The following background on Barmah Forest Disease in Australia is abstracted from Gideon www.GideonOnline.com and the Gideon e-book series. [1,2]

Barmah Forest disease virus was first isolated from mosquitoes (Culex annulirostris) in the Barmah Forest, Northern Victoria in 1974. Human infection was subsequently reported along the south coast of New South Wales during the mid-1980′s; in Queensland during 1988 to 1989; in the Northern Territory in 1992 ; and in southwestern Western Australia in 1993. A new focus was described in Gippsland (Victoria) during 1993 to 1994. The number of localities reporting Barmah Forest Disease increased during 1996 to 1998, and again during 1999 to 2001.

Disease incidence has increased somewhat since 2000, with most cases reported from Queensland and New South Wales. In the following chart, I have contrasted incidence data for Barmah Forest disease with those of a similar illness, Ross River disease [3]

Seroprevalence surveys:
6.5% of healthy adults in Queensland.
11.3% of horses in Brisbane, 1.2% of dogs, 10.7% of bushtail possum (Trichosaurus volpecula) , 1.5% of cats, 0% of flying foxes (1977 to 1999) 8

Vectors:
- The known vectors are Ochlerotatus vigilax, Culex annulirostris, Ae. (Oc.) camptorhynchus, Ae. normanensis and Coquillettidia species.
- Aedes notoscriptus is considered an additional potential vector.
- BFD virus has also been recovered from Aedes vigilax in eastern Australia (2005 to 2008)

Wallabies and kangaroos serve as reservoirs for the virus; however, antibody is also present in cattle and horses.

Related viruses:
- Similar local illnesses have been ascribed to Trubanaman and Gan Gan viruses (Bunyaviridae); and Kokobera, Stratford and Edge Hill viruses (Flaviviridae).
- A single human case of Edge Hill virus infection has been described.
- A case of Kokobera fever was reported from Darwin in 1998.
- Kokobera virus has been isolated from Culex annulirostris in the Northern Territory and northern Queensland.
- Kokobera virus was isolated from 18 of 25,351 Cx. annulirostris tested in Cape York in 1998.

Notable outbreaks:
1992 to 1994 – An outbreak (22 cases) of Barmah Forest disease was reported in the south-west of Western Australia.
1995 – An outbreak (135 cases) was reported along the south coast of New South Wales.
2002 – An outbreak (47 cases) was reported in Victoria.
2002 to 2003 – An outbreak (297 cases) was reported in Queensland.
2005 to 2006 – An outbreak (1,895 cases) was reported.

References:
1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of Australia, 2013. 540 pages, 162 graphs, 3364 references. http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-australia/
2. Berger SA. Australo-Pacific Arboviruses: Global Status, 2013. 32 pages, 20 graphs, 307 references. http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/australo-pacific-arboviruses-global-status/
3. Gideon Graph Tool, see tutorial at http://www.GIDEONonline.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Gideon-Graphs.pps

Note featured on ProMed

Although childhood vaccination has registered considerable success during the past three decades, Afghanistan continues to lag behind other nations in the region. In the following charts I have contrasted WHO estimates of vaccine uptake in Afghanstan with those of bordering countries. [1-3]

References:
1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of Afghanistan, 2012. 326 pages, 37 graphs, 1239 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-afghanistan/
2. Berger SA. Pertussis: Global Status, 2012. 340 pages, 506 graphs, 401 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/pertussis-global-status/
3. Gideon Graph Tool, see tutorial at http://www.GIDEONonline.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Gideon-Graphs.pps

Note featured on ProMED

Gideon www.GideonOnline.com lists 31 species of bacteria which have been associated with human infection following the bites of animals:
- Bacteroides tectus
- Bergeyella zoohelcum
- Bisgaard’s taxon
- Capnocytophaga canimorsus
- Corynebacterium canis
- Capnocytophaga cynodegmi
- Corynebacterium freiburgense
- Corynebacterium kutscheri
- CDC NO-1
- Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
- Fusobacterium canifelinum
- Halomonas venusta
- Kingella potus
- Moraxella canis
- Mycobacterium vulneris
- Neisseria animaloris
- Neisseria canis
- Neisseria weaveri
- Neisseria zoodegmatis
- Pasteurella caballi
- Pasteurella canis
- Pasteurella dagmatis
- Pasteurella multocida
- Pasteurella stomatis
- Psychrobacter immobilis
- Spirillum minus
- Staphylococcus intermedius
- Streptobacillus moniliformis
- Vibrio charchariae
- Vibrio harveyi

Although virtually all literature on the subject advocates administration of tetanus prophylaxis following animal bites, few if any cases of bite-associated tetanus have been documented.

