Published Date: 2010-07-02 19:00:04
Subject: PRO/AH> Anthrax, human, livestock, 2009 - Argentina
Archive Number: 20100702.2207
ANTHRAX, HUMAN, LIVESTOCK 2009 - ARGENTINA
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Date: Fri 25 Jun 2010
From: Ramon Noseda <rnoseda@laboratorioazul.com.ar> [edited]
This annual report describes the situation of the "Rural Carbuncle"Â
[Anthrax Control & Surveillance] programme in Argentina, which has
been in place since 2003. It monitors several epidemiological
scenarios involving bovine and human cases related to cattle breeding.
1. In the evaluation area of Rural Carbuncle in the Province of Buenos
Aires, which includes 33 partidos (counties), 5 outbreaks of bovine
anthrax occurred in the partidos of Juarez, Navarro, Tres Arroyos,
Carlos Tejedor, and Tandil. During the period 1977-2009 a total of 411
(12 percent) out of 3446 (total) samples from acute bovine deaths
processed were positive. During 2009, 5 (4 percent) out of 110 such
samples were positive. The incidence has been falling since 2007 and
is influenced by a decrease in the average annual rainfall. The
seasonal diagnostic rate also showed an overall decrease throughout
the year. During the warm summer-autumn months there has been a
decrease of 5 percent and 4 percent respectively, while the winter
showed a 10 percent rate (1 point increase in general value). There
were no positive isolations during the spring, which was exceptional.
2. The Alert and Response Zone against the Occurrence of Natural or
Accidental Anthrax Outbreaks or of the deliberate use of _Bacillus
anthracis_, Azul, Province of Buenos Aires, did not report any cases
of bovine or human anthrax. Historically there have been 65 outbreaks
of bovine anthrax in relation to the water drainage channels,
geographically referenced by GIS in 2004, and people were affected in
7 of these outbreaks. Some 85 964 bovine cattle were vaccinated in the
voluntary campaign of anti-anthrax vaccination simultaneously with
foot-and-mouth disease vaccination. This number accounts for the 17
percent of the whole, which is one of the lowest vaccination
percentages since the beginnings of outbreaks.
3. Isolation of _Bacillus anthracis_ by other veterinary diagnostic
laboratories: 3 laboratories belonging to the Province of Buenos Aires
and another in the Province of La Pampa analyzed 128 samples and 11 (8
percent) were positive.
4. Counties in the Province of Buenos Aires affected by anthrax
outbreaks: 51 counties have suffered at least one outbreak during the
period 1977-2009, for a total of 274 incidents. During this year
[2009], 10 counties have been involved in anthrax outbreaks: Carlos
Tejedor (1 outbreak), Juarez (1), Mar Chiquita (1), Navarro (1),
Pringles (1), Rauch (4), Saavedra (2), Tandil (1), Tres Arroyos (1),
Villarino (1); total 14 outbreaks.
5. Production of anti anthrax vaccine at a national level: 10
companies produced 11 058 500 doses of Sterne strain vaccine.
6. Cases of human anthrax nationwide: 3 cases in human beings were
reported (2 in the Province of Buenos Aires and 1 in the City of
Buenos Aires), all of them were cutaneous anthrax. The case in the
city of Buenos Aires is believed to be an inter-hospital transfer from
the nearby province.
--
Dr Ramon Noseda
Laboratorio Azul Diagnostico SA
Av 25 de Mayo 479
(B7300FXE) Azul - Pcia Bs As
Argentina
<rnoseda@laboratorioazul.com.ar>
<http://www.laboratorioazul.com.ar>
[Our thanks to Ramon for this report. Anyone wanting the full details
should contact him directly. - Mod.MHJ]
[If only 86 000 cattle were vaccinated in 2009 (para.2), one wonders
what they did with the rest of the 11 million doses of vaccine they
produced? Same question re the 2008 production of 18 630 250 doses,
when only 132 610 head were vaccinated -- see 2009 archive below.
Vaccine shelf life, as far as I can determine, is about 3 years. -
Mod.JW]
[A map showing the provinces of Argentina is available at
<http://www.zonu.com/argentina_maps/Argentina_Political_Map_3.htm>.
The counties (partidos) of the province of Buenos Aires can be seen on
the map at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buenos_Aires_Province#Political_division>.
See Also
2009----
Anthrax, human, livestock, 2008 - Argentina
20090612.2179
2008
----
Anthrax, human, livestock, 2007 - Argentina
20080528.1731
2007
----
Anthrax, human, livestock - Argentina: 2006
20070519.1590
........................................mhj/mj/jw
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