Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (5 December 2004)
Ten cases of travel-related malaria infection were reported among European and American returnees from the Dominican Republic in November 2004. All patients except one German traveller visited the Punta Cana area, La Altagracia Province.
As a precautionary measure, CDC, USA recommended anti-malaria chemoprophylaxis for all travellers visiting La Altagracia Province and Duarte Province.
(Source: CDC, USA 24/11/04, ProMED-mail 28/11/04 and 2/12/04)
[Editor Note: La Altagracia Province locates at the east coast of the Dominican Republic. Risk of malaria exists throughout the year in the whole country, especially in rural areas of western provinces. Travellers should prevent mosquito bites and consider anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis when visiting the areas.]
United Kingdom: Meningococcal meningitis
In Scotland there has been an increase in meningitis cases due to meningococcus type B over the past months. Last week there had been 131 cases of meningitis and 2 cases of deaths occurred. Health officials said such B strain claimed most of the 16 meningococcal meningitis deaths this year. There is no vaccine against meningococcus type B available.
(Source: ProMED-mail 29/11/04)
Indonesia and Philippines: Gastroenteritis
In Indonesia, thousands of people in Sulawesi, Java and West Sumatra provinces had been treated for diarrhoea over the past few months.
In 2 southern Cebu towns, Moalboal and Pinamungajan, of the Philippines, 2 people died and over 239 were admitted to hospital due to gastroenteritis caused by a contaminated water supply. The outbreak might be related to the contamination to a leaking pipe of the Moalboal Water District.
(Source: ProMED-mail 29/11/04, 03/12/04)
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health reported that 167 persons developed gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhoea, abdominal pain and vomiting after patronised a restaurant in Mongkok in late November. Laboratory tests on stool samples of three affected persons yielded a positive result for Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Further investigations are continuing.
The usual sources of food poisoning by Vibrio parahaemotyicus include inadequately cooked marine products or other food cross-contaminated by seafood.
(Source: Department of Health, HKSAR 3/12/04)
Japan: Hepatitis E virus infection
Health ministry of Japan confirmed that 6 people, who ate pig liver in August at a barbecue restaurant in Kitami, Hokkaido, contracted hepatitis E virus infection, and one of them died of fulminant hepatitis.
This is the first reported case of the hepatitis E virus in Japan being transmitted to people via ordinary food. The source of infection was most probably the undercooked pig liver. Ministry started urging the public to cook all pork thoroughly before consumption.
(Source: ProMED-mail 28/11/04)
Singapore: Dengue fever [update-4]
The Ministry of Health of Singapore reported that 310 new cases of dengue fever and 6 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever had been recorded last week, making a total of 7,836 cases of dengue fever and 156 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever which is much higher than same period last year.
(Source: Center for Disease Control, Taiwan 2/12/04)
Philippines: Meningococcaemia [update]
Philippines health officials in the Baguio, had recorded 12 meningoccaemia cases, including 5 deaths, since the start of November this year. In Manila 6 cases had been reported, including 3 deaths (see 30 November 2004 digest).
(Source: ProMED-mail 29/11/04)