, hit Acholi sub-region on December 3. One person has been admitted in Kitgum at St. Joseph Hospital, two others at Kalongo Hospital in Pader.

The report adds that Kitgum district has so far had 18 cases, while one of the infected people died at St. Joseph Hospital on December 3. Nine other people have so far died, according to the report.

Medical personnel in Kitgum have set up an isolation unit at Kitgum Hospital. Health workers are also being trained by Medecin San Frontieres from Holland to handle the disease.

?At Kalongo Hospital, 24 people had been admitted by December 3. The WHO suggested that a community-based surveillance system needs to be reactivated in the affected districts.

Medical officers said there was need for an adequate isolation unit, with a 24-hour ambulance service.
They also want to be stocked with the essential medicines, and to set up a burial team.

How do people contract plague?
Bites of infected fleas.

Direct contact with the tissues or body fluids of a plague-infected animal.

Inhaling infectious airborne droplets from persons or animals, especially cats, with plague pneumonia

Laboratory exposure to plague bacteria.


What are the signs and symptoms of plague?
Swollen lymph nodes causing the painful lumps that are characteristic of bubonic plague.
Other symptoms are fever, headache, chills, and extreme tiredness. Some people have gastrointestinal symptoms.

If bubonic plague goes untreated can produce severe blood infection. Signs and symptoms are fever, chills, tiredness, abdominal pain, shock, and bleeding into the skin and other organs. Untreated septicemia plague is usually fatal.

People with plague pneumonia have high fever, chills, difficulty breathing, a cough, and bloody sputum.

Plague pneumonia is considered a public health emergency because a cough can quickly spread the disease to others. Untreated pneumonic plague is usually fatal.


How soon after exposure do symptoms appear?
Symptoms usually begin within 2 to 6 days after exposure to the plague bacteria.

How can plague be prevented?
Eliminate food and shelter for rodents around homes, work places, and recreation areas.
Remove brush, rock piles, junk, and food sources, including pet food.

Allow health authorities to use appropriate and licensed insecticides to kill fleas during plague outbreaks in wild animals.

Treat pets (cats and dogs) for flea control regularly.

Avoid sick or dead animals, and report such animals to the health department.

Preventive treatment with antibiotics is recommended.

:tiphat:http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/740385
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[alert]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

The underlined text is new and very important, indicating that this was not untreated, and the the disease responds to antibiotics.

http://eafr.promedmail.org/

Published Date: 2010-12-07 03:16:59
Subject: PRO/EAFR> Undiagnosed deaths, human - Uganda (06)
Archive Number: 20101207.215889

UNDIAGNOSED DEATHS, HUMAN - UGANDA (06)
***************************************



Date: Sat 4 Dec 2010
Source: AllAfrica, The New Vision (Uganda) report [edited]
http://allafrica.com/stories/201012060038.html

The mysterious disease that has devastated parts of Acholi and Karamoja sub-regions for close to a month could be human plague. Kitgum district LC5 chairman, John Komakech Ogwok, quoting sources
from the World Health Organisation, said on Friday evening [3 Dec 2010] that preliminary tests point at the plague. "Information from the World Health Organisation says that the strange disease that has been disturbing us seems to be plague. But the tests have ruled out Ebola or Marbug as has been widely suspected by people here," he said.

Speaking during a book launch at the district council hall, Ogwok said further tests were still being carried out to ascertain which of the 3 types of the plague [bubonic plague, septicemic plague, and pneumonic plague] could be infecting the people. Human plague is transmitted by fleas that move on rats and other rodents. The symptoms are said to be similar to the ones associated to a strange disease that broke out in Abim about a month ago and has now spread to Agago, Kitgum, Lamwo and Pader districts. Those infected manifest symptoms of headache, stomachache, bloody vomiting, and diarrhoea and also cases of blood sipping through most of the openings in the body.

The last known report of the human plague disease in Uganda was reported in Arua District in 2004 and Nebbi in 2006.

Meanwhile, one more person in Kitgum, a 70-year-old man died on Thursday [2 Dec 2010] at St Joseph's Hospital from the mysterious disease, bringing to 9 the total number of people who have died due to the disease, and a total of 16 people infected by the disease as of Friday [3 Dec 2010].

