Finding shows how it enters cells, could lead to vaccine, researchers report
March 13, 2013
By Barbara Bronson Gray
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- A discovery that shows how a novel -- and often fatal -- virus infects cells may help fight a health threat that has recently emerged on the world stage, researchers report.
A unique coronavirus was identified as the cause of severe respiratory illness in 14 people from Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom between April 2012 and February 2013, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eight people have died after contracting the virus.
Coronaviruses -- named for their crown-like projections visible under a microscope -- are causes of the common cold but also are associated with more severe illness, such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed hundreds of people worldwide in 2003.
Although no deaths have been reported in the United States, the fact that there were clusters of people infected in the United Kingdom shows the new virus can be transmitted between humans, according to the CDC.
Now there's a possible clue on how to stop the virus, which was first identified last September. Dutch researchers said they've identified the receptor that is used by the coronavirus to invade cells.
Approaches to preventing the virus from binding to the receptor and gaining entry to cells may help combat infection, said study author Bart Haagmans, a virologist at the Erasmus Medical Center, in Rotterdam. "These findings provide further insight into how the virus causes severe pneumonia, as the receptor is present in the lower respiratory tract [trachea, airways or lungs]," he explained.
The research was published in the March 14 issue of the journal Nature.
The severity of the disease appears to vary, mirroring minor flu-like infections in some people and becoming life-threatening in others. Those with the most serious infections seem to have had other viral or bacterial infections at the same time, which may help explain the more severe cases, experts said.
The virus doesn't seem as contagious as seasonal flu, and Haagmans said this appears to confirm the role of the receptor he identified. "This may be due to the fact that the receptor is minimally expressed in cells of the upper respiratory tract," he said. "Therefore, it is also unlikely that the virus can become much more capable of spreading more universally."
The discovery of the receptor could potentially help researchers inhibit the spread of the virus, said Haagmans. One approach would be to develop a vaccine that securely locked the cell door to the coronavirus receptor, preventing the virus from being able to storm the cell.
Haagmans said he doesn't know why the virus seems to be deadly. He said it's possible that scores of people with a less harmful form of the disease have not been identified, due to limited testing in the Arabian Peninsula, where the disease seems to have originated.
Analysis of the virus's genome showed that it is related to coronaviruses found in bats. Coronaviruses can infect a wide range of mammals and birds, and are considered to have what is called "zoonotic potential," which means they can be transmitted to people.
Dr. Susan Gerber, a medical epidemiologist with the division of viral diseases at the CDC, said she thinks Haagmans's research will be valuable because it helps scientists understand what happens at the cellular level of the disease. "This is going to be very important in the treatment of the virus," she said.
Yet Gerber stressed that there is still much to learn about the virus and the infection it causes. "There are so few cases that have been identified of this virus infection," she said. "We need more information."
The CDC is advising people who develop severe acute lower respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia, within 10 days after traveling from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries to see their health provider.
The agency also recommended that those who haven't traveled to the Arabian Peninsula but come into close contact with someone who has should be evaluated if they develop a severe acute lower respiratory illness.
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/03/13/secrets-of-new-sars-like-virus-uncovered
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Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Poultry positive for influenza A (H5N1) on sale at the market
On 13.3, Nguyen Thanh Huy, Director of the Department of Animal Health Ca Mau province, said in February last, the unit conducted 21 random sampling of poultry at markets in the province take the tests to 16 samples were positive for influenza A H5N1.
In markets TP.Ca Mau has 4/6 samples; market town of Thoi Binh (H.Thoi Binh) 5/6 samples; market Khanh Hoi (HU Ming) 1/3 sample; Rach that and Song Doc (H.Tran Van Time) each Market 3/3 samples were positive for influenza A H5N1.
"To control the epidemic, the provincial Animal Health Department has directed all veterinary stations to strengthen anti-epidemic activities such as strengthening quarantine, epidemiological surveillance, livestock operations, trafficking, "said Huy.
