Category Archives: pandemic

Avian Flu Diary: Xinhua News: Cambodia Reports 19th & 20th H5N1 Case Of Year

Two more new human cases of avian influenza have been confirmed for the H5N1 virus in Cambodia, bringing the number of the cases to 20 so far this year, a hospital spokesman said Thursday.

 

A five-year-old girl from Takeo province and a two-year-old girl from Kampot province, who already died on Wednesday, marked the 19th and 20th confirmed cases of avian influenza this year, said Dr. Denis Laurent, deputy director of Kantha Bopha Children’ s Hospital, the kingdom’s largest pediatric hospital. “The little girl from Kampot was in very serious condition when she arrived at our hospital and died Wednesday,” he told Xinhua.” The little girl from Takeo still hospitalizes, but her condition is stable.”

via Avian Flu Diary: Xinhua News: Cambodia Reports 19th & 20th H5N1 Case Of Year.

Avian Flu Diary: KSA MOH Announces 3 MERS Cases

In the framework of the epidemiological investigation and ongoing follow-up carried out by the Ministry of Health for HIV (Corona) that causes respiratory syndrome Middle East MERS-CoV Ministry announces the registration of three cases of HIV infection. First of citizenship at the age of 75 years, mixing with the confirmed case in Medina and has several chronic diseases has and passed away Ngmayora of God rest in peace. And the second of a citizen at the age of 35 years old, Mkhalt it confirmed case in Medina and has several chronic diseases and is currently receiving intensive care treatment.

And the third a citizen at the age of 83 years of Riyadh region, and has several chronic diseases, has passed away may he rest in peace.

via Avian Flu Diary: KSA MOH Announces 3 MERS Cases.

Guppy fish could be used to fight dengue fever | Vaccine News Daily

If you don’t mind a bit of guppy poo in your water, this is a good solution, as long as the guppies are indigenous… “This is a low-cost, year-round, safe way of reducing the spread of dengue in which the whole community can participate,” Gerard Servais, a health specialist with ADB, said. “It offers a viable alternative to using chemicals and can reduce the scale of costly emergency response activities to contain epidemics.”

The study found that guppies do not harm water quality and can survive on microscopic organic material in the absence of mosquito larvae. When the project closed in Cambodia, approximately 88 percent of the storage containers contained guppies. There were guppies in 76 percent of the containers in Lao PDR at the project’s close.

“The project was successful in mobilizing communities with widespread grassroots participation, and high levels of acceptance of fish as an effective way of reducing the spread of dengue,” Eva Christophel, a vector-borne diseases specialist with the WHO, said. “This project was an important contribution to WHO’s efforts to develop a toolkit of different community-based methods to prevent and reduce the magnitude of dengue transmission.”

via Guppy fish could be used to fight dengue fever | Vaccine News Daily.

Washington falls behind on child immunization rates | Vaccine News Daily

Sixty-five percent of children under the age of three received the recommended series of vaccines in 2012. The goal for children of this age group is 80 percent and the national rate for this series of vaccines is 68 percent.

“Immunizations save lives and are among the most effective ways to protect everyone from serious, preventable illnesses — especially kids,” Dr. Maxine Hayes, a state health officer and pediatrician, said. “We can’t let our guard down. Recent disease outbreaks are a reminder that lives are at stake — we want everyone to be up-to-date on vaccines.”

The low immunization rates in Washington apply to both recommended and individual vaccines, with measles, chickenpox, polio and hepatitis B vaccine rates falling behind national rates. The Washington measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rate was 85 percent, which is six percent behind the national average.

via Washington falls behind on child immunization rates | Vaccine News Daily.

If you eat it – Well Done! Chicken Surprise: Antibiotic-Resistant E. Coli Levels Vary With Production Method | Food Safety News

For reasons that could not be immediately explained, kosher chickens carried the greatest amount of antibiotic-resistant E. coli, while organic chicken showed antibiotic-resistant bacteria levels just as high as conventional chicken. Only chickens “raised without antibiotics” (RWA) came in with reduced, but still contaminated, levels of the E. coli “superbug.”

via Chicken Surprise: Antibiotic-Resistant E. Coli Levels Vary With Production Method | Food Safety News.

