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Welcome to CaribVET, the website of the Caribbean Animal Health Network!
This website aims at disseminating information on the animal health situation in the Caribbean and providing useful resources for animal health professionals.
If you want to know more about the network, click on CaribVET in the menu banderol.
If you want to get an overview of the surveillance network in a country, click on Surveillance. |
| - HEALTH NEWS - |
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis in Massachusetts, Michigan (USA)(Promed)
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) this week reported a 7-month-old horse from Middleborough was diagnosed with eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). Infection was confirmed by the William Hinton State Laboratory Institute on 23 Jul 2010. The colt developed clinical signs on 20 Jul 2010, his condition deteriorated very rapidly, and he was euthanized on 21 Jul 2010.
"We are seeing early indicators that lead us to believe this [2010] may be a bad EEE year," said DPH State Epidemiologist Alfred DeMaria, MD. "Evidence of EEE-infected mosquitoes and a horse with EEE this early in the season is similar to what we saw in 2006, and we had 5 human cases that year. We urge people to take this seriously and do what they need to do to protect themselves and their families."
For more information see the Promed article here
• First zoonotic babesiosis in Tennessee and new ehrlichiosis species in
Minnesota and Wisconsin (Promed)
Among new tick-related infectious disease findings presented at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Disease (ICEID), which
ended 14 Jul 2010 in Atlanta, were a report on the first zoonotic babesiosis case documented in Tennessee and a report on ehrlichiosis infections in Minnesota and Wisconsin involving a species that had not previously been identified in North America.
For more information see the Promed article and the abstract of the ICEID presentations
• Increase of human babesiosis cases in New York (Promed)
Babesiosis, a rare and occasionally fatal tick-borne disease caused by microscopic parasites known as Babesia, which infect red blood cells, is on the rise in the Lower Hudson Valley according to the New York State Department of Health.
Babesiosis is a malaria-like disease most commonly transmitted by infected deer ticks. It is transmitted in the same way as Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis and may occur in conjunction with these other diseases.
"The number of cases reported annually in just this area has increased from around 5 in 2001 to nearly 120 in 2008. Despite the large number of Lyme disease cases in the Lower Hudson Valley for many years, babesiosis has only occurred in this area since 2001.
"Babesiosis should be considered an emerging infectious disease" say Dr Gary Wormser, chief of infectious diseases at Westchester Medical Center "and while there is no vaccine to prevent it in human beings, you can reduce your risk of contracting it by taking a few simple precautions, especially outdoors in known tick infested areas."
For more details on this information see the Promed article here and on babesiosis disease see the CDC website here
• Reoccurence of Newcastle disease in Peru (OIE)
The 22 june 2010, a suspicion of Newcastle disease has been declare to OIE. This outbreak was in the west of Peru in the department of "La Libertad".
Stamping out, quarantine, movement control inside the country, screening, zoning, vaccination in response to the outbreak and disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s) were control measures applied.
The 20th july 2010, the SENASA's Animal Health Diagnostic centre confirmed the presence of Avian paramyxovirus type 1 responsible of Newcastle disease by 3 laboratory tests (Real Time PCR, histopathological examination and virus isolation).
To see the OIE report click here.
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis in USA on sentinel Avian (Promed)
For the first time in 30 years mosquito control officials have found traces of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in Martin County. Two chickens living on farmland along Cove Road tested positive for the disease.
Health officials encourage the rest of us to practice the 5 "D's":
* Dusk and Dawn: Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are seeking blood, for many species this is during the dusk and dawn hours.
* Dress: Wear clothing that covers skin.
* DEET: When the potential exists for exposure to mosquitoes, repellents containing DEET are recommended. (Always read the manufacturer's directions carefully before you put on a repellent.)
* Drainage: Check around your home to rid the area of standing water, where mosquitoes can lay their eggs.
Horse owners are encouraged to vaccinate their animals to prevent viral infection.
