News Reports for September 17, 2012

<b>Dozens Of Chickens Died Suddenly In Grobogan and there's a human suspect - Central Java

Shared by dbg: http://jogja.okezone.com/read/...

Sunday, September 16 2012 12:40 WIB

Grogoban - Was expected infected bird flu, a resident of Kemoloko Village, Grobogan Regency, Central Java, was run off with to the local midwife. Beforehand, hundreds of tails of the chicken in the area died suddenly.

Darsih, the grandmother 70 years, at once were carried to the local midwife to get treatment. Already three days experienced the cough and felt feverish. Residents claimed concerned over what was experienced by the woman normally was called by Miss Darsih. Moreover, their approximately 40 property chickens died suddenly.

A resident, Agus, afterwards took the initiative of burning and burying all the chicken. He has with the resident reported the incident to the Livestock Service the area.

"Livestock breeding Service gave disinfectant medicine to all the Kemloko resident to be carried out spraying," said Agus in the location, on Sunday (16/9/2012).

The resident hoped with the implementation of spraying, the resident around would be free from the virus H5N1 that could cause this death.

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by: bgw in MT @ Sun Sep 16, 2012 at 23:57:58 PM UTC

India: A wake-up call on bird flu

(Snip) Though India has a strong diagnostic system and response plan for bird flu, it needs to improve detection of the disease and address the problem of under-reporting of cases, according to John Weaver, Chief Technical Advisor, Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations. Dr. Weaver, who headed an FAO delegation to a two-day surveillance training programme on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) here recently, told The Hindu that it was important for a country like India to develop the capacity to investigate and control bird flu and other animal diseases.

The workshop, which concluded on Wednesday, focussed on detection and monitoring of the disease. Veterinarians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep were exposed to surveillance methods, data capture and epidemiology of the disease to understand its behaviour, biology and characteristics.

(Snip)

"India has a problem with under-reporting of bird flu cases. It means the infection is continuing to fulminate and spread. Detection and identification of the reservoirs of infection is crucial. It could be in migratory birds, ducks, or markets."

(Snip) "Some States like Tamil Nadu have a big commercial poultry sector but in north India, the commercial sector is smaller; there you have lots of backyard chickens running around. So, the risk factors are different because the management systems are different". India, he said, had a strong central response plan for bird flu, a strong diagnostic system with very good laboratories, and a decontamination system for infected areas. "What does not work so well here is detection of the disease, particularly in the backyard sector."

(Snip) "Chickens commonly get sick. People often do not report sick chickens because they do not see the need to. This is confounded by the fact that if you report, the government's response is to cull chickens. This proves to be a disincentive to report." Dr. Weaver said the under-reporting of cases could be tackled by addressing the issue of compensation and creating community awareness for reporting the disease. It was important to develop an incentive to report, he added.

"With a history of infection recently in northeast India, both cross-border and inter-State movement of poultry poses a risk. States like Kerala need to monitor poultry movement across State borders and keep tabs on the standard of poultry production in other States," he said. "Migratory birds are certainly the cause of infection across long distances but once the infection is introduced into an area, it is spread mainly by poultry." Continued: http://www.thehindu.com/news/s...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Sep 17, 2012 at 07:13:57 AM UTC

India: Swine flu strikes OGH doctor, 7 others (Andhra Pradesh)

Hyderabad - Eight more cases of swine flu have been reported in the city in a week's time, out of which one of the patient diagnosed happens to be a doctor working in the Osmania General hospital. The virus has been consistently floating around in the city this year, and till Saturday, the number of cases reported in the state is 162.

"The doctor who was diagnosed with the virus is an out-patient and is recovering well. There are no complications at all," said Dr. Shubhakar Kandi, pulmonologist, Chest hospital. This year most of the patients diagnosed with the swine flu virus are out-patients. Till last week, only four people were taken as in-patients, due to their deteriorating health and 19 deaths have been reported so far.

Dr. Shubhakar explained that this is a normal occurrence, and since the city hospitals are equipped with machines to analyse and test each patient, the numbers are going up. "This is not an epidemic. In some of the districts, hospitals do not have the required machines to test patients, and hence no cases are reported. Here, we are testing each patient who comes with a fever or any other ailment," he said.

