New WNV-Related Literature in EID 11(7) July 2005

The July 2005 issue of the CDC journal Emerging
Infectious Diseases contains several WNV-related
articles. Full text is freely available online
(http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/index.htm):

PERSPECTIVES
Wildlife Trade and Global Disease Emergence
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no07/05-0194.htm

William B. Karesh, Robert A. Cook, Elizabeth L. Bennett, and James Newcomb

[The authors are with the Wildlife Conservation
Society, Bronx, New York, USA; and Bio-Economic
Research Associates, Boulder, Colorado, USA]

Abstract:
The global trade in wildlife provides disease
transmission mechanisms that not only cause human
disease outbreaks but also threaten livestock,
international trade, rural livelihoods, native
wildlife populations, and the health of
ecosystems. Outbreaks resulting from wildlife
trade have caused hundreds of billions of dollars
of economic damage globally. Rather than
attempting to eradicate pathogens or the wild
species that may harbor them, a practical
approach would include decreasing the contact
rate among species, including humans, at the
interface created by the wildlife trade. Since
wildlife marketing functions as a system of
scale-free networks with major hubs, these points
provide control opportunities to maximize the
effects of regulatory efforts.

[See also the book Beasts of the Earth: Animals,
Humans, and Disease by E. Fuller Torrey and
Robert H. Yolken reviewed in this issue (Rutgers
University Press, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, 2005,
ISBN: 0-81-353571-9, Pages: 191, Price US$23.95)]

----------------

RESEARCH
West Nile Virus-associated Flaccid Paralysis
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no07/04-0991.htm

James J. Sejvar, Amy V. Bode, Anthony A. Marfin,
Grant L. Campbell, David Ewing, Michael
Mazowiecki, Pierre V. Pavot, Joseph Schmitt, John
Pape, Brad J. Biggerstaff, and Lyle R. Petersen

[The authors are with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; Centennial Neurology in
Greeley, Colorado, USA; Longmont Clinic,
Longmont, Colorado, USA; McKee Hospital,
Loveland, Colorado, USA; and Colorado Department
of Health and Environment, Denver, Colorado, USA]

Abstract:
The causes and frequency of acute paralysis and
respiratory failure with West Nile virus (WNV)
infection are incompletely understood. During the
summer and fall of 2003, we conducted a
prospective, population-based study among
residents of a 3-county area in Colorado, United
States, with developing WNV-associated paralysis.
Thirty-two patients with developing paralysis and
acute WNV infection were identified. Causes
included a poliomyelitislike syndrome in 27 (84%)
patients and a Guillain-Barré-like syndrome in 4
(13%); 1 had brachial plexus involvement alone.
The incidence of poliomyelitislike syndrome was
3.7/100,000. Twelve patients (38%), including 1
with Guillain-Barré-like syndrome, had acute
respiratory failure that required endotracheal
intubation. At 4 months, 3 patients with
respiratory failure died, 2 remained intubated,
25 showed various degrees of improvement, and 2
were lost to followup. A poliomyelitislike
syndrome likely involving spinal anterior horn
cells is the most common mechanism of
WNV-associated paralysis and is associated with
significant short- and long-term illness and
death.

-----------------

DISPATCHES
West Nile Virus Surveillance, Guadeloupe, 2003-2004
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no07/05-0105.htm

Thierry Lefrançois, Bradley J. Blitvich, Jennifer
Pradel, Sophie Molia, Nathalie Vachiéry,
Guillaume Pallavicini, Nicole L. Marlenee,
Stéphan Zientara, Martial Petitclerc, and
Dominique Martinez

[The authors are with the Centre de Coopération
Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le
Développement, Prise d'Eau, Guadeloupe, French
West Indies; Colorado State University, Fort
Collins, Colorado, USA; Agence Française de
Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments, Paris, France;
and Direction des Services Vétérinaires de
Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, French West
Indies]

Abstract:
We conducted extensive surveillance for West Nile
virus infection in equines and chickens in
Guadeloupe in 2003-2004. We showed a high
seroprevalence in equines in 2003 related to
biome, followed by a major decrease in virus
circulation in 2004. No human or equine cases
were reported during the study.

-----------------

LETTERS
West Nile Virus Detection and Commercial Assays,
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no07/04-1149.htm

Peter A.G. Tilley, Gail A. Zachary, Roberta Walle and Paul F. Schnee

[The letter-writers are with the Provincial
Laboratory for Public Health, Calgary, Alberta,
Canada; and Palliser Health Region, Medicine Hat,
Alberta, Canada]

The letter comments on an article by Roehrig et al in EID 2003 9:376-379.


--
Lois Levitan, PhD Program Leader
Environmental Risk Analysis Program (ERAP)
Department of Communication
311 Kennedy Hall, Cornell University
Ithaca, New York USA 14853-5601

Phone: (607) 255-4765 Fax: (607) 254-1322
Email: LCL3@cornell.edu
Web: http://environmentalrisk.cornell.edu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WESTNILEVIRUS-L is an email discussion group for communication
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Received on Tue, 21 Jun 2005 15:37:08 -0400