ARCHIVED - Infectious Diseases News Brief - February 4, 2011

 

Canada Communicable Disease Report
CCDR Weekly

Venezuelan Cholera Cases Trigger Control Measures In Neighboring Countries

Panama has upped sanitation and hygiene measures at all its ports and airports and Colombia has enhanced its border vigilance after 35cholera cases were reported and confirmed in Venezuela. Franklin Vergara, Panama's Health Minister added that since Haiti's cholera outbreak in October 2010, the country has been "careful and vigilant". Local media in Venezuela, Colombia and Panama report that between 37 and 111 cases of cholera have been confirmed so far in Venezuela, as well as 12 in the Dominican Republic, 1 in the USA, 2 in Madrid (Spain), and 1 in Mexico. Although no cases have yet been reported, Vergara explained that Panama, being a popular hub for passengers in transit, is an ideal location for infection to spread into if authorities lower their guard. Colombian Health and Wellness Deputy Minister, Beatriz LondoƱo, said that although there is no cholera outbreak in Columbia, authorities' vigilance has been heightened along the country's borders with neighboring Venezuela since new cases have been reported there. Columbia has spend over US$1.6 million to prevent cholera from entering since October 2010.

Source: Medical News Today 28 January 2011
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/215131.php

Key Step In The Development Of A Norovirus Treatment

With the number of norovirus infection cases rising across the country, scientists from the University of Southampton have successfully crystallised a key norovirus enzyme, which could help in the development of a norovirus treatment. Noroviruses are recognised world-wide as the most important cause of epidemic nonbacterial gastroenteritis (stomach bugs) and pose a significant public health burden, with an estimated one million cases per year in the UK. In the past, noroviruses have also been called 'winter vomiting viruses'. By crystallising the key protease enzyme, the research team from the University has been able to design an inhibitor that interacts with the enzyme from the 'Southampton' norovirus. The inhibitor works by preventing the enzyme in the norovirus from working, stopping the spread of infection. The virus is called the Southampton virus because this particular virus was first found in an outbreak that came from a family in Southampton. Traditionally, individual noroviruses are named after the place from which the virus was first found, so for example the very first norovirus is known as Norwalk virus because it discovered in Norwalk in Ohio, America. The research team hopes to translate their laboratory findings into an antiviral treatment for norovirus infection.

Source: Medical News Today 3 February 2011
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/215483.php

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