CDC Threat Report: ‘We Will Soon Be in a Post-Antibiotic Era’ – Wired Science

their top three “urgent” threats:

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae or CRE, a set of ICU germs that are resistant to almost all antibiotics: 9,000 infections per year, 600 deaths

Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea, which currently responds to only one drug: 246,000 infections per year

Clostridium difficile, which is growing in resistance to one class of drugs, but more important, serves as a marker for the use of other antibiotics: 250,000 illnesses, 14,000 deaths.

There are 12 resistant bacteria and fungal infections in a second category, which the agency dubs “serious” (requiring “prompt and sustained action”); they include the hospital infections Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and VRE; the foodborne organisms Campylobacter, Salmonella and Shigella; MRSA; Candida, a fungal infection; and TB, among others. The last category, “concerning” (requiring “careful monitoring and prevention”) includes rare but potent vancomycin-resistant staph, VRSA, as well as strains of strep resistant to two different categories of drugs.

via CDC Threat Report: ‘We Will Soon Be in a Post-Antibiotic Era’ – Wired Science.

Avian Flu Diary: FAO Warns On Bird Flu

Look at chart above – Am I the only one who associates Avian influenza/Bird Flu with Lunar New Year/Tet? Way too many folks associate flu with cold weather when the most likely facilitating factor is breeding millions more ducks, geese, chickens to be gathered together in live markets for sale during Lunar New Year/Tet. Millions upon millions of birds gathered together create perfect breeding ground for new mutations and to stressed bird to succumb and pass on to humans either directly or indirectly through the pigs being raised for same period. And now with globalization of poultry markets, it is all the easier to spread diseases worldwide via shipping chicks from homeland around the world.

As with seasonal flu, avian flu viruses tend to circulate more efficiently during cooler, drier weather. You can see the seasonality of H5N1 illustrated in the chart at the top of this post.

In February of this year a new and deadly avian flu virus appeared in China. On March 31st, the virus was identified, and the world first learned of the H7N9 threat. By the end of May, more than 130 people had been infected (32% would eventually die) – then case reports dried up over the summer.

The concern is, cooler weather – historically more conducive to the spread of avian influenza – is on the way. Which brings us to this press release from the FAO, warning that increased vigilance is required this fall.

via Avian Flu Diary: FAO Warns On Bird Flu.

Beef Products Recalled for Possible E. Coli Contamination | Food Safety News

A Dodge City, KS, beef packer has recalled about 700 pounds of beef tongue root filet products for potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced late Thursday.

via Beef Products Recalled for Possible E. Coli Contamination | Food Safety News.

Scientists develop MERS-CoV strain to use in vaccine | Vaccine News Daily

(Wish I had more confidence in this type of work but the money is just too powerful to not cause some risks to be overlooked, in my view.)

The mutated virus, known as rMERS-CoV-ΔE, was genetically engineered to make it capable of infecting a cell and replicating its genetic material while rendering it incapable of spreading and causing disease. The researchers said that by adding additional safeguards into the virus, it could be used as a safe and effective live-attenuated MERS-CoV vaccine.

via Scientists develop MERS-CoV strain to use in vaccine | Vaccine News Daily.

Self-delusion in infinite supply over pseudo-freedom issues – Wisconsin’s Most Famous Raw-Milk Advocate Opposes Bill Requiring Licensing | Food Safety News

While those requirements were too much for Hershberger, many raw-milk advocates showed up to support SB 236. Vincent Hunt, a 62-year old farmer who has consumed raw milk all his life, was among those wearing white ice-cream vendor hats with the word “Freedom” on them.

“Just trust the people,” Hunt told committee members. “I believe the opponents of this bill have only one thing to offer and it is fear.”

Numerous proponents said raw milk can cure all sorts of health problems, including allergies and diabetes.

Not buying any of it were spokesmen for the Wisconsin Safe Milk Coalition, which represents both the state’s $26.5-billion pasteurized dairy industry, and numerous public and private health organizations.

Two dairy farmers representing the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, a coalition member, said they will not even give raw milk to their calves because of its potential for spreading disease. They instead pasteurize the milk beforehand.

“Pasteurization exists for a reason,” said Chris Pollack, who runs a 150-cow diary farm and was one of the Farm Bureau representatives.

via Wisconsin’s Most Famous Raw-Milk Advocate Opposes Bill Requiring Licensing | Food Safety News.

( Earlier this week there was a story about a mom who donated a kidney to her infant daughter whose kidneys failed as a result of disease from raw milk that was given to her daughter) Playing Russian Roulette for 40 years without shooting yourself is not a good argument for risking the health of people so foolishly.