Veterinary Public Health (VPH) E-Bulletin August 2013

NEWS

LATEST OUTBREAKS – VPH ASIA (Cambodia) Avian Influenza HPAI H5N1 Two more new human cases of avian influenza have been confirmed for the H5N1 virus in Cambodia, bringing the number of the cases to 16 so far this year. […] ASIA (China) Avian Influenza HPAI H5N1 The National Health and Family Planning Commission, China notified WHO of a new laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus. […] ASIA (Cambodia) Avian Influenza HPAI H5N1 HPAI H5N1 was confirmed in local chicken following investigations after a human case of HPAI was reported in Damnak Dangkor village. […] ASIA (Bangladesh) Human Anthrax Latest update of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh shows 5 new cases of human cutaneous anthrax have been reported in the 1st week of August 2013. […] ASIA (Taiwan) Rabies The Animal Health Research Institute (National Laboratory) has confirmed rabies virus infection in 3 wild ferret-badgers, one in Taichung City and two in Nantou County. […] ASIA (Taiwan) Rabies The Central Epidemic Command Center for Rabies announced additional four confirmed cases of rabies found in wild ferret-badgers in Tainan's Zuojhen District and Pingtung's Wutai Township. […] EUROPE (UK) Bovine tuberculosis Investigations are still on-going at a Uttoxeter abattoir after a slaughter man became the only meat worker in the country to die after contracting bovine tuberculosis (TB).[…] EUROPE (Italy) Avian Influenza H7N7 After detecting a primary outbreak in Ostellato, Ferrara province, a secondary outbreak has been confirmed in Mordano, Bologna province, affecting a commercial farm of layer hens belonging to the same company. […] EUROPE (Greece) Rabies Greece continues to report cases of rabies with the latest case confirmed in a dead fox collected in the framework of the programme of passive rabies surveillance. […] NORTH AMERICA (Panama) Bovine tuberculosis Nine cases and one death have been reported from a dairy cattle farm that has imported animals in Panama City. […] NORTH AMERICA (Mexico) Avian Influenza HPAI H7N3 Mexico reports a new outbreak of HPAI in a layer farm in San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco. […] NORTH AMERICA (USA) Swine Influenza A (H3N2) One additional infection with influenza A (H3N2) variant (H3N2v) virus was reported to CDC during week 31 by Indiana making a total of 16 H3N2v cases reported during this summer (Illinois [1], Indiana [14], and Ohio [1]). […] NORTH AMERICA (Colorado) The first reported equine case of West Nile Virus (WNV) was diagnosed in Colorado last week. […] SOUTH AMERICA (Chile) Human Rabies A case of rabies virus infection was recently confirmed in the commune of Quilpue, Valparaiso region where the last case of human rabies was in 1972. […] To view reported cases of animal diseases visit the EMPRES-I website EMPRES-i is a global animal health information system of the FAO's EMPRES programme that focuses on the user need to easily find and collect in one place all the information available for animal health and transboundary animal diseases. EMPRES-i compiles, stores and verifies animal diseases outbreaks data (including zoonoses) from numerous sources (e.g. FAO representatives, FAO reports, OIE reports, official government, European Commission, FAO reference centres and laboratories) for early warning and risk analysis. FOOD SAFETY NEWS Bhaktapur declared bird flu emergency zone: Nepal August 14, 2013. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives declared Bhaktapur district as bird flu emergency zone as the outbreak of bird flu virus in various poultry farms in the district did not show any sign of coming under control even after four weeks since the first outbreak. […] E-Health Services not prepared for epidemics August 14, 2013. National and international organizations are ill-prepared to exploit e-health systems in the event of the emergence of a major pandemic disease, according to a research paper to be published in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology. […] Study highlights challenges of predicting disease outcomes in a warming world August 14, 2013. Modeling disease outcomes from host and parasite responses to climate variables could help public health officials and environmental managers address the challenges posed by the changing landscape of infectious disease, according to a new research finding. […] Predicting which viral species are most likely to jump from animals to humans August 14, 2013. A group of researchers have made promising new discoveries that provide insight into the emergence of inter-species transmittable viruses. […] Microchip that can identify human pathogens in a single test  August 14, 2013. PathChip is a new tool that consists of a chip covered in molecules that can recognise genetic material from 70, 000 different pathogens and therefore identify infections in one test. […]  First probable case of person-to-person transmission of H7N9 flu reported August 13, 2013. A case of H7N9 avian influenza A in Eastern China was recently reported to be the first case to likely be caused by a person-to-person transmission, although experts argue the virus is not highly contagious from person-to-person. […] MRSA strain in humans originally came from cattle August 13, 2013. A group of researchers sequenced the genomes of 43 different CC97 isolates from humans, cattle and other animals and the results reveal that the strains infecting humans originated in cows and that they had evolved from bovine to human host jumps. [...] Scientists develop method that ensures safe research on deadly flu viruses August 8, 2013. A new strategy that dismantles a viral genome in human lung cells will ensure safe research on deadly strains of influenza, say researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. […] FAO: Another step towards greater feed safety July 31, 2013. The Codex Alimentarius Commission has taken another step towards greater safety of animal feed and to enhanced food safety with the adoption of two additional documents that will help governmental authorities and the industry to protect more efficaciously the human health from the risk arising from the presence of hazardous substances in animal feed and to ensure fairer practices in the trade of animal feed. […] Warning over Human Impacts of Antibiotic Resistance from Poultry August 8, 2013. The number of avoidable human deaths and the costs of health care potentially caused by third-generation cephalosporin use in food animals is "staggering" according to a group of veterinary and health specialists. […] OTHER NEWS August 21, 2013. Researchers have traced the evolution of the deadly H7N9 avian flu currently spreading in China, and have found evidence that it developed in parallel with similar bird flu, H7N7, which can infect mammals. […]Emergence of H7N9 avian flu hints at broader threat Africa: New compound holds great promise as Ebola treatment August 21, 2013. Scientists have developed a promising treatment for Ebola hemorrhagic fever, a lethal disease spread by infected bats in western Africa. […] One million chicken slaughtered in one month in Nepal August 21, 2013. The government slaughtered nearly one million fowls in the last one month since the first breakout of bird flu in the Capital. […] Experts warn of rise in H7N9 August 20, 2013. There is a possibility that H7N9 bird flu may reappear this autumn and winter, the traditional peak for respiratory diseases, World Health Organization officials said in Shanghai. […] H7N9 and H5N1 may have emerged from birds around Taihu Lake August 20, 2013. Scientists from the Disease Control and Prevention of People’s Liberation Army, China conclude from their studies that Taihu lake region might be a key hotspot for spill over of avian influenza to humans. […] Controversy surrounds man-made bird flu plans August 15, 2013. A plan by multi-national scientists to conduct research about how mutating H7N9 avian flu could be spread person to person is poised for controversy, following the backlash of a similar research for H5N1 in 2011. […] Scientists discover method to make lung cells fight off H5N1 virus August 15, 2013. Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai recently discovered a way to keep highly infectious diseases from infecting researchers by using a molecular biocontainment method that causes lung cells to attack flu, or other RNA, viruses. […] FAO and African Union sign Memorandum of Understanding to control avian influenza H7N9 spread August 7, 2013. A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FAO and the African Union Commission (AUC) signed will help to prevent and control outbreaks of influenza A (H7N9), better known as avian influenza. […] ANNOUNCEMENTS JIFSAN partners with EpiX Analytics for Upcoming Advanced Quantitative Risk Assessment Course This new Advanced Quantitative Risk Assessment Training from November 4th will place emphasis on modeling methods and how to use them for solving real-world risk analysis problems. Registration deadline is October 18, 2013. […] Farm to Table Program 2013 The week long study program from October 21 to 25 will consider aspects of animal health and welfare, food safety, public health protection through food numerous website and facilitated discussions and visits. […]

