The border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti is closed due to the fear the Cholera will spread. Hurricane Tomas performed a spectaculor 90 degree turn north and blew across, complicating matters even further.
The situation is Haiti is dire indeed!
For a global perspective on cholera, a potentially fatal infectious disease, one of the best sources is the
GIDEON online database ($). I have included on this blog post the link to the freely accessible
GIDEON blog and a recent posting on the global statistics for this disease.
Disease Facts (GIDEON)
: Agent: BACTERIUM. Vibrio cholerae.
A facultative gram-negative bacillus.
Reservoir: Human
Vector: None
Vehicle: Water Fecal-oral Seafood (oyster, ceviche) Vegetables Fly
Incubation Period: 1d - 5d (range 9h - 6d)
UPDATE [
Caribbean360, November 30, 2010]:
PAHO urges countries to ramp up Cholera readiness.Labels: cholerca, disease outbreak, epidemiology, global health, infectious diseases, statistics
Influenza A(H1N1) ~ 'Swine Flu'
You are invited to attend this UMHS / IUON Learning Event:
Click the link on the right of the
Library Home page, under
News & Events to access the latest
ARL Resource Sheet: Infectious Diseases, which provides current information and key links on this new virus, as well as other infectious diseases.
Labels: disease outbreak, emerging health threats, H1N1 virus, infectious diseases, influenza, swine flu
With almost 50 reported cases of Dengue Fever in St. Maarten and a few cases confirmed in
St. Kitts, it is important for everyone to take measures
now to prevent the further spread of this infectious disease!
Dengue viruses are mosquito-borne, transmitted during the mosquitos feeding process. The disease is
NOT transmitted human-to-human!
Kill the mosquitos and you kill the dengue virus!Notes for Healthcare Professionals:
Classic Dengue Fever or "break bone fever" is characterized by acute onset of high fever, 3-14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Patients develop frontal headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgias, arthralgias, nausea, vomiting, and often a maculopapular rash. Many patients notice a change in taste sensation. Acute symptoms, when present, usually last about 1 week, but weakness, malaise, and anorexia may persist for several weeks.
A high proportion of infections produce no or minimal symptoms, especially in children. Treatment emphasizes relief of symptoms, avoiding aspirin and other non steroidal anti-inflamatory medications and encouraging oral fluid intake.
Yellow Fever can be distinguished from Dengue by the presence of jaundice.Nov 28/08 UPDATE: Dengue confirmed"The public is being asked to assist with eradication of dengue-carrying mosquitoes after blood tests sent to the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) in Barbados confirmed there are
over two dozen positive cases of dengue fever in St. Kitts/Nevis...It is further reported that notifications of clinical cases continue to be received at the Ministry’s Health Information Unit which means that the mosquito that spreads
the dengue viruses remains highly active."
Labels: Aedes Aegypti, dengue fever, DHF, disease outbreak, infectious diseases, St. Kitts
