CHAGAS DISEASE unknown to most but scientists say very costly to U.S. economy ~ FLORIDA man dies of EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS ~ RABIES reports from FL, & NC.

Global 02/11/13 nytimes.com: by Donald G. McNeil Jr. – Chagas disease may be obscure, but the economic burden it imposes on the world is greater than that of better-known diseases, like cervical cancer or cholera, according to a new study. Even in the United States, the authors said, the costs of Chagas are commensurate with those of more publicized diseases, like Lyme disease. (In the same league, perhaps, but not quite equal. In their study, published in Lancet Infectious Diseases, the authors calculated that Chagas cost the American economy $900 million a year. A 1998 study estimated that Lyme disease cost $2.5 billion.)

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted to animals and people by insect vectors that are found only in the Americas (mainly, in rural areas of Latin America where poverty is widespread). The insect vectors are called triatomine bugs (also called kissing bugs or conenose bugs). Chagas disease is also referred to as American trypanosomiasis.AZ Dept of Health Services.

Chagas disease is caused by a trypanosome parasite transmitted by the bloodsucking “kissing bug,” which bites victims as they sleep. Transmission is endemic in much of Latin America, from central Mexico to northern Argentina. Kissing bugs have been found in the southern United States; the bugs tend to live in substandard housing and animal pens. The parasites cause an initial flulike illness that can be cured if it is caught. But it is often not diagnosed, and the infection may become chronic. It may be silent for decades and then emerge as long-term damage to the heart or intestines. It can be fatal. Up to 10 million people may be infected, many of whom have emigrated from Latin America seeking jobs in the United States, Canada and Europe — especially Spain.

Triatomine bugs are typically found in the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America (as far south as southern Argentina). The map above details triatomine occurrence by U.S. state. CDC 2012.

The authors, from the University of Pittsburgh and Baylor University, estimated the economic burden by trying to calculate the cost of hospitalization and care, including pacemaker implants, for those with heart damage or other organ failure. The costs vary by country, of course, with the United States being the most expensive. The researchers then added estimates of “disability-adjusted life years,” a measure of how many years of healthy life are lost. They “cost” more when they are subtracted from the life of a working-age adult in a high-wage country than from a retiree or an infant in a poor country. The authors estimate that the global burden of Chagas is about $7 billion a year. By comparison, the burden of cervical cancer — a notorious killer of women, but almost only in poor countries, and usually as they age out of their working lives — is estimated at below $5 billion.

Dr. Peter J. Hotez

The burden of rotavirus, a diarrheal disease that kills many babies but rarely endangers anyone over age 5, is estimated at $2 billion. (By contrast, lung cancer’s burden is estimated at $83 billion a year, and breast cancer’s at $35 billion.) Many millions have been spent developing a rotavirus vaccine and on ways to fight cervical cancer in poor countries. Knowing that Chagas is a serious economic threat could push policy makers to spend more money on developing vaccines against it, said Dr. Peter J. Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and a co-author of the new study. Dr. Hotez is also president of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, which is doing research on Chagas vaccines. – For links to health guide and other relative topics see http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/health/chagas-disease-costs-us-more-than-better-known-illnesses.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y&_r=0

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE):

Florida 02/07/13 Levy County: Health officials have confirmed that a 90-year-old male residing near Bronson died late last month of EEE. This is the first human case of EEE ever reported in the county, they said. – See http://www.chieflandcitizen.com/content/levy-man-dies-eastern-equine-encephalitis

Rabies:

Florida 02/13/13 Duval County: Health officials have issued a Rabies Alert for the Ortega area of Jacksonville because of a rabid bat. – See http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-02-13/story/rabid-bat-leads-rabies-alert-ortega-area

North Carolina 02/12/13 Alamance County: Two raccoons recently involved in separate alterations with two different dogs have tested positive for rabies. On Friday, a raccoon and dog fought on Troendly Street in the northwest part of the county, and a different raccoon attacked another dog Monday on Bethel Methodist Church Road. Both dogs had to be euthanized. – See http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/top-news/county-confirms-second-third-rabies-cases-of-2013-1.94331

Was the U.S. blood industry’s supply of raw plasma flowing in from Latin American and Caribbean countries in the 1970s contaminated with Hepatitis C?

LAMB’S BLOOD is a novel based on a human blood collecting operation in Nicaragua that was exporting its product in huge quantities to U.S. blood industry facilities in the 1970s.

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a contagious liver disease caused by a virus. Those who contract the disease are at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and/or liver cancer. There was no screening test for HCV prior to the 1990s, and it was known the disease was heavily endemic throughout Latin America and the Caribbean region. Nevertheless, the U.S. blood industry was importing raw human blood products from a great many of the Latin American and Caribbean nations in the 1970s and 1980s. Other human blood transmitted diseases include Hepatitis A and B, HIV/AIDS, Chagas, Malaria, West Nile Virus, and others.

LAMB’S BLOOD is now available through Amazon.com, the Kindle Store, and through local independent bookstores.

ALASKAN infected with TRICHINOSIS after eating BLACK BEAR meat ~ CANADA: MANITOBAN dies of HANTAVIRUS ~ MOUNTAIN LION reports from ID, & MO ~ COYOTE report from ILLINOIS ~ WEST NILE VIRUS reports from CA, FL, & TX.

Black bear. Photo by Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Alaska 10/25/12 adn.com: by Michelle Theriault Boots – The black bear meat tasted delicious. Sean Sullivan didn’t know it would give him trichinosis. “Like the best steak you’ve ever had,” said the 32-year-old oil platform worker from Nikiski. It was early summer and Sullivan was at his remote cabin east of McGrath. There were a lot of black bears in the area, he said. One day Sullivan was heading back to the cabin to sharpen a chain saw when he saw a bear trying to break in. “I noticed a big black fuzzy thing halfway through the door,” he said. Sullivan pulled out a pistol and shot the six-foot tall bear. (He says he reported the killing to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.) Later he and a friend skinned the animal and stored the meat in freezer bags in the river to keep it cold. For dinner he cooked some of the meat in a skillet with butter, pepper and garlic salt. He ate the bear with peas and rice, sitting on the porch of a cabin with a view of the nearby Trimokish Hills.

Bear steak.

Looking back, Sullivan says the meat seemed to be cooked to “something a little more than medium rare.” “It obviously wasn’t enough,” he said. That became clear six weeks later, when he started noticing uncharacteristic soreness in his legs and back. Next came an upset stomach, flu-like symptoms and a high fever. He became sensitive to sound. His eyes hurt. Then his wife found him in the bathtub in the middle of the night in the midst of a fever hallucination about snowmachine repair. “I kept saying, ‘I’m trying to figure this out, I almost got it figured out,’” he says. His wife had already figured out that it was time for Sullivan to get to a hospital.

