Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (13 February 2005)
The number of cases of leptospirosis continued to rise in Guyana after the flood in January. The death toll had now climbed to 16. Prophylaxis was being distributed to 120,000 persons in the flooded areas.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by contact with urine excreted by infected mammals primarily through skin abrasions, open wounds or mucous membranes. Patients commonly present with a flu-like illness with high fever, headache, muscle pains, red eye, sore throat and rash.
(Source: ProMED-mail 10/2/05)
United Kingdom: Lymphogranuloma venereum
There had been 24 confirmed cases of Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) in England since October last year. All were homosexual men and 17 of them were also HIV-positive.
In recent months, cases of LGV had been newly reported in Western Europe (the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Sweden and Germany) and the USA (California, Texas, Georgia and New York).
(Source: ProMED-mail 7/2/05)
[Editor Note: LGV is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. Both sexes can be affected. Symptoms may include fever, genital ulcers (small and painless), lymph node swelling in the groin and proctitis (inflammation of rectum). It is endemic in certain areas of Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean, but is not commonly seen in Western world previously.]
Saudi Arabia had been polio-free since 1995, but 2 cases were found there late last year. The government started a sweeping poliomyelitis inoculation campaign in September last year, hoping to head off the threat before the height of the pilgrimage in late January this year. The World Health Organization officials fear that polio could be spreading around the world by returning pilgrims.
(Source: ProMED-mail 11/2/05)
An outbreak of jaundice had affected some areas of Uttam Nagar near Punjab, with about 65 cases of jaundice being detected. Etiology of the outbreak was still under investigation.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8/2/05)
Since mid-January, Nipah virus had caused at least 12 deaths and a further 32 infections in Bangladesh. The latest outbreak began in Tangail district, north of capital Dhaka, where 13 people developed a fever and became unconscious after drinking the juice of local palm fruits.
Strong evidence of human-to-human transmission of Nipah virus was found for the first time in the outbreak last year. Infected patients may develop influenza-like symptoms such as fever and muscle pain. Disorientation or coma may occur in some cases. Around half of the symptomatic cases are fatal.
(Source: ProMED-mail 11/2/05)
Government officials of Indonesia reported an outbreak of rabies with 44 deaths in East Nusa Tenggara in the beginning of February. In order to control the outbreak, the government had shot dead over 200 dogs suspected of having the virus, and vaccinated the remaining healthy dogs.
(Source: ProMED-mail 9/2/05)
Guangxi, Beijing: Road traffic accident
Four Hong Kong tourists died and 20 others were injured in two road traffic accidents in Guilin, Guangxi and in Changping, Beijing on 11 February.
(Source: Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong 12/2/05)
[Editor Note: Hong Kong tourists should pay more attention to road safety when travelling in the Mainland. They should choose travel agents with good reputation. They may take out travel insurance before the trip. During travel on board, travellers should put on safety belts. Pay attention to the surrounding environment and speed of the coaches. Inform the drivers to slow down and observe the road safety rules when necessary.]
Mainland: Meningococcal meningitis [update-2]
Up to February this year, nearly 300 cases of meningococcal meningitis had been reported from 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Of these, 62 came from Anhui, 20 from Henan, 19 from Hebei, 16 each from Jiangsu and Sichuan.
Ministry of Health indicated that the meningitis figures were comparable with that of previous years. The incidence rate in January this year slightly increased as compared with the same period last year but decreased as compared with the same period in 2002 and 2003.
(Source: Ministry of Health, China 5/2//05)
Timor-Leste: Dengue hemorrhagic fever [update]
Up to last week, the World Health Organization had received reports of 178 cases of dengue fever infection and 16 deaths. More than 70% of the cases had clinical features compatible with dengue hemorrhagic fever. Districts reporting the cases are Baucau, Dili, Liquica, Maliana and Manatuto, with the majority of cases reported from Dili. The local health authority had organized vector control activities to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.
(Source: World Health Organization 10/2/05)
In Selangor of Malaysia, government recorded a total of 2,707 dengue fever cases this year, nearly a 3-fold increase compared with last year. The capital Kuala Lumpur was one of the worst-affected places, with the number infected rising from 176 two weeks ago to 336 last week.
Singapore was experiencing its most serious dengue fever outbreak for more than a decade. A total of 1,145 cases were diagnosed last month alone.
A total of 5,064 dengue fever cases, including at least 113 deaths, had been reported in Indonesia.
Dengue fever made a comeback in southern province of Surat Thani of Thailand, with 70 cases reported this year.
(Source: ASEAN Disease Surveillance Net 8-12/2/05)
Southeast Asia: Avian influenza [update-24]
In Vietnam, avian influenza had killed 13 people including a Cambodian woman and affected 35 out of 64 cities and provinces since December last year.
In Kampot Province of Cambodia, after the death of the first human case in the country in late January, the health officials of the country and the World Health Organization had stepped up surveillance in the province.
In Thailand, Phitsanulok, Phichit and Suphan Buri were classified as avian influenza-stricken areas. Another 19 provinces were on the watch list.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8-10/2/05)