Veterinary Medicine in Aswan denies outbreak of "IB" in Aswan
Dr. Jamal Mustafa Director General of Veterinary Medicine in Aswan Ali does not appear any bronchitis Aswan known as "IB". explained Jamal Mustafa that this disease is a virus that affects the respiratory system of birds and does not constitute any danger to humans, which is at the same time has no direct relationship with bird flu or SARS-like. said that the symptoms are in a Nominated to the bird and the emergence of nasal secretions outside and are treated sera allocated to it, with follow preventive measures for non-injury.
SARS-like virus targets cells in human airway
March 14, 2013
The virus actually targets the lower respiratory tract in humans
A virus that emerged in the Middle East last year, causing severe respiratory problems, kidney failure and even death among many persons it infected, was gaining entry by latching on to a molecule found on the surface of certain cells deep in the human airway, according to a team of scientists whose research appears in this week's issue of the journal Nature.
Their discovery opens the way to uncovering key aspects about how the virus is transmitted and produces disease as well as of finding ways to treat those affected by it.
The virus was first detected in sputum samples taken from a 60-year-old man hospitalised in Saudi Arabia last June with pneumonia and kidney failure, who later died. There have been 15 confirmed cases of human infection with this virus, with nine deaths, reported from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and Britain, according to the World Health Organisation.
Virologists at the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands, who isolated and characterised the microbe, found that it was a novel coronavirus. As the outbreak of ‘severe acute respiratory syndrome’ (SARS), which began in southern China in 2002 and then suddenly exploded across the world the following year, had also been caused by a coronavirus, the discovery of this new pathogen sparked considerable concern among public health professionals.
In their Nature paper, the Erasmus Medical Centre team, along with their collaborators, have reported that the new coronavirus, given the designation hCoV-EMC, was using the protein ‘dipeptidyl peptidase 4’ (DPP4, also known as CD26) as a receptor to latch on to cells lining the respiratory tract and infect them. Viruses need to enter cells and hijack their molecular machinery in order to replicate and spread.
“The identification of the receptor for this novel coronavirus provides evidence that the virus actually targets the lower respiratory tract in humans,” said Bart L. Haagmans, senior author of the paper, in an email.
Cells with the DPP4 receptor being more abundant in the lower respiratory tract “could be one of the reasons there is limited transmission of this virus [among people],” noted V. Stalin Raj, the paper's first author who is part of the Erasmus Medical Centre group. If, on the other hand, virus replication had been taking place in the upper respiratory tract, it might have been able to transmit more quickly from person to person, he told this correspondent.
Now that the receptor had been identified, the next step would be to use animals, such as ferrets, to study which other cells and tissues in the body the virus was infecting, the mechanisms by which it caused disease and how it was able to spread, remarked Dr. Raj.
Dr Raj hails from Tamil Nadu and did his doctoral research at the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture in Chennai before moving to Europe.
As with the SARS virus, the new hCoV-EMC coronavirus appears to have originated in bats. However, unlike the former, the latter is still able to infect bat cells. Moreover, the structure of the DPP4 receptor has been evolutionarily conserved in many different animals.
“The interesting and perhaps troubling findings from studies of this virus thus far are that there may be a plethora of sources for its intrusion into the human population,” remarked Tom Gallagher and Stanley Perlman in a commentary on the paper published in the same issue of the journal. More work was needed to address this issue. http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/sarslike-virus-targets-cells-in-human-airway/article4505452.ece?
Qatar-Testing for coronavirus now available at HMC
The Hamad Medical Corporation’s Virology Laboratory is now fully equipped to test for novel coronavirus and any other suspected cases related to acute respiratory distress syndrome, two senior officials at the Supreme Council of Health yesterday said.
Both officials, Health Protection and Communicable Diseases Control manager Dr Mohamed al-Hajri and Surveillance and Outbreaks section head Dr Hamad al-Romaihi, were talking to journalists on the sidelines of a one-day “Workshop for Focal Points on Surveillance and Outbreaks Control of Communicable Diseases” organised and co-ordinated between SCH’s Public Health Department (PHD) and Qatar Petroleum HSE Regulations and Enforcement Directorate (DG).
About 70 health representatives from energy and industry sector, police clinics, Qatar Military Medical Services, Qatar University, Qatar Foundation and Aspetar took part in the event held at the Grand Heritage Doha Hotel and Spa.
