Coincerns raised in Promed over what seems to me to be too coincidental concerning our animals and wildlife fish etc.:
EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS, EQUINES - USA (LOUISIANA)
http://www.ap.org/
Eastern equine encephalitis may have killed 7 horses
7 horses have died of encephalitis, and 2 have been confirmed as having Eastern equine encephalitis, state Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom said. He said that one was from Calcasieu Parish and the others "from the swampy areas in the northern part of DeSoto Parish near Stonewall."
"We are asking all horse owners to make sure their animals have up-to-date vaccinations and to consult a veterinarian if their horses are displaying any signs," Odom said.
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WATERFOWL DIE-OFF - GREECE (LAKE KORONIA)(02)
From: Zdenek Hubalek
zhubalek@brno.cas.cz A comment on bird die-off in Greece
The mass deaths of waterfowl described in ProMED's posting of Fri, 10 Sep 2004, "Waterfowl die-off - Greece (Lake Koronia)" is most probably an outbreak of avian botulism. Favorable conditions for bird botulism are the hot summer months combined with low precipitation and presence of sarcophagous flies (_Lucilia_ etc.). The disease is
caused by the toxin produced by _Clostridium botulinum_ type C, less often type E (in fish-eating birds like gulls), and it presents no risk to humans.
Zdenek Hubalek
Medical Zoology Laboratory
Institute of Vertebrate Biology
Academy of Sciences
CZ-69142 Valtice
Czech Republic
zhubalek@ivb.cz _________________________________________________________
FISH DIE-OFF - USA (VIRGINIA)
http://www.dailypress.com/search/dispatcher.front target=article&Query=croaker&x=30&y=9>
Dead croaker in Hampton linked to larger kills
Hundreds of dead croaker, that have washed up on the shore in Hampton, Virginia this week [2nd week of September 2004], are probably the latest victims of a mysterious disease that has killed millions of the fish along the Atlantic Coast, from Florida to New Jersey. A marine scientist says that he is almost certain that a bacterial infection is to blame for the huge number of dead fish.
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VIRAL NERVOUS NECROSIS, FISH - AUSTRALIA
http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/archive/ A South Australian aquaculture farm was placed under quarantine by the State Government last night [8 Sep 2004] because of a serious virus.
The virus pathogen -- known as _Barramundi nodavirus_ -- was detected at a commercial breeding center. The virus affects larval and juvenile fish, mainly via the brain and central nervous system.
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SALMONELLOSIS, CRUISE SHIP - UK (SCOTLAND)
http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ew/2004/040909.asp#1 Salmonellosis on a cruise ship traveling from Germany around the UK
An outbreak of gastrointestinal disease on board a cruise ship sailing around Britain is currently being investigated [1]. The MV Mona Lisa left Bremerhaven, northern Germany, on 28 Aug 2004 carrying 940 people (330 crew and 610 passengers). Most of the passengers were German.
Following a welcome dinner that day, 86 people developed
gastrointestinal illness over the following 4 days (29 Aug: 1 case; 30 Aug: 25 cases; 31 Aug: 45 cases; 1 Sep: 15 cases). The attack rates among passengers and crew are reported to be similar, although dates of onset among crew members were mostly 1 day later than among passengers.
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RED LEG DISEASE, FROGS, FATAL - UK
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ Killer virus could wipe out species
Frogs could be wiped out by a deadly disease
sweeping the UK, wildlife experts warned
yesterday. Millions [of frogs] have died over
the summer from Red Leg and the species is now
facing extinction.
Sores erupt along frogs' legs, and limbs are lost
before the amphibians die, but scientists know
little else about the virus.