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

Time and Place:
Trichinosis was first documented in China in 1918.
- Disease prevalence in Beijing was estimated at 0.3% in 1918 and 0.16% in 1919.
- The principal foci of trichinosis are located in the southeast, center and northeast.
- As of 1999, 17 or the country’s provinces and autonomous regions report the disease.
- 4,033 cases (73 fatal) were reported during 1964 to 1979; 5,558 in 1983; 15,599 (141 fatal) during 1980 to 1989; 5,529 (26 fatal) during 1990 to 2002.
- 88.6% of clinical cases and 99.6% of fatal cases during 1964 to 2002 were reported from Yunnan, Guangxi and Tibet.

Prevalence surveys:
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With reference to a recent outbreak of KFD in Karanatka, India, an effective and safe vaccine has been available for over 15 years. 88,152 persons were immunized in trials during 1990 to 1992, with no report of adverse effects. The formalin-inactivated vaccine is prepared from tissue culture, and administered at a dose of 1.0 ml sc (0.5 ml below age 6), with a booster dose after 4 weeks.

The geographic distribution of this group of viruses is not restricted to Karanatka. For example, 22.4% of persons living in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were found to be seropositive toward KFD in 2002; and closely related agents are reported in Saudi Arabia (Alkhurma virus) and China (Nanjianyin virus).

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 of chickenpox among foreign workers in Singapore was not unexpected. Since 1990, Singapore has reported some of the highest reported rates of varicella in the region. In the attached graph I’ve compared recent reporting statistics with those of neighboring countries. Rates for the United States are included for comparison.

Update: Appeared in ProMED

A recent report of Hemorrhagic Fever and Renal Syndrome (HFRS) activity in Finland reminds us that this country continues to report the highest rates for Hantavirus infection in the region. In the attached graph, I’ve compared disease reporting in Finland with that of neighboring countries.

Update: Appeared in ProMED

Steve Berger quoted in ProMED:

Although vaccine coverage in Qatar has lagged slightly behind those of neighboring countries, a slight increase in disease incidence during 2007 belies the fact that measles cases have been dramatically reduced through expanded immunization since 1990. This graph illustrates regional vaccine coverage estimates, and this graph displays trends in measles incidence for Qatar in comparison with concurrent vaccine coverage.

Rates of tick-borne infections in the United States have been increasing dramatically since 2000. See attached graph (Lyme disease displayed as cases/100,000 to allow fit). Although this phenomenon might reflect changes in human population density and artifacts of reporting and diagnosis, I suspect that these data are related to increasing tick and animal reservoir populations.

Update: Also referenced in ProMED

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