Published Date: 2008-05-28 22:00:21
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax, human, livestock, 2007 - Argentina
Archive Number: 20080528.1731
ANTHRAX, HUMAN, LIVESTOCK, 2007 - ARGENTINA
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Sat 10 May 2008
From: Ramon Noseda <rnoseda@laboratorioazul.com.ar>
In the surveillance zone within the province of Buenos Aires -- this
involves 33 counties, 32 percent of the province and 26 percent of
the cattle -- there were only 7 livestock outbreaks (4 percent of 169
samples submitted) this year [2008] compared to 15 in 2006. This is a
very significant decrease in disease incidence and in the positive
percentage of samples collected since the program started in 1977.
All in all, the following counties (partidos) reported outbreaks in
Buenos Aires province in 2007: General Alzear, Rammallo, Mar
Chiquita, Azul, Olavarria, General Lamadrid, Puan, Tornquist, Carmen
del Patagones, Rauch. In the whole province since 1977, outbreaks
have occurred in 43 counties.
Other provinces affected in 2007:
Cordoba (3 outbreaks): Marcos Juarez, General Roca
La Pampa (9 outbreaks): Toay, Capital, Utracan, Guatrache
The Azul Awareness Programme resulted in 185 000 cattle being
vaccinated in the spring of 2007; there were 2 accidental human
vaccinations with Sterne during this period, which is commendably
minimal for such a risky activity. All vaccinated herds were GIS
logged; this policy has been in place since August 2004. There was
one anthrax outbreak in sheep on a cattle estancia in the programme,
which had had cattle outbreaks in previous years.
According to DILAB-SENASA, some 19 879 800 doses of Sterne vaccine
were produced in 9 laboratories. This is 6 percent more doses than in
2006.
Human cases in 2007: The Direccion Nacional de Epidemiologia del
Ministro de Salud de la Nacion reported 9 human cases in Argentina,
with 7 in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Entre Rios and
Santa Fe. On the other hand, the Departamento de Zoonosis Rurales of
the Prov. of Bs. As. Ministry of Health received notifications of 6
human cases, all males between the ages of 25-54, with lesions on the
hands and forearms, living in the counties of Gonzalez Chavez, Bahia
Blanca, Puan, Olavarria, and General Pueyrredon.
--
Ramon Noseda
<rnoseda@laboratorioazul.com.ar>
[This was extracted from Dr Noseda's 2007 annual report for this
disease. It includes data from Laboratorio Azul Diagnostico (Dr Ramon
Noseda), INTA - Balcarce (Dr German Canton), Laboratorio Santa
Rosa-La Pampa (Dr Fernando Esain), and Laboratorio Bahia Blanca-Bs.
As (Dr Luis Alvarez). We are grateful to Ramon and his colleagues for
sharing it with us and for the progress Argentina is having in
controlling this disease. For those who have never vaccinated cattle,
I must point out that veterinarians and stockmen routinely vaccinate
themselves, though we try to keep it to a minimum. It happens. -
Mod.MHJ]