10 February 2003 Disease Outbreak: Imported case of Lassa fever in United Kingdom
The diagnosis of Lassa fever in a British soldier recently returned from duty in rural Sierra Leone has been confirmed by virological tests performed at the Enteric, Respiratory and Neurological Virus Laboratory at the Central Public Health Laboratory, London, United Kingdom. He had been based in an area endemic for Lassa fever. He is currently being treated at the high security infectious diseases unit at Coppetts Wood Hospital, London. This is the sixth case of Lassa fever to have been imported to the United Kingdom since 1976.

***

14 November 2002 West Nile virus in the United States - Update 9
As of 13 November 2002, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Arthropod Borne Viruses - Western Hemisphere, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 3 587 human cases of the West Nile virus, with 211 deaths occurring in 39 states and the District of Columbia. During 2002, West Nile virus activity (evidence of infections in birds, humans, mosquitoes, and other animals - primarily horses) has been documented in 43 states and the District of Columbia (see previous report). For more information about this outbreak see the CDC web site: States reporting confirmed West Nile virus infection in birds, mosquitoes, animals, or humans between January 1 - November 13, 2002. About the Virus, the Disease, and Its Spread Prevention: Avoid Mosquito Bites to avoid Infection.

***

20 September 2002 West Nile virus in Canada - Update 2
As of 19 September 2002, Health Canada has reported a total number of 20 human cases of West Nile virus infection: 17 suspected cases, 3 confirmed cases, including 1 death. Three suspected cases are resident in the province of Quebec, while the other 14 suspected cases and 3 confirmed cases are resident in the province of Ontario (see previous report). Two of the confirmed cases are likely to have acquired their infection within Ontario, whereas one is likely to have acquired the infection while travelling in the United States. For more information about this outbreak see the Health Canada web site!

***

11 October 2001 Anthrax in the United States (State of Florida) - Update
As of 11 October, WHO has been informed by the WHO Collaborating Centres, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is working closely with the Florida Department of Health, that an additional person has been positively identified with anthrax bacteria. This brings to 3 the total number of persons in whom anthrax bacteria has been identified, including the man who died on 5 October. For more information about anthrax, goto CDC for the CDC fact sheet; WHO Guidelines for the Surveillance and Control of Anthrax in Humans and Animals are also available online.
10 October 2001 Anthrax in United States (State of Florida)
WHO has received reports from the WHO Collaborating Centres, the US Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention (CDC), which is working closely with the Florida Department of Health, confirming one case of pulmonary anthrax in a Florida man who died 5 October. A second man, a co-worker, presented himself to medical authorities who positively identified anthrax bacteria in his nose. The two men worked at a local newspaper office in Boca Raton, Florida. One of the many samples taken from their workplace environment was positive for anthrax bacteria. Final results from other environmental samples will not be available for several days. Nonetheless, CDC assessed the risk to other employees and visitors as extremely low. An epidemiological investigation on this event is ongoing and WHO will continue to be updated. Pulmonary or inhalational anthrax is very rare in the United States. There were 18 reported cases in the 20th Century with the last case some 25 years ago. Anthrax is not contagious. Anthrax bacteria normally enter the human species from infected animals or animal products, such as from eating infected meat, or through occupational exposure, such as in tannery workers. Symptoms of pulmonary anthrax include fever, muscle aches, and fatigue that rapidly progress to severe systemic disease. Antibiotic treatment before symptoms occur will prevent the disease. Anthrax vaccines can prevent infection, but are not normally recommended for the general public. For more information about anthrax, goto CDC for the CDC fact sheet; WHO Guidelines for the Surveillance and Control of Anthrax in Humans and Animals are also available online.
Please goto this page for further information about how to take care of unwanted and suspicious letters and samples that might be ANTHRAX contaminated.

***

23rd May 2001 Polio in Bulgaria, Eastern Europe
There has been a polio outbrake in Bulgaria. Further information will be given when the situation is verified. This underlines the necessity of having valid polio vaccinations when travelling around the world. Polio as a disease is not by far over yet!
***

3rd of July 2000: Young girl gets Rabies infection from dog puppet in Malaysia, later dies in hospital in Sweden:
A young swedish girl got nibbed by a small dog in Malaysia and later developed Rabies. No pretreatmnet had been given to her and locally there was no understanding about an emergancy. The girl was brought back to Sweden where the diagnosis was made. She later passed away as there was nothing to do medically to save her. This case empasises the importance of not touching any animals in areas where rabies or other extremely dangerous diseases prevail! And once more: vaccines are made and developed to be used when the risk to get ill is there, the vaccines do not help when taken afterwards or not at all!
***

18 January 2000: Polio in China:
The following case report is from the WHO Polio Eradication Programme: The case was first reported to the County EPS in Geizi Township, Xunhua County, Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai Province, on 13 October 1999, and reported to the Provincial EPS on the following day. The case was born on 13 June 1998, had onset of paralysis on 12 October, after a day of fever on 11 October. The parents took the boy to a local private clinic in a neighbouring township when a sudden onset of flaccid paralysis made him unable to stand or walk (both of which he had been capable of before). Two stool samples were taken, the first on 14 October and the second on 25 October. They were analyzed in the provincial laboratory. Both samples yielded poliovirus isolates, which were later typed and differentiated as P1 wild viruses at the national laboratory in Beijing. At the time that the second sample was taken five contacts were sampled, one of which, a four year old cousin of the infected child, was also positive for wild poliovirus. The case child was unregistered and had received zero doses of polio vaccine.
***

23 November 1999:Yellow fever, United States of America:
A 48-year-old unvaccinated man travelling in Bolivar state (Venezuela) became ill on 23 September and returned to California on 25 September. He was hospitalized on 27 September with fulminant hepatitis and renal failure, and died on 4 October. Yellow fever was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and PCR. The Venezuelan authorities were informed and a field investigation is under way.
¤¤¤¤¤This event serves once more to illustrate the vital importance for travellers to have yellow fever vaccination before visiting endemic areas.¤¤¤¤¤