30 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
UNITED KINGDOM: ‘Cruel’ Halal slaughter methods under attack
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British ministers are seeking to change a law to ensure that meat slaughtered using Islamic, or Halal, methods cannot be sold without proper labelling. “unwitting members of the public” are being served Halal meat “secretly” in schools, hospitals, pubs and famous sporting venues, claiming that many in Britain deem the traditional Islamic way of preparing meat as “cruel,” including animal rights campaigners. Like Jewish kosher slaughter, the Halal method requires the butcher to kill the animal by slitting its throat, ensuring the animal is not stunned first to lessen its ordeal. Muslims are adamant that the Halal method ensures the least amount of pain possible for an animal, and is in accordance to animal welfare measures.
UNITED KINGDOM: And not a woggle in sight - the new Scout uniform for Muslim girls
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The Scouts have designed a special uniform for Muslim girls to cater for their growing female membership. A hoodie dress and a T-shirt dress which ‘encapsulate the adventurous spirit of Scouting’ are now available to attract recruits from Muslim families. It is hoped that the new uniforms will allow the movement to build on its growing popularity with girls. Around one in six of the 400,000 UK Scouts is a girl.
World Halal Forum 2012 - Cultivating a Universal Halal Lifestyle
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The 7th World Halal Forum (WHF) started on 2 April with Deputy Prime Minister, YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Hj Mohd Yassin officially launching the annual forum at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The two-day forum attracted the participation of 720 delegates and over 35 speakers. With participants and speakers from over 36 countries, WHF 2012 provides a stirring platform for a stimulating discussion on the USD800 billion worth Halal industry. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Hj Mohd Yassin, in his keynote address, praised the World Halal Forum for its efforts in emphasizing on a universal appeal on Halal principles and for leveraging on creative channels like the arts, media and entertainment in spreading good values. Tan Sri Muhyiddin also stated that the new generation of Muslim youths are asking for more value out of Halal and not just mere compliance to its standards. Established in 2006, WHF has since become part of the Malaysian government's 15-year plan to become the world's Halal hub. With this year's theme "INSPIRE, INNOVATE, INVEST", WHF 2012 goes beyond its usual exploration of business perspectives and reached out towards the grassroots with its primary focus on consumer issues, as well as helping the industry's understanding on its beneficial values, to Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
New analysis highlights importance of limiting industrial livestock production to improve personal and environmental health.
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Global meat production and consumption have increased rapidly in recent decades, with harmful effects on the environment and public health as well as on the economy, according to research done by Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet project for Vital Signs Online. Worldwide meat production has tripled over the last four decades and increased 20 percent in just the last 10 years. Meanwhile, industrial countries are consuming growing amounts of meat, nearly double the quantity than in developing countries."Much of the vigorous growth in meat production is due to the rise of industrial animal agriculture, or factory farming," said Danielle Nierenberg, Worldwatch senior researcher and director of Nourishing the Planet. "Factory farms pollute the environment through the heavy use of inputs such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers used for feed production.Large-scale meat production also has serious implications for the world's climate. Animal waste releases methane and nitrous oxide, greenhouse gases that are 25 and 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide, respectively. "The world's supersized appetite for meat is among the biggest reasons greenhouse gas emissions are still growing rapidly," said Worldwatch President Robert Engelman. "Yet properly managed and scaled meat production ----like the kind pursued by small-scale pastoralists on dry grasslands----could actually sequester carbon dioxide. It's largely a matter of rethinking meat at both ends of the production-consumption trail."Dirty, crowded conditions on factory farms can propagate sickness and disease among the animals, including swine influenza (H1N1), avian influenza (H5N1), foot-and-mouth disease, and mad-cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy). These diseases not only translate into enormous economic losses each year ----the United Kingdom alone spent 18 to 25 billion dollars in a three-year period to combat foot-and-mouth disease----but they also lead to human infections.Mass quantities of antibiotics are used on livestock to reduce the impact of disease, contributing to antibiotic resistance in animals and humans alike. Worldwide, 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in 2009 were used on livestock and poultry, compared to only 20 percent used for human illnesses. Antibiotics that are present in animal waste leach into the environment and contaminate water and food crops, posing a serious threat to public health.The amount of meat in people's diets has an impact on human health