The pulmonologist pointed out that it is the same scene each year, unlike few years ago when there was an epidemic. "Then we used to get 90-100 patients a day. Now, we get at most two. On Saturday, no cases were reported at all," he said. Dr. Kandi also pointed out that the city doctors have been closely following the virus, to be able to provide treatment as early as possible.

The doctor completely ruled out the possibility of a public health hazard, and said that this occurrence is not a matter to panic about. "It is just few people who are affected with the virus, but one needs to be careful as it is highly communicable," he added. Continued: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/swi...

(Note: Only 4 patients have been hospitalized but there have been 19 deaths? That doesn't sound correct and I think more than 4 patients have been hospitalized in Hyderabad, especially since it goes on to say there are about 2 people a day being hospitalized.)

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Sep 17, 2012 at 07:31:59 AM UTC

Nepal: Viral outbreak

SARLAHI: A village in Sarlahi district has been hit hard by an outbreak of viral fever and diarrhea on Sunday. More than 200 viral fever patients were admitted to a health post today alone in Hajariya VDC, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife Champika Rayamajhi said. She said the health post, which is understaffed, has been overwhelmed by the surge in number of patients. (Snip) Rayamajhi also said that there was a shortage of medicine such as cetamol, which are to be distributed for free. District Public Health Office said it was sending additional doctors and medicine to the outbreak-affected village. http://www.thehimalayantimes.c...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Sep 17, 2012 at 07:57:36 AM UTC

Probiotics prevent colds and improve response to flu vaccine

Probiotics can help prevent upper respiratory infections (URTIs), which include the common cold, and improve the response to flu vaccines (Snip). Probiotics are micro-organisms that can exert beneficial effects on our health.

New clinical trials show that probiotics help to prevent the common cold and its symptoms. A randomized controlled study on children tested the effects of two probiotics administered together (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum). One group of children received the probiotics twice a day, and another group received a placebo, for three months. Fewer children in the probiotics group developed at least one symptom of the cold than in the placebo group. Those who used probiotics had a significant lower risk of runny nose, fever, and cough, and school absence due to the cold. The study was conducted by Dr. Sanguansak Rerksuppaphol, MD, of the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, in Srinakhariwirot University, NakornNayok, Thailand, and published in the journal Pediatrics International.

A recent study on elderly subjects also showed that those who used heat-killed Lactobacillus pentosus had a reduced incidence of the common cold, compared to those on placebo. The study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

A recent randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial examined the effects of two strains of probiotics on immune response to flu vaccination. The study, led by Dr. Giuliano Rizzardini of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Luigi Sacco Hospital in Milan, Italy, involved 211 humans. Subjects were administered probiotic capsules of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis (BB-12), or a dairy drink with Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (L. casei 431), or a placebo, once a day for six weeks. After two weeks, subjects were vaccinated against influenza. After six weeks those who received the probiotics had a significant increase in vaccine specific immune responses. Total antibody concentrations were also higher in those who used probiotics. The study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition. Continued: http://www.digitaljournal.com/...

(Note: A good reason to eat yogurt!)

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Sep 17, 2012 at 20:29:46 PM UTC

India: 4 new positive Swine Flu cases in Madhya Pradesh, death toll at 8

Indore: Four more persons from Indore and neighbouring districts of Madhya Pradesh have tested positive for H1N1 virus and have been admitted to private hospitals here (Snip)

Out of the 14 swab samples sent for testing to a laboratory in Jabalpur last week, four were found to be infected following which the patients were admitted (Snip). Of the four cases, one is from Indore and one each from Ratlam, Dhar and Dewas (Snip).

Nine Swine Flu patients are already undergoing treatment for the disease in the hospitals here, he said.

Since May, Swine Flu has claimed lives of two persons from adjoining districts of Indore. http://daily.bhaskar.com/artic...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Sep 17, 2012 at 20:37:50 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for September 18, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Tue Sep 18, 2012 at 06:07:48 AM UTC