ANTHRAX, BOVINE - CANADA: (SASKATCHEWAN), Also in the Soil & Blowing in the Wind, "All-Over" Canadian Prairies

****************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 29 Jun 2009
Source: CountryGuide (Eastern Edition) [edited]



One animal in one cattle herd on one western Saskatchewan farm is the lone
confirmed case of anthrax poisoning so far this spring and summer [2009] in
western Canada's livestock herds. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said
Friday [26 Jun 2009] that this case was reported 3 Jun 2009 on a farm in
the RM of King George, in the Rosetown/Outlook area.

The spores that cause anthrax poisoning are known to exist in soil across
the Canadian Prairies, and findings of anthrax are "common", CFIA said.

Despite the low incidence so far this grazing season, CFIA still advised
producers to consult with their veterinarians about making anthrax
vaccinations part of a regular herd-health maintenance program should they
reside in a known anthrax-infected area.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Susan Baekeland

[It is still early days, so there will be more outbreaks in Saskatchewan
before the summer is over. However, the Canadians have been working very
hard to persuade their ranchers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to
get their cattle vaccinated. Because of the recent epidemics across the
prairies, there are many contaminated sites scattered here and there just
waiting to be found by a susceptible grazing cow.

To view Saskatchewan, go to
.
Rosetown/Outlook is southwest of Saskatoon - Mod.MHJ]

[see also:
2008
---
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (05): (SK) 20080829.2710
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (04): (SK) bison 20080826.2670
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (03): (SK) 20080812.2500
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (02): (SK) bison 20080727.2297
Anthrax, bovine - Canada: (SK) 20080726.2286
2007
---
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK) (03) 20070614.1946
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK)(02) 20070401.1111
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK): susp., RFI 20070330.1098
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK) 20070219.0625
2006
---
Anthrax - Canada (SK, MB)(12) 20060924.2728
Anthrax - Canada (SK,MB) (11) 20060916.2635
Anthrax - Canada (SK, MB)(10) 20060912.2581
Anthrax - Canada (SK,MB) (09) 20060901.2491
Anthrax - Canada (SK,MB)(08) 20060826.2421
Anthrax - Canada (SK, MB) (07) 20060816.2293
Anthrax - Canada (SK,MB) (06) 20060811.2257
Anthrax - Canada (SK,MB) (05) 20060808.2228
Anthrax - Canada (SK,MB) (04) 20060806.2195
Anthrax - Canada (SK,MB) (03) 20060802.2141
Anthrax - Canada (SK, MB)(02) 20060730.2107
Anthrax - Canada (SK, MB) 20060726.2059
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK)(09) 20060720.1993
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK)(08) 20060718.1974
Anthrax, human, bovine - Canada (SK) 20060716.1957
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK)(06) 20060712.1924
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK)(05) 20060711.1910
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK)(04) 20060710.1890
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK)(03) 20060709.1884
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK)(02) 20060706.1858
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK) 20060705.1847
2004
---
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK) (02) 20040131.0366
Anthrax, bovine - Canada (SK) 20040129.0343]

...............mhj/msp/sh


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Swift Expands Beef Recall

E. COLI O157 - USA (03): BEEF, RECALL
*************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Sun 28 Jun 2009
Source: Yahoo News, Reuters report [edited]



A Colorado meat company is expanding a recall of beef due to possible
contamination by _E. coli_ O157:H7 bacteria after an investigation found 18
illnesses may be linked to the meat, the company and the US Agriculture
Department said on Sunday [28 Jun 2009].

Greeley, Colorado-based JBS-Swift Beef Co is voluntarily expanding its 24
Jun 2009 recall to include about 380 000 lbs (172.3 tonnes) of assorted
beef products, for a total recall of about 421 000 lbs [191 tonnes], USDA
and the company said. The affected beef was produced on 21 Apr 2009 and was
distributed nationally and internationally. "The contamination may have
come from further processing by other companies," Chandler Keys, JBS
spokesman, said on Sunday [28 Jun 2009].

USDA said the recalled products are typically used for steaks and roasts
rather than ground beef. However, it said some of the beef may have been
processed into ground products by other companies. It is unlikely the
recall will be expanded further, and JBS will be contacting customers that
received the beef to learn how the product was distributed, said Keys.

The contamination was investigated by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection
Service in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

--
communicated by:
Sara M Volk, PhD
Department of Pathology
Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases
University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, Texas, USA


[A key issue in the recall is that it is not primarily related to ground
beef but rather steaks and roasts, some of which might be processed into
ground beef. In most situations, surface contamination with the pathogen is
not an issue since the piece of meat is cooked at least on the outside.
However, as noted in a past ProMED-mail posting (E. coli O157, frozen
steaks - USA (Midwest): recall 20030701.1617), the bacteria associated with
the steak are usually external, meaning that the pathogen would be killed
by heat, which might not inactivate internal bacteria. In that posting, the
meat had been injected with tenderizers so that the _E. coli_ could be
inoculated internally. This technique to fool Mother Nature once again may
produce more collective harm than individual good. The mechanism of
contamination of steaks in a more recent ProMED posting (E. coli O157,
steak - USA (PA): recall 20070426.1362) was not stated.

ProMED-mail thanks Dr Volk for this posting and awaits more information
regarding the form of meat associated with the outbreak strain. - Mod.LL

The state of Colorado can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map at . - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

[see also:
E. coli O157 - USA (02): refrigerated cookie dough 20090623.2291
E. coli O157 - USA: refrigerated cookie dough 20090619.2259
2008
---
E. coli O157 - USA (09): (WA), susp. 20081021.3336
E. coli O157 - USA (08): (CA), cooked beef 20081007.3181
E. coli O157, university students - USA (06): California lettuce 20081015.3266
E. coli O157, university students - USA: (MI) 20080922.2987
E. coli O157 - USA (07): (MA) alert 20080811.2475
E. coli O157 - USA: (OH, MI), unknown source 20080624.1947
E. coli O157, lettuce - USA: (WA) 20080606.1807
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA: (HI) 20080228.0811
2007
---
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (09) 20071126.3823
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (08): Canada 20071029.3511
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (04): 2nd manufacturer
20071007.3304
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate) (03): CDC report 20071003.3272
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate): alert, recall 20070927.3201
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (NY): alert, recall 20070926.3190
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (WA, OR): alert 20070830.2855
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (NY) 20070725.2387
E. coli VTEC, prisoners - USA (CO) (02) 20070714.2263
E. coli VTEC, prisoners - USA (CO): RFI 20070712.2236
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (west) (03): expanded recall 20070611.1902
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (west): recall 20070606.1831
E. coli O157, ground beef - USA (multistate): recall 20070514.1532
E. coli O157, steak - USA (PA): recall 20070426.1362
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA (CA) (03) 20070410.1204
E. coli O157, restaurant - USA (CA) 20070403.1131
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate): 2006, FDA report 20070326.1051
E. coli O157, bagged salad greens - USA (multistate) 20070121.0288
E. coli O157, lettuce - USA (multistate): 2006 20070112.0158
2006
---
E. coli O157, fast food - USA (multistate) (05): lettuce 20061214.3516
E. coli O157, fast food - USA (IA, MN): lettuce 20061214.3515
E. coli O157, fast food - USA (multistate): green onions 20061206.3441
E. coli O157 - USA (NJ, NY) 20061205.3425
E. coli O157 - USA (NJ) 20061203.3415
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate) (20) 20061027.3067
E. coli O157, spinach - USA (multistate): alert 20060915.2608
E. coli O157 - USA (multistate): unknown source 20060410.1068
E. coli O157, unpasteurized milk - USA (OR, WA) (04) 20060121.0199]

.................ll/mj/sh


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Q Fever Update: Ill Winds Blowing from Livestock Farms as Airborne Disease Spreads / Predicted to Get Worse

Q FEVER - NETHERLANDS (05)
**************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Sat 27 Jun 2009
From: Jim van Steenbergen


[ProMED-mail thanks Dr Jim van Steenbergen for the following commentary
regarding this outbreak in humans and goats in the Netherlands and why
Belgium and Germany have not been likewise affected. - Mod.LL]

There is Q fever in Belgium and Germany, but just as modest as we in the
Netherlands used to have, with occasional milder outbreaks. The difference
is the way we keep our goats with herds of 5000 in open stables, concrete
floor, where the farmer adds a little straw every day and removes
everything (including previously deposited placentas) 2 or 3 times a year.
The open stables assist the wind in blowing _Coxiella_ into the outside
environment. In a herd of 5000 you can easily miss a few abortions. The
typical abortion storm is regularly seen (10-20 per cent of pregnancies
ending in abortion), and reported. But we miss hundreds of abortions that
occur in less than 5 per cent of pregnancies (reportable if abortion rate
is over 5 per cent). In a herd of 5000 no obligation to report 1 to 259
abortions.

The vaccination started in 2008 with, at that time, all available vaccine
(40 000 doses). In 2009, there is still a shortage but now over 190 000
doses have been bought and are being administered now by the public health
vets. This is still not enough for the 350 000 goats in the country.
Amazingly enough, the 1.1 million sheep are not (as yet) suffering any
abortions (and no problems at all are seen in cattle).