For more information see the article of Promed website and the article of the Florida Department of Health
• Equine Piroplasmosis in USA (OIE)
One Quarter Horse race pony horse was confirmed positive for Babesia caballi (Competitive ELISA and PCR) in New Mexico the 18th June 2010. The USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the New Mexico Livestock Board conducted a comprehensive epidemiological investigation of this event. The horse has been euthanized.
For more information see the OIE rapport and the technical disease page of OIE
• Human Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis in Panama (Promed)
Franklin Vergara, Minister of Health, confirmed the death of a child aged 9 months due to Venezuelan equine encephalitis in Darien. This disease occurs in both humans and horses and is manifested by a fever, which causes neurological complications. It is transmitted by mosquitoes.
It was learned that 2 other children remain in intensive care at Children's Hospital. Dr Vergara explained that although this is usually not a deadly virus, in cases where the patient has some degree of malnutrition, the disease may cause death.
For more information see the Promed website here
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| - EVENTS - |
• Job Vacancy in Cayman Islands
The Ministry of District Administration Works, Lands and Agriculture invites applications for a Veterinary Officer.
Knowledge: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree or equivalent. Sound knowledge of the principles and practices in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery; Veterinary Public Health.
Experience & Skills: Ability to plan and conduct Veterinary field, Lab and Abattoir Services with minimal instructions; Ability to properly supervise and train subordinate staff, including students, computer literacy. Minimum of 5 years experience in a similar job position.
For more information, click here.
• Update of the "Foot and Mouth Disease" and "Avian Influenza" sections on the CaribVET website
Two new maps representing the repartition of the Foot and Mouth Disease in the world in 2009 and 2010 are now available on the CaribVET website. Currently, serotype O circulate in Asia and Africa. To access, click on "Diseases" / "Other diseases" / "Foot and Mouth Disease" or click directly here. For more information on FMD, see the technical disease page of OIE here
Two new maps representing the repartition of the Avian Influenza in the world in 2009 and 2010 are now available on the CaribVET website. To access, click on "Diseases" / "Avian Influenza" / "Geographical distribution" or click directly here. For more information on HPAI, see the technical disease page of OIE here
• Annual Meeting of ASF and CSF European Community Laboratories 2010
From 19 to 20 May 2010, the Annual Meeting of ASF and CSF European Community Laboratories took place at the premises of the National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy in Poland. The meetings were organized by the Community Reference Laboratories for ASF and CSF, placed in Valdeolmos-Spain and Hannover-Germany, respectively.
Dr. Heidy Diaz Arce de Landa from Cuba represented, during this meeting, the Caribbean region in order to familiarize participants with the current situation of the disease (CSF) in this region.
Among other interesting Conclusions the participants recommended to the European Commission to encourage any further participation by third Countries. This applies for the participation in the inter-laboratory comparison test as well as for the participation in the Annual Meeting of NRLs.
Thanks to Dr. Heidy Díaz de Arce Landa for her participation in this meeting.
For more information, see the Virology Institute of Hannover website.
• Simulation exercise : FMD outbreak in French Guyana
A simulation exercise on Foot and Mouth Disease took place the 9th April, 2010 in French Guyana.
The scenario corresponded to declaration of FMD symptoms in a bovin and swine farm located on a importante farmer area.
Each part of emergency plan were successfully completed in order to verificate capacities of each actor to fulfill their assignment in a real case of declaration of this disease.
For more information see the document (in French) of veterinary services of French Guyana.
• 78th General Session of the World Assembly of OIE Delegates :
OIE Gold Medailist 2010 for Dr Emierio Serrano, Cuba
Intervention by Dr Max Milien (Haiti) during General Session of OIE
During the 78th General Session of the World Assembly of OIE Delegates, 23-28 May 2010, Dr Emerio Serrano received OIE Gold Medalist 2010 (see the picture on the website of OIE).
Dr Max Millien presented Haiti situation. You can read his speech on the OIE website.
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