The novel coronavirus (nCoV) was first reported to cause human infection last September.
To date, the World Health Organisation, (WHO) has been informed of a global total of 15 confirmed cases of human infection with the virus, which has caused nine deaths including four in Saudi Arabia, two in Jordan and one in the UK.
Last year, two people were infected with the virus in Qatar and both survived after receiving intensive treatment abroad.
“The HMC Virology Laboratory has started on-site testing for nCoV from December 2012 and to date around 70 patients suspected with the virus tested negative results,” Dr al-Romaihi said.
He explained that the tests were carried out retrospectively on 35 patients enrolled in the severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) programme as well as some 35 patients admitted with pneumonia or acute respiratory illness.
He added that the PHD has since last November to date, investigated more than 150 acute respiratory distress syndrome patients admitted in Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).
“We in the SCH are closely monitoring the situation both locally as well as internationally (GCC and worldwide). The updates case definition from the WHO has been shared with all health facilities in the country and all hospitalised cases due to acute respiratory distress syndrome are being followed up,” Dr al-Hajri mentioned.
The official explained that the council is also working with the WHO and other partners to better understand the public health risk posed by coronavirus.
“Unfortunately, more new cases might need to appear for us to be able to understand the virus…in the meantime, we have provided all needed kits to healthcare facilities here and a guideline they should follow unless there is a new regulation from the WHO,” Dr al-Hajri stated.
He explained that an interim surveillance recommendations for human infection with novel coronavirus include a person with acute respiratory infection, who may also have fever (above 38 degrees C) and cough as well as pneumonia, or has travelled from the Arabia Peninsula and or neighbouring countries within last 10 days.
Countries considered in the Arabian Peninsula and neighbourhood include Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
The official added that any case that fits into the patient under investigation definition should be managed with respiratory precautions and immediately notified to the SCH’s HP and CDC section on hotline numbers 66740948 or 66740951 or fax – 44070812.
More Media Myths On Beta2c Coronavirus Transmission
Recombinomics Commentary 16:30
March 13, 2013
Fortunately, he added, the virus is "very difficult to acquire."
Dr. Susan Gerber, a medical epidemiologist in the CDC's Division of Viral Diseases, agrees.
There's no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission, she said, "where you see a chain of many cases going person to person to person."
"People shouldn't freak out," she added. "There's no evidence that this virus is easily spread, say, across a room."
The above comments on nCoV human to human (H2H) are largely based on negative data which lacks credibility. There have been three lab confirmed clusters, and all three clusters include symptomatic contacts who tested negative. Moreover, in the largest cluster, most of the symptomatic cases were designated as probable cases, based on interviews with symptomatic health care workers and relatives.
Most of the key detail (disease onset dates and relationships between probable cases), has been withheld for the ICU cluster in Jordan last April. However, local media reports and WHO updates indocate that the cluster involved at least 12 people, including 2 doctors, 7 nurses, and two family members of health care workers (HCWs). Outbreaks at ICU’s of a rare mysterious disease are usually linked to a treated patient, as was seen in the SARS-CoV outbreak in March of 2003. Like the current nCoV, SARS-CoV was present at higher levels in the lower respiratory tract and detection in the upper respiratory tract was a challenge. Moreover HCWs were at risk because the hospitalized cases had severe infections and coughing or intubation procedures could spread the virus “across a room”. The key signature of the SARS spread was super-spreaders, who could infect many contacts, who were typically HCWs.
WHO has not explained why the survivors in the ICU cluster were not lab confirmed, but the failure may be linked to a low level of virus in samples collected from the upper respiratory tract. However, they did acknowledge that the symptomatic cases were probably infected, as were at least two family members who cared for the HCWs. Disease onset dates were not released, but the two fatal case (45F nurse and 25M intern) died a week apart, suggesting the disease onset dates supported an extended transmission chain.
The extended transmission chain was also supported in the familial cluster in Riyadh, although WHO also withheld disease onset dates for that cluster. The index case (70M) was said to have developed symptoms in “October”. One of his sons (39M) was hospitalized after his father’s death, and the son’s disease onset date was October 28. His brother’s (31M) disease onset date was between November 3-5, supporting a transmission chain from the father to the older brother to the younger brother. A fourth family member tested negative, but was also classified as a probable case due to common symptoms and contact with the three confirmed cases.
