ZIKV Infection Cases Reported in Illinois

Two pregnant Illinois women test positive for the Zika virus

Two pregnant Illinois residents, who recently traveled to countries where Zika virus is spreading, have tested positive for the virus, said the Illinois Department of Public Health. 

The latest development follows the case of a ZIKV infected infant in Hawaii who was born with microcephaly, on January 17, 2016.

The following statement was issued by the Illinois Health Department:

Two Illinois Residents Test Positive For Zika Virus

SPRINGFIELD (January 19, 2016). The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is alerting the public of the potential of contracting Zika virus while traveling abroad.  Zika virus is spread to people through mosquito bites, similar to West Nile virus or dengue fever.  While illness is usually mild and severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon, there is a possible link between Zika virus infection in pregnant women and subsequent birth defects.

Two pregnant Illinois residents who recently traveled to countries where Zika virus is found have tested positive for the virus.  Physicians are monitoring their health and pregnancies.

“There is virtually no risk to Illinois residents since you cannot contract Zika virus from another person, but only through the bite of an infected mosquito,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D.  “But since this is a time of year when people travel to warmer climates and countries where Zika virus is found, we are urging residents, especially pregnant women, to take preventive measures when traveling in affected countries and check health travel advisories.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing, including:

Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. [See below for the full list.]

This alert follows reports in Brazil of microcephaly and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant.  However, additional studies are needed to further characterize this relationship.

Until more is known, CDC recommends that pregnant women in any trimester should consider postponing travel to the areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.  Pregnant women, women trying to become pregnant, or women who are thinking about becoming pregnant and must travel to one of these areas should talk with their doctor or other health care provider first and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip.

The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes).  Symptoms can last from several days to weeks.  There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika virus infection.

When traveling to countries where Zika virus has been reported, all travelers should take steps to prevent mosquito bites, such as using use insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, and staying in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens.  More information about Zika virus can be found on the CDC website.  CDC has also developed interim Zika virus guidelines for health care providers in the United State caring for pregnant women.

Countries with past or current evidence of Zika virus transmission

Countries that have past or current evidence of Zika virus transmission —CDC

Countries that have past or current evidence of Zika virus transmission

AFRICA: Angola*, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt*, Ethiopia*, Gabon, Gambia*, Kenya*, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone*, Somalia*, Tanzania*, Uganda and Zambia*.
AMERICAS: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Suriname and Venezuela.

OCEANIA/PACIFIC ISLANDS: Cook Islands, Easter Island, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

ASIA: Cambodia, India*, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan*, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam*.

[*For these countries, the only evidence of Zika virus transmission is from studies that detected Zika virus antibodies in healthy people.  These studies cannot determine where the people were infected or if they were infected with Zika virus because the antibodies may have resulted from infections with other closely related viruses, such as dengue virus.]

Related Links

• Baby Born with Brain Damage in Hawaii Infected by Zika Virus January 17, 2016
• CDC Issues Travel Warning as Zika Virus Epidemic Continues to Spread  January 16, 2016
• Zika Virus: Coming to a Place Near You…  January 5, 2016
• Disasters/ Significant Events – Dec 25, 2015 Posted on December 25, 2015
• Most Dangerous Pathogens  December 12, 2015
• ZIKV – Emerging Virus May Cause Severe Birth Defects  December 4, 2015

 

CDC Issues Travel Warning as Zika Virus Epidemic Continues to Spread

U.S. health officials warn pregnant women against traveling to Latin America, Caribbean countries

Explosive outbreaks of Zika, a dangerous tropical disease linked to birth defects, have prompted the  U.S. health officials to issue a travel alert for people traveling to regions and countries where Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission is ongoing: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

CDC has issued a travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for the above-listed areas.

This alert follows reports in Brazil of microcephaly and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant. However, additional studies are needed to further characterize this relationship. More studies are planned to learn more about the risks of Zika virus infection during pregnancy.

CDC recommends special precautions, out of an abundance of caution, for pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant:

• Pregnant women in any trimester should consider postponing travel to the areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. Pregnant women who must travel to one of these areas should talk to their doctor or other healthcare provider first and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip.
• Women trying to become pregnant who are thinking about becoming pregnant should consult with their healthcare provider before traveling to these areas and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during the trip.

Because specific areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing are difficult to determine and likely to change over time, CDC will update this travel notice as information becomes available. Check the CDC travel website frequently for the most up-to-date recommendations.

Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika. Four in five people who acquire Zika infection may have no symptoms. Illness from Zika is usually mild and does not require hospitalization. Travelers are strongly urged to protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants
• Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), or IR3535. Always use as directed.
  • Insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, and IR3535 are safe for pregnant and nursing women and children older than 2 months when used according to the product label. Oil of lemon eucalyptus products should not be used on children under 3 years of age.
• Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents).
• Stay and sleep in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms.

In addition to the steps announced today, CDC is working with public health experts across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take additional steps related to Zika. CDC is developing interim guidance for pregnant women as well as sharing additional information about Zika with public health officials, clinicians and the public.  In addition, efforts are underway across HHS to develop vaccines, improved diagnostics and other countermeasures for Zika.

Countries with past or current evidence of Zika virus transmission

Countries that have past or current evidence of Zika virus transmission (See below for list)

Background:

CDC scientists tested samples provided by Brazilian health authorities from two pregnancies that ended in miscarriage and from two infants with diagnosed microcephaly who died shortly after birth. For the two full-term infants, tests showed that Zika virus was present in the brain. Genetic sequence analysis showed that the virus in the four cases was the same as the Zika virus strain currently circulating in Brazil.  All four mothers reported having experienced a fever and rash illness consistent with Zika virus disease (Zika) during their pregnancies.

Locally acquired Zika was reported for the first time in Brazil in May 2015, and the virus has since been reported in 14 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean:  Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

According to Brazilian health authorities, more than 3,500 microcephaly cases were reported in Brazil between October 2015 and January 2016.  Some of the affected infants have had a severe type of microcephaly and some have died.  The full spectrum of outcomes that might be associated with infection during pregnancy and the factors that might increase risk to the fetus are not yet fully understood. Health authorities in Brazil, with assistance from the Pan American Health Organization, CDC, and other agencies, have been investigating the possible association between Zika virus infection and microcephaly in infants. However, additional studies are needed to further characterize this relationship. More studies are planned to learn more about the risks of Zika virus infection during pregnancy.

In the past, outbreaks of Zika virus infection have occurred in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.  Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito.  About one in five people infected with Zika virus will develop symptoms, which include fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (pink eye). Other commonly reported symptoms include myalgia, headache, and pain behind the eyes. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon and case fatality is low. Guillain-Barré syndrome has been reported in patients with probable Zika virus infection in French Polynesia and Brazil . Research efforts will also examine the link between Zika and GBS.

Countries that have past or current evidence of Zika virus transmission

AFRICA: Angola*, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt*, Ethiopia*, Gabon, Gambia*, Kenya*, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone*, Somalia*, Tanzania*, Uganda and Zambia*.

AMERICAS: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Suriname and Venezuela.

OCEANIA/PACIFIC ISLANDS: Cook Islands, Easter Island, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

ASIA: Cambodia, India*, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan*, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam*.

[*For these countries, the only evidence of Zika virus transmission is from studies that detected Zika virus antibodies in healthy people.  These studies cannot determine where the people were infected or if they were infected with Zika virus because the antibodies may have resulted from infections with other closely related viruses, such as dengue virus.]

Related Links

• Zika Virus: Coming to a Place Near You…  January 5, 2016
• Disasters/ Significant Events – Dec 25, 2015 Posted on December 25, 2015
• Most Dangerous Pathogens  December 12, 2015
• ZIKV – Emerging Virus May Cause Severe Birth Defects  December 4, 2015

Listeria Cheese Recall, Illness Reported

Serial No  1,549. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by the authorities/Google in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).

Washington State Department of Agriculture has linked one illness to the cheese.

Del Bueno Amends Recall of Queso Fresco Cheese Because of Possible Health Risk

Del Bueno of Grandview, WA is recalling all size packages of Queso Fresco Fresh Cheese because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Queso Fresco Fresh Cheese was distributed to retail markets in Washington and one in Hermiston, Oregon.

The cheese is packaged in round clear plastic packages, and is marked on the back with a code date; all codes up to and including May 30th, 2010 are being recalled.

Washington State Department of Agriculture has linked one illness to the cheese.

The recall is the result of a routine sampling program by Washington State Department of Agriculture which revealed that the cheese is contaminated with Listeria. The company has notified their customers and has pulled the product from retail stores. Del Bueno is working with FDA to conduct the recall.

Consumers who have purchased Del Bueno brand Queso Fresco are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 425-503-3823 between 8:00am and 4:00pm Pacific time.