The area is covered by a thin layer of _Coxiella_ built up in 3 years,
which will undoubtedly infect humans again next year [2009] under certain
weather conditions. We'll see large numbers of human cases next year, even
if the abortion rate were lowered substantially.
--
Jim van Steenbergen
Coordinator, Communicable Disease Control
Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Dutch: Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM)
Bilthoven, Netherlands


[see also:
Q fever - Netherlands (04): fatalities 20090626.2330
Q Fever - Netherlands (03): update, animal vaccination 20090510.1744
Q Fever - Netherlands (02): (NB) 20090508.1721
Q fever, caprine - Netherlands: (LI) 20090331.1230
Q fever - Netherlands: sheep & goat vaccination 20090228.0841
2008
---
Q fever - Netherlands (04): sheep & goat vaccination 20081023.3352
Q fever - Netherlands (03): (NBR, GEL) 20080802.2367
Q fever - Netherlands (02): (NBR) 20080728.2306
Q fever - Netherlands: (NBR) 20080725.2267
2007
---
Q fever - Netherlands (Noord-Brabant, Gelderland) 20070809.2592]

.................jw/ll/mj/sh


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BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS - USA (08): (INDIANA) CERVID, BOVINE

*******************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Fri 26 Jun 2009
Source: CattleNetwork, Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH)
press release [edited]



Tuberculosis identified on 2nd Indiana cervid farm
--------------------------------------------------
An animal on a 2nd Indiana cervid farm has tested positive for bovine
tuberculosis (commonly called "TB," or more formally known as
_Mycobacterium bovis_). The mature female elk [also known as cow elk -
Mod.TG] was identified through testing by the Indiana State Board of
Animal Health (BOAH) after it was traced from the cervid operation
that tested positive for the disease in May. "Cervid" is a category of
animals that includes elk and various species of deer.

The latest herd, a multi-species operation in Wayne County , is
currently under quarantine until further testing can be completed.

The Board of Animal Health (BOAH) veterinarians continue to notify
owners of animals traced to or from the 1st (index) cervid herd
located in northern Franklin County. Today's [26 Jun 2009]
announcement marks the 1st animal to test positive on another site.
Several other herds are currently under quarantine with test results
pending.

"The slow-growing nature of tuberculosis makes confirmatory testing a
slow process," explains Indiana State Veterinarian Bret D Marsh. "As
we identify more trace herds, almost daily, we recognize that this is
going to be a drawn-out process that will take time. We appreciate the
cooperation we've received so far from the herd owners."

Meanwhile, BOAH is collaborating with the Indiana Department of
Natural Resources and the US Department of Agriculture-Wildlife
Services to test wildlife in the immediate area around the index farm.
BOAH staff is teaming with USDA-Veterinary Services to develop plans
to do radius testing of cattle in the region.

Dr Marsh explains the focus on Franklin County: "Since December
[2008], when a TB-positive cow [bovine] was traced to a local farm,
BOAH has been working to identify the source of the disease. While
that beef farm is in close proximity to our index cervid herd, no
physical link has been established. So, we are going to take a close
look at the wildlife in the area."

"After testing of all the livestock operations adjacent to the beef
farm, with no positives, we need to extend that circle to ensure that
TB has not spread any farther in the livestock in the community," Dr
Marsh adds. [Certainly, that circle would include the trace-ins and
trace-outs of the bovine herd. - Mod.TG]

Indiana's TB-free status for cattle has not changed with this latest
discovery; nor has BOAH been notified of any interstate movement
restrictions being placed on Indiana cattle. The state has held a
bovine tuberculosis-free status since 1984 with the USDA. Under
federal guidelines, a TB-positive cervid does not affect the status
for cattle producers. Before the December 2008 case, the last time a
Hoosier herd tested positive for the disease was in the 1970s.
[However, another bovine animal being found TB positive in Indiana
would likely cost the state its coveted free-state status. - Mod.TG]

"Closing out this case is not going to be a fast process," says Dr
Marsh. "I want Hoosier producers to know that BOAH is committed to
protecting animal health in this state, based on the best science we
have. We have work happening on several fronts -- from wildlife
surveillance to ongoing traces of animal movements to follow up
testing. As we move into the next few weeks, our staff will begin
contacting local cattle owners whose herds need to be tested."

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial disease that affects
primarily cattle, but can be transmitted to any warm-blooded animal.
TB is difficult to diagnose through clinical signs alone. In the early
stages of the disease, clinical signs are not visible. Later, signs
may include: emaciation, lethargy, weakness, anorexia, low-grade
fever, and pneumonia with a chronic, moist cough. Lymph node
enlargement may also be present. Cattle owners who notice these signs
in their livestock should contact their private veterinarian.

Contact: Denise Derrer, Public Information Director or
Doug Metcalf, Chief of Staff

More information about the disease and the investigation, as it
develops, will be available on the BOAH website at
.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Susan Baekeland
and Indiana deer owners

[The state of Indiana can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map of the US at

Wayne and Franklin counties in eastern Indiana can be seen on the map at
http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/states/indiana/indiana-county-map.html>. -
Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

[see also:
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (07): (MN) cervid 20090625.2307
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (06): (NE) (02) 20090620.2270
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (05): (NE) 20090613.2198
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (04): (TX) conf. 20090613.2195
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (03): (NE) cattle, elk 20090603.2060
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (02): (ND) 20090514.1811
Bovine tuberculosis - USA: (TX), susp 20090423.1536]
........................................tg/mj/jw
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ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
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using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
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or archived material.
************************************************************
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************************************************************
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Q FEVER - NETHERLANDS (04): FATALITIES

Q FEVER - NETHERLANDS (04): FATALITIES
**************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


[1]
Date: Thu 25 Jun 2009
Source: Dutch News [edited]



At least 2 people have died suffering from the flu-like Q fever in the
Den Bosch area, microbiologist Peter Wever told news agency ANP on
Thursday [25 Jun 2009].

Both had been admitted to hospital after the diagnosis, but they may
have died of complications or other factors, Wever, from the Jeroen
Bosch hospital in Den Bosch, told ANP. Given that between 1 and 2
percent of people admitted to hospital with the disease die, more
deaths should be expected, he said. Some 600 people have been
hospitalized with Q fever, ANP said, without giving a time frame.

Q fever was rarely known among humans in the Netherlands until 2007,
when 168 cases were reported. In 2008, there were more than 1000
cases. The disease is spread by livestock, which shed the bacteria in
urine, feces, birth products, and milk. Q fever, which leads to
spontaneous abortion in sheep and goats, causes flu-like symptoms in
humans but can lead to lung infections.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Brent Barrett

******
[2]
Date: Fri 26 Jun 2009
Source: Expatica [edited]



So far in 2009, 3 people in the Netherlands have died after
contracting so-called Q fever, according to the national institute for
public health and the environment.

Roel Coutinho, director of the institute, said one patient died in
2008 and then 3 in 2009. All of the patients were suffering from
additional serious medical conditions.

Some 1429 infected patients have been reported by general
practitioners since the beginning of 2009. To limit the spread of the
disease, 130 000 goats in the provinces of [North]-Brabant, Limburg,
and Gelderland will be vaccinated.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[The pathogenic organism of Q fever, often acquired by close exposure
to animals, is infectious with a very low inoculum and may be
aerosolized over a distance. It is not clear what contact the infected
people had with animals or how close they were to farms.

_Coxiella burnetii_, the causative agent, was discovered in 1937. This
organism is an agent that can be resistant to heat and desiccation,
and is highly infectious by the aerosol route. A single inhaled
organism may produce clinical illness. Indeed, in [non-human]
primates, the dose to kill 50 percent of the primates was found to be
1.7 organisms (1).

The organisms can be resistant to heat, drying, and many common
disinfectants. These features enable the bacteria to survive for long
periods in the environment. This very stable form of _C. burnetii_ is
associated with compact small cell variants of the organism that are
produced during standard replication along with the less resistant
large cell form, metabolically dormant, and spore-like (2).

Infection of humans usually occurs by inhalation of these organisms
from air that contains airborne barnyard dust contaminated by dried
placental material, birth fluids, and excreta of infected herd
animals. Humans are often very susceptible to the disease, and very
few organisms may be required to cause infection.

Ingestion of contaminated milk, followed by regurgitation and
inspiration of the contaminated food, is a less common mode of
transmission. Other modes of transmission to humans, including tick
bites and human-to-human transmission, are rare.

References
----------
1. Lille RD, Perrin TL, Armstrong C: An institutional outbreak of
pneumonitis. III. Histopathology in man and rhesus monkeys in the
pneumonitis due to the virus of "Q fever." Pub Hlth Rep 1941; 56:
1419-25.
2. Norlander L: Q fever epidemiology and pathogenesis. Microbes Infect
2000; 2: 417-24 [abstract available at
.

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the Netherlands is available at
. - Mod.LL]

[see also:
Q Fever - Netherlands (03): update, animal vaccination 20090510.1744
Q Fever - Netherlands (02): (NB) 20090508.1721
Q fever, caprine - Netherlands: (LI) 20090331.1230
Q fever - Netherlands: sheep & goat vaccination 20090228.0841
2008
----
Q fever - Netherlands (04): sheep & goat vaccination 20081023.3352
Q fever - Netherlands (03): (NBR, GEL) 20080802.2367
Q fever - Netherlands (02): (NBR) 20080728.2306
Q fever - Netherlands: (NBR) 20080725.2267
2007
----
Q fever - Netherlands (Noord-Brabant, Gelderland) 20070809.2592]
........................................ll/mj/jw
*##########################################################*
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ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
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using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
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JBS Swift recalls 41,000 pounds of beef

Possible E. coli contamination

Associated Press
Last updated: 2:35 p.m., Thursday, June 25, 2009

GREELEY, Colo. -- JBS Swift Beef Co. of Greeley has recalled about 41,000 of its beef products because of possible E. coli contamination.


