The incidence of animal rabies in the former Yugoslav republics has changed little since th 1990′s, with most cases reported in Croatia [1,2] – see graph:

References:
1. Berger SA. Rabies: Global Status, 2012. 376 pp, 546 graphs, 1375 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/rabies-global-status/
2. Gideon graph tool at http://www.GIDEONonline.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Gideon-Graphs.pps

The following background data are abstracted from Gideon www.GideonOnline.com and the Gideon e-book series. Primary references avaialable on request.

Time and Place:
Visceral leishmaniasis is most common in the southern region, notably Andalusia, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia and Catalonia.
– Seroprevalence among dogs in this region is lowest during April, peaking during October.
– A restricted focus has been identified in the Piorat region of northeastern Spain.
– A single autochthonous case has been reported from Minorca.

As noted in the following graphs, disease rates have changed little during the past three decades:

Incidence – additional notes:
– 2,028 were hospitalized for leishmaniasis during 1997 to 2008 (0.41 per 100,000 population; 3.35% fatal; 37% HIV-positive)
– 1,180 were hospitalized during 1999 to 2003 (0.4 per 100,000 population)
– 2,028 were hospitalized during 1997 to 2008 (0.41 per 100,000 population)
– 11 cases (0 fatal) were identified among immunocompetent children in southern Madrid during 1994 to 2007.
– 60 deaths were ascribed to leishmaniasis during 1980 to 1994.

Exported cases:
2005 – Three cases were reported among Romanian workers returning from Spain.
2011 (publication year) – A Norwegian child acquired visceral leishmaniasis in Spain.
2012 – An infected dog was imported from Spain into Singapore.

Leishmaniasis and HIV infection:
– 450 cases of HIV/Leishmania coinfection were reported nationwide during 1990 to 1995 (52.4% of the world’s total coinfections); 1,099 during January 1990 to January 2001; 130 during January 2001 to December 2006. 412 during 1996 to 1998; 1,099 as of 2001.
– Spain accounted for 58% of all such coinfections in southwestern Europe during 1990 to 1998.
– 2.49% of AIDS patients in the Madrid region are coinfected with visceral leishmaniasis.
– 228 episodes of visceral leishmaniasis were diagnosed in 155 HIV-infected patients in Valencia and Murcia during 1988 to 2001.

Transmission through sharing of needles by injecting drug abusers has been reported.
– Approximately 30% of IVDA in southern Spain are seropositive.
– Evidence for Leishmania is found in 52% of discarded syringes collected in southern Madrid (1998) and 34% from southwestern Madrid (2000 to 2001).

Leishmania infantum has been identified in some cases of cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis

Prevalence surveys:
2.4% of asymptomatic blood donors in Elvissa (Belearic Islands) have been found to have cryptic infection by ELISA – 7.6% by Western blot (2004 publication)
2% of humans, 0.6% of rabbits and 67% of dogs in southeastern Spain (PCR, 2011 publication)
20.5% of wolves (Canis lupus), 14.1% of foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 28.6% of Egyptian mongooses (Herpestes ichneumon), 1 of 4 genets (Geneta geneta), and 1 of 4 Iberian lynxes (Lynx pardinus) (2008 publication)
29.4% of dogs in the Barcelona region (PCR, 2009 publication)
43.8% of kennel dogs in Majorca (PCR, 2010 publication)
19.6% of seronegative blood samples in a canine blood bank (Leishmanial DNA, Barcelona, 2008 publication)
44% of dogs, 26% of feral cats, 39% of pine materns (Martes martes) and 10% of common genets (Genetta genetta) (Mallorca, PCR, 2011 publication)
3.7% of cats in Madrid (2011 publication)