Contact: Del Bueno/ Jesus Rodriguez/425-503-3823

Photo of Product Label. Click to enlarge.

What’s Listeria?

Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Source: koolielu.edu.ee

Listeria monocytogenes bacteria is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria often experience fever, severe headaches, stiffness, diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can result in miscarriage or stillbirth among pregnant women.

Source: Bacterial Meningitis. Image may be subject to copyright.

Group B Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes comprise the most common causes of meningitis in neonatals. About 17,500 cases of bacterial meningitis are reported in the U-S annually. (Source)

Related Links:

• Food Recall
  

• Listeria Suspected, Cheese Recalled
• Premature births caused by Virgin Blue airline food
• Imported Food Alert 22 Oct 2008

• How old is your ecoli-burger?
• Beef Recall in Six States
• E. coli in Beef May Have Killed Two
• Beef recall, E.coli O157:H7 suspected
• Imported Food Alert 22 Oct 2008
• Naples Garbage: First Commercial Dividends

• USDA
• CDC Press Release: E. coli Outbreak Investigations
• Questions & Answers: E. coli
• Sudden worldwide increase in antibiotic-resistant bacterium

Listeria Suspected, Cheese Recalled

The Wisconsin Cheeseman® Recalls Cheese Logs/Cheese Balls

FDA News Release Update:   01/21/2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Sun Prairie, WI. The Wisconsin Cheeseman® announced today that it is recalling cheese log/cheese ball products in conjunction with the voluntary recall initiated by Parkers Farm, Inc. on January 15, 2010. Parkers Farm, Inc., located in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, believes some of its food items have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The recall was a result of a sampling done by the state of Wisconsin and the state of Minnesota.

Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Source: koolielu.edu.ee

Nine of the recalled products are cheese logs/cheese balls purchased from Parkers Farm, Inc. and then distributed by The Wisconsin Cheeseman®. These products bear the Parkers Farm logo. None of the other recalled products at Parkers Farm, Inc. was purchased or distributed by The Wisconsin Cheeseman®.

The Wisconsin Cheeseman® Food Gifts Impacted by Recall:
Sausage ‘N Cheese Logs – Gift #11
Cheese Logs & Cutting Board – Gift #87
Smorgasbord – Gift #325
Cheese Log Trio – Gift #365
Cheese Logs – Gift #411
Cheese Ball Trio – Gift #441
Cheese Logs – Gift #509
Snacker Pack – Gift #751
Cheese Balls & Sausages – Gift #876

Consumers who have these products in their possession should not consume them. Product should be returned to The Wisconsin Cheeseman® for a refund or replacement. Consumers who believe they may have become ill after consuming these products should contact their health care provider. The Wisconsin Cheeseman® has not received any complaints or reports of illness associated with these products.

Listeria monocytogenes bacteria is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria often experience fever, severe headaches, stiffness, diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can result in miscarriage or stillbirth among pregnant women.

Source: Bacterial Meningitis. Image may be subject to copyright.

Group B Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes comprise the most common causes of meningitis in neonatals. About 17,500 cases of bacterial meningitis are reported in the U-S annually. (Source)

O0O

Company Contact:
Lindsey Decker
608-837-5166, ext.364
Customer Service Contact:
800.698.1751

Photos: Product Labels

Related Links:

• Premature births caused by Virgin Blue airline food
• Imported Food Alert 22 Oct 2008

• How old is your ecoli-burger?
• Beef Recall in Six States
• E. coli in Beef May Have Killed Two
• Beef recall, E.coli O157:H7 suspected
• Imported Food Alert 22 Oct 2008
• Naples Garbage: First Commercial Dividends

• USDA
• CDC Press Release: E. coli Outbreak Investigations
• Questions & Answers: E. coli
• Sudden worldwide increase in antibiotic-resistant bacterium

Plastics: Phthalates are true ‘gender benders’

Disappointed Your Last Baby Not a Girl?

Don’t Despair! You may still be in luck (!)

Did you always want to a have a baby girl and are disappointed because the ultrasound revealed your final attempt to be yet another boy?

Phthalates could help your dream come true (!) Phthalates, chemicals found in plastics, are hormone endocrine disruptors. They can alter the brain of baby boys, making them “more feminine,” say University of Rochester researchers.

Chemicals in plastics alter the brains of baby boys, making them “more feminine,” the researchers said.