H2H transmission was also supported in the UK cluster. The index case (60M) developed symptoms while performing Umrah in Saudi Arabia. Three family members developed symptoms in the UK, and the two confirmed cases had no travel outside of the UK in the weeks prior to disease onset. The son (39M) died, but the other confirmed family member (30F), who had a mild case, had no contact with the son, and contact with the index case was limited to three hospital visits. However, since the index case was on an ECMO machine it is unlikely that the nCoV was transmitted at the hospital. A fourth family member was a likely link between the index case and the two additional confirmed case, but that family member also tested negative.
Thus, the claims of “no evidence” for sustained transmission is heavily dependent on false negatives in symptomatic cases that were characterized as probable, and claims of no transmission “across a room” a just another media myth.
Cairo 13/03/2013
the Rabiah said Executive Office Turning to the problem of HIV Coruna and how to communicate with the World Health Organization to urge states not to link the suspected cases infected with the virus and geographical areas in which people where the virus, and work on early detection of the virus on the evidence and scientific evidence.
He added that the Executive Office agreed today to prepare a speech unified Arab for throwing by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Djibouti representatives from Arab countries before the session 66th General Assembly of the World Health Organization in Geneva in May next year to reflect the position of collective Arab meetings organization.
Where he headed the delegation of the State of Palestine in the meeting, Ambassador of the State of Palestine and Permanent Delegate to the Arab League Ambassador Barakat al-Farra, and First Secretary Tamer Abdel Rahim Delegation of Palestine in the Arab League.
KSA Beta2c Coronavirus Reporting Delays
Recombinomics Commentary 14:30
March 13, 2013
The above comments from the latest WHO update on coronavirus infections reflect reporting delays which continue to increase concernsthat only a small fraction of the infections are being reported. The novel coronavirus produces a wild range of clinical presentations including mild cases, but only fatal cases have been reported in 2013 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
The track record of reports from WHO and the KSA Ministry of Health has lacked transparency, which also suggests that human to human (H2H) transmission is significantly higher than the reported confirmed cases. The three 2013 cases reported by the KSA MoH have been fatal and information on symptomatic contacts has been absent.
Unlike the initial cases in the SARS outbreak of 2002/2003, only lab confirmed cases are being reported for novel coronavirus (nCoV) cases and testing remains highly suspect. Although WHO acknowledges probable cases in the ICU cluster in Jordan last April, as well as the Riyadh familial cluster in late 2012, detail on the probable cases, including age, disease onset date, and relationships has been withheld.
The undercount of the confirmed cases has been linked in part to testing issues. An additional death was cited in initial reports of the first confirmed case, who was a Bisha resident who died at a hospital in Jeddah. The second death was not confirmed, and media reports suggested that samples were not collected from that case. More recent reports have also been delayed. The first case from Riyadh (45M) was reported on the date of discharge. The report on the Riyadh cluster cited the surviving confirmed case (31M) and failed to cited the death of the father (70M) and brother (39M) of the surviving case (or hospitalization of the 4th family member).
The first case in 2013 (61F) was said to have developed symptoms overseas, but no country or location was cited. Minimal information has been released on the two most recent 2013 cases (69M and 39M), and as noted above, the most recent case was announced 10 days after his death.
The limited information from KSA is similar to initial reports from Guangdong Province in 2003, when a “mysterious” disease was said to have cause 100 pneumonia deaths. Details on the cases were released after the SARS CoV spread internationally, and the vast majority of cases were reported between mid-March and mid-May.
Similarities between SARS-CoV and nCoV testing (which is heavily dependent on samples from the lower respiratory tract) and incomplete reporting continue to increase.
