1/4. Rabies surveillance in the united states during 2000.During 2000, 49 states, the district of columbia, and puerto rico reported 7,364 cases of rabies in nonhuman animals and 5 cases in human beings to the Centers for disease Control and Prevention, an increase of 4.3% from 7,067 cases in nonhuman animals reported in 1999. Ninety-three percent (6,855 cases) were in wild animals, whereas 6.9% (509 cases) were in domestic species (compared wth 91.5% in wild animals and 8.5% in domestic species in 1999). Compared with cases reported in 1999, the number of cases reported in 2000 increased among bats, dogs, foxes, skunks, and sheep/goats and decreased among cats, cattle, horses/mules, raccoons, and swine. The relative contributions of the major groups of animals were as follows: raccoons (37.7%; 2,778 cases), skunks (30.2%; 2,223), bats (16.8%; 1,240), foxes (6.2%; 453), cats (3.4%; 249), dogs (1.6%; 114), and cattle (1.1%; 83). Ten of the 19 states where the raccoon-associated variant of the rabies virus has been enzootic reported increases in the numbers of cases of rabies during 2000. Among those states that have engaged in extensive wildlife rabies control programs, no cases of rabies associated with the epizootic of rabies in raccoons (or in any other terrestrial species) were reported in ohio, compared with 6 cases reported in 1999. No rabies cases associated with the dog/coyote variant (compared with 10 cases in 1999, including 5 in dogs) were reported in texas, and cases associated with the gray fox variant of the virus decreased (58 cases in 2000, including 38 among foxes). Reports of rabid skunks exceeded those of rabid raccoons in massachusetts and rhode island, states with enzootic raccoon rabies, for the fourth consecutive year. Nationally, the number of rabies cases in skunks increased by 7.1% from that reported in 1999. The greatest numerical increase in rabid skunks (550 cases in 2000, compared with 192 in 1999) was reported in texas. The number of cases of rabies reported in bats (1,240) during 2000 increased 25.4% over the number reported during 1999 (989) and represented the greatest contribution (16.8% of the total number of rabid animals) ever recorded for this group of mammals. Cases of rabies reported in cattle (83) and cats (249) decreased by 38.5% and 10.4%, respectively, whereas cases in dogs (114) increased by 2.7% over those reported in 1999. Reported cases of rabies among horses and mules declined 20% from 65 cases in 1999 to 52 cases in 2000. Four indigenously acquired cases of rabies reported in human beings were caused by variants of the rabies virus associated with bats. One case of human rabies acquired outside the united states that resulted from a dog bite was caused by the canine variant of the rabies virus.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = goat (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/4. anthrax in Wabessa village in the Dessie Zuria district of ethiopia.In 2002 an investigation of sudden death in a goat in Wabessa village in the Dessie Zuria district of ethiopia was undertaken using fresh blood brought to the Kombolcha Regional Veterinary Laboratory. The sample was examined using standard bacteriological techniques and animal pathogenicity tests were also performed. The laboratory investigation revealed bacillus anthracis as the cause of sudden death. Information gathered from stockowners in the same village revealed other similar recent cases and deaths, both in animals and humans, with farmers clearly describing the clinical signs and necropsy findings of anthrax. The disease occurs annually in this area in May and June, and in the 2002 outbreak mortality rates of 7.7%, 32.7% and 47.1% were observed in cattle, goats and donkeys, respectively. This study indicates that the community of this particular village neither knows of, nor practises, any of the conventional methods for anthrax control. The cutaneous form of the disease in humans and the environmental contamination associated with the practise of opening cadavers are briefly described and the findings are discussed with reference to the epidemiology of anthrax in both ethiopia and elsewhere. Control strategies are also recommended.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = goat (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/4. Human cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient persons. Studies of an outbreak and experimental transmission.infection with cryptosporidium occurred in 12 immunocompetent persons who had direct contact with the feces of infected calves during three unrelated outbreaks of calf cryptosporidiosis. Nine of the twelve subjects had diarrhea and abdominal cramps that lasted 1 to 10 days. Infections were diagnosed and monitored by detection of oocysts in feces, with a modified Sheather's flotation technique and phase-contrast microscopy. oocysts of cryptosporidium were isolated from calves but not from other animals with which these subjects had been in contact. oocysts of cryptosporidium were also detected during repeated examinations of feces from two immunodeficient patients with persistent cryptosporidiosis. An apparently identical infection was transmitted to calves and mice, using oocysts from infected calves and human beings. oocysts from an immunodeficient person also produced infections in kittens, puppies, and goats. This study shows that cryptosporidium may produce a moderate self-limited illness in immunocompetent persons, which contrasts sharply with the prolonged severe diarrhea in immunocompromised patients who contract cryptosporidiosis. Calves with diarrhea should be considered a potential source of human infection, and immunocompromised persons should avoid contact with such animals.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = goat (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/4. Crimean-congo haemorrhagic fever virus infection in the western province of saudi arabia.In 1990, an outbreak of suspected viral haemorrhagic fever involving 7 individuals occurred in Mecca in the Western Province of saudi arabia. congo-Crimean haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), not previously known to be present in saudi arabia, was incriminated. A study of the epidemiology of this virus was therefore carried out in Mecca, and in nearby Jeddah and Taif in 1991-1993; 13 species of ixodid ticks (5 Hyalomma spp., 5 rhipicephalus spp., 2 Amblyomma spp., 1 Boophilus sp.) were collected from livestock (camels, cattle, sheep, goats), and of these 10 were capable of transmitting CCHF. camels had the highest rate of tick infestation (97%), and H. dromedarii was the commonest tick (70%). Attempts to isolate virus from pools of H. dromedarii and H. anatolicum anatolicum were unsuccessful. The source of infection in 3 confirmed cases of CCHF was contact with fresh mutton and, in a suspected case, slaughtering sheep. An investigation in Mecca, which included a serological survey of abattoir workers, identified 40 human cases of confirmed or suspected CCHF between 1989 and 1990, with 12 fatalities. Significant risk factors included exposure to animal blood or tissue in abattoirs, but not tick bites. It is suspected that the CCHF virus may have been introduced to saudi arabia by infected ticks on imported sheep arriving at Jeddah seaport, and that it is now endemic in the Western Province.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = goat (Clic here for more details about this article) |