Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (16 October 2005)
In Russia, 48 cases of Viral Meningitis had been reported in Sverdlovsk region. Investigation revealed that an enterovirus (human echovirus type 6), an agent that could be propagated by droplet-transmission, was the likely cause of the outbreak.
(Source: ProMED-mail 14 & 16 October 2005)
Russia: Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome
Since the beginning of 2005, more than 100 cases of Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome had been reported in the Mariy El Republic, Russia.
(Source: ProMED-mail 15 October 2005)
Russia: Hepatitis A [update-4]
In the Nizhniy Novgorod region of Russia, 1 729 cases (including 360 children) of Hepatitis A infection had been reported. A malfunction of the public water supply was regarded as the most likely cause of the outbreak.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 October 2005)
Turkey: Belgian travellers contracted Cholera in Turkey
In Belgium, 2 confirmed and 4 probable cases of Cholera had been reported in mid-September after they had returned from a tour to west Turkey and Istanbul. All tour group members were advised to consult their doctors. Patients were advised to limit their contacts and to apply hygienic measures to prevent further transmission.
(Source: Eurosurveillance 13 October 2005)
In Guinea-Bissau, 18 000 Cholera cases including 295 deaths had been reported since 11 June.
In Senegal, a total of 25 573 Cholera cases including 352 deaths had been reported up to 2 October.
In Gambia, a total of at least 20 Cholera cases were identified in September. No death case was reported.
(Source: ProMED-mail 14 October 2005)
In Jiaxing of Zhejiang Province of the Mainland, a total of 158 cases of Cholera had been reported since 25 August when the first case was found. In the Shanghai Municipality, 7 Cholera cases were reported between July and September. No deaths had been reported in these localities.
From June to September, 638 Cholera cases were reported in the Mainland. Most of them were in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces.
(Source: ProMED-mail 14 October 2005)
India and Nepal: Japanese Encephalitis [update]
In northern India states Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, 15 more people had died of Japanese Encephalitis, bringing the total number of deaths to 1 038. About 300 deaths had also been reported in neighboring Nepal.
(Source: ProMED-mail 11 October 2005)
Turkey: Avian Influenza, bird [update]
The World Organisation for Animal Health confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza virus in the turkey samples collected from Balikesir of Turkey. As of 15 October, no human infection was found in Turkey.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 13 October 2005, ProMED-mail 16 October 2005)
[Editor’s Note: Balikesir is situated in the north-western part of Marmara region. Evidence to date indicates that the H5N1 virus does not spread easily from birds to infect humans. Travellers to areas affected by Avian Influenza should avoid visiting any poultry farms, contacting with poultry or birds or sick persons, and should consume only well cooked poultry products.]
Romania: Avian Influenza, bird [update]
In Romania, duck samples collected in Danube delta last week were confirmed to contain the highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza virus. Culling of poultry in the nearby villages was being carried out.
(Source: ProMED-mail 16 October 2005)
Indonesia: Avian Influenza, human [update]
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia reported its fifth confirmed human case of H5N1 Avian Influenza. The patient was a 21-year-old man from Lampung, Sumatra, who developed symptoms on 20 September and was hospitalised on 24 September in a stable condition. Initial investigation revealed that the patient had direct exposure to diseased and dying chickens in his household before the onset of illness.
(Source: World Health Organization 10 October 2005, ProMED-mail 12 October 2005)