Coronavirus patient visited farm
Mar 13, 2013
Latest coronavirus patient had visited farm, Saudi official says
Investigators in Saudi Arabia learned that the latest person to die of a novel coronavirus (NCoV) infection had visited a farm before he got sick, according to a Saudi Arabian health official. Similar findings have been reported in at least 2 of the 14 other NCoV cases reported since the virus emerged last year. The latest case, involving a 39-year-old man in Saudi Arabia, was announced by the World Health Organization yesterday. Ziad A. Memish, MD, deputy minister for public health in Saudi Arabia, told CIDRAP News by e-mail, "What we know is that the patient has not traveled recently outside KSA [the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] and he has been to a farm outside Riyadh owned by his brother." Previous reports revealed that a Qatari man who was treated for NCoV infection in Germany last fall owned a farm where some goats had been sick before he fell ill himself. Also, a Saudi Arabian gym teacher whose NCoV illness was reported in November had visited a farm 3 days before he got sick. The source of the novel virus has not been identified, though it is related to coronaviruses found in bats. Memish commented that all patients hospitalized with pneumonia in Saudi Arabia are being screened for NCoV infection, "a strategy not implemented to my knowledge by any country in the world and that's why we continue to sporadically detect new cases. It will be good if other countries apply the same strategy to give the world an indication how wide spread this disease." Eight of the 15 confirmed cases have occurred in Saudi Arabia.
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/other/sars/news/mar1313scan.html
Libyan Minister of Health announces five deaths swine flu
2013:03:13.09:43 Font Size: Print
Benghazi March 12, 2013 / Health Minister Libyan Noureddine Doghman today (Tuesday) for five deaths after contracting HIV, "AT / H 1 to 1" known media swine flu in three cities in eastern and western Libya. said Doghman at a press conference this afternoon that "29 cases have been registered illness seasonal flu after reporting centers and medical units, "pointing out that" Ten cases were recorded in the capital Tripoli. " and added that "the injury as a result of weather factors and colder weather." and "The 4 cases who died from the disease in the Middle Libyan and another case in the corner west of Tripoli. " and recorded the Ministry of Health deaths five during the past two days, the two in the city of Derna (300 km east of Benghazi), and two in Benghazi, one center of Benghazi, medical and other hospital Republic for a lady from the city Ajdabiya, and fifth in the corner west of Tripoli. played down Doghman fears of the virus, saying that "the situation is under control and there are no worries of worsening the situation did not reach it to be designated as the epidemic yet." He added, "Once change weather factors and the high temperature weather will disappear injuries with the virus that causes the disease. " said Director of the Center of communicable diseases and endemic in Libya Mohammed Boghalah The "treatment (Altamflo) allocated for the treatment of this type of disease is abundant." He guessed medical source official told news ((Xinhua)) that "the virus causative is sophisticated form of the virus (A / H 1 to 1) the virus that causes swine flu, and the virus that causes bird flu. " and said that the infected cases suffering from severe pneumonia and showing symptoms of high temperature and interference in a coma. source quoted Director of the Office communicable diseases Bdrna as saying he "can not give a diagnosis of the virus, and it may be a genetic mutation or as a result of climate change," pointing out that "I took the farms of injured and sent to the city of Benghazi for the analysis and diagnosis of the type of virus."http://arabic.people.com.cn/31662/8165319.html
SARS-like virus claims victim in Saudi Arabia
Saudi health ministry says 39-year-old man died from nCov on March 2 after being hospitalised for four days.
A SARS-like virus that has struck in Britain and the Middle East has claimed a new victim in Saudi Arabia, bringing the global toll from the mystery illness to nine, the World Health Organisation said.
The UN agency said on Tuesday that the Saudi health ministry informed it that a 39-year-old man, who developed symptoms on February 24 and was hospitalised four days later, died on March 2.
"Preliminary investigation indicated that the patient had no contact with previously reported cases," the WHO said in a statement. "Other potential exposures are under investigation."
Novel coronavirus, or nCoV, was first detected in the middle of last year.
Including the latest victim, a total of 15 cases have now been reported.
Unusual patterns
The nine fatalities have been clustered in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Britain. In the latter country, it affected a family, one of the members of which had visited the Middle East and Pakistan.
On Tuesday the WHO reiterated calls on its member states to remain vigilant for cases of severe acute respiratory infections and to carefully review any unusual patterns.
"The WHO is currently working with international experts and countries where cases have been reported to assess the situation and review recommendations for surveillance and monitoring," it said.