EVENTS

September 2-6, 2013. 13th Australasia/Oceania CVA Conference at Nadi, Fiji […] September 10-13, 2013. 8th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health […] September 17-20, 2013. World Veterinary Congress, Prague, Czech Republic […] September 18-19, 2013. Environment Animal Health Management Conference, manila, Philippines […] September 23-27, 2013. First International OCHEA One Health Conference, Addis Ababa […] September 24-26, 2013. 9th African Dairy Conference and Exhibition, Harare, Zimbabwe […] September 2013. International Symposium on problems of Listeriosis, Goa, India[…] September 25-26, 2013. 9th African Dairy Conference and Exhibition, Harare, Zimbabwe […] October 1-4, 2013. 7th Annual meeting Epizone, Brussels, Belgium […] October 2-3, 2013. Antimicrobial resistance: Incentivizing change towards a global solution, London, UK […]   October 21-25, 2013. Farm to Table Program, Chile […] November 14, 2013. Pastoralism – where does it go in an ever changing context? , Brussles, Belgium. For more information, please contact Eric Thys at +32 3 247 63 92 or Leen Claes at +32 3 247 62 71 or via e-mail info@be-troplive.be November 17-20, 2013. 2nd One Health Summit 2013, Davos, Switzerland […] December 4-6, 2013. OIE Global Conference on Veterinary Education and the Role of Veterinary Statutory Body, Foz do Iguazu, Brazil […]   December 3-14, 2013. Workshop on Surveillance and Control of rabies, Pasteur Institute – Dakar […]