as well. Eaten in moderation, meat is a good source of protein and of important vitamins and nutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamins B3, B6, and B12. But a diet high in red and processed meats can lead to a host of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.Eating organic, pasture-raised livestock can alleviate chronic health problems and improve the environment. Grass-fed beef contains less fat and more nutrients than its factory-farmed counterpart and reduces the risk of disease and exposure to toxic chemicals. Well-managed pasture systems can improve carbon sequestration, reducing the impact of livestock on the planet. And the use of fewer energy-intensive inputs conserves soil, reduces pollution and erosion, and preserves biodiversity. "Pastoral farming systems, especially in developing countries, improve food security and sustain the livelihoods of millions of farmers worldwide," said Nierenberg. "Eating less meat and supporting pastoralist communities at every level is essential to combat the destructive trend of factory farms."Further Highlights from the Research:· Pork is the most widely consumed meat in the world, followed by poultry, beef, and mutton.· Poultry production is the fastest growing meat sector, increasing 4.7 percent in 2010 to 98 million tons.· Worldwide, per capita meat consumption increased from 41.3 kilograms in 2009 to 41.9 kilograms in 2010. People In the developing world eat 32 kilograms of meat a year on average, compared to 80 kilograms per person in the industrial world.· Of the 880 million rural poor people living on less than $1 per day, 70 percent are partially or completely dependent on livestock for their livelihoods and food security.· Demand for livestock products will nearly double in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, from 200 kilocalories per person per day in 2000 to some 400 kilocalories in 2050.· Raising livestock accounts for roughly 23 percent of all global water use in agriculture, equivalent to 1.15 liters of water per person per day.· Livestock account for an estimated 18 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, producing 40 percent of the world's methane and 65 percent of the world's nitrous oxide.· Seventy-five percent of the antibiotics used on livestock are not absorbed by the animals and are excreted in waste, posing a serious risk to public health.· An estimated 11 percent of deaths in men and 16 percent of deaths in women could be prevented if people decreased their red meat consumption to the level of the group that ate the least.· Eating organic, pasture-raised animals can be healthier and environmentally beneficial compared to industrial feedlot systems.
Global meat production and consumption have increased rapidly in recent decades, with harmful effects on the environment and public health as well as on the economy, according to research done by Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet project for Vital Signs Online. Worldwide meat production has tripled over the last four decades and increased 20 percent in just the last 10 years. Meanwhile, industrial countries are consuming growing amounts of meat, nearly double the quantity than in developing countries."Much of the vigorous growth in meat production is due to the rise of industrial animal agriculture, or factory farming," said Danielle Nierenberg, Worldwatch senior researcher and director of Nourishing the Planet. "Factory farms pollute the environment through the heavy use of inputs such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers used for feed production.Large-scale meat production also has serious implications for the world's climate. Animal waste releases methane and nitrous oxide, greenhouse gases that are 25 and 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide, respectively. "The world's supersized appetite for meat is among the biggest reasons greenhouse gas emissions are still growing rapidly," said Worldwatch President Robert Engelman. "Yet properly managed and scaled meat production ----like the kind pursued by small-scale pastoralists on dry grasslands----could actually sequester carbon dioxide. It's largely a matter of rethinking meat at both ends of the production-consumption trail."Dirty, crowded conditions on factory farms can propagate sickness and disease among the animals, including swine influenza (H1N1), avian influenza (H5N1), foot-and-mouth disease, and mad-cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy). These diseases not only translate into enormous economic losses each year ----the United Kingdom alone spent 18 to 25 billion dollars in a three-year period to combat foot-and-mouth disease----but they also lead to human infections.Mass quantities of antibiotics are used on livestock to reduce the impact of disease, contributing to antibiotic resistance in animals and humans alike. Worldwide, 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in 2009 were used on livestock and poultry, compared to only 20 percent used for human illnesses. Antibiotics that are present in animal waste leach into the environment and contaminate water and food crops, posing a serious threat to public health.The amount of meat in people's diets has an impact on human health as well. Eaten in moderation, meat is a good source of protein and of important vitamins and nutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamins B3, B6, and B12. But a diet high in red and processed meats can lead to a host of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.Eating organic, pasture-raised livestock can alleviate chronic health problems and improve the environment. Grass-fed beef contains less fat and more nutrients than its factory-farmed counterpart and reduces the risk of disease and exposure to toxic chemicals. Well-managed pasture systems can improve carbon sequestration, reducing the impact of livestock on the planet. And the use of fewer energy-intensive inputs conserves soil, reduces pollution and erosion, and preserves biodiversity. "Pastoral farming systems, especially in developing countries, improve food security and sustain the livelihoods of millions of farmers worldwide," said Nierenberg. "Eating less meat and supporting pastoralist communities at every level is essential to combat the destructive trend of factory farms."Further Highlights from the Research:· Pork is the most widely consumed meat in the world, followed by poultry, beef, and mutton.