Member states should promptly assess and notify WHO of any new case of infection with nCoV, along with information about potential exposures that may have resulted in infection, it added.
"The WHO does not advise special screening at points of entry with regard to this event nor does it recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied," it said.
Coronaviruses cause most common colds and pneumonia, but are also to blame for unusual conditions such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, better known by its acronym SARS.
A SARS epidemic killed more than 800 people when it swept out of China in 2003, sparking a major international health scare.
The new virus however is different from SARS, especially in that it causes rapid kidney failure. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/03/201331364931689609.html
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Examined 70 samples of the Corona virus Hamad Medical laboratories
He intensify surveillance and control procedures .. Health Council's flag:
Examined 70 samples of the Corona virus Hamad Medical laboratories
Mainstream methods of monitoring Coruna health facilities to quickly report cases of suspectedEpidemiological situation in Qatar reassuring .. and activate international recommendations in the diagnosis and isolationPersonal hygiene and hand washing the best ways of preventing HIV Coruna
Wrote - Ashraf Excellent:
The Supreme Council of Health that he had to step up monitoring of health status locally and globally on the spread of the new Corona virus while continuing to monitor all cases of acute respiratory infection.
The Council in its response to the report published by the flag Sunday on concern citizens of the spread of HIV Corona that was circulated guidance on HIV Corona emerging at all health facilities to ensure rapid Report suspected cases are currently following up on all cases of acute respiratory infections by a team Investigation of Protection Administration Health and Disease Control Transitional Council.
He stressed that the epidemiological situation in the State of Qatar reassuring at the moment and it has been done to activate all of the recommendations of the World Health Organization, which include disease surveillance tools and diagnosis, isolation and screening contacts
He suggested that the Virus Lab at HMC has been equipped with screening laboratory for virus Corona emerging and staff training to scan all suspected cases and results are obtained in a short period have been ....
Director of a hospital in the city of Derna denies the emergence of viral flu in the city and described rumors
MARCH 12, 2013
Venz Dr. "Abdul Ghani Abdullah," hospital director struggling "Yusuf Borahil" for clinics consolidated city of Derna, rumors addressed by the media about the emergence of viral flu in the city. Dr. said, "Ghani" - in a statement to the reporter and the Libyan news agency Bdrna Tuesday - "What is taken emergence of viral influenza in the city is untrue news in orbit rumor just is not."
On the other hand, Dr. "Imad Kabylian" Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Bdrna, that professors and recreating and researchers from the college they checked and an analysis of the number of citizens city hospital to verify the news alleged the existence of influenza virus exhibitors, and show them otherwise.
Dr "Kabylie", that one of the deaths recorded in the tuber, is a former prisoner jailed "Saleem" was injured during his prison term pulmonary tuberculosis, and other case to someone higher temperature suddenly asked his family moved to a hospital in Benghazi, and he died on the way, stressing that there is no indication of the emergence of a virus Viewer http://www.almanaralink.com/press/2013/03/29670/%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%81%D9%89-%D8%A8%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%A9-%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%81%D9%89-%D8%B8%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A5%D9%86%D9%81%D9%84/
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
10,000 hit by hand-foot-mouth disease in Vietnam
Over 10,000 Vietnamese have been affected by the hand-foot-mouth disease, a contagious viral illness that affects mostly infants and children, the health ministry said Tuesday.
Nguyen Van Binh, head of the ministry's Preventive Health Department, said the disease has spread to 60 of the country's 64 provinces, Xinhua reported.
The disease shows symptoms of fever and a rash most frequently seen on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and inside the mouth.
In Vietnam, the most common strain is Enterovirus 71 (EV-71).
A four-month-old baby died in southern An Giang province Feb 28, just one day after contracting the virus.
The same viral toxicity has been seen in Cambodia, where 54 children recently died within 24 hours of contracting the disease.
Japan, Macau, South Korea and Singapore have also reported high numbers of new patients.
Vietnam expects an estimated 100,000 patients this year, the health official said.
The disease can be transmitted though digestive tracts. There are no vaccines or specific medicines to combat the disease and children under five are most vulnerable to it.