At first, doctors thought he might have meningitis. But then they started down a “strange line of questioning,” he remembers: Had he gone hunting recently? Had he shot any bears? Had he eaten them? A diagnosis soon followed: Trichinosis. It’s caused by eating raw or undercooked meat infected with the larvae of a worm called Trichinella, which reproduces and eventually travels through arteries to become cysts in muscle tissue. The disease, most associated with pork, can cause a litany of symptoms from aching joints to swelling of the face and eyes and in serious cases can be fatal. Worldwide, about 10,000 cases of trichinosis are recorded each year. In the United States, the number has dropped from 400 per year on average in the 1940s to 20 or fewer today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That drop can be attributed to better sanitary practices in the pork industry and improved public awareness of the risks of eating raw or undercooked meat, the CDC says. – For complete article see http://www.adn.com/2012/10/25/2672252/dinner-of-black-bear-leads-to.html

Hantavirus:

Canada:

Deer mouse. Courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Manitoba 10/26/12 winnipegsun.com: by Joyanne Pursaga – A Manitoban has died from complications of hantavirus infection for the first time in 12 years. The province says the middle-aged Winnipeg man was otherwise healthy when he passed away last week. His is the first such death in Manitoba since 2000. The virus is found in the urine, feces and saliva of infected deer mice. Manitoba Health is warning people about the rare but highly fatal air-borne hantavirus. – For complete article see http://www.winnipegsun.com/2012/10/26/winnipeg-man-dies-of-hantavirus

Mountain Lion Sightings:

Idaho 10/26/12 Ada County: Wildlife officials plan to set mountain lion traps on Saturday along the Boise River between the Glenwood Bridge and Eagle Road. More than 10 mountain lion sightings have been reported in the vicinity in the last three weeks ranging from Eagle, to Garden City, to east Boise. Last week, a dog was attacked. Officials say, while the traps are set, people out on the Greenbelt should keep pets on a leash. – See http://www.ktvb.com/news/Search-for-mountain-lion-ramps-up-around-Boise-175958521.html

Missouri 10/26/12 Reynolds County: Officials have confirmed a photo of a mountain lion taken by a trail camera on October 10^th in the Current River Conservation Area about five miles south of Ellington. – See http://www.therolladailynews.com/article/20121026/NEWS/121029229/-1/entertainment%20life

Coyote Attacks:

Illinois 10/26/12 DuPage County: City officials confirm there have been 20 reports of coyote sightings in Wheaton as of October 10^th, and there were 22 similar reports last month. A new interactive map has been published that allows residents to report exactly where they’ve seen coyotes. – See http://wheaton.patch.com/articles/coyotes-report-your-sightings-here

West Nile Virus (WNV):

California 10/26/12 Marin County: Mosquito and vector control officials have confirmed that five more WNV infected birds have tested positive in the communities of San Rafael, Novato, Ross, Corte Madera, and Greenbrae. – See http://millvalley.patch.com/articles/wnv-infected-bird-found-in-san-rafael

Florida 10/25/12 Suwannee County: Health officials advise there has been increased mosquito-borne disease activity in some areas of the county and two horses have tested positive for WNV. – See http://suwanneedemocrat.com/local/x699464220/Two-horses-test-positive-for-West-Nile-Virus-in-Suwannee-County

Texas 10/26/12 Hidalgo County: Health officials have confirmed that another horse has tested positive for WNV in the city of Edinburg bringing the total number of WNV cases in the county this year to five: three equine and two human cases. – See http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/article_d47dcee6-1fcc-11e2-acb5-001a4bcf6878.html

PENNSYLVANIA confirms first case of CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE on DEER farm ~ EEE & WNV reports from AZ, & FL ~ RABIES report from OREGON ~ FOLLOW-UP REPORT: COYOTE that attacked UTAH security guard tested negative for RABIES ~ TRAVEL WARNINGS: 14 new cases of MALARIA reported in GREECE.

Whitetailed Deer. Photo by ForestWander. Wikimedia Commons.

Pennsylvania 10/11/12 mcall.com: The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture today confirmed the first positive case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the state on a deer farm in Adams County. The disease is fatal in deer, elk and moose, but there is no evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The World Health Organization. The positive sample was taken from a white-tailed deer at 1491 New Chester Rd., New Oxford, and tested as part of Pennsylvania’s intensive CWD monitoring efforts. The sample tissue was tested at the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg and verified at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. In addition to the Adams County location, the department has quarantined two farms directly associated with the positive deer at 6464 Jacks Hollow Rd., Williamsport, Lycoming County, and 61 Pickett Rd., Dover, York County. The quarantine prevents movement of animals on and off the premises. – For complete article see http://blogs.mcall.com/outdoors/2012/10/first-case-of-chronic-wasting-disease-cwd-confirmed-in-pennsylvania.html

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) & West Nile Virus (WNV):

Arizona 10/11/12 Mohave County: Health officials have confirmed the first human case of WNV in the county so far this year in a Mohave Valley man in his 70s. – See http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2012/10/11/news/local/doc50766f70adfa3869294419.txt

Florida 10/11/12 Hernando County: Health officials announced Thursday that one of its sentinel chickens has tested positive for the EEE. The chicken is located in the northwest corner of the county, off Zebrafinch Ave. west of U.S. 19. The result means mosquitoes carrying the virus are present in the area. – See http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2012/10/11/hernando_chicken_tes.html

Rabies:

Oregon 10/10/12 Benton County: Health officials have confirmed that a bat tested positive for rabies. This is the third positive bat for rabies in the county this year. On Tuesday, Oct. 2, a woman working at a horse arena in the Philomath area scooped two bats out of a watering trough. One bat was dead and the other was alive but weak from the time in the water. Since the bats were scooped out barehanded, it was decided they should be tested for rabies. One of the bats was positive for rabies. The woman who had contact with the bat will be evaluated for receiving the post-exposure rabies vaccine. – See http://democratherald.com/news/local/third-benton-county-bat-tests-positive-for-rabies/article_20f57026-2ecb-57ee-91c6-484d6b9e9cdb.html?comment_form=true

Follow-Up Report:

(See “UTAH security guard staffing entry booth attacked by COYOTE” posted 10/10/12)

Utah 10/10/12 standard.net: Utah officials say test results are negative for rabies for a coyote that attacked a guard at a Kennecott Utah Copper site in Salt Lake City. Leslie McFarlane of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says the rabies test came back negative Wednesday, but a necropsy to determine any other signs of illness in the coyote is still pending. Results of the necropsy are expected sometime next week. – See http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/10/10/coyote-attack-called-strange
Travel Warnings:

Greece 10/11/12 cdc.gov: The CDC has received information that there have been 14 additional P. vivax malaria cases identified in Greece; four that are locally-acquired cases in Greek residents with no previous travel, and 10 cases in immigrants. Those 10 cases could have either been imported or acquired locally. Between Jan 1 and Oct 1, 2012, Greece has reported a total of 70 cases of malaria. Of those, 54 were caused by P. vivax (12 are locally acquired, 2 are relapses, and 40 occurred in immigrants). Those among immigrants from P. vivax-endemic countries could have either been imported or acquired locally. The immigrants reported being in Greece from as short as a few days before onset of symptoms to as long as 4 years before the onset of symptoms.

