A recent outbreak in Dulovo belies the fact that measles rates in Bulgaria and surrounding countries have decreased considerably in recent decades. See graph:

We may assume that decreasing rates are the result of excellent vaccine coverage, which currently exceeds 90% for all countries in the region. See graph:
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The recent upsurge of measles in Burkina Faso cannot be explained in terms of vaccine policy alone. Disease rates in that country declined during the 1980’s and 1990’s, at a time that estimated vaccine coverage was only 40% to 70%; while the current outbreak began despite a coverage rate of 94%.

Just as the kangaroo is largely limited to Australia, a number of mosquito-borne viral infections are found almost exclusively in this country. In the following graph, I’ve contrasted reporting rates for six of these diseases. Sporadic infection by six additional viruses are also encountered in Australia: Sindbis, Stratford, Edge Hill, Gan Gan, Kokobara and Trubanaman.

Update: Reported in ProMED

A recent outbreak of mumps in Macedonia highlights the fact that this country has reported highest rates in this region for much of the past three decades. In the following graph I have included the United States for comparison.

Update: Picked up by ProMED

A recent outbreak in Western Visayas belies the fact that measles rates in the Philippines have declined dramatically since the 1990’s, in parallel with increased vaccination usage.

From 1983 to 1997, the Philippines had reported one of the highest measles rates in this region.

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A recent outbreak in Cameroon reminds us that measles rates in West Africa have changed little during the past two decades.

The following graph illustrates the fact that vaccine use has clearly been associated with declining morbidity; however, vaccination rates remain below 75%.

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Recently, a British woman died of leptospirosis acquired from the scratch of a rodent. Few people realize that leptospirosis is not uncommon in the United Kingdom. In fact, 18 fatal cases were reported in England and Wales during 1988 to 2006. In the following graph, I’ve contrasted disease rates for the region with those of the United States.

Update: Also quoted in ProMED

Recent reports of La Crosse encephalitis in North Carolina remind us that a number of severe arthropod-borne infections continue to appear each year in the United States. For almost four decades, California encephalitis has been the most commonly-reported disease in this group ; however, since 2000, (more…)

An ongoing outbreak in Denmark belies the fact that salmonellosis rates in Scandinavia have remained fairly constant during the past decade. In the attached graph rates for the United States are added for comparison. Some additional background data on salmonellosis in Denmark – source www.GideonOnline.com (more…)

The following background information on Trypanosomiasis in Angola is abstracted from GIDEON:

Trypanosomiasis was first identified in Angola in 1871, in the Quixama region (Kwanza River area, south of Luanda).

A resurgence of disease rates during the 1980’s does not represent a general phenomenon for Africa, and appears to be related to civil unrest in the country. See graph

Trypanosomiasis is endemic to 7 of the country’s 18 provinces.
- Risk areas include the northern provinces of Bengo, Kwanza north and Kwanza south, Luanda, Malange, Uige, and Zaire.
- Widespread disease in the southern provinces of Kunene, Huambo, Namibe, and Huila was first reported in 2003.
- 2.5 to 4 million persons are considered at risk in 6,000 villages north of the Kuanza River.

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense predominates (mostly in the northwestern region – Zaire, Uige, Luanda and Cuenza Norte).
- Sporadic disease due to Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense is also reported.

Tsetse flies are present in 14 of Angola’s 18 provinces.
- The local vectors are Glossina palpalis (found in Zaire, Bengo, Kwanza Norte, Kwanza Sul and Cuando Cubango), G. fuscipes ssp. quanzensis and martinii (found in Uige, Malanje, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul), and G. morsitans (found in Malanje, Kwanza Sul, Bia, Moxico and Cuando Cubango).

Quoted in ProMED

As America once again enters the “Lyme disease season” information regarding this major infectious disease continues to evolve rapidly. The following material has been generated using GIDEON, an interactive on line program that can be used to diagnose or explore the status of all infectious diseases: signs and symptoms, status in every country, ongoing epidemics, antibiotics, vaccines, parasites, virus … in real time. So, let’s test your knowledge about Lyme disease:

1. True or false: Lyme disease is a relatively new infection that is primarily limited to the United States.
2. You have probably heard that Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks. How many tick-borne diseases occur in the world ? In the United States ?
3. Many other infectious diseases are characterized by severe illness, involving many body systems. Are there any truly unique features to Lyme disease ?
4. How many antibiotic agents are available ? How many are effective against the bacterium that causes Lyme disease ?

I put these four questions to GIDEON … (more…)

A recent outbreak highlights the fact that New Caledonia has one of the highest rates of leptospirosis in the Pacific region (see graph). In fact, in these islands, Leptospirosis is more common than Salmonellosis, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Gonorrhea and Tuberculosis (see graph).

The following background information regarding Leptospirosis in New Caledonia is abstracted from GIDEON:

Leptospirosis is most common in west coast cattle-farming areas and rural Melanesian settings

• Disease rates are highest in the Bourail area.
• Disease rates peak during March to May.

Notes:

1. An average of 4 fatal cases are reported yearly.
2. 57 cases were diagnosed during 1983 to 1985.
3. 239 cases were reported during 2001 to 2005. The principal serogroups were Icterohaemorrhagiae (69%), Australis (8%), Pyrogenes (6%)

58% of cattle are seropositive.

The principal reservoirs in this country are rodents, pigs, horses and cattle.

The principal species are Leptospira serovars. Icterohaemorrhagiae, tarassovi, pyrogenes, canicola, australis and pomona.

• Serovar tarassovi accounts for 22% of cases, icterohaemorrhagiae 18% and pyrogenes 17%.

Notable outbreaks:
1989 – An outbreak (144 cases, 6 fatal) was reported, with 41% of the cases caused by serovar icterohaemorrhagiae.

Update: Also mentioned in ProMED