Seroprevalence surveys:
3.1% of blood donors from the Balearic Islands. (Majorca, Formentera, and Minorca, 2008 publication)
4.9% of the general population in Castilla Leon, and 64.0% of HIV-positive patients (1996)
11.5% of children and 52.8% of adults in Alicante, southeastern region are skin test-positive (1997 to 1998)
2% of humans, 0% of rabbits and 7% of dogs in southeastern Spain (2011 publication)
5.25% of dogs in the Madrid area
7.8% of stray dogs in the Madrid region (1996 to 2006)
13% of dogs on Mallorca are infected; 3.7% in northwestern Spain (2004 publication)
30% of dogs in northeastern Spain (2006 publication)
22% of dogs in Crevillente town, Alicante (1999)
13.0% of dogs in the Alpujarras region of southeastern Spain – with highest rates in larger, older dogs which live outdoors (2006)
8.1% of dogs in the Madrid region (2006 to 2007)
5.3% of shelter dogs in central Spain (2010 publication)
3% of cats in Barcelona (2007 publication)
1.29% of cats in Madrid (2005 to 2006)
6.29% of cats in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands (2007 publication)
13.2% of cats on Ibiza (2010 publication)

Leishmania infantum has been identified in captive wolves (Canis lupus) in northern Spain (2008 publication)
– Leishmania infantum has been identified in pine materns (Martes martes) and common genets (Genetta genetta) on Mallorca (PCR, 2011 publication)

Vectors:
The vectors in Spain are Phlebotomus (Larroussius) ariasi and Ph. (La.) perniciosus.

References:
1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of Spain, 2012. 557 pp, 194 graphs, 2,850 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-spain/
2. Berger SA. Visceral Leishmaniasis: Global Status, 2012. 88 pp, 73 graphs, 832 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/visceral-leishmaniasis-global-status/

Note featured on ProMED

Tick-borne encephalitis was first reported in Hungary in 1977. [1,2] The disease is most common in forested, hilly areas of the western and northern regions. Highest incidence is reported from western Hungary, west of the Danube; the region surrounding the Balaton extending to the Austrian and Croatian borders; the areas to the west and north of Budapest, along the border to the Slovak Republic.

High rates are reported in the areas surrounding Zala, Somogy, Vas (western Hungary) and Nograd (northern Hungary). Sporadic cases occur on the river Theil, the areas east of Miskolc. Disease rates correlate with proximity to a forested habitat within a 2500-meter radius of a town or village.

The incidence of TBE in Hungary has decreased somewhat since the 1990′s and continues to be similar to those of bordering countries – see graph. [3]

The second graph compares the incidence of TBE with those of other arthropod-borne diseases in Hungary.

Seroprevalence surveys:
26.5% of cattle, 7.0% of sheep, and 0.0% of horses in northeastern Hungary (2008 publication)

Notable outbreaks:
2007 – An outbreak (25 cases) was associated with consumption of raw goat milk.

References:
1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of Hungary, 2012. 406 pp, 131 graphs, 1336 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-hungary/
2. Berger SA. Tick-borne Encephalitis: Global Status, 2012. 57 pp, 45 graphs, 429 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/tick-borne-encephalitis-global-status/
3. Gideon graph tool at http://www.GIDEONonline.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Gideon-Graphs.pps

Rates of salmonellosis in Canada are strikingly similar to those of giardiasis, and low in comparison with rates reported by the other major English-speaking countries. [1-3] [1-3] See graphs:

References:
1. Gideon graph tool at http://www.GIDEONonline.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Gideon-Graphs.pps
2. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of Canada, 2012. 496 pp, 107 graphs, 3130 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-canada/
3. Berger SA. Salmonellosis: Global Status, 2012. 252 pp, 300 graphs, 2297 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/salmonellosis-global-status/

Similar rates of ornithosis are reported in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [1,2] See graph:

Highest incidence is reported from the South West and West Midlands regions of England (agricultural region) – accounting for 53% of cases in 2006, and 52% in 2007.

Seroprevalence surveys:
11.1% of farmers in Northern Ireland (1990 publication)
61% of duck workers and 23% of workers with other poultry (England and Wales, 1980)

Notable outbreaks:
1976 (publication year) – An outbreak of ornithosis was reported in Leicestershire.
1979 to 1980 – An outbreak was reported among duck workers in Norfolk
1980 – An outbreak (24 cases) in a boys’ boarding school was originally ascribed to ornithosis 4 , but later found to be caused by Chlamydophila pneumoniae.
1981 (publication year) – An outbreak (15 cases) was reported among veterinary surgeons attending a training course 6
1985 – An outbreak (13 cases) was reported among workers at a duck-processing plant.
1989 (publication year) – An outbreak (3 cases) among members of a family in Glasgow was related to purchase of a cockatiel.
1991 (publication year) – An outbreak (7 cases, 2 fatal) in Grampian was related to a local pet shop.
1995 (publication year) – An outbreak (9 cases) was reported in Dudley.
2003 – An outbreak (80 or more fatal cases) was reported among exotic birds at an Aberdeen zoo.