Three of the new cases occurred in areas where malaria had not been previously identified. (see map)  The first occurred in an agricultural setting in Selino, Xanthi. The second case was in a patient who travelled within Greece, and was believed to have become infected with malaria in Viotia. The third case occurred in a patient from Karditsa. The fourth new case had onset of symptoms at the end of Sep and is believed to have acquired the infection in Evrotas in the Laconia (southeastern Peloponnese) region. The agricultural area of Evrotas was the principal site of the 2011 P. vivax outbreak and was also where other locally-acquired were identified in Jun, Jul, and Aug of 2012. No new cases have been reported in Markopoulo and Marathon, two areas were cases had been identified during Jun through Aug.  No locally transmitted malaria cases have been reported in Athens.

AVIAN MALARIA spreads north into ALASKA ~ EHD killing DEER in more than 40 INDIANA counties ~ COYOTE reports from IL, & CANADA: BC ~ WEST NILE VIRUS reports from CA, MA, & RI ~ RABIES reports from CT, & MD.

Black-capped Chicadee. Photo by Algonquin Provincial Park. Ontario, Canada. Wikimedia Commons.

Alaska 09/21/12 chicagotribune.com: by Yereth Rosen – Malaria is infecting birds as far north as Alaska’s interior, and a rapidly warming climate may be the reason the mosquito-borne disease appears to be advancing northward, a new study shows. It is the first time scientists have detected the transmission of avian malaria in local birds at such far-north latitudes anywhere in North America, said the study, published on Wednesday in the scientific journal PLOS One. “We now have shown that malaria is being transmitted in Alaska,” said Ravinder Sehgal, a San Francisco State University biologist and a lead researcher on the project. While tropical birds that migrate to Alaska in the summer are known to carry the disease, there had never been any documented cases of it spreading to non-migratory Alaska birds or birds newly hatched in Alaska that had not yet flown south, Sehgal said.

Longer periods of warm weather in the summer may be allowing the malaria parasite to thrive in Alaska and be transmitted by mosquitoes, Sehgal said. “The question was, how far north is it getting, and is it going to get to birds that have never expressed it?” he said. The study notes that temperatures have been increasing in the Arctic at almost twice the average global rate, and that the warming climate has changed vegetation in the far north. The study evaluated blood samples taken last year from birds in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Coldfoot, a community north of the Arctic Circle. The researchers found avian malaria in resident and hatch-year birds in Anchorage and Fairbanks, though not as far north as Coldfoot.

Dr. Ravinder Sehgal

Of 676 birds tested, 7.2 percent were found to be infected. Some of the hardest-hit birds were black-capped chickadees, Sehgal said. Of the black-capped chickadees tested in Anchorage, about 30 percent were infected. Further studies are underway to try to determine what type of mosquito might be spreading the disease, Sehgal said. It is unclear what effect avian malaria might have on the Alaska birds. For some species elsewhere, malaria transmissions are devastating, Sehgal said. Penguins, which have no natural defenses against malaria, die when they are infected in zoos, he said. Malaria also has seriously damaged bird populations in Hawaii, where non-native mosquitoes have been introduced to the habitat. But Alaskans need not fear for their health, Sehgal said. The study detected only avian malaria, which is different from the type of malaria that afflicts mammals. “Certainly, it is not going to spread to humans,” he said.

Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease:

Indiana 09/21/12 indystar.com: by Ryan Sabalow – A virus plaguing the state’s whitetail deer herds likely has spread to more than 40 Indiana counties, including Marion. But biologists say hunters and outdoor enthusiasts shouldn’t be worried about catching the disease. Biologists at the Department of Natural Resources this week received lab test results confirming their suspicions that the state’s deer have increasingly been dying from epizootic hemorrhagic disease. The tests confirmed the virus in the bodies of dead wild whitetail in LaGrange, Miami, Morgan and Sullivan counties. Captive deer at farms in Adams, Marshall, Putnam and Vanderburgh counties also had it. Biologists say dead deer in more than three dozen other counties also likely succumbed to the disease, though lab testing hasn’t been done in those cases. Deer that have the disease often appear lethargic and obviously sickly. They can have blue-tinted tongues and eyes, open sores on their tongues and mouths and their hooves can start to fall off. Feverish, they often head toward water to try to cool their overheated bodies. But some deer can carry the virus and never get sick. Others, says Brian MacGowan, an extension wildlife specialist at Purdue University, can have symptoms but not die. The disease doesn’t spread from deer to deer. Rather, MacGowan says, small biting insects called midges carry the virus. The virus is an almost yearly occurrence, but drought years — like the one Indiana just went through — often spawn larger outbreaks. Typically, the virus stops spreading after the first frosts of the season kills off the midges. – For complete article see http://www.indystar.com/article/20120921/NEWS/209210352/Virus-confirmed-Indiana-deer-poses-no-danger-hunters-officials-say

Coyote Attacks:

Illinois 09/22/12 DuPage County: by Sarah Small – Two small dogs were attacked by a pack of coyotes Thursday night in Wheaton, and while one is injured but recovering, the second has gone missing, according to reports. Jake, a 12-year old silky terrier, and Floyd, a 15-month old Yorkshire terrier, were surrounded by between four and six coyotes in their backyard on Mohican Drive, near Herrick Lake in the Arrowhead Estates neighborhood, according to their owner Sue Reid. Jake was bit several times by the coyotes, but rescued by Reid. When she ran outside to break up the fight, Floyd was missing. – See http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/lisle/news/police_and_fire/x1217098945/One-dog-injured-one-missing-following-coyote-attack-in-Wheaton

Canada:

British Columbia 09/22/12 ctvnews.ca: A Kamloops man is warning people to lock up their garbage and not to feed animals after he was attacked by a coyote while riding his bike earlier this week. Mark Dal Ponte was riding his bike home from work Sunday night when noticed he was being chased by a coyote. “We’d seen the coyote around before,” said Dal Ponte. “I was joking with some coworkers that it was going to chase me home because I smelled like fried chicken and, sure enough, ten minutes later there he was.” He said the coyote bumped into him, forcing him to jump off his bike. Then the animal nipped around his heels and he managed to scare off the attacker by kicking at it. A short time after, it returned. “I got my bike between me and the coyote and kept kicking and hollering and throwing rocks,” said Dal Ponte. Eventually the coyote left permanently and a large male coyote in the area was destroyed by conservation officers. Experts said it is rare for coyotes to go after people. If they do it is usually a small child and Dal Ponte is six feet, two inches tall. Dal Ponte said people need to lock up their garbage and not feed animals, so such attacks don’t happen again.

