- Hello, Jeff -- We have been following
the chikungunya virus faithully and I want to point out that YOU were the
ONLY one who has been presenting the Chikungunya Virus information on both
your program and the website.
-
- Well, now it is here - in Canada. Two
cases in Alberta, One case in Quebec and One case in Ontario.
-
- There is always a chance that a mosquito
will bite one of the Chik victims and if the viremia is high enough, will
infect the mosquito. Aedes Egypti mosquitos have been found in North
America. We even found them and the Japonicus in Ct. Remember, during
the WNV outbreak in 1999, the Aedes Japonicus was not supposed to be here
but was found in CT and parts of Westchester County and Long Island. One
of the most efficient transmitters of WNV just happened to show up in the
US in 1999...
-
- I will keep monitoring the Chik in Canada
and keep you updated.
-
- Patty
-
-
- Date: Mon, 29 May 2006
- From: Mike Drebot
-
- Four imported cases of Chikungunya (CHIK)
virus infection have been identified among Canadians travelling to offshore
islands in the Indian Ocean of East Africa. The 4 Canadian cases were
from Quebec (1), Ontario (2), and Alberta (1) and their travel history
included visits to the island of Reunion, Mauritius, and the Seychelles
Islands during the month of February. Patients presented with a history
of fever, rash, and ongoing arthralgias which are symptoms typical of CHIK
infection.
-
- Serological testing (hemagglutination
inhibition) confirmed the presence of CHIK antibody in the patients' sera.
Serum samples were forwarded to the National Microbiology Laboratory (Winnipeg,
Manitoba) by the Montreal General Hospital - McGill University Centre for
Tropical Diseases, the Ontario Ministry of Health & Long Term Care
Laboratories Branch, and the Provincial Laboratory of Public Health for
Southern Alberta.
-
- _____
-
- Mike Drebot, PhD
- Chief, Viral Zoonoses
- National Microbiology Laboratory
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- 1015 Arlington Street
- Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
-
- ProMED is most grateful for such first-hand
information from Dr. Mike Drebot. Imported cases of CHIK have been documented,
outside the endemic Indian Ocean basin, in Europe (France, Switzerland,
Germany and Belgium), Far-eastern Asia (China), and now North America (Canada).
- Mod.RY
-
- Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD
- Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural Economics
- Univ of West Indies
-
- Please visit my "Emerging Diseases"
message board at:
- http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php
- Also my new website:
- http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/
- Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
- Go with God and in Good Health
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