PUBLICATIONS

1. FAO: AGA e-newsletter. To receive regular updates by email on all issues relating FAO's work on animal production and health, subscribe to the AGA e-newsletter. It contains information on upcoming events, publications, programme activities, articles and press releases [Click here to subscribe] 2. FAOAIDEnews 84 […] 3. FAO: EMPRES Transboundary Animal Diseases Bulletin No. 41 – 2012 […] 4. FAO: EMPRES Watch 28 […] 5. FAO: ECTAD-RAP News Mar-Apr 2013 […] 6. FAO Animal Production and Health Division e-newsletter 60 […] 7. FAO Statistical Yearbook 2013 […] 8. FAO: Health and Animal Agriculture in Developing Countries […] 9. FAO: China HPAI Highlights June 2013 Vol 53 […] 10. FAO’s support to the One health Approach 2013 […] 11. Avian-origin H7N9 virus infection in H7N9-affected areas of China: a serological study […] 12. Clinical, virological, and histopathological manifestations of fatal human infections by avian influenza A (H7N9) virus […] 13. Continued Evolution of West Nile Virus, Houston, Texas, USA, 2002–2012 […] 14. Epidemiological, clinical and viral characteristics of fatal cases of human avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in Zhejiang Province, China […] 15. Evaluation of rabies biologics against Irkut virus isolated in China […] 16. Evolution of Influenza A Virus H7 and N9 Subtypes, Eastern Asia […] 17. Full Genome of Influenza A (H7N9) Virus Derived by Direct Sequencing without Culture […] 18. Geographic Co-distribution of Influenza Virus Subtypes H7N9 and H5N1 in Humans, China […] 19. Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points Assessment as a Tool to Respond to Emerging Infectious Disease Outbreaks […] 20. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Mutants Transmissible by Air Are Susceptible to Human and Animal Neutralizing Antibodies […] 21. Human health, animal health, and ecosystems are interconnected […] 22. H7N9 influenza viruses interact preferentially with α2, 3-linked sialic acids and bind weakly to α2, 6-linked sialic acids […] 23. Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus […] 24. Severity Scoring Index for Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus infection and the impact of Ribavirin and Corticosteroids on Fatality […] 25. Structural Rearrangement of Ebola Virus VP40 Begets Multiple Functions in the Virus Life Cycle […] 26. Subclinical Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus Infection in Human, Vietnam […] 27. The genesis and source of the H7N9 influenza viruses causing human infections in China […] 28. The emergence of influenza A H7N9 in human beings 16 years after influenza A H5N1: a tale of two cities […] 29. Therapeutic Intervention of Ebola Virus Infection in Rhesus Macaques with the MB-003 Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail […] 30. Transmission of influenza A/H5N1 viruses in mammals […] 31. Avian-origin H7N9 virus infection in H7N9-affected areas of China: a serological study […] 32. Clinical, virological and histopathological manifestations of fatal human infections by avian influenza A (H7N9) virus […] 33. MicroRNA-based strategy to mitigate the risk of gain-of-function influenza studies[…] 34. Report of the meeting of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission, Paris, 19-28 February 2013 […] 35. Serological survey in close contacts with a confirmed case of H7N9 influenza in Taiwan […] 36. Seroprevalence of Antibodies to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus among Close Contacts Exposed to H5N1 Cases, China, 2005–2008 […] 37. Transmission of influenza A/H5N1 viruses in mammals […] 38. Safe Pseudo virus-based Assay for Neutralization Antibodies against Influenza A (H7N9) Virus […]

TRAINING

Postgraduate Certificate in Risk Analysis in Health and Food Safety – RVC London Organisers announce a new postgraduate certificate in Risk Analysis in Health and Food Safety to be offered by EpiX Analytics and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), University of London in March 2014. […] Engaging Intergovernmental Organisations 2013 – University of Minnesota OIE announces veterinary educational twinning program between Chiang Mai University and the University of Minnesota to strengthen curriculum and teaching of zoonoses, transboundary animal diseases and other core knowledge and skill competencies needed by day 1 veterinary graduates. […] Local Policy Course – University of Minnesoata This is a short course in public health and animal health policy-making at the local level from September 16-18, 2013 at St Paul, Minnesota, USA.  Using the case study of raw milk for human consumption, the University of Minnesota in conjunction with Washington State University will engage participants in three days of experiential learning about public policy-making at the local (sub-national) level […] JIFSAN Food Safety Risk Analysis Fellowship 2013 Applications will be accepted through September 1, 2013 from graduate students or professionals in the area of food safety or animal health from an eligible country. JIFSAN would support the course tuition fees for one qualified applicant.  […]    […] Online MSc in One Health (Infectious Diseases) The unique Master's level course, delivered jointly by the RVC and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, will be available through both full and part-time study as MSc and diploma. […] EpiVille, the E-learning in Epidemiology Epiville, a learning tool developed specifically for Principles of Epidemiology (P6400), is a set of interactive web-based exercises created by faculty in the Department of Epidemiology and produced by the Center for New Media Teaching and Learning at Columbia University […] Cambridge online e-learning institute Online Certificate in Animal Welfare […]

EMPLOYMENT

ITM Antwerp: Educational Co-ordinator, Antwerp; closing date 31 August 2013 […]  OIE, Paris: Veterinary Epidemiologist at the OIE Animal Health Information Department; closing date 31 August 2013 […]