West Nile Virus (WNV):

California 09/23/12 San Bernadino County: Health officials confirm one new human case of WNV in Chino and two others pending in the surrounding area. – See http://www.championnewspapers.com/articles/2012/09/23/news/doc505ce03e4c434408823707.txt

Massachusetts 09/22/12 Essex County: A mosquito trapped near Chebacco Lake on the east end of town in Hamilton has tested positive for WNV. – See http://hamilton-wenham.patch.com/articles/west-nile-found-in-mosquito-near-chebacco-lake-more-spraying-planned

Rhode Island 09/22/12 Providence County: State health officials have confirmed that a man in his 20s from the city of Providence has been diagnosed with WNV-related meningitis. – See http://woonsocket.patch.com/articles/health-department-reports-providence-county-west-nile-virus-infection

Rabies:

Connecticut 09/22/12 New Haven County: A raccoon that tore through a screen door,  forced its way inside a home, and attacked a dog on Friday in the Governor’s Hill Road vicinity of Oxford has tested positive for rabies. – See http://oxford-ct.patch.com/articles/oxford-urged-to-beware-after-rabid-raccoon-attacks-dog

Maryland 09/21/12 Worcester County: A groundhog (aka woodchuck) found in the Ann Drive neighborhood of Berlin has tested positive for rabies. This is the 15^th case of rabies confirmed in the county this year. – See http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120922/NEWS/309220013/Rabid-groundhog-found-Berlin-neighborhood

Lone WOLF OR-7 at last report still in CALIFORNIA ~ WASHINGTON to kill pack of GRAY WOLVES ~ GEESE may have key to treating diseases from MALARIA to WEST NILE VIRUS ~ RABIES reports from FL, & MT ~ CDC REPORTS: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending September 15, 2012.

Gray wolf. Courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Follow-Up Report:

California 09/22/12 redbluffdailynews.com: by Julie Zeeb – The famous Oregonian that waltzed into California in December 2011 and has been border-hoping ever since is back in Tehama County. The gray wolf, known as OR-7, has mostly been in California the last few months, primarily in Plumas County, according to a California Department of Fish and Game blog dedicated to his comings and goings. The three-year-old wolf was last in Tehama County on July 31 and except for one day spent in Butte County has been in various areas of Plumas County, moving from the western area of the county into Tehama County on Sept. 19*. OR-7 is the first and only wolf to have been sighted in California since 1924, first visiting Tehama County for a few days on July 21.

*Author’s Note: According to the latest California Department of Fish & Game satellite reading, OR-7 was in eastern Tehama County on September 20, 2012.

Washington 09/21/12 seattletimes.com: by Shannon Dininny – Washington officials announced plans Friday to kill a pack of at least eight gray wolves that have been attacking livestock in the state’s northeast corner. The move is likely to anger some conservation groups and deal a setback to wolf recovery efforts, though state officials said the step was necessary for sustainable, long-term wolf recovery in the region. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said two teams were in the field Friday to try to kill members of the Wedge Pack, which ranges over a remote area of northern Stevens County. Marksmen would hunt the wolves from the ground, and if those efforts were unsuccessful, they might use helicopters to aid their hunt, Director Phil Anderson said in a statement. The pack is believed to have killed or injured at least 15 cattle from the Diamond M herd that grazes in a large area near the Canadian border, according to the statement. Those attacks have become increasingly more frequent since July, even after the agency killed a non-breeding member of the pack in August, and experts believe the wolves have become dependent on cattle for food. – For complete article see http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019227092_apwawashingtonwolves1stldwritethru.html

Research & Development:

Global 09/21/12 wdtn.com: by Neil Carlson – Sometimes we find the cure for disease where we’d least expect it. In this case, geese could hold the key to treating everything from malaria to rabies. It all started out as a research project to develop a serum to protect people from a pesky outdoor nuisance and the disease it can carry: the West Nile virus. Mosquitoes can pick up the virus from diseased birds and transfer it to humans. Researchers found that geese can rapidly produce the antibodies needed to create serums to treat people for West Nile disease.

But, what’s most amazing is that researchers found geese can be used to produce serums to treat all kinds of diseases. “And we have gone into researching its use of their antibodies for dengue fever, for pandemic influenza, malaria, rabies,” said Richard Glynn, researcher with Avianax. “We’re also working with a group on cancer.” Researchers introduce the dead virus of any given disease to a goose. The goose then quickly produces an antibody to that disease, which is extracted from its egg yolk and used to create the serum to treat that disease.

David Bradley, University of North Dakota

“What’s really exciting about this is the goose provides a platform and produces antibodies rapidly to a variety of viruses — probably toxins, maybe even cancers,” said medical student David Bradley. It’s all amazing, heady stuff that’s being reviewed by the FDA. Who knows? We may all find that one day geese are the answer to many of mankind’s medical problems. All of this still depends on approval for human use by the FDA. However, the government is interested in this research because it could be used to quickly develop vaccines for biological agents spread by terrorists.

Rabies:

Florida 09/21/12 Bay County: A raccoon killed at the intersection of N. 9^th Plaza and Lake Drive in Parker has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.wmbb.com/story/19605639/rabid-raccoon-found-in-parker

Montana 09/21/12 Gallatin County: A Bozeman family is looking for the owner of a border collie involved in a biting incident at 4:40 p.m. Wednesday at the East Gallatin Recreational Area. Walker VanHouten, 16, was running with the Bozeman Hawks cross-country team when a border collie bit him on his calf. VanHouten did not realize he should check with the owner for proof of rabies vaccination. VanHouten will have to go through rabies injections if the dog owner does not come forward by Tuesday. The dog owner should contact Kathleen VanHouten at 585-7944 or vanhoutens3@wispwest.net.