JBS Swift spokesman Chandler Keys said Thursday the recall is voluntary and no illnesses have been reported.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the products were produced on April 21-22 and were shipped to distributors and retailers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.

All the recalled beef is in boxes bearing "EST. 969" and packaging date codes of 042109 or 042209. They have case codes of 21852, 21853, 31852, 31853, 33852, 33853, 41853, 41853, 79852, 79853 or 90853.

------

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact the JBS Swift's consumer hot line at (800) 555-7675.



http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=813920

Minnesota Deer found with Bovine TB

BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS, CERVIDS - USA: (MINNESOTA)
**************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Tue 23 Jun 2009
Source: Bemidji Pioneer [edited]



The discovery of a whitetail deer with bovine tuberculosis [TB] in
northwest Beltrami County doesn't concern state agriculture
officials. "It was kind of expected, and is the reason why we need to
continue monitoring to be sure there's not something out there,"
Robin Kinney, Minnesota assistant agriculture commissioner, said in a
recent interview.

The TB-positive deer was a 6-year-old male, and showed clinical signs
of bovine TB, which later was confirmed by laboratory analysis. No
other deer removed this winter [2008-09] showed similar signs of
infection. "We fully expected that the deer population was carrying
some of this, so to find one is a good sign," Kinney said.

The older deer makes state officials believe that bovine TB among
deer may be confined to a certain age class, since the infected deer
found since testing began in 2005 have been born in 2005 or earlier.

"It was an older deer that was found," Kinney said. "That's great,
and it means that we need to continue that diligence to seek it out.
I don't expect we're going to have any problems, but that's why we're
staying on high alert on it."

Last year [208], the US Department of Agriculture allowed Minnesota a
split-state status, meaning that outside a bovine TB management area
in northwest Beltrami County and Roseau County, the state remains TB-free.

Cattle sold within the bovine TB management area must undergo strict
testing regimes before being sold or transported across state lines.

Cattle are believed to contract bovine TB from infected free-ranging
deer, so the DNR [Department of Natural Resources] has been working
with USDA sharpshooters during the winter to cull the deer herd in that area.

The DNR has also conducted surveillance for TB in hunter-harvested
deer within a 15-mile [24 km] radius of the once-infected farms every
fall since 2005. To date, more than 6000 deer taken by hunters and
sharp-shooters have been tested.

"The older ages of infected deer, the lack of infection in younger
deer, and the close proximity of infected deer suggest the disease is
not efficiently spreading in the deer population," Michelle
Carstensen, DNR wildlife health program coordinator, said last month
[May 2009].

DNR sampled 1246 deer taken in the bovine TB surveillance zone during
the fall 2008 hunt. Spring sharp-shooting efforts, that began in
March and concluded 30 Apr [2009], have resulted in an additional 738
deer being removed near previously infected cattle operations inside
the management zone.

DNR will continue monitoring for the disease through sampling of
hunter-harvested deer, Carstensen said. Hunter-harvested surveillance
will be conducted within the larger bovine TB surveillance zone in
fall 2009, with a sampling goal of 1800 deer. Surveillance will
continue every year until no positive animals are detected for 5
consecutive years, she said.

The 2008 Legislature, led by Sen. Rod Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook, put in
place the bovine TB management zone and provided buyouts of herds
that may be infected and ordered fencing around remaining herds to
keep out deer.

The Agriculture Department's bovine TB czar is Joe Martin, appointed
by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. "He's done just a great job shepherding this
through and being sure that producers are being taken care of," said
Kinney. "Funding-wise, we've had a great partnership, especially with
the legislative folks up here. They understand the issue, they've
been working very closely hand-in-hand with Joe and the DNR to be
sure we've got that balance."

"This should not delay Minnesota's goal of regaining TB-Free Status,"
Martin said last month [May 2009] of the new deer discovery. "We have
been in contact with USDA and they have assured us this finding in
the deer will not impact cattle movements or the state's TB status."

The state's status is only impacted by finding additional TB-positive
cattle herds. The last known infected herd was depopulated earlier
this year [2009] as part of the state's buyout program. There are no
other active cattle investigations ongoing at this time, Martin said.

The buyout of herds is complete, Kinney said. "Money-wise this coming
year it's going to be continuing to provide some education and
management opportunities for as long as these folks are going to need
to be out, be sure that we're monitoring that deer population so that
we can get the status back as quickly as we can."

The issue continues to be a priority of the Minnesota Farm Bureau
Federation, which lobbied last year [2008] for the special management
zone and funding for cattle buyouts. "Bovine TB is still a priority
for us in Farm Bureau," Minnesota Farm Bureau President Kevin Paap
said in a recent interview. "We need to do everything and anything we
can to eradicate that, both in the cattle and the deer herds. So
we'll watch that very closely."

Minnesota state agencies and USDA have entered into a productive
partnership in an effort to eradicate bovine TB, Kinney said. "We
have a very good partnership, and I have say that's to the fact that
Commissioner (Gene) Hugoson has served so long in a leadership role,"
she said. "That consistency has been extremely important, not only
for Minnesota but for APHIS and the other divisions. He is recognized
nationally as a leader and has great insight." USDA's Animal and
Public Health Information System establishes threat levels for animal
diseases, and determines levels of bovine TB classifications.

Kinney also credited US House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson,
DFL-7th District, in whose district the bovine TB management zone
lies. "He just does a tremendous job as an advocate for agriculture,
and his role as chairman of the House Ag Committee certainly helped
Minnesota come forward," Kinney said. "We've got great dialogue with him."

[Byline: Brad Swenson]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Susan Baekeland

[Minnesota has had a long battle with tuberculosis, both in bovines
and in cervids. They have made gallant strides in getting this
disease under control. Their surveillance here is a minor triumph in
being able to predict what the age of expected animals with the
disease. - Mod.TG]

[The Midwestern state of Minnesota can be located on the
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at
.
Beltrami County can be seen on the map at
. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ

[see also:
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (06) (NE) (02) 20090620.2270
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (05): (NE) 20090613.2198
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (04): (TX) conf. 20090613.2195
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (03): (NE) cattle, elk 20090603.2060
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (02): (ND) 20090514.1811
Bovine tuberculosis - UK (03): increased incidence 20090514.1809
Bovine tuberculosis - USA: (TX), susp 20090423.1536
2008
----
Tuberculosis, bovine - USA (08): (MN) 20081207.3839
Tuberculosis, bovine - USA (04): (MN) status downgrade 20080408.1296
Tuberculosis, bovine - USA (03): (MN) 20080222.0718
Tuberculosis, bovine - USA (02): (MN) 20080205.0472
Tuberculosis, bovine - USA: (MN) 20080123.0285
2007
----
Tuberculosis, bovine - USA: (MN) 20071029.3509
2006
----
Tuberculosis, bovine, cervids - USA (MN) (03)20061101.3131
Tuberculosis, bovine, cervid - USA (MN) (02) 20060131.0310
Tuberculosis, bovine, cervid - USA (MN) 20060123.0225
2005
----
Tuberculosis, bovine - USA (MN)(02) 20051211.3564
Tuberculosis, bovine - USA (MN)with comment 20050716.2034
Tuberculosis, bovine - USA (MN)20050716.2030]
...................................tg/mj/dk

Farmed fish may pose risk for mad cow disease

University of Louisville neurologist Robert P. Friedland, M.D., questions the safety of eating farmed fish in the June issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. A legitimate worry about the nation's food supply or a case of an anti-farmed fish agenda? Friedland and co-authors suggest, despite any evidence or anything outside their own speculation, that farmed fish byproducts rendered from cows, like bone meal, could transmit Creutzfeldt Jakob disease, commonly known as mad cow disease, to humans. Despite the lack of evidence, they are urging government regulators to ban feeding cow meat or bone meal to fish until the safety of this common practice can be confirmed. How can you further prove something is safe that has been in use for decades without issue? read more

Farmed fish may pose risk for mad cow disease
University of Louisville neurologist Robert P. Friedland, M.D., questions the safety of eating farmed fish in the June issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, adding a new worry to concerns ...

19 hours ago from PhysOrg

Hysteria Or Legitimate Concern - Farmed Fish May Carry Mad Cow Disease?, 17 hours ago from Scientific Blogging

Farmed fish may pose risk for mad cow disease, 18 hours ago from e! Science News

Farmed fish may pose risk for mad cow disease, 19 hours ago from Science Blog

Mad fish disease could threaten humans
Experts are questioning the safety of eating farmed fish that are fed byproducts rendered from cows...

1 hours ago from Science a Go Go

Farmed Fish Could Pose Risk For Mad Cow Disease
University of Louisville neurologist Robert P.

Now lets discuss the use of animal by-products in our pharmacudicals-you would not believe! Tums, gelatin caps and pill coatings,....just for starters. Wll be posting more about this here so check back soon. Your life can depend on it!