· Poultry production is the fastest growing meat sector, increasing 4.7 percent in 2010 to 98 million tons.· Worldwide, per capita meat consumption increased from 41.3 kilograms in 2009 to 41.9 kilograms in 2010. People In the developing world eat 32 kilograms of meat a year on average, compared to 80 kilograms per person in the industrial world.· Of the 880 million rural poor people living on less than $1 per day, 70 percent are partially or completely dependent on livestock for their livelihoods and food security.· Demand for livestock products will nearly double in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, from 200 kilocalories per person per day in 2000 to some 400 kilocalories in 2050.· Raising livestock accounts for roughly 23 percent of all global water use in agriculture, equivalent to 1.15 liters of water per person per day.· Livestock account for an estimated 18 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, producing 40 percent of the world's methane and 65 percent of the world's nitrous oxide.· Seventy-five percent of the antibiotics used on livestock are not absorbed by the animals and are excreted in waste, posing a serious risk to public health.· An estimated 11 percent of deaths in men and 16 percent of deaths in women could be prevented if people decreased their red meat consumption to the level of the group that ate the least.· Eating organic, pasture-raised animals can be healthier and environmentally beneficial compared to industrial feedlot systems.
Malaysia-East Java entrepreneurs urged to develop Halal industry
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Malaysian Halal products entrepreneurs and their counterparts in East Java have huge potential in developing the Halal industry by using high-technology concepts.Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) Chairman Tan Sri Syed Jalaludin Syed Salim said the agency is ready to assist such endeavour to attain win-win synergies.HDC can bring Halal product entrepreneurs from Malaysia on a special visit to East Java to introduce the country's Halal industry concept following the huge interest shown by entrepreneurs in East Java."They want to develop industrial park, and if we can offer assistance to them, this is better.HDC can introduce the Halal park concept and this will be good joint venture between Malaysia and Indonesia," he told Bernama.Syed Jalaludin was among the Malaysia small and medium enterprise (SME) delegation under the guidance of SME Corp Malaysia and HDC on a two-day visit to Surabaya.The visit was led by Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed aimed at strengthening the bilateral trade and investment with entrepreneurs in Surabaya and East Java.The HDC Chairman said Malaysia should focus on making more business visits to Asean countries such as Indonesia as the country not only has a huge market but its entrepreneurs want to collaborate with Malaysian businesses."Indonesia has a large population, huge market, many resources while Malaysia has high technology...this is where we can work together."We also have more intellectual properties, so we can attain win-win synergies," he said.Syed Jalaludin believed that the collaboration can achieve success as expected and it can start in East Java.
Malaysian Halal products entrepreneurs and their counterparts in East Java have huge potential in developing the Halal industry by using high-technology concepts.Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) Chairman Tan Sri Syed Jalaludin Syed Salim said the agency is ready to assist such endeavour to attain win-win synergies.HDC can bring Halal product entrepreneurs from Malaysia on a special visit to East Java to introduce the country's Halal industry concept following the huge interest shown by entrepreneurs in East Java."They want to develop industrial park, and if we can offer assistance to them, this is better.HDC can introduce the Halal park concept and this will be good joint venture between Malaysia and Indonesia," he told Bernama.Syed Jalaludin was among the Malaysia small and medium enterprise (SME) delegation under the guidance of SME Corp Malaysia and HDC on a two-day visit to Surabaya.The visit was led by Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed aimed at strengthening the bilateral trade and investment with entrepreneurs in Surabaya and East Java.The HDC Chairman said Malaysia should focus on making more business visits to Asean countries such as Indonesia as the country not only has a huge market but its entrepreneurs want to collaborate with Malaysian businesses."Indonesia has a large population, huge market, many resources while Malaysia has high technology...this is where we can work together."We also have more intellectual properties, so we can attain win-win synergies," he said.Syed Jalaludin believed that the collaboration can achieve success as expected and it can start in East Java.