CDC Reports:

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending September 15, 2012:

Published September 21, 2012/ 61(37); ND-508-ND-521

Anaplasmosis . . . 23 . . . Florida, Maine (2), New York (15), North Carolina (4), Rhode Island,

Babesiosis . . . 8 . . . New York (8),

Brucellosis . . . 1 . . . California,     

Ehrlichiosis . . . 14 . . . Maine, North Carolina (11), Tennessee, Virginia,

Giardiasis . . . 218 . . . Alabama (2), Alaska (2), Arkansas (3), California (42), Delaware, Florida (22), Idaho (3), Iowa (3), Maine (8), Maryland (8), Michigan (3), Missouri (3), Montana, Nebraska (6), Nevada, New York (47), Ohio (19), Oregon (6), Pennsylvania (13), South Carolina (5), Vermont (7), Washington (9), Wisconsin, Virginia (3),

HME/HGE Undetermined . . . 1 . . . Indiana,

Lyme Disease . . .  156. . .  Florida (6), Maine, Maryland (18), Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey (2), New York (67), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (38), Rhode Island (3), Texas (2), Vermont (4), Virginia (10), Washington,

Q Fever (Acute) . . . 5 . . . Alaska, Nebraska (2), New York, Ohio, 

Rabies (Animal) . . . 49. . . Maine (2), Nevada (3), New York (16), Ohio, Texas, Utah (2), Vermont (2), Virginia (21), West Virginia,

Spotted Fever including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Confirmed) . . . 1. . . Ohio,

Spotted Fever including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 42 . . . Alabama (3), Florida, Indiana (3), New York, North Carolina (18), Tennessee (9), Virginia (7),

Tularemia . . . 1 . . . Nebraska.

MONTANA camper mauled by BLACK BEAR in wilderness area ~ EHD VIRUS killing DEER across NEBRASKA ~ WEST NILE VIRUS reports from ME, & KY ~ RABIES reports from FL, NYx2, NCx2, & VA ~ TRAVEL WARNING: MALARIA outbreak in GREECE.

Black bear. Photo by Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Montana 09/14/12 missoulian.com: by Tristan Scott – Wildlife officials have killed the black bear that they believe mauled a man who was camping deep in the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area on Friday. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Regional Supervisor Jim Satterfield said the unidentified man was injured at about 7:30 a.m. Friday in the Black Bear Creek area. The man was flown to Kalispell Regional Medical Center by ALERT helicopter and is expected to recover. Satterfield said a team of wildlife agents flew into the remote area by helicopter to track down the animal, which they spotted 30 yards from the injured man’s campsite. The bear had pepper spray on its fur and blood in its claws, he said. “We are very confident that we killed the offending bear,” he said. “We still have to analyze its stomach contents and wait on a DNA analysis to be 100 percent sure, but with the evidence we have we are very confident.” Although Satterfield did not immediately have a detailed narrative of the circumstances of the attack, he said the bear apparently entered the man’s campsite and attacked. – For complete article see http://missoulian.com/news/local/wildlife-agents-kill-black-bear-after-it-attacks-man-in/article_750aa8e8-feb7-11e1-89f8-001a4bcf887a.html

Lincoln 09/14/12 sfgate.com: The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says a viral disease has spread to deer populations across much of Nebraska. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease spreads from deer to deer by the bite of a small insect known as a midge. Game and Parks says the virus is suspected in the reported deaths of more than 2,200 Nebraska deer this year. The disease causes hemorrhaging within the deer’s body. Deer suffering from the virus may develop a high fever and seek water, which is why many deer killed by the disease are found in or near water. The disease is not a threat to humans. The commission wants people to report to their nearest Game and Parks office any deer deaths that may be attributed to this disease.

West Nile Virus (WNV):

Maine 09/14/12 York & Cumberland counties: Health officials have confirmed that mosquitoes infected with WNV have been trapped in Biddeford and in Scarborough. Earlier, infected mosquitoes were also found in the Cumberland County towns of Gorham and Standish. – See http://www.pressherald.com/news/west-nile-virus-detected-in-biddeford-and-scarborough_2012-09-14.html

Kentucky 09/14/12 Barren County: Officials have confirmed that a horse that died in the county this week tested positive for WNV. – See http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/local/west-nile-virus-case-confirmed-in-animal/article_5768b804-fe8d-11e1-9f48-001a4bcf887a.html

Rabies:

Florida 09/13/12 Sneads, Jackson County: A raccoon that was killed by two dogs on Davis Street has tested positive for rabies. The dogs have been euthanized. – See http://www2.jcfloridan.com/news/2012/sep/13/rabid-raccoon-found-sneads-ar-4537190/

New York 09/14/12 Jay, Essex County: A raccoon found wandering in the hamlet of Upper Jay this week has tested positive for rabies. – See http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x550071689/Rabid-raccoon-discovered-in-Essex-County

New York 09/13/12 Orangetown, Rockland County: The Pearl River School District sent out a request Thursday morning for help in finding a dog that bit an 11-year-old boy Tuesday afternoon on Orangeburg Road. The incident happened between Noyes St. and Mapleshade Ave. at approximately 2:45 p.m. The description of the dog’s owner is a female with dark hair wearing a grey sweatshirt and khaki pants. The dog was described as brown as small-to-medium with brown and black fur. The child would have to go through a series of rabies shots as a precaution unless the owner can be found and the dog’s vaccination record can be checked. With any information, contact Orangetown Police Officer Fitzgibbons at (845) 359-3700 ext. 3180.

North Carolina 09/13/12 New Hanover County: Health officials confirmed that two raccoons tested positive for rabies within the past several days, bringing the number of rabies cases in the county to 17 so far this year. The 16^th was a raccoon found Sept. 7^th on Splitbrook Court in Wilmington, and the 17^th was a raccoon that fought with a dog on Rockhill Road in Castle Hayne on Sept. 11^th. – See http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120913/ARTICLES/120719584

North Carolina 09/13/12 Bettie, Carteret County: Five people are being treated for exposure to rabies after a kitten tested positive for the virus. The stray kitten was found along the side of the road and was taken to a private home to be cared for, but it was acting sick and lethargic so it was taken a veterinarian who suspected rabies. Two individuals who found the cat, and three additional people, reported being scratched, bitten, and exposed to the kitten’s saliva. – See http://www.jdnews.com/articles/kitten-108287-carteret-positive.html

Virginia 09/13/12 Fairfax County: A beaver that was reported acting aggressively toward children at the Hidden Pond Nature Center in West Springfield on Sept. 8^th has tested positive for rabies. In a separate incident, a raccoon seen acting aggressively in the vicinity of the 6300 block of Lakeview Drive in Lake Barcroft has also tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2012/sep/13/rabid-beaver-chases-children-springfield/

Travel Warning:

Greece 09/14/12 cdc.gov: Outbreak Notice – As of August 5, 2012, 8 cases of malaria have been reported from the Attica and Laconia regions of Greece. Cases have occurred in the cities of Marathon, Markopoulo, and Evrotas. No cases have been reported in Athens. The Hellenic (Greek) CDC and the European CDC are improving surveillance for malaria cases. – For further details see http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/outbreak-notice/malaria-greece-sept-2012.htm

MAINE CDC confirms 30 farm-raised PHEASANTS have died of EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS (EEE) ~ EEE & WEST NILE VIRUS reports from CO, IL, MAx2, NJ, NY, & SC ~ TRAVEL WARNING: CDC reports SARCOCYSTOSIS in MALAYSIA ~ CDC REPORTS: ZOONOTIC DISEASE summary for week ending September 1, 2012.