[Byline: Wokorach-Oboi]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR


[This report supports our earlier suspicion of plague as one the possible causes of the undiagnosed illness in Northern Uganda though further tests are being undertaken to confirm the disease. If it
turns out to be plague, this will be an atypical presentation of the disease, which is predominantly characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms including gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Further epidemiological investigations should help determine how many of these cases had primary bubonic plague, primary septicemic plague, primary pneumonic plague, and those that had complicated
manifestations of the disease including secondary septicemic plague, secondary pneumonic plague, and plague meningitis. Corresponding investigations will be vital in determining the source of the
outbreak and the modes of disease transmission during the current outbreak. This will help in long-term control of the disease in the region.

It is also noteworthy that gastrointestinal manifestations are rarely mentioned as a manifestation of plague. Hence most of the publications emphasize fever and tender lymphadenitis as manifestations for the commonest form of the disease (bubonic plague). However, a review of 71 human plague cases in New Mexico documented that close to 60 percent of the cases had gastrointestinal manifestations(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1306978/pdf/westjmed00158-0055.pdf).
The authors of the report recommend that physicians treating patients who reside in or have recently visited plague-endemic areas should include plague in the differential diagnosis in the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms and fever.

The current undiagnosed outbreak in Uganda could therefore be an atypical presentation of the disease with a higher proportion of patients presenting with gastrointestinal manifestations. It is
therefore justified to include plague as a differential diagnosis during the ongoing investigations.

Additionally and from reliable information, people who presented early to health facilities in the affected areas recovered and were sent home after treatment with quinolones and aminoglycoside antibiotics an indication of the bacterial rather than viral nature of the disease. - Mod BE

The districts mentioned are in the Northern region of Uganda can be seen on the map at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Districts_of_Uganda. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the country can be seen at
http://healthmap.org/r/0089. - Mod.JFW]

 

[curiosity]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

The link above to the study re: GI and plague in New Mexico is eye opening to say the least.

The final results will be interesting and hopefully a published article or two about this incident will provide further insight.

Thanks for the information Alert!

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

Uganda mystery illness: Tests fail to identify killer

Published: 7th Dec 2010 16:06:02

Tests have so far failed to identify an illness that has killed at least 38 people in northern Uganda, officials say.

The Ugandan Ministry of Health said the preliminary tests had ruled out ebola, typhoid and several other diseases.

It said some test results suggested it might be plague, but that further tests were being carried out.

Patients complain of a severe headache and dizziness, which eventually give way to diarrhoea and vomiting.

The ministry said that a full recovery was possible if people sought medical help in the illness's early stages.

It said the results suggesting it was plague were not consistent with findings by medical workers on the ground...

http://www.bristolwired.co.uk/news.php/113827-Uganda-mystery-illness-Tests-fail-to-identify-killer

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague

Uganda mystery illness: Tests fail to identify killer

Published: 7th Dec 2010 16:06:02

Tests have so far failed to identify an illness that has killed at least 38 people in northern Uganda, officials say.

The Ugandan Ministry of Health said the preliminary tests had ruled out ebola, typhoid and several other diseases.

It said some test results suggested it might be plague, but that further tests were being carried out.

Patients complain of a severe headache and dizziness, which eventually give way to diarrhoea and vomiting.

The ministry said that a full recovery was possible if people sought medical help in the illness's early stages.

It said the results suggesting it was plague were not consistent with findings by medical workers on the ground...

http://www.bristolwired.co.uk/news.php/113827-Uganda-mystery-illness-Tests-fail-to-identify-killer

"A BBC correspondent in Uganda, Joshua Mmali, says additional information about the illness has been difficult to obtain, with officials refusing to comment further. "

 

[alert]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

The article above continues:

Note that this article is more than 24 hours old (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11932559) and predates this morning's Reuters article and last night's EAFR post.

All the Ugandan sources went to press tonight without mention of the outbreak.

http://www.bristolwired.co.uk/news.php/113827-Uganda-mystery-illness-Tests-fail-to-identify-killer

It said the results suggesting it was plague were not consistent with findings by medical workers on the ground.