Nitrites in cured meat could increase lung disease risk

Nitrites in cured meat could increase lung disease risk
By Stephen Daniells, 18-Apr-2007
Related topics: Science & Nutrition, Preservatives and acidulants

Days after English researchers proposed an equation to make the ultimate bacon buttie, a new study from the US has reported that frequent consumption of cured meats like bacon may increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Consuming more than 14 or more cured meat products per month was associated with a 93 per cent increase in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), report the authors in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The nitrite content of cured meat has been proposed to be behind the observations.




Nitrites are added to meat to retard rancidity, stabilise flavour, and establish the characteristic pink colour of cured meat. Studies and recommendations by health and governmental organisations ensure the safety of such products.




An independent expert has said the implications of the research may be on our understanding on what causes COPD beyond cigarette smoke.




COPD mainly affects smokers, and is the number four cause of death worldwide. It is characterised by chronic inflammation in the small airways of the lung and leads to excessive mucus production, excessive fibrous connective tissue development (fibrosis), and degradation of proteins (proteolysis). There is no cure.




Yet a reported 10 per cent of people who die from COPD are said to have never smoked in their lives, a statistic that suggests that other factors beyond smoking may play a role in the development of the disease.




The researchers, from Columbia University Medical Center in New York, used data from the third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) on 7,352 subjects (52 per cent female) over the age of 45, for which adequate information was available on lung function and dietary habits. The subject group was representative of the US population of that age.




The NHANES data was accumulated using food frequency questionnaires that asked participants to quantify dietary intake, including that of nitrite-rich foods, such as various types of cured meat (bacon, salami, cured ham, meat within ready meals, etc.).




Following adjustment for age, sex, ethnic group and smoking habits, the data show that consumption of cured meat at least once every two days on average (at least 14 times a month) was associated with a 91 per cent increase in developing COPD.




"Cured meats, such as bacon, sausage, luncheon meats and cured hams, are high in nitrites, which are added to meat products as a preservative, an anti-microbial agent, and a colour fixative," said lead author Rui Jiang. "Nitrates generate reactive nitrogen species that may cause damage to the lungs, producing structural changes resembling emphysema."


Jiang added that male smokers of a lower socioeconomic status were more likely to frequently consume cured meats, compared to other demographic groups.




"Those who consumed cured meats more frequently had lower intakes of vitamin C, beta-carotene, fish, fruits, vegetables, and vitamin or mineral supplements. They also had higher intakes of vitamin E and total energy," he said.




The researchers cautioned, however, that the results need to be backed up by significant further research before any recommendations could be made.




"Frequent cured meat consumption was associated independently with an obstructive pattern of lung function and increased odds of COPD. Additional studies are required to determine if cured meat consumption is a causal risk factor for COPD," they concluded.




Commenting independently on the research, Professor Peter Calverly of the British Thoracic Society told the BBC: "This study illustrates that factors other than smoking may contribute to COPD.




"Although smoking remains the single most significant cause of COPD this research seems to suggest other factors may result in increased risk of the disease."




Source: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine


15 April 2007, Volume 175, Pages 798-804


"Cured meat consumption, lung function, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among United States adult"


Authors: R. Jiang, D.C. Paik, J.L. Hankinson, R.G. Barr


http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science-Nutrition/Nitrites-in-cured-meat-could-increase-lung-disease-risk

Dispelling the Myth of Meat as a Health Food

An 05' Report;

Consumer Warning:
Processed Meats Cause Cancer
From: NewsTarget.com
Source: www.newstarget.com/007024.html

Sunday, May 01, 2005

By Mike Adams

Processed meat consumption results in 67% increase in pancreatic cancer risk, says new research

Consuming processed meats increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, says new research conducted at the University of Hawaii that followed nearly 200,000 men and women for seven years. According to lead study author Ute Nothlings, people who consumed the most processed meats (hot dogs and sausage) showed a 67% increased risk of pancreatic cancer over those who consumed little or no meat products.

But researchers failed to accurately identify the culprit responsible for this increased risk of pancreatic cancer, says one author. The true cause of the heightened cancer risk is the widespread use of a carcinogenic precursor ingredient known as sodium nitrite by food processing companies, says nutritionist Mike Adams, author of the just-published Grocery Warning manual.

Nearly all processed meats are made with sodium nitrite: breakfast sausage, hot dogs, jerkies, bacon, lunch meat, and even meats in canned soup products. Yet this ingredient is a precursor to highly carcinogenic nitrosamines -- potent cancer-causing chemicals that accelerate the formation and growth of cancer cells throughout the body. When consumers eat sodium nitrite in popular meat products, nitrosamines are formed in the body where they promote the growth of various cancers, including colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer, says Adams.

"Sodium nitrite is a dangerous, cancer-causing ingredient that has no place in the human food supply," he explains. The USDA actually tried to ban sodium nitrite in the 1970's, but was preempted by the meat processing industry, which relies on the ingredient as a color fixer to make foods look more visually appealing. "The meat industry uses sodium nitrite to sell more meat products at the expense of public health," says Adams. "And this new research clearly demonstrates the link between the consumption of processed meats and cancer."

Pancreatic cancer isn't the only negative side effect of consuming processed meats such as hot dogs. Leukemia also skyrockets by 700% following the consumption of hot dogs. (Preston-Martin, S. et al. "N-nitroso compounds and childhood brain tumors: A case-control study." Cancer Res. 1982; 42:5240-5.) Other links between processed meats and disease are covered in detail in the Grocery Warning manual.

Adams wrote Grocery Warning to warn consumers about the toxic, disease-causing ingredients found in everyday foods and groceries (see related ebook on groceries). "There are certain ingredients found in common grocery products that directly promote cancer, diabetes, heart disease, depression, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis and even behavioral disorders," Adams explains. His Grocery Warning manual covers them all, teaching readers how to prevent and even help reverse chronic diseases by avoiding the foods and food ingredients that cause disease.

According to Adams, consumers can help reduce the cancer-causing effects of sodium nitrite by consuming protective antioxidants before meals, such as vitamin C and vitamin E. But no vitamin offers 100% protection. The only safe strategy is to avoid sodium nitrite completely.

Adams especially warns expectant mothers to avoid consuming sodium nitrite due to the greatly heightened risk of brain tumors in infants. Parents are also warned to avoid feeding their children products that contain sodium nitrite, including all popular hot dogs, bacon, jerkies, breakfast sausages and pizzas made with pepperoni or other processed meats. "Sodium nitrite is especially dangerous to fetuses, infants and children," says Adams.

Sadly, nearly all school lunch programs currently serve schoolchildren meat products containing sodium nitrite. Hospital cafeterias also serve this cancer-causing ingredient to patients. Sodium nitrite is found in literally thousands of different menu items at fast food restaurants and dining establishments. "The use of this ingredient is widespread," says Adams, and it's part of the reason we're seeing skyrocketing rates of cancer in every society that consumes large quantities of processed meats."

Some companies are now offering nitrite-free and nitrate-free meat products, which are far healthier alternatives, but those products are difficult to find and are typically available only at health food stores or natural grocers. Consumers can look for "Nitrite-free" or "Nitrate-free" labels when shopping for meat products. They can also purchase fresh meats, which are almost never prepared with sodium nitrite.

The new research on processed meats points to a chemical toxin as the cause of the increased cancer risk. A heightened cancer risk of 67% is "gigantic," warns Adams. "This is clearly not due to macronutrient differences. This is the kind of risk increase you only see with ingredient toxicity. Something in these processed meats is poisoning people, and the evidence points straight to sodium nitrite."

To learn more about Grocery Warning, visit www.TruthPublishing.com/GroceryWarning.html


http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/processedmeat050305.cfm

Trent Loos, Self-Professed Ag-King, says "Bacon a Health Food" but Experts Wont Agree

Try as he may, Trent Loos just couldnt get this Food-Safety Expert to agree with him that bacon is a health food;
Click on title above to see vid;

Nitrates a Health Food? Trent Loos would have US think so;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7snQOZqjRCg

Then be sure to go here (in the link below) to hear the TRUTH about Nitrates in meat; Nitrates No Good;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ_-2MFCHFs&NR=1

BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS - USA (04): (TX) CONFIRMED

*********************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 13 Jun 2009
Source: Texas Animal Health Commission News Release [edited]



Cattle Tuberculosis Confirmed in Texas
--------------------------------------
Cattle tuberculosis (TB) has been confirmed in a west Texas dairy
that has been quarantined since April 2009 when some cattle in the
herd responded to a TB test being conducted prior to a sale. (The
sale was cancelled.) The cattle TB diagnosis was confirmed at the
National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, where
_M. bovis_, or cattle TB bacteria, was grown or "cultured" from
tissues that had been collected during the necropsy of the
test-positive cattle.

"The infected herd remains quarantined while the final disposition of
the herd is determined -- either slaughtering the herd, or repeatedly
testing and removing infected animals until the herd is free of
cattle TB," said Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas' state veterinarian and head
of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state's livestock
and poultry health regulatory agency.

"Dairy, calf-raising and dairy animal replacement operations with
epidemiological links to the infected herd are being tested to
determine both the origin and potential spread of the disease. I
encourage ranchers or accredited veterinarians to call the state of
destination prior to shipping bison, beef or dairy cattle out of
Texas," said Dr. Hillman. "Some states may impose enhanced TB entry
requirements on Texas cattle and bison. Keep in mind, too, that many
states, like Texas, have implemented cattle trichomoniasis testing
requirements, so call before you haul."