The main preventive measures are following hygienic practices in eating and drinking.
In 2012, the disease affected 151,100 people, of which 45 died, according to Vietnam's official records.
Novel coronavirus infection - update
12 MARCH 2013 - The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of a new confirmed case of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV).
The patient, a 39-year-old male, developed symptoms on 24 February 2013. He was hospitalized on 28 February 2013 and died on 2 March 2013. Preliminary investigation indicated that the patient had no contact with previously reported cases of nCoV infection. Other potential exposures are under investigation.
To date, WHO has been informed of a global total of 15 confirmed cases of human infection with nCoV, including nine deaths.
Based on the current situation and available information, WHO encourages all Member States (MS) to continue their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns. WHO is currently working with international experts and countries where cases have been reported to assess the situation and review recommendations for surveillance and monitoring.
All MS are reminded to promptly assess and notify WHO of any new case of infection with nCoV, along with information about potential exposures that may have resulted in infection and a description of the clinical course.
WHO does not advise special screening at points of entry with regard to this event nor does it recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied.
WHO continues to closely monitor the situation. http://www.who.int/csr/don/2013_03_12/en/index.html
Another Fatal Beta2c Coronavirus Case 39M Saudi Arabia
Another Fatal Beta2c Coronavirus Case 39M Saudi Arabia
Recombinomics Commentary 23:55
March 12, 2013
The patient, a 39-year-old male, developed symptoms on 24 February 2013. He was hospitalized on 28 February 2013 and died on 2 March 2013.Recombinomics Commentary 23:55
March 12, 2013
The above comments are from the March 12 WHO update. Earlier media reports on February 27 cited two additional unconfirmed cases, which preceded the hospitalization of the above case. The three most recent confirmed cases (61F, 69M, 39M) have been fatal in Saudi Arabia, and all but one of the 13 cases since the summer of 2012 have been from Saudi Arabia.
The high case fatality rate indicates the number of novel cornavirus infections is orders of magnitude higher than the confirmed cases, which have lacked detail. March signals the start of coronavirus season, and more fatal cases are expected in the near term.
Parallels with the 2002/2003 SARS outbreak continue to increase.
Pok Oi Hospital 5 patients stained human metapneumovirus
3,323 dead pigs and more
Shanghai Huangpu River upstream river the dead pigs flocks, as of yesterday afternoon, has been gradually salvage 3,323 dead pigs and more, like this was detected porcine circovirus. To avoid affecting drinking water at present, Shanghai has been launched water supply contingency plans, and water from the upper reaches of the Huangpu River water source of water supply enterprises (accounting for 22% of the city's raw water) to strengthen water quality monitoring.
According to the survey, since the beginning of March, the upper reaches of the Huangpu River, Shanghai, there is a dead pig floating phenomenon. 8 the HengLiaoJing reach still only found dozens of dead pigs. 9th surfaced dead pig suddenly jump up to nearly a thousand head, and continue to have a dead pig from upstream Zhejiang direction of drift. The water sector in Shanghai yesterday disclosed that, as of 15:00 yesterday, Songjiang waters of salvage dead pig 3,323 head. To salvage the dead pigs during the disinfection treatment, has been in place buried or sent to incineration Station.
Shanghai started the water supply contingency plans
After the incident, the Shanghai Animal Disease Control Center in conjunction with the animal epidemic control center in Songjiang District, the site collected dead pig's heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, lymph nodes, tonsils and other viscera samples of five sets. One of the samples were detected in porcine circovirus pathogen positive, the remaining samples were negative for all test items. http://paper.wenweipo.com/2013/03/12/CH1303120080.htm
Monday, March 11, 2013
Bird flu not yet a problem in Laos
Laos is still free of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, despite recent outbreaks in neighbouring countries, the Head of the National Emerging Infectious Disease Coordination Office, Dr Bounlay Phommasack, told Vientiane Times on Friday.
However, the Ministry of Health has ordered the relevant sectors to work together to closely monitor for the virus, to ensure no outbreaks occur in Laos.
The virus has killed eight people in Cambodia in the past two months, according to a Xinhua news agency report last week.