26 Mayıs 2012 Cumartesi
Dietary antioxidants can reduce stroke risk
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Research has shown again and again that antioxidants are beneficial to the human body. But it's really about the buzz word "antioxidants". It seems like some new food or concept, but antioxidants are just vitamins and minerals - something your parents kept telling you to eat as a kid!
Nuts, grains, fish and poultry, green leafy veggies, fruits...these will all give you the vitamins A, C, and E, selenium, lycopene, and/or lutein that keeps your cells healthy, preventing a number of age-related diseases like heart disease and stroke. And research has found that supplements don't provide the same benefit, so go for dietary changes rather than supplementation.
Read more about the relationship between antioxidants and stroke risk.
Research has shown again and again that antioxidants are beneficial to the human body. But it's really about the buzz word "antioxidants". It seems like some new food or concept, but antioxidants are just vitamins and minerals - something your parents kept telling you to eat as a kid!Nuts, grains, fish and poultry, green leafy veggies, fruits...these will all give you the vitamins A, C, and E, selenium, lycopene, and/or lutein that keeps your cells healthy, preventing a number of age-related diseases like heart disease and stroke. And research has found that supplements don't provide the same benefit, so go for dietary changes rather than supplementation.
Read more about the relationship between antioxidants and stroke risk.
PAKISTAN: Pak food brands set to make UAE foray
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Pakistan’s food industry is poised to lead in the UAE
market as major brands are expected to make forays into the country this year, Khaleej Times has learnt. Pakistani food companies made inroads to the UAE market at the Gulfood exhibition in February. The major groups held fruitful meetings at the exhibition and they will start launching their products from June onward, according to industry insiders. K&N’s Foods (private) Limited, a leading name in poultry and meat products in Pakistan, is expected to market its products in the UAE by June. Brands in
edible oil like Sufi Cooking Oil and Habib Oil, leading herbal trademark Qarshi and confectionery products leader Hilal, among others are also planning to enter the UAE food market this year.
Muslim Growth Is Good For Muslim Businesses, Marketing
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Muslim consumers are growing in the U.S. and they have money to spend. Now, businesses are starting to take notice."The emerging American Muslim market is perhaps the new area that a lot of businesses ... are starting to look into," said Rafi-uddin Shikoh, Managing Director and Founder of DinarStandard, a marketing research firm specializing in the emerging Muslim market.Shikoh said his New York-based firm conducted research in 2011 on the Muslim marketplace and found that, while Muslims are just as hard to categorize as other groups, there are plenty of opportunities for different industries -- food, retail and finance -- to reach them.With an estimated disposable income of between $107 billion and $124 billion, Muslim Americans are realizing they can use their size to influence the market, he said. If a business offers Halal food products, for example, Muslim consumers will pick that business over the others. "There are these unique things that businesses are not realizing but there's an opportunity for that," he said at a recent forum sponsored by the American Islamic Congress.The Pew Research Center conducted a survey last year on Muslim Americans and estimated a population of about 2.8 million Muslims in the U.S., and they're growing thanks in part to a higher fertility rate than other Americans.While the exact number of American Muslims has been disputed, the general consensus in the business world is that the majority of the growing Muslim consumers are young, middle class and misunderstood. Pew also found that U.S. Muslims (14 percent) roughly mirror the general population (16 percent) on the percentage of households with annual incomes of $100,000 or more.Businesses now want to connect with this new market, said Sarab Al-Jijakli, account director at Ogilvy Noor, a boutique subsidiary of the Ogilvy & Mather global ad agency, which specializes in the emerging Muslim marketplace."Many brands are playing catch-up," Al-Jijakli said at the forum.Arsalan Iftikhar, a contributing editor for Islamica magazine and author of "Islamic Pacifism: Global Muslims in the Post-Osama Era," said the American Muslim growth trend line is positive and he is glad American businesses are seeing the potential of selling products to a "previously untapped minority population.""I think it is quite heartening that our nation's corporate and business leaders are beginning to notice our community as an up-and-coming minority group within America today," he said.The racially and ethnically diverse Muslim population in the U.S. is concerned about the same issues as everyone else, like jobs, the economy and health care, said John Pinna, the AIC's director of government and international relations. But, like other immigrant groups, they're also looking for ways to participate in society.And in America, that often means shopping."Now we're looking for products, we're looking to participate in the democratic process and we're this young population that's hungry to be noticed," said Pinna, an Afghan-American Muslim."The American Muslim community isn't really extraordinary at all," he said. "It's just that it's now starting to be noticed."