Dr. Hillman said Texas' cattle TB-free status with the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) could be in jeopardy, if the
infected dairy cannot be depopulated, or if a 2nd infected herd is
detected within 48 months.

Nebraska, in early June 2009, confirmed TB infection in a beef herd.
Currently, California and Minnesota are not cattle TB-free, and areas
in Michigan and New Mexico have specified zones that are not TB-free.
When TB-free status is lost, breeding cattle and bison moved out of a
state need a negative TB test within 60 days prior to shipment, or
animals must originate from a herd that has accredited TB-free
status, achieved through a formal testing and retesting program.

Texas initially gained TB-free status in November 2000, when all
counties except El Paso and portions of Hudspeth Counties were
declared free of the disease. (The El Paso Milk Shed had a history of
recurring infection, and eventually, the dairies were depopulated.
Dairies no longer operate in this area along the U.S.-Mexican border
near El Paso, Texas.)

In June 2002, Texas lost TB-free status after infection was detected
in a beef herd and in an operation with both beef and dairy cattle.
To regain TB-free status, 2014 Texas purebred beef herds and the
state's 818 dairies were tested for the disease from October 2003
through August 2006. One TB-infected dairy was detected and
depopulated. In September 2006, the USDA issued the coveted TB-free
status for all of Texas' 254 counties.

When exposed to cattle TB, an animal's immune system will fight the
invasion by encapsulating the bacteria. This can cause the formation
of lesions or growths in and on lymph nodes, mammary glands, lungs
and other internal organs. Although infected, the animals may appear
healthy, until the latter stages of the disease, when signs may
include weight loss, coughing or breathing difficulties. The disease
is not treatable in livestock.

"Cattle TB is a serious, transmissible disease that can spread among
herds," said Dr. Hillman. "In the early 1900s, when the national
cattle TB eradication program was initiated, more than 5 percent of
the country's herds were infected with the disease. At that time,
cattle TB posed a significant human health threat, because consumers
could become infected when they drank raw, unpasteurized milk that
had not been through heat-treatment to kill bacteria. Today,
commercially produced milk is pasteurized. While bovine TB is still
a human health threat, other forms of tuberculosis, such as the human
and avian strains, now pose the greatest risk of TB exposure to persons."

--
Communicated by:
Carla Everett


[In the previous ProMED-mail posting (20090424.1536) it was suspected
that the lesions found in a bovine were tuberculosis. This is
confirming the news of such a possibility back in April 2009.

The _Mycobacterium bovis_ organism grows slowly, both in the
laboratory and in the animal. And unfortunately there are no rapid
and reliable tests for this organism. Although there is a test for
this disease in the live animal, its accuracy is not that great and
confirmation still depends upon culturing the organism, generally
from a lesion within the animal.

One of the best weapons against this disease is inspection at the
time of slaughter.

Sadly, the issue of drinking non-pasteurized milk is again on the
rise because of a trend in promoting non-pasteurized milk as healthy.
Consumption of non-pasteurized milk can cause severe illness and
possibly death, because of such diseases as tuberculosis. - Mod.TG]

[see also:
Bovine tuberculosis - USA: (TX), susp 20090423.1536]
....................tg/ejp/dk

*##########################################################*
************************************************************
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using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
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or archived material.
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BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS - USA (05): (NEBRASKA)

******************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 11 Jun 2009
Source: Kansas City.com [edited]



32 herds quarantined because of bovine TB fears
-----------------------------------------------
Concerns about bovine tuberculosis (TB) have led to the quarantine of
32 cattle herds with about 15 000 adult cattle in north-central
Nebraska, officials said Thu 11 Jun 2009. The bovine TB investigation
has confirmed only 2 cases of the disease in one Rock County herd,
but state Agriculture Director Greg Ibach said the other 31 herds
have been quarantined because the animals may have had fence-line
contact with the infected herd.

The 32 quarantined herds, which must all be tested for TB, are in
Rock, Holt, Loup, Boyd and Brown counties. Ibach said other herds
could be added to the quarantine if investigators learn they may have
contacted the infected herd. Testing of all the quarantined herds
will begin next week, but that will take a considerable amount of
time to complete.

"This is a process that will take months, not weeks to complete," Ibach said.

While the quarantine orders remain in place, none of the herds
included will be able to sell cattle unless they obtain a special
permit for immediate slaughter, Ibach said. About 500 cattle
producers traveled to Bassett Thursday [11 Jun 2009] for a meeting
about bovine tuberculosis with Ibach and the state veterinarian.

State officials are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture
to investigate the TB cases and determine whether Nebraska can keep
the tuberculosis-free label its held for the past 17 years. Losing
the state's tuberculosis-free designation would put Nebraska's
roughly USD 10 billion cattle industry at a competitive disadvantage,
industry experts say.

Ibach said the owner of the herd where 2 animals tested positive has
not decided what will happen to his herd, which has been quarantined
since last week.

Bovine TB is considered untreatable, so both infected and noninfected
cattle in a herd usually are killed. The other option is continued
quarantine and testing. But an entire herd must have 8 consecutive
clean tests before the quarantine could be lifted, a process that
could take years.

Ibach said officials have not yet determined whether the sick animals
came from Nebraska or another state. Experts say tuberculosis is a
contagious disease of animals and humans, caused by 3 types of
bacteria. Bovine TB can be transmitted from livestock to humans, but
that's exceedingly rare. It can be transmitted to other animals.

"The chances of a human being contracting this disease is virtually
zero," Ibach said.

The disease is easily transmitted through a herd of cattle through
nose-to-nose contact. It causes severe coughing, fatigue, emaciation
and debilitation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Nebraska
started the year with 6.35 million head of cattle and calves.

The Nebraska Agriculture Department Web site address is:


[Byline: By Josh Funk]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Susan Baekeland

[States that find tuberculosis-positive cattle must do the
epidemiological investigation to traces the disease to its origin.
Consequently, they quarantine and test every possible herd that has
fence-line or nose-nose contact with the infected herd. Then the
officials start unraveling the mystery of animals brought into the
herd (trace-ins) that could have brought the disease as well as
animals that left the herd (trace-outs) and could have spread the
disease. So as officials undertake the laborious project, more herds
may be quarantined and tested before the source of this disease is
found. Both state and federal forces will be busy for months.

The testing of animals involves 2 injections in the neck region, and
those injections must be measured and accessed for reaction at 72
hours post injection. So in a large herd this can take considerable time.

Once an animal is tested, it cannot be re-tested for a minimum of 90
days. Consequently, it can take a herd a long time to have 8 negative
tests. And during that time, if another reactor is found, the 8
negative tests must be repeated. Consequently, it can take years to
clear a herd of possible infection. - Mod.TG

A map showing the counties in the State of Nebraska is available at:
- CopyEd.EJP]

[see alslo:
Bovine tuberculosis - USA (03): (NE) cattle, elk 20090603.2060]
....................tg/ejp/dk

*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
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New findings made in prion disease studies

June 11, 2009

U.S. medical scientists say they have determined how prion proteins responsible for mad cow disease and related illnesses destroy healthy brain tissue.

The National Institutes of Health researchers said their findings will help in developing potential treatments for prion diseases or, perhaps, ways to prevent them.

The research, conducted at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, determined the proteins responsible for the disorders, known as prion proteins, can sometimes settle in the wrong part of a cell. When that happens, the prion protein binds to Mahogunin, a protein believed to be essential to the survival of some brain cells. That binding, researchers said, deprives some brain cells of functional Mahogunin, causing them to eventually die.

The scientists believe that sequence of events is an important contributor to the characteristic neurodegeneration caused by prion diseases such as mad cow.

The study appears in the current issue of the journal Cell.

http://license.icopyright.net/user/viewContent.act?clipid=309875055&mode=cnc&tag=3.5981%3Ficx_id%3D22761244736000

SP Provisions recalls Ground Beef Products

SP Provisions, based in Portland OR, is recalling 39,973 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. These ground beef products were produced on various dates from April 8, 2009 through May 28, 2009, and were distributed to retail establishments, hotels, restaurants and institutions in Oregon and Washington. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on June 2, 2009 that the following products subject to recall include:

Cascade Natural Beef Brand:

• 5-pound and 10-pound bags of ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code "13-016G."

• 5-pound and 10-pound bags of chili grind. Each package bears the identifying case code "13-016C."

• 15-pound boxes of ground beef patties. Each package bears the identifying case code "13-016GP."



SP Provisions Brand:

• 5-pound and 10-pound bags of ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code "01-136."

• 5-pound and 10-pound bags of chili grind. Each package bears the identifying case code "01-136C."

• 15-pound boxes of ground beef patties. Each package bears the identifying case code "01-136P."

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. JUN-03-09: SP Provisions recalls ground beef products distributed in Portland and Oregon[FSIS: GROUND BEEF RECALL]


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ProMed: Swine Flu Spreading Steadily Across the Globe

INFLUENZA A (H1N1) - WORLDWIDE (60): EGYPT (CAIRO)
**************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Tue 9 Jun 2009
Source: Angola Press Agency (Angop) [in French, trans. Mod.FE, edited]



The influenza A (H1N1) virus has been detected in 2 foreign students
of the American University of Cairo while [another 140 students] have
been placed in quarantine, as we learnt from the medical services and
the establishment.