Pheasant. Photo by David Croad. Wikimedia Commons.

Maine 09/11/12 Lebanon, York County: State health officials have identified cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in a number of farm birds in Lebanon, according to Lebanon Selectman Jason Cole. Maine State Epidemiologist Dr. Stephen Sears on Monday told Robert Frizzell, chairman of the Board of Selectmen that state officials found the disease in a number of pheasants raised on a farm in Lebanon, and 30 birds have died of the disease. “The Lebanon Board of Selectmen wants to make sure that the residents are aware of the situation and are provided the facts that we were provided,” Frizzell said in a statement. “There is no need for alarm. We simply want to ensure the residents have the information that we have been provided so they can make the appropriate safety measures.” – See http://www.keepmecurrent.com/news_now/birds-in-lebanon-die-of-equine-encephalitis/article_2c6abf34-fc22-11e1-b50d-0019bb2963f4.html

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) & West Nile Virus (WNV):

Colorado 09/11/12 cdphe.state.co.us: Update – As of Sept. 7, health officials have confirmed 51 human cases of WNV in the state, including two deaths in Montrose County. – See https://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&shva=1#inbox/139b69328cb10c21

Illinois 09/09/12 Lake County: Health officials have confirmed five human cases of WNV in the county including a 68-yearold man in Buffalo Grove, a 60-year-old man in Mundelein, a 65-year-old woman in Grayslake, a 42-year-old woman in Libertyville, and a 69-year-old man in Lake Zurich. In addition, 81 mosquito pools and three birds have tested positive for the virus. – See http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=2529438&spid=

Massachusetts 09/10/12 Franklin and Worcester counties: Health officials have confirmed a third human case of EEE in a girl under 18 who is currently hospitalized. The danger of EEE in the communities of Athol, Orange, and Royalston has been raised to a “critical” threat level, and nearby communities have been raised to a “high” threat level. – See http://www.necn.com/09/10/12/3rd-human-case-of-EEE-in-Mass-confirmed/landing.html?blockID=771099&feedID=4753

Massachusetts 09/11/12 Rochester, Plymouth County: The risk level for EEE has been raised to “critical” after a horse was confirmed infected with the virus. The risk level was raised to “high” in nearby Wareham, Freetown, Acushnet, Marion, Middleboro, Lakeville, and Mattapoisett. – See http://wareham-ma.villagesoup.com/community/story/triple-e-threat-raised-to-high-in-wareham/895288

New Jersey 09/10/12 njspotlight.com: by Anthony Vecchione – According to the health department, state officials have  confirmed 15 (human) cases of WNV from 12 counties, including: Bergen (1), Burlington (1), Camden (1), Essex (2), Gloucester (1), Hudson (1), Mercer (1), Middlesex (1), Monmouth (1), Ocean (3), Passaic (1) and Salem (1). An elderly Burlington County man who tested positive for WNV died last week. – See http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/0909/2310/

New York 09/09/12 silive.com: Three human cases of WNV have been reported on Staten Island. Citywide there have been 17 human cases reported, including one fatality. – See http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/09/west_nile_threat_centered_on_s_2.html

South Carolina 09/11/12 North Augusta, Aiken County: Health officials have confirmed that Stacy Furtick, 80, is the first man in the state to die of WNV this year. A total of 17 human cases have been identified by SCDHEC in 11 different counties across the state and five of those were in Aiken County. Statewide, three animals and 13 birds have also tested positive for the illness. – See http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0911-west-nile-virus-death-con

Travel Warning:

Malaysia 09/10/12 cdc.gov: Outbreak Notice – CDC has received reports of four cases of sarcocystosis that have been associated with 2012 summer travel to Tioman Island. Sarcocystosis is a disease caused by a parasite called Sarcocystis. Sarcocystosis occurs in tropical or subtropical countries, including countries in Southeast Asia. This disease is common among wild and domestic animals but can also cause disease in humans. Two forms of the disease can occur: one causes diarrhea and the other causes muscle pain, fevers, and other symptoms. Muscle sarcocystosis is spread through the ingestion of food, water, or soil contaminated with infected animal feces. Many people infected with Sarcocystis may not have symptoms. The travelers described in this notice returned from Malaysia with severe muscle pain. Other reported symptoms included mild diarrhea and fever. Most people were ill for 2-4 weeks after leaving the island. – See http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/outbreak-notice/sarcocystosis-malaysia-outbreak.htm

CDC Reports:

CDC MMWR Summary for Week ending September 1, 2012:

Published September 7, 2012/ 61(35); ND-480-ND-493

Anaplasmosis . . . 8 . . . New York (8),

Babesiosis . . . 3 . . . New York (3),

Brucellosis . . . 1 . . . California,     

Ehrlichiosis . . . 5 . . . Arkansas, Missouri (2), Virginia (2),

Giardiasis . . . 169 . . . Alabama (2), Arizona (2), Arkansas (2), California (20), Florida (26), Idaho (3), Iowa, Maine (4), Maryland (5), Michigan (3), Missouri (6), Nebraska, Nevada, New York (43), Ohio (24), Oregon, Pennsylvania (10), South Carolina (2), Virginia, Washington (12),

Lyme Disease . . .  138. . .  California, Florida (3), Maryland (5), New York (59), Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania (60), Vermont, Virginia (6), Washington,

Rabies (Animal) . . . 45. . . Connecticut (2), Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York (13), Ohio (4), Texas (7), Vermont (6), Virginia (8), West Virginia (2),

Spotted Fever including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Confirmed) . . . 2. . . Indiana (2),

Spotted Fever including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Probable) . . . 12 . . . Arkansas, Idaho, Missouri (4), New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee , Virginia (2),

Tularemia . . . 2 . . . Indiana, Washington.

EHD killing hundreds of DEER in ILLINOIS ~ A cluster of another SWINE FLU variant (H1N2v) reported by MINNESOTA ~ Scientists in SOUTH AFRICA may have found cure for MALARIA ~ EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS & WEST NILE VIRUS reports from IL, IN, MA, MI, TN, TX, & VT ~ RABIES report from CALIFORNIA.

