Outbreaks

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 virus causes a highly contagious disease in poultry with up to 100% mortality and occasionally causes sporadic human infection. The first outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in Africa was reported in Nigeria in 2006 and has since been reported in seven other African countries with confirmed human cases and outbreaks in poultry. Since the emergence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), virus subtype H5N1 in Ghana in 2007, outbreaks in poultry have led to dire economic consequences for the poultry sector, resulting from mass destruction of affected flocks. An economy heavily dependent on agriculture, the persistence of outbreaks threaten the livelihood of farmers who depend on poultry production for survival. Despite significant efforts made in HPAI-H5N1 control and prevention in Ghana, outbreaks persist and continue to spread to new areas. It is uncertain to what extent different pathways contribute to the introduction and the dissemination of the virus in Ghana. There is a need to understand the complex nature of the interactions between local and migratory fowl, the risk of transmission due to human endeavor and trade mechanisms that increase the likelihood of HPAI-H5N1 outbreaks in Ghana.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to characterize the spatial distribution and temporal patterns of laboratory confirmed H5N1 outbreaks from January 2007 to December 2017 in Ghana.

Since hepatitis A vaccination became widely recommended in the US in the mid-1990's, rates of acute hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection have steadily declined, however, since 2011, incidence of new cases of HAV appears to be increasing1, often linked with foodborne outbreaks and socio-economic trends such as homelessness and substance abuse.2 In 2016, the CDC reported vaccination coverage among adults aged > 19 was 9.5%, 19-49 was 13.4%, and > 50 was 5.4%3. CDC issued a Health Alert Network Advisory in June 2018 with additional guidance on identification and prevention of HAV and updates on outbreaks in multiple states4 which prompted our program to conduct a more formal review of HAV infections in VHA. Herein we describe recent trends in HAV infection, vaccination and associated risk factors among Veterans.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of hepatitis A virus (HAV) within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Effective communicable disease control through rapid detection and prompt response to outbreaks is one of the priorities during a humanitarian crisis, as communicable diseases can be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in emergencies, particularly in countries with poor disease surveillance mechanisms. Yemen is among many developing countries being hit by conflicts, displacement of population and disruption of basic services, where among other public health risks and threats the population is exposed to risks of several communicable diseases. Thus, effective preventive and control measures through early detection and rapid identification of infectious diseases and provision of a public health response to communicable disease outbreaks, a crucial priority health intervention, need to be directed towards diseases that are endemic and particularly those which can potentially cause excess numbers of mortality and morbidity within a short span of time.

Objective

The intended objective of the Electronic Disease Early Warning System (eDEWS) is to minimize morbidity and mortality due to communicable diseases through detection of potential outbreaks at their earliest possible stage using a novel modeling approach that mainly facilitates the transformation of data into actionable information.