Police officers wearing masks were stationed in front of their
university dormitory in the Zamaleck area between the 2 arms of the
Nile. Nobody was allowed either to go in or to come out.

"Two students were confirmed positive for the H1N1 virus.
Consequently, the residence was placed under quarantine for 24
hours," a representative of the university declared, adding that a
3rd student who had fever, had been hospitalized for precautionary
motives. All the students shall be subjected to a screening test.

The 1st Egyptian case of influenza A was detected last Tuesday [2 Jun
2009]. It is a 12-year-old American girl who arrived on holiday in
Cairo. It is equally the 1st case detected in Africa.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[This is an update providing some details of the 1st case of
influenza A (H1N1) in Egypt and Africa as a whole. Despite all the
awareness of this novel virus raised in the last month in most
countries in the world, it seems the disease is spreading steadily
across the globe. This new outbreak is particularly concerning as
there is concurrent circulation of H5N1 virus in both human and
poultry populations, increasing the pathways by which a highly
transmissible and high mortality virus could evolve. ProMED-mail will
be interested in the sequence of events following the detection of
cases of influenza A (H1N1) in Egypt. - Mods.FE/PC]

[Cairo can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Egypt at
. - CopyEd.MJ]

[see also:
Avian influenza, human (101): Egypt, 79th, 80th cases 20090609.2123
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (59): Worldwide 20060608.2117
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (58): USA, Africa 20090607.2109
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (57): Brazil, USA 20090605.2090
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (56): case counts 20090605.2089
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (55) 20090603.2056
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (54): dynamics 20090601.2038
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (53): case counts 20090531.2025
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (52): seasonal vaccine 20090530.2010
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (51): dynamics 20090529.1999
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (50): swine immunity 20090528.1987
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (40): case counts 20090521.1906
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (30): case counts 20090516.1831
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (20): case counts 20090510.1741
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (10): case counts 20090504.1675
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide (02): case counts 20090430.1638
Influenza A (H1N1) - worldwide 20090430.1636
Influenza A (H1N1) "swine flu": worldwide (07), update, pandemic 20090429.1622
Influenza A (H1N1) "swine flu": Worldwide 20090427.1583
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human: worldwide 20090426.1577
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human - New Zealand, susp 20090426.1574
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human - N America (04) 20090426.1569
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, human - N America 20090425.1552
Acute respiratory disease - Mexico, swine virus susp 20090424.1546
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, swine, human - USA (02): (CA, TX) 20090424.1541
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, swine, human - USA: (CA) 20090422.1516
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, swine, human - Spain 20090220.0715
2008
----
Influenza A (H1N1) virus, swine, human - USA (TX) 20081125.3715]
...................................fe/pc/mj/dk

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and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
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or archived material.
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FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE, BOVINE - CHINA (05): (SHANDONG), SEROTYPE A

*****************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Mon 08 Jun 2009
Source: China News.com [edited]



Type A Foot & Mouth Disease in Shandong's Binzhou City
------------------------------------------------------
The News Office of the Ministry of Agriculture announced this evening
[8 Jun 2009] that Type A Foot & Mouth Disease [FMD] occurred in a
farming area of Bincheng District in Binzhou City of Shandong
Province, confirmed by the National FMD Reference Laboratory. A total
of 33 cows were infected and fell ill.

[Byline: Wang Tong]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Dan Silver

[An official immediate notification on the above outbreak was
submitted by China to the OIE on its day of laboratory confirmation,
namely Mon 8 Jun 2009. According to the report, a new FMD virus
strain, namely A, was identified; the control measures included
stamping out, no vaccination. All 290 animals (cattle) on the
holding, including the 33 clinically affected animals, were
destroyed. There were no mortalities. The notification, including a
map, is available at
.

Since the beginning of 2009, China submitted to the OIE 12
notifications on FMD outbreaks, including the current, last one. 5 of
these were immediate notifications on outbreaks caused by a new
strain, as follows:

Location/ Date submitted/ FMDV serotype/ Number Susceptible/ Number
Died/ Number destroyed

Sunwan, Dongxihu, Wuhan, HUBEI/ 22 Jan 2009/ FMDV-A/ 294 cattle/ 5 / 289
Wusi , Fen Xian, SHANGHAI/ 12 Feb 2009/ FMDV-A/ 440 cattle/ 0 / 440
Dengjiayan, Nanzhen, Hanzhong, SHAANXI/ 7 May 2009/ FMDV Asia1/ 57
cattle/ 9/ 48
Huanghualing, Lingchuan, Guilin, GUANGXI/ 15 May 2009/ FMDV-Asia1/ 40
catttle, 60 pigs/ 0, 0 / 40 cattle, 60 pigs
Xi'nan, Lin'gui, Guilin, GUANGXI/ 22 May 2009/ FMDV-A/ 184 cattle,
570 swine/ 0, 0 / 184 cattle, 570 swine
Haixing chaoyang village, Pan, Liupanshui, GUIZHOU/ 22 May 2009/
FMDV-A/ 78 cattle, 19 swine/ 0, 0/ 78 cattle, 19 swine.

FMDV seotype O is known to be endemic in China. Information on the
genotyping of the 2 newly introduced serotypes, A and Asia1, is
anticipated wity interest, as well as data on their pathogenicity in
the various susceptible species (cattle, buffalos, sheep, goats,
pigs). - Mod.AS]

[see also:
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - China (04): (SC) serotype Asia 1 20090403.1283
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - China (03): (HB, SH) serotype A 20090223.0757
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - China (02): (SH) untyped 20090212.0629
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - China: (HB, A), (XJ, Asia1) 20090124.0318
2008
----
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - China: (Gansu), OIE 20081115.3610
Foot & mouth disease, yak - China (Qinghai) 20071103.3569
Foot & mouth disease, bovine - China (Gansu) 20070203.0434
Foot & mouth disease - China (Hong Kong) 20070117.0224]
....................arn/ejp/dk

*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Become a ProMED-mail Premium Subscriber at

************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at .
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org
(NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give your
full name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Send
commands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help,
etc. to: majordomo@promedmail.org. For assistance from a
human being send mail to: owner-promed@promedmail.org.
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Class 1 Recall Issued For 16 Brands of Cameco Cooked Meats

Cameco, Inc., is recalling approximately 79,312 pounds of various fully cooked, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products because the products may contain under-processed ham components after contacting surfaces of equipment.

The brands affected by the recall include Appleton, Bridgford, CV Clear Value, Dean's, El Primero, FAS Check, Food Club, IGA, Lay's Classic Meats, Meijer, Mrs. Stratton's, Pro's Ranch, Red Osgood, Quality Meats, Thank You by Cameco, and Valu Time. A detailed list of the products affected can be found on the USDA website.

The fully cooked, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products were produced on May 29, 2009 and June 1, 2009, and were distributed to wholesale distributors in Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. The distribution of the products was limited only to wholesale distributors; none of these products are available to consumers.

JUN-08-09: Class 1 Recall Issued For Several Cameco Brands of Cooked Meats [USDA: CAMECO COOKED MEATS RECALLED]


Legal Help
If you or a loved one has suffered illness or adverse health effects from consuming any of these products, please click the link below and your complaint will be sent to a lawyer who may evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.

Click on title above for legal help and a free evaluation of your possible case;
https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/submit_form.html?label=meat-recall-cameco-meats

PRION DISEASE UPDATE 2009 (all)

And just where do these little odd-ball prions show up in the human body?

Excerpt from below: "The tonsils are one of the sites in the body
where, once infected, vCJD prions can accumulate (other sites include
the spleen, appendix, lymph nodes, spinal cord and brain)."

Now I am thinking, if they show in these places on humans, why wouldnt they show up in the same organs of infected animals? Hummm. Why wouldnt they, indeed. As I mentioned in a previous post, some studies have shown mad-cow prions in the flesh-meat of the infected animals, you know, the parts we eat called steaks, roasts, chops, fryers and what not.

Here the latest report on all kinds of prion diseases;


******************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


[With the continuing decline in the number of cases in the human
population of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease -- abbreviated
previously as vCJD or CJD (new var.) in ProMED-mail -- it has been
decided to broaden the scope of the occasional ProMED-mail updates to
include some other prion-related diseases. In addition to vCJD, data
on other forms of CJD: sporadic, iatrogenic, familial, and GSS
(Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease), are included also since
they may have some relevance to the incidence and etiology of vCJD. -
Mod.CP]

In this update:
[1] UK: National CJD Surveillance Unit - monthly statistics as of 1 Jun 2009
[2] France: Institut de Veille Sanitaire - monthly statistics as of 2 Jun 2009
[3] US National Prion Disease Center - not updated, as of 31 Dec 2008
[4], [5] UK: evaluation of tonsil survey
[6] vCJD in UK assessment

******
[1] UK: National CJD Surveillance Unit - monthly statistics as of 1 Jun 2009
Date: Mon 1 Jun 2009
Source: UK National CJD Surveillance Unit, monthly statistics [edited]



The number of suspected cases of vCJD referred to the CJD
surveillance unit in Edinburgh, and the number of deaths of definite
and probable cases due to vCJD remain unchanged since the previous
monthly report; that is, the number of deaths due to definite or
probable vCJD cases remains 164. Four definite/probable patients
remain alive, bringing the total number of definite or probable vCJD
cases to 168.