Whitetailed buck. Courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Illinois 09/01/12 dailyherald.com: by Marie Denecke – A disease that was unknown to local experts until only a few weeks ago is killing hundreds of deer in the Chicago area — and until the first frost comes, those numbers could still go up. Humans can’t be infected, but so far, it has caused the deaths of roughly 200 deer in Cook County. Six suspect cases have also been reported in Kane County. None have been reported so far in DuPage and Lake counties. “I have been working here for 30 years, but I have never come across EHD,” said Chris Anchor, wildlife biologist for the Cook County Forest Preserve District. EHD is short for epizootic hemorrhagic disease, a virus that usually kills deer within a week after infection. It spreads from deer to deer through midges — small, biting flies. And until only a few weeks ago, it had been unknown in this part of Illinois.

Midge fly. Carrier of EDHV.

EHD has been around in the United States for roughly 60 years, the first outbreak occurring in Michigan and New Jersey in 1955. The disease, which usually appears in the Midwest and Northeast, apparently found its way to this area because of a combination of “a mild winter and a hot summer,” said Anchor. It is a disease that seems to spread rapidly. Anchor heard of the first cases of EHD in Cook County only two weeks ago. And the number of deer deaths attributed to it has doubled in the last week. Cases have been concentrated in Hanover, Schaumburg and Palatine townships. – For complete article see http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120901/news/709019918/

Minnesota 08/31/12 state.mn.us: News Release – Three people are believed to have developed a strain of influenza known as variant H1N2 (H1N2v) after exhibiting pigs or spending time in the swine barn at the Minnesota State Fair. The illness has been confirmed in a teenage girl who was exhibiting pigs at the fair and became ill on Aug. 26. The other two cases occurred in an elementary-school-aged boy who became ill on Aug. 27 after spending all day in the swine barn on Aug. 24, and a woman in her late seventies who became ill on Aug. 26 after spending a prolonged period of time in the swine barn and at the swine show in the Exhibit Hall on Aug 24. Both the boy and the older woman had underlying health conditions, and were treated with antiviral drugs. The woman was hospitalized, but has now been released. All three patients have recovered or are recovering. The H1N2v strain is different from the H3N2v strain that has prompted stepped up surveillance and prevention efforts nationwide, after causing 289 reported cases of illness and one death since the beginning of the year. – For complete release see http://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2012/h1n2083112.html

Global 09/01/12 nationalgeographic.com: by Steve Boyes – The University of Cape Town’s Science Department believes that it has found a single dose cure for Malaria. This was announced by researchers that have been working on this compound, from the aminopyridine class, for several years. Unlike conventional multidrug malaria treatments that the malaria parasite has become resistant to, Professor Kelly Chibale and his colleagues now believe that they have discovered a drug that over 18 months of trials ”killed these resistant parasites instantly”. Animal tests also showed that it was not only safe and effective, but there were no adverse reported side effects. Clinical tests are scheduled for the end of 2013.

Dr. Kelly Chibale

If this tablet is approved in coming years, this achievement will surely usher in a new age for science in Africa. It will save millions upon millions of lives on the continent, helping avoid at least 24 percent of child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Professor Chibale proudly explains: “This is the first ever clinical molecule that’s been discovered out of Africa, by Africans, from a modern pharmaceutical industry drug discovery programme. The potent drug has been tested on animals and has shown that a single oral dose has completely cured those infected with malaria parasites.” This “super pill” could potentially cure millions of people every year, and save the lives of over one million people from around the world each year. This “cure” will most likely save health care systems throughout the developing world billions of dollars and open new areas for development and settlement.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) & West Nile Virus (WNV):

Illinois 08/31/12 Cook County: New human cases of WNV have been reported including an adult in Evergreen Park and a child in Oak Lawn, health officials said. As of August 31^st, there have been 37 human cases of WNV reported in the county. – See http://palos.patch.com/articles/new-west-nile-virus-cases-crop-up-in-evergreen-park-oak-lawn-313c37c4#c

Indiana 09/01/12 Delaware County: Health officials have announced that the county’s first human case of WNV has been diagnosed in a woman over 60-years-of-age who has been hospitalized with serious complications. As of last Friday, there had been 26 human cases of WNV in the state including two deaths. – See http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20120902/NEWS01/309020032/Delaware-County-West-Nile-Virus?nclick_check=1

Massachusetts 09/02/12 Halifax, Plymouth County: Health officials warn that the town’s risk rate for EEE has now been boosted to “critical” by the state due to the recent death of an alpaca from the disease. – See http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/09/02/residents_warned_of_critical_risk_for_eee/

Michigan 09/03/12 Birmingham, Oakland County: So far this year, there have been 12 confirmed human cases of WNV in Oakland County, according to the Oakland County Health Division. Statewide, there have been 104 human cases and five deaths. In addition, Michigan Department of Public Heath public information officer Angela Minicuci said the virus has been appearing in clusters throughout Metro Detroit, notably Birmingham’s neighbors of Royal Oak and Berkley. – See http://birmingham.patch.com/articles/birmingham-takes-extra-precautions-against-west-nile-virus

Tennessee 09/03/12 tennessean.com: by Nancy DeVille – The Tennessee Department of Health has reported 10 human cases of West Nile this summer, but none in or around Nashville. There have been no deaths related to the virus this year, but last year, two of 18 cases resulted in deaths. – See http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120903/NEWS07/309030018/Nashville-avoids-West-Nile-cases?nclick_check=1

Texas 09/02/12 Permian Basin: As of Friday there were seven human cases of WNV reported in Ector County, and three confirmed deaths within the Permian Basin. One of the fatalities was from Ector County. The other two were residents from Andrews and Midland counties. Christine Mann, assistant press officer for the Texas Department of State Health Services, said there were 933 reported cases of WNV in all of Texas with 37 reported deaths. Dallas County had the most reported cases with 268 human WNV cases and 12 deaths. – See http://www.oaoa.com/news/nile-92662-west-officials.html

Vermont 09/02/12 Addison and Rutland counties: State health officials said Saturday that two people have been hospitalized with EEE.  Both cases involve adults from western Vermont. – See http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/viewart/20120902/NEWS07/120902001/First-2-human-EEE-cases-confirmed-Vermont-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Rabies:

California 08/31/12 Altadena, Los Angeles County: An injured bat found in the 1000 block of Alpine Villa Drive on August 18^th has tested positive for rabies. According to the county Public Health web site, 42 rabid bats have been found in the county so far this year. That’s the highest number found within a single year since testing of bats began in 1961. – See http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_21448687/rabid-bat-discovered-altadena

CANADA: ONTARIO struggling under weight of CANADIAN GOOSE poop ~ MAINE reports LYME DISEASE and other TICK-related illnesses on the rise ~ MASSACHUSETTS reports TICK-borne diseases doubled last year ~ TEXAS health official confirms WEST NILE VIRUS in HORSE ~ TENNESSEE county detects WEST NILE VIRUS in seven zip codes ~ CDC researchers estimate nearly 1 million U.S. illnesses from WEST NILE VIRUS since 1999.