It advised people not to eat meat from sick domesticated and wild animals and to take precautions such as washing hands regularly.

The illness was first reported on 10 November and more than 90 people have been treated for it.

The ministry said it lasted for between two and 10 days, and that the vomit and diarrhoea contained blood.

The tests were carried out in a total of four Ugandan and foreign laboratories.

A BBC correspondent in Uganda, Joshua Mmali, says additional information about the illness has been difficult to obtain, with officials refusing to comment further

 

[alert]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

http://afludiary.blogspot.com/2010/12/uganda-outbreak-identified-as-plague.html


Uganda Outbreak Identified As Plague: Officials





# 5123

After more than a month of speculation by local health officials and the media, we are seeing reports that officials have tentatively identified the outbreak of disease in the northern Ugandan district of Kitgum as pneumonic plague.

Previous blog entries on this outbreak include:

Updating Uganda’s Mystery Outbreak

Uganda: Unidentified Hemorrhagic Outbreak

​

A link to the Reuters report (h/t Shiloh on FluTrackers):

Pneumonic plague outbreak in Uganda: officials


Tue Dec 7, 2010 10:19am EST
KAMPALA (Reuters) - Pneumonic plague has broken out in northern Uganda, killing 38 people and putting dozens in hospital, a senior health official said Tuesday.
(Continue . . . )
​

Treyfish, posting on this FluTrackers thread, has another report from the Newvision website.

Mysterious Acholi disease is plague
By Conan Businge
and Chris Ocowun

PLAGUE, a disease that affects rodents but can be spread to humans and other animals by infected fleas, has hit the northern Ugandan district of Kitgum, the health ministry has confirmed.
(Continue . . .)
​

Although few people are aware of it, plague cases still occur and claim lives every year around the world. Even on rare occasions, in the United States.

In 1975, after completing my paramedic training in Florida, I was offered an ALS (Advance Life Support) ambulance job in Phoenix, Arizona.

On my first day there, I was given an orientation, which included information about threats I hadn't dealt with in my home state of Florida: Scorpion stings, Gila Monster bites, and bubonic plague.

This map, from the CDC, shows areas of the world where plague is endemic, mostly in rodents.

The last major urban outbreak of plague in the United States occurred in 1924-25 in Los Angeles. Since then, only scattered cases have been reported, with about 10-15 cases each year.

Worldwide, on average, anywhere between 1,000 and 3,000 cases are reported each year.

Bubonic Plague (Yersinia Pestis) is a bacterial infection transmitted by fleas, carried by infected rats. The infection generally sets up in the lymphatic system, resulting in the tell-tale buboes, or swollen lymph glands in the the groin, armpits, and neck.

In rare cases, however, Pneumonic Plague may develop. Here the infected person develops a severe pneumonia, with coughing and hemoptysis (coughing up of blood), and may spread the disease from human-to-human.

Luckily modern antibiotics are pretty good at treating bubonic plague. Without treatment, however, mortality rates run 40%-60%. Untreated, pneumonic plague is almost always fatal.

In 1994, the last big plague year, 5000 suspected cases of bubonic plague and pneumonic plague occurred in Surat, India, with 100 deaths.

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

From the Embassy of Denmark
Dec 6,2010
OUTBREAK OF UNIDENTIFIED DISEASE IN NORTHERN UGANDA
There are recent weeks reported outbreaks of a preliminary unidentified disease in northern Uganda, which is characterized by fever, vomiting and diarrhea, and in some cases reportedly have been fatal. The disease is reported in the districts of Abim, Agago, Adilang and Paimoi and Kitgum. Finally, two cases were reported from Lacor hospital in Gulu, but reported to have been talking about traveling from Kitgum.



Authorities and organizations are working to identify the disease and stop the further contamination. These include been tested for Ebola, Marburg and hepatitis E preliminary without that there may be a conclusion. There will also be tested for homemade alcohol in the relevant districts, because some patients have been under alcohol influence.

The typical symptoms are headache (in all cases), fever (75% of cases), vomiting (70-90%), diarrhea (50-70% of cases) and bloody vomit and diarrhea in almost half of the cases.