This situation is consistent with the view that the vCJD outbreak in
the UK is in decline. The 1st cases were observed in 1995, and the
peak number of deaths was 28 in the year 2000, followed by 20 in
2001, 17 in 2002, 18 in 2003, 9 in 2004, 5 in 2005, 5 in 2006, 5 in
2007, only one in 2008, and none so far in 2009.

Totals for all types of CJD cases in the UK in the year 2009
------------------------------------------------------------
As of Mon 1 Jun 2009 in the UK so far this year [2009], there have
been 52 referrals, 21 cases of sporadic CJD, one case of familial
CJD, one case of iatrogenic CJD, and no cases of GSS or vCJD.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


******
[2] France: Institut de Veille Sanitaire - monthly statistics as of 2 Jun 2009
Date: Tue 2 Jun 2009
Source: IVS - Maladie de Creutzfeldt-Jakob et maladies apparentees
[in French, trans. & summ. Mod.CP, edited]



So far in 2009 there have been 609 referrals, 23 cases of sporadic
CJD, 4 cases of familial CJD and no cases of iatrogenic CJD. There is
currently one case of suspected vCJD (no details provided), but no
confirmed case of vCJD.

In total there have been 23 cases of confirmed or probable vCJD in
France, since 1992 when records began, and currently there is one
case pending.

Twelve of the confirmed cases have been male, and 11 female. The
median age is 34 years (range 19 to 58 years), and all have been
Met-Met homozygotes at codon 129 of the prion protein gene (PRNP).
Six patients were resident in the Ile-de-France and 17 in the
provinces.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


******
[3] US National Prion Disease Center - not updated, as of 31 Dec 2008
Date: Wed 31 Dec 2008
Source: US National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center [edited]



No update during 2009. Totals for 2008 are: referrals - 383, prion
disease - 228, sporadic CJD - 182, familial CJD - 23, iatrogenic - 0,
vCJD - 0. (N.B. The prion disease category includes cases with type
diagnosis pending, but excluding vCJD).

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


******
[4] UK: evaluation of tonsil survey
Date: Fri 22 May 2009
Source: Health Protection Agency (HPA), Health Protection Report 3(20)
[edited]



Latest results of HPA study on vCJD-related abnormal prion proteins
in extracted tonsils
-------------------------------------------------------------------
In 2004, the Health Protection Agency launched the National Anonymous
Tissue Archive (NATA) to determine prevalence of asymptomatic vCJD in
the population by looking for the prion protein associated with vCJD
in extracted tonsils. The tonsils are one of the sites in the body
where, once infected, vCJD prions can accumulate (other sites include
the spleen, appendix, lymph nodes, spinal cord and brain).

Awareness of the prevalence of vCJD in the population is important to
determine the level of public health risk and to limit the impact of
infection or plan healthcare interventions for people who may develop
the disease.

Newly published results from the study (1,2) suggest there may be
fewer undetected asymptomatic cases of vCJD in the population than
were previously expected.

The survey will eventually collect and analyse 100 000 samples of
discarded tonsil tissue but no evidence of the abnormal prion protein
has been found in any of the 63 000 tonsil samples analysed to date.

When the archive was established it was estimated that up to 50 of
the 100 000 samples could contain the abnormal prion protein.

References
----------
1. Prevalence of disease related prion protein in anonymous tonsil
specimens in Britain: a cross-sectional opportunistic survey, J
Clewley et al, BMJ 2009; 338: b1442 [see item [5] below].
2. HPA, National Press Releases: Latest research into prevalence of
vCJD consistent with findings of existing studies. HPA website:
National Press Releases, 22 May 2009 [available from
].

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


******
[5] UK: tonsil survey interim report
Date: Thu 21 May 2009
Source: British Medical Journal (BMJ 2009; 338: b1442) [edited]



Research: Prevalence of disease related prion protein in anonymous
tonsil specimens in Britain: cross sectional opportunistic survey
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[Authors: Jonathan P Clewley, clinical scientist1, Carole M Kelly,
research epidemiologist1, Nick Andrews, statistician1, Kelly Vogliqi,
research technician1, Gary Mallinson, clinical scientist2, Maria
Kaisar, research scientist2, David A Hilton, consultant
neuropathologist3, James W Ironside, professor of clinical
neuropathology4, Philip Edwards, biomedical scientist3, Linda M
McCardle, biomedical scientist4, Diane L Ritchie, research
assistant4, Reza Dabaghian, research scientist1, Helen E Ambrose,
research scientist1, O Noel Gill, consultant epidemiologist1
1. Centre for Infections, Health Protection Agency, London NW9 5EQ
2. Bristol Institute for Transfusion Sciences, National Blood
Service, Bristol BS10 5ND
3. Department of Histopathology, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth PL6 8DH
4. National CJD Surveillance Unit, University of Edinburgh, Western
General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU]

Abstract
--------
Objective: to establish with improved accuracy the prevalence of
disease related prion protein (PrPCJD) in the population of Britain
and thereby guide a proportionate public health response to limit the
threat of healthcare associated transmission of variant
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD).

Design: cross sectional opportunistic survey.

Study samples: anonymised tonsil pairs removed at elective
tonsillectomy throughout England and Scotland.

Setting: National anonymous tissue archive for England and Scotland.

Main outcome measure: Presence of PrPCJD determined by using 2 enzyme
immunoassays based on different analytical principles, with further
investigation by immunohistochemistry or immunoblotting of any
samples reactive in either assay.

Results: Testing of 63 007 samples was completed by the end of
September 2008. Of these, 12 753 were from the birth cohort in which
most vCJD cases have arisen (1961-85) and 19 908 were from the
1986-95 cohort that would have been also exposed to bovine spongiform
encephalopathy through infected meat or meat products. None of the
samples tested was unequivocally reactive in both enzyme
immunoassays. Only 2 samples were reactive in one or other enzyme
immunoassay and equivocal in the other, and 9 samples were
equivocally reactive in both enzyme immunoassays. 276 samples were
initially reactive in one or other enzyme immunoassay; the repeat
reactivity rate was 15 percent or less, depending on the enzyme
immunoassay and cut-off definition. None of the samples (including
all the 276 initially reactive in enzyme immunoassay) that were
investigated by immunohistochemistry or immunoblotting was positive
for the presence of PrPCJD.

Conclusions: The observed prevalence of PrPCJD in tonsils from the
1961-95 combined birth cohort was 0/32 661 with a 95 percent
confidence interval of 0 to 113 per million. In the 1961-85 cohort,
the prevalence of zero with a 9 percent confidence interval of 0 to
289 per million was lower than, but still consistent with, a previous
survey of appendix tissue that showed a prevalence of 292 per million
with a 95 percent confidence interval of 60 to 853 per million.
Continuing to archive and test tonsil specimens, especially in older
birth cohorts, and other complementary large scale anonymous tissue
surveys, particularly of post-mortem tissues, will further refine the
calculated prevalence of PrPCJD.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


******
[6] vCJD in UK assessment
Date: Thu 21 May 2009
Source: British Medical Journal (BMJ 2009; 338: b435) [edited]



Editorial: prevalence of variant CJD in the UK
----------------------------------------------
The number of cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in
the United Kingdom has decreased since 2000 (1) but controversy
remains about how many people carry the infectious agent and will
eventually develop disease. In the linked study, Clewley and
colleagues add to the debate by assessing 63 007 pairs of tonsils for
the only available marker of prion disease -- the pathological,
partially protease resistant, prion protein (2). Although more than
half of the samples came from people born between 1961 and 1995, when
the risk of exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
infection was high, no convincingly positive tonsil specimens were
detected. The study estimates that the prevalence of vCJD in the
British population is zero, but with a large confidence interval of 0
to 113 per million.

This result agrees with one UK survey of 2000 tonsil specimens (3),
but it differs from another survey of 1427 tonsils and 11 247
appendices, which found that more than 10 000 people were incubating
the disease (4). However, despite the discrepancy, the 95 percent
confidence intervals of the two studies overlap, indicating that the
results do not differ significantly and that many people in the UK
may be carriers. Is that reasonable?

The chance that no one in the UK is incubating the disease, as
suggested by the lower confidence limit of Clewley and colleagues'
study (2) is unlikely because backup calculations predict up to 100
new cases of vCJD in the next 50 years (5). This prediction seems
reasonable unless most cases of vCJD were missed by surveillance in
the past years. Is that possible?

Until December 2008, all 210 people reported to have vCJD (164 in the
UK, 46 in other countries) were homozygous for methionine at the
polymorphic codon 129 of the prion protein gene (PRNP), suggesting
that genetic factors strongly influence the development of disease.
Whether people who are heterozygous for methionine and valine or
homozygous for valine at this codon (about 60 percent of the
population) will develop vCJD in the future is still unknown.
However, data from gene targeted transgenic mice indicate that these
people are also susceptible to BSE and vCJD, although incubation
periods are longer than in those who are homozygous for methionine
(6).