Canada goose. Photo by Robert Lawton. Wikimedia Commons.

Canada:

Photo by D. Gordon & E. Robertson. Wikimedia Commons.

Ontario 05/29/12 ottawacitizen.com: by Tom Spears – (Excerpts) “For much of the 20th century, southern and eastern Ontario had almost no Canada geese. Then in the late 1960s and early 1970s, wildlife managers decided to reintroduce the species — just a few geese here and there.  The population has since exploded. They’re everywhere”.

“Health research is pointing to geese as sources of bacteria. A 2005 study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes: ‘The large amount of feces produced by geese congregating around surface water bodies is a source of environmental contamination and, potentially, zoonotic pathogens. Feces from large flocks are major contributors to fecal coliform levels in reservoirs that supply drinking water for some cities, and free-living bird populations can serve as reservoirs for pathogenic bacteria, such as salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli), campylobacter, listeria, and chlamydia. Thus, wild bird populations can amplify and eventually transmit infectious microbes to humans by directly contaminating agricultural fields or surface waters used for drinking, recreation, or crop irrigation. Free-living and domestic bird populations can also be reservoirs of drug-resistant bacterial pathogens or resistant genetic elements.’

Photo by Walter Siegmund. Wikimedia Commons.

‘It’s a huge problem. Big ecological problem for the river,’ says Dan Brunton, a naturalist who lives a short walk from the Ottawa River.”  (according to National Geographic magazine) “ . . . a flock of 50 geese will deposit 2.5 tonnes of droppings annually.” – For complete article see http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Temperatures+soaring+geese+dropping/6691859/story.html

Black Legged or Deer Tick.

Maine 05/30/12 bangordailynews.com: by Jackie Farwell – The tiny deer ticks marching northward through Maine may be hard to spot, but the diseases they carry are hard to miss. Maine is recording increasing numbers of illnesses transmitted by the bite of the eight-legged deer tick, including two lesser-known germs following in Lyme disease’s footsteps. Cases of anaplasmosis, which affects white blood cells, have spiked from nine in 2007 to 26 in 2011, according to state epidemiologist Dr. Stephen Sears. Already in 2012, 15 cases have been reported. “Although those numbers are very small compared to Lyme, the fact that it’s increasing, and it seems to be increasing pretty significantly each year, suggests to me that we really all need to become aware of all these diseases,” Sears said. Also on health officials’ radar is babesiosis, a less common but potentially serious tick-borne disease in which microscopic parasites infect red blood cells. It can especially sicken those with weak immune systems and people who have had their spleen removed.

Both anaplasmosis and babesiosis cause fever, headache, and muscle aches, though some people infected with babesiosis experience no symptoms. “If [people] get fevers and chills in the summer and they don’t have a rash, that could be Lyme disease without a rash, it could be anaplasma, it could be something else,” Sears said. “If they had tick exposure, that’s especially important.” The deer tick can transmit Lyme, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. With one bite, a tick could infect its host with all three diseases. The dog tick, meanwhile, which is larger with characteristic white markings, can carry Lyme but doesn’t transmit it.

Numbers wise, anaplasmosis and babesiosis still pale in comparison to Lyme disease. The most conspicuous of the tick-borne diseases, Lyme sickened about 1,000 Mainers in 2011 and more than 180 so far this year. But the two emerging diseases are shadowing Lyme’s progression from southern to northern New England. “Anaplasmosis and babesiosis are emerging in southern Maine the way we saw Lyme disease emerge several decades ago,” said Susan Elias, a clinical research associate at Maine Medical Center’s Vector-borne Disease Laboratory in South Portland. “We’re now seeing those two diseases moving inland and up the coast in the same pattern as Lyme.” – For complete article see http://bangordailynews.com/2012/05/30/health/lyme-disease-and-other-tick-related-illnesses-on-the-rise-in-maine/

Massachusetts 05/30/12 wbur.org: by Carey Goldberg – Surely you know that Lyme Disease is endemic all across Massachusetts. Surely you didn’t need any further incentive to guard against tick bites — to wear insect repellent, do tick checks after being outdoors, and more. But just in case, I’m passing along some worrisome statistics I just learned from Dr. Catherine Brown, the state public health veterinarian, about the rise of two other tick-borne diseases. They’re both far rarer than Lyme Disease but don’t relax; they’re also both potentially fatal. They’re called babesiosis and anaplasmosis, and confirmed cases of both effectively doubled from the 2010 numbers to 2011. They still remain extremely uncommon. Even after the doubling, there were 191 confirmed Massachusetts cases of babesiosis in 2011, and 140 confirmed cases of anaplasmosis. But when numbers rise so dramatically, Dr. Brown said, “It makes us notice.” – For complete article (with map and graphs) see http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/05/tick-borne-disease-babesiosis

Parker County

Texas 05/30/12 Parker County: State epidemiologist Jim Schuermann confirmed a case of West Nile Virus in a horse earlier than normal.

– See http://weatherforddemocrat.com/top-news/x1561295105/West-Nile-virus-case-reported-in-Parker-County-horse

Shelby County

Tennessee 05/30/12 Shelby County: The mosquito-borne virus that causes West Nile disease has been found in seven county zip codes. It was initially detected on May 8^th, the earliest it has ever been found in the county. – See http://www.wbir.com/news/article/221407/2/Earliest-ever-detection-of-West-Nile-virus-in-Shelby-County

National 05/29/12 umn.edu: News Scan – Extrapolating from surveillance data, US researchers estimate that, from 1999 through 2010, more than 3 million Americans were infected by West Nile virus (WNV), which resulted in 780,000 illnesses and more than $800 million in medical costs. Writing in Epidemiology and Infection yesterday, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Fargo, N.D., San Francisco, and Madison, Wis., noted that the nationwide ArboNET surveillance system has detected 12,823 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) since 1999. They point out that a 2012 study in Emerging Infectious Diseases on blood donors in North Dakota suggested that, for every WNND case detected, 213 to 286 infections likely occurred. From these statistics, the investigators estimated that almost 2.8 million WNV infections occurred in the study period in adults. They note that estimates of infection rate vary for children, but, if they assume the rate to be similar to the adult rate, the number of US WNV infections grows to about 3.2 million. Assuming that 26% of infections lead to clinical disease, they estimated about 780,000 cases of WNF, for a total acute-care medical cost of about $832 million. May 28 Epidemiol Infect abstract April Emerg Infect Dis report on WNND cases