The disease has reportedly claimed 38 lives. There have been no new cases were registered since 30 November. The casualties are mainly men (66% of cases).

The Embassy continues to monitor the situation.
:tiphat:http://www.ambkampala.um.dk/en/menu/AboutUs/News/UdbrudAfUidentificeretSygdomINorduganda.htm

and the U.S. Embassy
Warden Announcement

<!--Start If Image-->
Outbreak of Unidentified Illness in Northern Uganda November 30, 2010

U.S. Embassy Kampala, Uganda
Warden Message - November 30, 2010
Outbreak of Unidentified Illness in Northern Uganda
Ugandan press are reporting an outbreak of an unknown severe illness in three districts of Northern Uganda, characterized by fever, vomiting and diarrhea. The districts identified as being affected are: Abim (specifically Morulem sub-county), Agago (Omiya P?Chua, Adilang and Paimoi sub-counties) and Kitgum (Orum, Namokora and Kitgum Town Council).
While we are seeking to confirm these details, the U.S. Mission in Kampala and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) office in Uganda recommend U.S. citizens residing and traveling in Uganda minimize their travel to these affected areas until further information becomes available. Non-essential U.S. Government official travel to the three affected areas is presently restricted.

The U.S. Embassy in Kampala also encourages U.S. citizens to enroll or update their information at the Department of State?s Travel Enrollment web site https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/. Please note that it is important during enrollment, or updating of information, to include your current phone number and current email address where you can be reached in case of an emergency.
The U.S. Embassy is located at Plot 1577 Ggaba Road. The phone number is (256) (414) 306-001 or (256) (414) 259-791, fax (256) (414) 258-451, email: KampalaUSCitizen@state.gov.:tiphat:http://kampala.usembassy.gov/113010outbreak.html

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width=480><TBODY><TR><TD class=headline1 colSpan=2>5,000 still living in IDP camps</TD></TR><TR><TD>Tuesday, 7th December, 2010</TD><TD align=right><!-- E-mail and Print Article --><TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"><TBODY><TR><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">http://www.newvision.co.ug/E/8/16/740451</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle"></TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle"> </TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">http://www.newvision.co.ug/PA/8/16/740451</TD><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>By Chris Ocowun

OVER 5,000 people are still living in internally displaced peoples (IDP) camps in Lamwo and Kitgum districts, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has said.

Charles Ssekatawa, the IRC field coordinator, said there were 5,708 people living in eight camps, 738 of whom were extremely vulnerable and in need of food and housing... UNHCR?s field officer, Zewdie Mulugeta, said 1,300 IDPs were living in three camps in Kitgum district, while 2,900 were in transit sites
:tiphat:http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/16/740451

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

Experts scramble to identify Ugandan plague

Dec 8, 2010 12:07 PM | By Sapa-AFP

Uganda is working "around the clock" with international health experts to identify an unprecendented illness that has killed 38 people in the north of the country, an official told AFP.

The unknown illness was first detected on November 10 in several districts in the central part of northern Uganda, according to a statement from the health ministry.

Local and foreign media reports had identified the illness as bubonic plague, which has previously struck Uganda, most recently in 2008.

But an official from the ministry's Epidemiology and Surveillance Division working closely on the outbreak said Wednesday that the disease remained mysterious and evidence collected so far pointed away from bubonic plague.

- snip -

The doctor said that while Uganda-based staff from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were already working on the case, specialists from CDC headquarters in Atlanta were on their way to help identify the illness.

Staff from the World's Health Organization's Africa regional office in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo have also been sent to Uganda.

"We simply don't have the information to conclude what this disease is yet, but we are working around the clock, literally 24 hours," the official said.

full article

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak?- 38 dead, 91 ill- it's pneumonic plague?

Experts scramble to identify Ugandan plague



Dec 8, 2010 12:07 PM | By Sapa-AFP

<HR class=space>Uganda is working "around the clock" with international health experts to identify an unprecendented illness that has killed 38 people in the north of the country, an official told AFP.