This notion is supported by information from 3 sources. Firstly, the
identification of preclinical vCJD in a heterozygous patient who died
of a non-neurological disorder 5 years after receiving an infected
blood transfusion (7). Secondly, the identification of prion protein
in the appendices of 2 people who were homozygous for valine at the
polymorphic codon 129 of PRNP after a retrospective tonsil and
appendix survey (8). Finally, the recently announced suspected case
of vCJD in a heterozygous patient in the UK (9). Also, brain lesions
in transgenic mice that are heterozygous for methionine and valine or
homozygous for valine on codon 129 of the PrP gene are reportedly
different from those seen in mice that are homozygous for methionine
(6). This suggests that clinical signs, neuropathological lesions,
and possibly magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain might be
different in patients who are not homozygous for methionine, which
would make the available diagnostic criteria for vCJD inappropriate
and mean that these patients are misdiagnosed as having sporadic CJD.
However, data collected for more than 15 years in the UK and
elsewhere in Europe by national surveillance centres found no
evidence of cases of sporadic CJD in the UK that are clinically or
pathologically different from those reported in other countries,
suggesting that this scenario is highly unlikely (10).

It is still possible that in people who are heterozygous for
methionine and valine or homozygous for valine, the BSE agent is
prevented from moving from the lymphatic tissues to the central
nervous system, so that most of them do not develop clinical signs of
disease. These subclinical carriers could be sources of infection for
people who are homozygous for methionine at codon 129 of the PRNP
gene through blood transfusion and surgical procedures, including
major dental or ocular surgery.

Predicting the number of vCJD carriers in the UK is difficult for
several reasons. Firstly, the best peripheral tissue for detecting
the prion protein is not known. The best choice at the moment is
lymphoreticular tissue, but both appendix and tonsil are occasionally
negative in patients with vCJD (11,12) and in blood donors who are
infected with vCJD but do not develop disease (7). Secondly, it is
not clear how soon after infection peripheral tissues become positive
for the prion protein. Thirdly, most specimens will now be taken from
people who are not exposed to BSE. Finally, any positive or negative
results should be interpreted with caution because of the lack of a
confirmatory test on infectivity. Repeating surveys of prion protein
in tissue specimens may not yield further information unless a more
sensitive and specific test is developed. Therefore, the
precautionary measures already in force must be maintained to avoid
transmission of vCJD between humans and surveillance of disease in
the UK and in the rest of Europe should remain active.

Finally, Clewley and colleagues' negative results indicate that
public health authorities in other countries should not carry out
such studies; an enormous number of samples would be needed to yield
useful information because exposure to the BSE agent in the rest of
the world is probably much lower than in the UK.

Maurizio Pocchiari
Director of Research
Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences
Istituto Superiore di Sanita
00161 Rome
Italy


References
----------
1. National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit (NCJDSU). CJD
statistics. 2009
.
2. Clewley JP, Kelly CM, Andrews N, Vogliqi K, Mallinson G, Kaisar M,
et al: Prevalence of disease related prion protein in anonymous
tonsil specimens in Britain: cross sectional opportunistic survey.
BMJ 2009; 338: b1442
.
3. Frosh A, Smith LC, Jackson CJ, Linehan JM, Brandner S, Wadsworth
JD, et al: Analysis of 2000 consecutive UK tonsillectomy specimens
for disease-related prion protein. Lancet 2004; 364: 1260-2 [abstract
available from
].
4. Hilton DA, Ghani AC, Conyers L, Edwards P, McCardle L, Ritchie D,
et al: Prevalence of lymphoreticular prion protein accumulation in UK
tissue samples. J Pathol 2004; 203: 733-9 [abstract available from
].
5. Clarke P, Ghani AC: Projections of the future course of the
primary vCJD epidemic in the UK: inclusion of subclinical infection
and the possibility of wider genetic susceptibility. JR Soc Interface
2005; 2: 19-31
.
6. Bishop MT, Hart P, Aitchison L, Baybutt HN, Plinston C, Thomson V,
et al: Predicting susceptibility and incubation time of
human-to-human transmission of vCJD. Lancet Neurol 2006; 5: 393-8
[abstract available from
].
7. Peden AH, Head MW, Ritchie DL, Bell JE, Ironside JW: Preclinical
vCJD after blood transfusion in a PRNP codon 129 heterozygous
patient. Lancet 2004; 364: 527-9 [abstract available from
].
8. Ironside JW, Bishop MT, Connolly K, Hegazy D, Lowrie S, Le Grice
M, et al: Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: prion protein genotype
analysis of positive appendix tissue samples from a retrospective
prevalence study. BMJ 2006; 332: 1186-8
.
9. Watts S: Fears raised over new vCJD wave. BBC Online 17 Dec 2008
.
10. Ladogana A, Puopolo M, Croes EA, Budka H, Jarius C, Collins S, et
al: Mortality from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and related disorders in
Europe, Australia, and Canada. Neurology 2005; 64: 1586-91. Abstract
available from
.
11. Wadsworth JD, Joiner S, Hill AF, Campbell TA, Desbruslais M,
Luthert PJ, et al: Tissue distribution of protease resistant prion
protein in variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease using a highly sensitive
immunoblotting assay. Lancet 2001; 358: 171-80 [abstract available
from
].
12. Brandel JP, Heath CA, Head MW, Levavasseur E, Knight R, Laplanche
JL, et al: Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in France and the
United-Kingdom: evidence for the involvement of same agent strain.
Ann Neurol (in press) [abstract available from
].

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[see also:
Prion disease update 2009 (04) 20090406.1337
vCJD, 5th death - Spain (Cantabria) 20090307.0953
Prion disease update 2009 (03) 20090305.0918
Prion disease update 2009 (02) 20090202.0463
Prion disease update 2009 (01) 20090108.0076
2008
----
Prion disease update 2008 (14): new vCJD wave imminent? 20081218.3980
Prion disease update 2008 (13) 20081201.3780
Prion disease update 2008 (12) 20081103.345
Prion disease update 2008 (11) 20081006.3159
vCJD, mother & son - Spain: (Leon) 20080926.3051
Prion disease update 2008 (10) 20080902.2742
vCJD - Spain: susp. 20080410.1311
Prion disease update 2008 (05) 20080408.1285
Prion disease update 2008 (01): correction 20080104.0046
Prion disease update 2008 (01) 20080102.0014
2007
----
Prion disease update 2007 (08) 20071205.3923
Prion disease update 2007 (07) 20071105.3602
Prion disease update 2007 (06) 20071003.3269
Prion disease update 2007 (05) 20070901.2879
Prion disease update 2007 (04) 20070806.2560
Prion disease update 2007 (03) 20070702.2112
Prion disease update 2007 (02) 20070604.1812
Prion disease update 2007 20070514.1542
CJD (new var.) update 2007 (05) 20070403.1130
CJD (new var.) update 2007 (04) 20070305.0780
CJD (new var.) update 2007 (03) 20070205.0455
CJD (new var.) update 2007 (02): South Korea, susp 20070115.0199
2006
----
CJD (new var.), blood transfusion risk 20061208.3468
CJD, transmission risk - Canada (ON) 20061207.3457
CJD (new var.) update 2006 (12) 20061205.3431
CJD (new var.) update 2006 (11) 20061106.3190
CJD (new var.) update 2006 (10) 20061002.2820
CJD (new var.) - Netherlands: 2nd case 20060623.1741
CJD (new var.) - UK: 3rd transfusion-related case 20060209.0432
CJD (new var.) update 2006 (02) 20060206.0386
CJD (new var.) update 2006 20060111.0101
2005
----
CJD (new var.) update 2005 (12) 20051209.3547
CJD (new var.) update 2005 (11) 20051108.3270
CJD (new var.) update 2005 (10) 20051006.2916
CJD (new var.) update 2005 (02) 20050211.0467
CJD (new var.) - UK: update 2005 (01) 20050111.0095
2004
----
CJD, genetic susceptibility 20041112.3064
CJD (new var.) - UK: update 2004 (14) 20041206.3242
CJD (new var.) - UK: update 2004 (10) 20040909.2518
CJD (new var.) - UK: update 2004 (02) 20040202.0400
CJD (new var.) - UK: update 2004 (01) 20040106.0064
CJD (new var.) - France: 8th case 20041022.2864
CJD (new var.) - France: 9th case 20041123.3138
CJD (new var.), blood supply - UK 20040318.0758
CJD (new var.), carrier frequency study - UK 20040521.1365
2003
----
CJD (new var.) - UK: update 2003 (13) 20031216.3072
CJD (new var.) - UK: update 2003 (01) 20030108.0057
2002
----
CJD (new var.) - UK: update Dec 2002 20021207.5997
CJD (new var.) - UK: update Jan 2002 20020111.3223
2001
----
CJD (new var.), incidence & trends - UK (02) 20011124.2875
CJD (new var.), incidence & trends - UK 20011115.2816
CJD (new var.) - UK: reassessment 20011029.2671
CJD (new var.) - UK: update Oct 2001 20011005.2419
CJD (new var.) - UK: regional variation (02) 20010907.2145
CJD (new var.) - UK: update Sep 2001 20010906.2134
CJD (new var.) - UK: update Aug 2001 20010808.1872
CJD (new var.) - UK: 9th Annual Report 20010628.1231
CJD (new var.) - UK: update June 2001 20010622.1188
CJD (new var.) - UK: update 3 Jan 2001 20010104.0025]
........................................cp/mj/jw
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