Leprosy data for the Western Pacific Region indicate that disease incidence is highest in the Philippines, Vietnam and China. In the following graph, I have contrasted incidence and prevalence statistics for countries mentioned in the ProMED note, with population-adjusted rates for these same data. [1,2] Note that the numbers of cases per 100,000 population are highest in Micronesia, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands. See graph:

References:
1. Berger SA. Leprosy: Global Status, 2012. 236 pp, 376 graphs, 226 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/leprosy-global-status/
2. Gideon graph tool at http://www.GIDEONonline.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/Gideon-Graphs.pps

Note featured on ProMED

The following background information on Scrub typhus in India is abstracted from Gideon www.GideonOnline.com and the Gideon e-book series. [1]

Rickettsia tsutsugamushi is one of seven Rickettsia and Rickettsia-like organisms which have been associated with human infection in India (the others are Rickettsia sibirica, Rickettsia conorii subsp. indica, Candidatus Rickettsia kellyi, Rickettsia typhi, Rickettsia prowazekii and Coxiella burnetii)

Epidemics of scrub typhus were previously reported among troops stationed in the north and east.

Risk factors include living close to bushes and wood piles, work on farms, observation of rodents at home and at work, and raising domestic animals (Darjeeling, West Bengal, 2009 publication)

Exported cases:
- Three cases of imported scrub typhus were reported in the United States during 1983 to 1988 – all originating in India.
- In 2002, a Belgian traveler developed scrub typhus following a trip to India.

17 fatal cases were reported in Himachal during 2001 to 2002.
- 21 cases (3 fatal) were reported in Himchal Pradesh during 2004.
- Nine cases were confirmed in Uttarakhand (2010 publication)
- 29 cases were reported from a hospital in Manipal, Karnataka during 2009.

Prevalence surveys:
24.1% of febrile hospitalized patients in Vellore (2006 publication)
15% of children below age 14 hospitalized for fever in Tamil Nadu (2003 to 2004)
14.3% of children hospitalized with fever and at least one suggestive feature of rickettsial infection (central India, 2011 publication)
37.5% of febrile malaria-negative patients in Tamil Nadu in 2004, and 9.2% in 2005
47.5% of patients hospitalized for acute undifferentiated febrile illness in Vellore, Tamil Nadu (2010 publication)

The principal vector is Leptotrombidium deliense.
- Schoengastiella ligula mites infesting shrews (Suncus murinus) were identified as vectors during an outbreak in Kurseong, Darjeeling.
-
Notable outbreaks:
2001 to 2002 – An outbreak (28 cases, 3 fatal) was reported in Tamil Nadu.
2003 – An outbreak (225 cases, 19 fatal) was reported in Himachal Pradesh.
2006 to 2008 – An outbreak (50 cases) was reported in Pondicherry.
2007 – An outbreak (38 cases) was reported in Bishnupur district, Manipur.
2009 to 2010 – An outbreak (80 cases, 5 fatal) was reported in Meghalaya.
2011 – Outbreaks were reported in Himachal Pradesh (200 cases, 13 fatal) and Nagaland (9 cases, 3 fatal).

References:
1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of India, 2011. 480 pp, 65 graphs, 3503 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-india/

Reproduced on ProMED

Notwithstanding an ongoing outbreak in northern Bohemia, the Czech Republic has managed to reduce mumps to levels comparable to those of the United States. In the following graph, I have contrasted rates per 100,000 population for these two countries:

Graph generation system outlined in [1])

Note that a precipitous decline in mumps in the Czech Republic followed the introuction of widespread MMR vaccination in 1987. [2,3]

1. Gideon Graphs module tutorial Gideon Graphs
2. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of the Czech Republic, 2011. 424 pp, 139 graphs, 1192 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-the-czech-republic/
3. Berger SA. Mumps: Global Status, 2011. 157 pp, 187 graphs, 390 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/mumps-global-status/

Reproduced by ProMED

Mexico offers a useful paradigm for the impact of canine rabies control on human disease. The attached graph contrasts reports of dog rabies vs. rates per 100,000 humans in this country. [1,2]

References:
1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of Mexico, 2011. 446 pp, 128 graphs, 1655 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-mexico/
2. Berger SA. Rabies: Global Status, 2011. 366 pages, 546 graphs, 1056 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/rabies-global-status/

The attached graph summarizes successive waves in the occurrence of Influenza H5N1 among individual countries. Incidence peaked in Thailand in 2004, Vietnam in 2005 and Indonesia in 2006; while most reports during 2009 to 2010 originated from Egypt. [1]

References:
1. Berger SA. Infectious Diseases of the World, 2011. 987 pp, 383 graphs, 12,492 references. Gideon e-books, http://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-the-world/

Mike Homer passed away yesterday from CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). CJD is a rare neurological disease, which can be infectious, but wasn’t in this case.

Mike was one of my senior managers at Netscape, who I always held in high regard. I’m saddened by this event and hope this will help accelerate research into a cure for the disease.

(In addition to its decision support application dealing with Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Toxicology, GIDEON Informatics, Inc as part of GIDEON Labs, maintains a second service – www.VIPatients.com – which follows the diseases and deaths of all famous persons throughout history. The user can review all diseases of a specific VIP, or generate a list of famous persons by Profession, Disease, Year – or any combination. The following is based on data generated from the site).

On December 31, the Media will once again recount all of the wars, earthquakes, divorces, births, rapes, sporting records …. Inevitably, a long list of famous persons will have passed on: most “after a long illness,” “suddenly” or “of natural causes.” 427 famous folk died of specified misfortunes in 2008. For the purpose of this research, “famous” is defined as “well recognized by the general public at large.”

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