<HR class=space>

Photograph by: FINBARR O'REILLY
Credit: REUTERS
The unknown illness was first detected on November 10 in several districts in the central part of northern Uganda, according to a statement from the health ministry.

Local and foreign media reports had identified the illness as bubonic plague, which has previously struck Uganda, most recently in 2008.
But an official from the ministry's Epidemiology and Surveillance Division working closely on the outbreak said Wednesday that the disease remained mysterious and evidence collected so far pointed away from bubonic plague.
"The results we have received from Fort Collins are negative for bubonic plague," the official, who requested anonymity, told AFP, referring to a specialized laboratory in the US state of Colorado.
"If this was typical plague, we would have found that out by now. We just haven't seen a disease like this before," he added.
The doctor explained that all previous incidents of plague in Uganda were contained in the West Nile region, much further west than the current outbreak.
The source added that plague victims suffer from inflammation in specific body parts, including the armpits, which has not happened in this case.
"The plague we've seen in the past also tends to cause fatalities among women and children, but all the dead here are adult men," the official also said.
The doctor said that while Uganda-based staff from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were already working on the case, specialists from CDC headquarters in Atlanta were on their way to help identify the illness.
Staff from the World's Health Organization's Africa regional office in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo have also been sent to Uganda.
"We simply don't have the information to conclude what this disease is yet, but we are working around the clock, literally 24 hours," the official said.
Ugandan staff have developed a treatment that has so far halted the death toll at 38, according to the source.
The 91 confirmed patients reported severe headaches, dizziness, fever, diarrhoea and vomiting, according to the health ministry. :tiphat:http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/article805175.ece/Experts-scramble-to-identify-Ugandan-plague

 

[sharon sanders]

Outbreak of pneumonia in northern Uganda

Outbreak of pneumonia in northern Uganda

Outbreak of pneumonia in northern Uganda
<table class="contentpaneopen" style="text-align: left; direction: ltr;"><tbody><tr><td class="createdate" valign="top">

الأربعاء, 08 ديسمبر 2010 10:13​

Wednesday, December 8, 2010 10:13</td></tr></tbody></table>

Kampala: Agencies

​

Said a senior official in the health sector that the pneumonia outbreak of epidemic in northern Uganda, killing 38 people and led to the transfer
.​

Dozens to hospitals.

​

Issa said Makombe Assistant Commissioner for Disease Control said the investigation of disease outbreaks in the region in November, but ongoing pilot tests confirmed that he is pneumonia.
.
And health services in the impoverished state in eastern Africa is incomplete and it can take weeks to identify diseases and send teams and medical supplies to affected areas.

و."​

Makombe said "So far, monitoring (pneumonia epidemic) in five districts in northern Uganda, where he died a total of about 38 people."

Struggling medical team sent from the capital Kampala to contain the disease​

http://www.alwafd.org/index.php?opt...15-31&catid=100:2010-09-15-09-09-45&Itemid=94

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

I have moved this thread to this forum because an Ugandan Health official is recently quoted as saying that this is a pneumonia outbreak.

 

[curiosity]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Has spread of the illness stopped? and/or have deaths been halted (presumably with treatment of antibiotics)? Or is an epidemic ongoing?

 

[alert]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

The statement that all the dead are adult men is highly unusual. Most contagious diseases would affect men and women equally. There was a reference in two different articles (including the Denmark release above) to alcohol consumption; adult men do tend to consume more alcohol than women or children would (but animals likely would not; perhaps that inference was incorrect?). Perhpas whatever is causing this is spread through contaminated alcohol? Uganda has had problems with contaminated alcohol before:

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122775

The cases do appear slightly more scattered than an H2H spread would produce, and the rate of cases may have slowed or stopped (or reporting may just have).

It is difficult to imagine that pneumonia is involved, without any mention of cough, breathlessness, chest pain, etc.; perhaps the word "pneumonia" is an errant translation of "plague".

It does appear that bacteria may be involved in this, as antibiotics seem to help (especially according to the comments by the EAFR moderator).

If the case in the Kalongo HCW who was vomitted on has been discarded, a wide variety of poisonings might also be suspect.