“Since we received the announcement from the ministry a few weeks ago, the office has worked closely with central and local authorities to monitor people around the country who have symptoms like fits of coughing or headaches and runny noses, but we have not found any people infected with the virus yet,” Dr Bounlay said.
To prevent the virus spreading into Laos, the National Emerging Infectious Disease Coordination Office, in cooperation with various government agencies, will carry out more checks on livestock imports and exports as well as observing visitors in certain target areas.
“We had outbreaks of the H5N1 virus from 2004 to 2009, which resulted in two deaths in 2007, but most of the infections were restricted to poultry,” said Dr Bounlay.
Thousands of birds were culled to prevent the virus spreading, with outbreaks affecting the price and consumption of poultry throughout Laos.
“Most outbreaks occur in areas where poultry breeders seem not to care about prevention and ignore their responsibility to keep coops clean,” he commented.
“Laos will be at risk from bird flu at any time if all sectors, including government and private bodies, fail to cooperate fully to prevent its outbreak,” he added.
Annual flu epidemics kill 250,000-500,000 people each year and cause severe illness in 3 to 5 million others worldwide. But the new strains that jump from animals to humans can be even more devastating if the global population has no immunity to them.
More than 234 people have died of bird flu since 2003, mainly in Indonesia, Vietnam and China, according to Care International.
By Times Reporters (Latest Update March 12, 2013)
Pig virus found in Shanghai river is potential cause of Hog Wash, corpse total rises to 2,813
Porcine circovirus, a common disease among hogs that isn’t known to be infectious to humans, was found in a sample taken from the Songjiang section of the Huangpu river, Shanghai’s agriculture department said, citing the city’s animal disease control authorities. Tests conducted hourly on the river, which provides drinking water for some of the municipality’s 23 million residents, were negative for other diseases including foot-and-mouth, swine fever, hog cholera and blue-ear, it said.The China News Service reported today the total number of carcasses has risen to 2,813, up from the more than 1,200 reported by the government earlier today. A preliminary investigation showed the dead pigs, which include piglets and mature hogs, had floated down the river from neighboring Zhejiang province, the Shanghai government said on its website.
“We have heard increased reports of outbreaks from our customers, and so far they don’t appear to be serious, although they can potentially develop,” James Feng, general manager of Soozhu.com, China’s biggest independent hog researcher, said by phone from Beijing. “Given the magnitude of China’s hog herds, it’s not uncommon to have thousands of pigs killed by diseases,” he said. http://shanghaiist.com/2013/03/11/porcine_circovirus_detected_in_shanghai_river.php
Shanghai
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Shanghai March 11, 2013 / virus was detected pigs in water samples from the river found the 1,200 pig is dead, according to authorities Shanghai City. showed laboratory tests the virus annular porcine in one of the water samples taken from the Huangpu River, a water source for the city's population, according to sources from the local agricultural city of Shanghai. leads the virus to disease virus annular porcine when pigs but not transmitted infection disease to humans, according to a statement issued by the Commission. has shown all tests of river water showed negative results, including tests general diseases borne Swine Khmy foot and mouth and swine fever and hog cholera and diarrhea epidemic. http://arabic.people.com.cn/31664/8162779.html
Pig virus detected in Shanghai river water
| English.news.cn 2013-03-11 13:24:51 |
SHANGHAI, March 11 (Xinhua) -- A pig virus has been found in a water sample of a river where 1,200 dead pigs had been fished out, Shanghai authorities said.
Laboratory tests found porcine circovirus (PCV) in one of the water samples taken from Huangpu River, a water source for city residents, sources with Shanghai municipal agricultural commission said Monday.
The virus causes porcine circovirus disease in pigs but does not spread to human beings, a commission statement said.
All other tests of the river water provided negative results, including tests for common pig-borne diseases such as foot and mouth, swine fever, hog cholera and epidemic diarrhea.
Authorities are investigating where the dead pigs came from. The commission said they are working with neighboring provinces to trace their source, and have warned riverside residents to refrain from dumping animals into the river.
Local media reports said the pigs mainly came from Shanghai's neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
The city and Songjiang district governments retrieved the pigs from Friday night to Sunday. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-03/11/c_132224787.htm
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