References:
1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of the United Kingdom, 2012. 1029 pages, 797 graphs, 3290 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-the-united-kingdom/
2. Berger SA. Ornithosis: Global Status, 2012. 37 pages, 30 graphs, 191 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/ornithosis-global-status/

[comment on Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever - Venezuela: (PO)]

A recent posting in ProMED described three arenaviruses found in South America: Guanarito virus, Machupo virus and Junin virus. Three additional human pathogens have been reported in the Americas: Sabia virus (Brazilian hemorrhagic fever) first reported in Sao Paulo in 1990; Whitewater Arroyo virus implicated in cases of fatal hemorrhagic fever in California during 1999 to 2000; and Ocozocoautla de Espinosa virus, recently described as a possible cause of hemorrhagic fever in southern Mexico.

References:
1. Berger SA. American Hemorrhagic Fevers: Global Status, 2012. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/american-hemorrhagic-fevers-global-status/
2. Cajimat MNB, Milazzo ML, Bradley RD, Fulhorst CF. Ocozocoautla de Espinosa virus and hemorrhagic fever, Mexico. Emerg Infect Dis 2012; 18:401-405.

Note featured in ProMED

Although disease rates in Honduras have tended to be slightly higher than those of neighboring countries for much of the past five decades, the incidence of malaria in the region has been decreasing since 2000. [1-3] See graph:

1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of Honduras, 2012. 355 pp, 66 graphs, 1182 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-honduras/
2. Malaria: Global Status, 2012. 398 pp, 537 graphs, 2128 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/malaria-global-status/
3. Gideon graph tool at http://www.GIDEONonline.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Gideon-Graphs.pps

Note featured on ProMED

Recent sporadic cases of rabies associated with a dog and a cat belie the fact that most animal rabies in Romania involves foxes. [1,2] See graph:

In fact, the incidence of fox rabies in Romania excedes that reported by adjacent countries. [3] See graph:

1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of Romania, 2012. 389 pp, 107 graphs, 1349 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-romania/
2. Gideon graph tool at http://www.GIDEONonline.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Gideon-Graphs.pps
3. Berger SA. Rabies: Global Status, 2012. 376 pp, 546 graphs, 1375 references. Gideon e-book series, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/rabies-global-status/

Note featured on ProMED

A recent outbreak in Aukland belies the fact that rates of hepatitis A in New Zealand are low. In fact, since 2000 incidence figures for all forms of viral hepatitis in this country have even been exceeded by those of leptospirosis and rheumatic fever [1] – see graph [2]:

During the same period, rates of hepatitis A among the six major English-speaking countries have been decreasing, and continue to be surprisingly similar – see graph:

Only one country in this group, the United States, employs routine vaccination against Hepatitis A. Two other countries, Canada and Australia, administer the vaccine to high-risk populations only. [2]

References:
1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of New Zealand, 2012. 413 pp, 136 graphs, 1534 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-new-zealand/
2. Gideon graph tool at http://www.GIDEONonline.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Gideon-Graphs.pps
3. Berger SA. Hepatitis A: Global Status, 2012. 166 pp, 181 graphs, 1189 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/hepatitis-a-global-status/

Note featured in ProMED

Dr. Steve Berger has been invited to demonstrate Gideon at the 9th Asia Pacific Travel Health Conference, to be held in Singapore during May 2 through May 5, 2012. His session will take place during Workshop 05 (“Resources in Travel Medicine”), on May 5, between 14:00 to 15:30. All Conference attendees will be offered a free copy of the new 2012 edition of Infectious Diseases of Singapore (395 pages, 111 graphs, 1,492 references). This is one of a series of Gideon e-books which summarize the status of every disease, in every country of the world.

Further information on the conference is available at:
http://www2.kenes.com/apthc/