 

[alert]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Post #24 indicates that the HCW was female, and was reported on November 29, so she is at least still alive ten or more days later, so either she responded to treatment, or did not really contract this illness.

 

[alert]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

I believe the report of "pneumonia" is the result of the Spanish article below, which calls this "plaga de neumonia", which translates as "plague of pneumonia", which isn't exactly the same this as "pneumonic plague", which is "peste neumonica" in Spanish.

http://www.publico.es/350605/uganda-registra-brote-de-neumonia-funcionarios

-----------

Either way, that article has generated the following ProMED Portuguese post:

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1050,86146

Spanish to English translation
Archive Number 20101208.4375
Published Date 08-DEZ-2010
Subject PRO / POR> Pneumonia, anchored: Uganda


Pneumonia, Surt: UGANDA
************************
Uma Mensagem / A message / ProMED-mail <http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail e um program da / is a program of the International Society
for
Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>

Data: Quarta-feira / Wed, 08 dezembro / December 2010
De: Promed-Port <Promed-Port@promedmail.org>
Fonte: Public [07.12.2010]
http://www.publico.es/350605/uganda-registra-brote-de-neumonia-funcionarios

Uganda recorded outbreak of pneumonia: officials

An outbreak of pneumonia is affecting Alnorte of Uganda, where the disease
38personas killed and spawned dozens of hospitalizations, reported
elmartes a senior health.

Issa Makumbi, assistant in charge of disease control, said
research on the disease that affects wing region since November
continuing but preliminary tests confirmed that this is a
deneumonía plague.

Health services in the impoverished nation have esteafricano
many problems. Deque can take weeks before identifying a
disease and response teams Ylos send medical supplies
affected areas.

"So far, (the plague of pneumonia) was detected in the districts encinco
northern Uganda, where a total of about 38 people were killed, "
Makumbi.

Pneumonia is a respiratory disease in generainfección
lungs.

Medical personnel were sent from the capital Kampala and estáluchando by
contain the outbreak.

The north of the country recovers from two decades of guerracivil. Poverty and
poor sanitation are chelates region very vulnerable to
diseases.

Comment:
[Pneumonia outbreaks do not usually determined. Outbreak of pneumonia requires us to
think of plague, Legionnaires' disease and influenza. Legionellosis is usually more
located, in places difficult to diagnose without laboratory support more
sophisticated.

Plague is a possibility, especially the high number of deaths?
ljs]

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Has spread of the illness stopped? and/or have deaths been halted (presumably with treatment of antibiotics)? Or is an epidemic ongoing?

I do not know. This entire situation is odd.

It looks like the deaths are being reported as 38 but that many are, or have been, ill.

This indicates to me that it is an ongoing problem:

"Struggling medical team sent from the capital Kampala to contain the disease" from post #73

"..specialists from CDC headquarters in Atlanta were on their way to help identify the illness.
Staff from the World's Health Organization's Africa regional office in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo have also been sent to Uganda."

from post #72

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Re: Uganda: Hemorrhagic fever outbreak- 38 dead, 91 ill- officials say pneumonic plague or pneumonia

Source: http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Red alert as mystery disease hits Uganda /-/1056/1068966/-/133yu4ez/-/

Red alert as mystery disease hits Uganda
By LILLIAN ONYANGO laonyango@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Wednesday, December 8 2010 at 22:36

Kenya is on high alert after a yet-to-be identified disease killed 35 people in Uganda.

Reports indicate that 86 people had contracted the disease.

The Director for Public Health and Sanitation, Dr Shahnaaz Sharif, on Wednesday said his office was in constant communication with Ugandan officials to monitor the outbreak.

The symptoms of the illness are headaches, fever and vomiting blood. However, Dr Sharif said that he had received word that the Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever, caused by the Ebola virus, had been ruled out.

Kitkum, which is situated about 400 kilometres north of Kampala, and three districts surrounding it, have so far been affected.

Dr Sharif was quick to add that Kenya is not at immediate risk as there are some districts between Kitkum and the Kenyan border acting as ?buffers?.

Nonetheless, health officials are vigilant especially in Turkana District, which is at highest risk, given its proximity to the affected region...