Male babies who were exposed to high doses of phthalates while still in the womb,  ended up to be less interested in playing with “boys’ toys” such as cars, planes and trains, or join in rough physical activity, such as wrestling, the researchers found.

Luckily (!) phthalates are found in vinyl  flooring, and other household items including plastic furniture, packaging, PVC shower curtains, shopping bags…  as well as medical tubing and hundreds of other plastic items around you.

Two groups of phthalates DEHP and DBP seem to affect play behavior, researchers said.

Boys who were exposed to high levels of DEHP and DBP while in the womb showed less interest playing with “boys’ toys,” or engage in physical  games like playfighting, than other boys who were not exposed to the gender-bending chemicals.

A Scandinavian epidemiologic team discovered in 2004 allergies in children that were caused by phthalates DEHP and BBzP. They also linked exposure to phthalates in the living environment to asthma, especially in children, however, the scope of evidence was said to be  limited by vague data on the  exposure levels.

If you are pregnant with a baby boy, perhaps you could drop us a line and say what you think!

Related and Possibly Related Links:

• Pesticides may damage human brain
• ‘Diarrhea water’
• Death from serious birth defects!
• World’s beaches turned killing fields
• Image of the day: Ypk9 and Manganism
• You want to lose weight without exercise?

• ‘Safe’ Pesticides: Worst in Poisonings
• Unfit for human consumption
• Should You Be Afraid, Really Afraid?

• Seeking Toxic Asylum
• EU needs more pesticides, scientists claim
• TITO: Toxin In, Toxin Out!

• Tuna Sushi, and Hold the Mercury!
• Death by Lethal Pollution
• The Aquaculture Dilemma

• Hermaphrodite Lamb Born With Seven Legs
• Fish, Antibiotics, Pesticides, Toxic Materials
• Pregnant Women, Eat Fish! Don’t Eat Fish!

Should You Be Afraid, Really Afraid?

Will your industrial food become even deadlier?

12 dead in Canada food poisoning outbreak

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) – Twelve people have now died out of 26 confirmed cases of food poisoning linked to deli meats produced at a plant owned by Maple Leaf Foods Inc, Canadian health officials said Monday.

There are another 29 suspected cases of listeriosis, officials told reporters, and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said the government expected more cases in coming days.

Maple Leaf Foods, one of Canada’s biggest meat processors, had said it hoped to reopen the Toronto plant associated with the outbreak on Tuesday, but health officials said they will test and hold all meat produced there until they are satisfied it is not contaminated.

“The timeframe really isn’t theirs. It belongs more to the (Canadian Food Inspection Agency),” Ritz said. …

ID#: 2287 Description: Electron micrograph of a flagellated Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, Magnified 41,250X (Image size may have been changed). Listeria monocytogenes is the infectious agent responsible for the food borne illness Listeriosis. In the United States, an estimated 2,500 persons become seriously ill with listeriosis each year. Of these, 500 die. Content Providers(s): CDC/Dr. Balasubr Swaminathan; Peggy Hayes Provider Email: Creation Date: 2002 Photo Credit: Elizabeth White Copyright Restrictions: None – This image is in the public domain and thus free of any copyright restrictions. As a matter of courtesy we request that the content provider be credited and notified in any public or private usage of this image.

Source: http://phil.cdc.gov/phil_images/10302002/2/PHIL_2287_lores.jpg (Via wikipedia)

Listeriosis, an illness that is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, the elderly, infants and people with weak immune systems, was a contributing factor in seven of the deaths, the Public Health Agency of Canada said. Full report..

Colonies of typical Listeria monocytogenes as they appear when grown on Listeria selective agar

Epidemiology

Incidence in 2004–2005 was 2.5–3 cases per million population and year in the USA, where pregnant women accounted for 30% of all cases. Of all nonperinatal infections, 70% occur in immunocompromised patients. Incidence in the USA has been falling since the 1990s, in contrast to Europe where changes in eating habits have lead to an increase during the same time. In Sweden, it has stabilized at around 5 cases per annum per million population, with pregnant women typically accounting for 1–2 of some 40 total yearly cases.

Listeriosis

Listeriosis is a bacterial infection caused by a motile bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes.[1] Listeriosis is relatively rare and occurs primarily in newborn infants, elderly patients, and patients who are immunocompromised.

In veterinary medicine, however, listeriosis can be a quite common condition in some farm outbreaks. It can also be found in wild animals; see listeriosis in animals. (Source: Wikipedia)

Related Links:

• 2008 Canadian listeriosis outbreak