AUSTRALIA: Territory issues warning after melioidosis death
BOLIVIA: Dengue deaths, cases mount
CAMBODIA: Hopes for end to dengue epidemic
FRANCE: Concern over high rates of gastro
INDONESIA: New suspected bird flu death; Chikungunya spreads in West Java
INDIA: Hyderabad mozzies carrying 2 diseases
MARSHALL ISLANDS, YAP: Dengue cases slow to a trickle
NEPAL: 16 treated for rabies
PHILIPPINES: Leptospirosis outbreak in Iligan city
UGANDA: Fresh testing to solve nodding disease mystery
ZAMBIA: Typhoid outbreak slows
FLU WATCH: Northern Hemisphere flu season underway, says WHO
AUSTRALIA: Territory issues warning after melioidosis death
Northern Territory health authorities warn it may be another bad year for the soil-borne disease, melioidosis following a death last week. There have been 18 cases so far this wet season, following record case numbers in the Top End in the last two years. Read more.
Advice to travellers: Melioidosis is a disease endemic in tropical Southeast Asia and northern Australia, where the bacteria (Burkholderia pseudomallei) are found in contaminated water and soil. While below the soil’s surface during the dry season, the bacteria can be found in surface water and mud, becoming airborne, after heavy rain. People with diabetes or chronic renal disease are at higher risk of infection. Read more.
BOLIVIA: Dengue deaths, cases mount
There have been 5 deaths, 300 serious infections, 5000 confirmed dengue fever cases in the last month, mainly in eastern areas of Santa Cruz and central Cochabamba. Read more (ProMED alert, January 9).
CAMBODIA: Hopes for end to dengue epidemic
2011 was a dengue ‘annus horribilis’ for Cambodia. While official case numbers rose by 26% from 12,500 to 15,805, fatalities rose 89% from 38 to 72, mainly children. Authorities say extensive flooding from August to October added to a year of large-scale, cyclic outbreaks. Read more
Advice to travellers: While the disease occurs year round, the highest risk period is the May-October rainy season. Dengue continues to be a risk for travellers to tropical regions. There is no vaccine or preventative medication. Travellers should cover up and apply an insect repellent containing effective active ingredients, such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus, to exposed skin at all times when outdoors.
FRANCE: Concern over high rates of gastro
Six scattered regions of France have markedly exceeded the epidemic threshold for gastroenteritis, although it is not yet known if one large outbreak related to a common source or multiple unrelated outbreaks of unrelated pathogens. Far exceeding the 282 cases threshold were Nord-Pas-de-Calais (884 recorded cases), Aquitaine (308), Alsace (319), Provence-alpes-Cote-d'Azur (327), Lower Normandy (339), and Languedoc-Roussillon (571). Read more (ProMED alert, January 9).
INDONESIA: New suspected bird flu death; Chikungunya spreads in West Java
Bird flu is suspected in the death of a 23-year-old man from North Jakarta. If confirmed it will be Indonesia’s first avian influenza virus infection for 2012. There have been 182 confirmed cases resulting in 150 deaths since 2005. Read more (ProMED alert, January 9).
Chikungunya fever has spread from Limo, a subdistrict of Depok City in West Java, to the neighbouring districts of Tanah Baru and Pancoran Mas. With more than 200 cases recorded, the outbreak follows a similar one in West Sumatra and Central Java in recent months. Read more.
INDIA: Mozzies carry 2 diseases; Hopes for end to polio
Cases where mosquitoes are transmitting both dengue fever and Chikungunya fever are on the rise in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Areas affected by the Chikungunya virus overlap with dengue fever-endemic areas and provide opportunities for mosquitoes to become infected with both the viruses. Read more.
MARSHALL, YAP ISLANDS: Dengue cases slow to a trickle
Only scattered cases of dengue fever continue to be reported by the Pacific Island neighbours. The Marshall Islands has recorded 1400 cases and Yap Islands 900. Surprisingly, the WHO says the outbreaks are not connected, with different strains responsible for each. Read more.
NEPAL: 16 treated for rabies
Sixteen people received post-exposure treatment for rabies on Sunday after being bitten by a rabid dog in the streets of Jamunagachhi, in southeast Nepal. Read more.
Advice to travellers: In this report ProMED comments that “Canine rabies remains endemic in Nepal and is a serious problem in urban and rural areas, despite continuous surveillance control activities”. To find out if rabies vaccination may be recommended for your trip to Nepal or another rabies-endemic country call Travelvax Australia’s travel health advisory service on 1300 360 164 (landlines toll free). Read more on rabies.
PHILIPPINES: Leptospirosis outbreak in Iligan city
Iligan city (Lanao del Norte province) has followed Cagayan de Oro with an official declaration of leptospirosis following 9 deaths. Iligan, Cagayan de Oro, and Negros Oriental have reported 439 leptospirosis cases after a tropical storm caused devastating flooding. Read more.
In Cebu City (Cebu province) there has been a suspected dengue fatality. If confirmed, it will be the first for 2012. Last year the city recorded 13 deaths and 1680 residents were hospitalised. Read more.
Advice to travellers: For short-stay travellers, leishmaniasis generally presents a low risk. However, the disease is widespread in the tropics, subtropics, and even southern Europe, so an effective repellent is recommended to avoid sand fly bites. Read more on leishmaniasis.
UGANDA: Fresh testing to solve nodding disease mystery
After initial tests failed to reveal a cause, new investigations are underway to identify what’s causing the mysterious ‘nodding disease’ that had killed more than 100 people and infected 2000 others, many of them children. Read more.
ZAMBIA: Typhoid outbreak slows
The number of typhoid patients in Mupambe Township has risen to 2100, but the outbreak reported last week has slowed to 30 patients a day. Authorities believe farmers trying to tap into water pipes first tapped into sewer lines, contaminating the drinking supply of the township’s 3000 residents. Read more
Advice to travellers: Typhoid is spread by contaminated food and water. Vaccination is more likely to be recommended for travellers visiting rural areas and ‘adventurous’ eaters as the disease generally presents a low risk for those staying in hotels or resorts for short stays. All travellers should follow safe food and water guidelines.
FLU WATCH: Northern Hemisphere flu season underway, says WHO
The number of cases of flu being reported in Spain, northern Africa, and parts of Canada indicates that the Northern Hemisphere flu season is now underway, according to the WHO. Read more.
Travelvax Australia compiles this weekly bulletin of global travel health alerts, risk assessments and advice for the information of Australian travellers and the travel industry. Please contact our travel health advisory service on 1300 360 164 for broad destination-specific advice and vaccination recommendations. Recommended vaccines, travel medication, trip-specific advice and accessories are available during a medical consultation with a travel health professional at any of Travelvax Australia’s 32 clinics. Visit our website or call 1300 360 164 for details