Muslim consumers are growing in the U.S. and they have money to spend. Now, businesses are starting to take notice."The emerging American Muslim market is perhaps the new area that a lot of businesses ... are starting to look into," said Rafi-uddin Shikoh, Managing Director and Founder of DinarStandard, a marketing research firm specializing in the emerging Muslim market.Shikoh said his New York-based firm conducted research in 2011 on the Muslim marketplace and found that, while Muslims are just as hard to categorize as other groups, there are plenty of opportunities for different industries -- food, retail and finance -- to reach them.With an estimated disposable income of between $107 billion and $124 billion, Muslim Americans are realizing they can use their size to influence the market, he said. If a business offers Halal food products, for example, Muslim consumers will pick that business over the others. "There are these unique things that businesses are not realizing but there's an opportunity for that," he said at a recent forum sponsored by the American Islamic Congress.The Pew Research Center conducted a survey last year on Muslim Americans and estimated a population of about 2.8 million Muslims in the U.S., and they're growing thanks in part to a higher fertility rate than other Americans.While the exact number of American Muslims has been disputed, the general consensus in the business world is that the majority of the growing Muslim consumers are young, middle class and misunderstood. Pew also found that U.S. Muslims (14 percent) roughly mirror the general population (16 percent) on the percentage of households with annual incomes of $100,000 or more.Businesses now want to connect with this new market, said Sarab Al-Jijakli, account director at Ogilvy Noor, a boutique subsidiary of the Ogilvy & Mather global ad agency, which specializes in the emerging Muslim marketplace."Many brands are playing catch-up," Al-Jijakli said at the forum.Arsalan Iftikhar, a contributing editor for Islamica magazine and author of "Islamic Pacifism: Global Muslims in the Post-Osama Era," said the American Muslim growth trend line is positive and he is glad American businesses are seeing the potential of selling products to a "previously untapped minority population.""I think it is quite heartening that our nation's corporate and business leaders are beginning to notice our community as an up-and-coming minority group within America today," he said.The racially and ethnically diverse Muslim population in the U.S. is concerned about the same issues as everyone else, like jobs, the economy and health care, said John Pinna, the AIC's director of government and international relations. But, like other immigrant groups, they're also looking for ways to participate in society.And in America, that often means shopping."Now we're looking for products, we're looking to participate in the democratic process and we're this young population that's hungry to be noticed," said Pinna, an Afghan-American Muslim."The American Muslim community isn't really extraordinary at all," he said. "It's just that it's now starting to be noticed."
U.S.A: More Food Producers Pursue Halal Certification
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There are nearly 100 Halal restaurants around Seattle, but a spokesperson for the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) says interest in Halal certification is now percolating in U.S. cities without significant Muslim populations"What we are hearing overwhelmingly is that this market is so huge, and people are just beginning to appreciate the opportunities," says IFANCA development director Asma Ahad, who recently addressed a meeting of corporate chefs and food scientists.Ahad cited Cabot Creamery Cooperative, a Vermont-based dairy best known for its cheddars, as an example of a company which proactively pursued Halal certification. Partly in response to projections showing American Muslims would outnumber American Jews by 2010, Cabot obtained its certification in 2003."They can't exactly say what Halal contributed, but they've seen a double-digit increase in sales since then," Ahad says.There are nine million Muslims in the U.S., and IFANCA estimates they annually spend $20 billion on food. Globally, Halal accounts for 16 percent of food purchases, or $1.2 trillion in sales.Prisons, hospitals and military bases are among the top buyers of Halal products in the U.S."It's a newer area, but it's grown a lot, and it's still growing," Ahad says.Growth in the Halal sector creates a domino effect, since the increased availability of Halal ingredients allows food producers to reformulate their recipes. A decade ago, producers who leaned heavily on alcoholic flavouring agents had little hope of ever meeting Halal requirements. But laboratories have since manufactured alcohol-free alternatives and introduced transgenic enzymes that can stand in for the pork enzymes popular with cheese makers.According to Ahad, food producers intent on winning Halal certification still have to carefully monitor cross-contamination risks. She adds that vigilance is appealing to consumers who worry about food safety. Halal, like kosher, is associated with added inspection and cleanliness."It's different than kosher, though, because kosher's already been developed," Ahad says of the market potential. "Halal is such a growth area."
There are nearly 100 Halal restaurants around Seattle, but a spokesperson for the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) says interest in Halal certification is now percolating in U.S. cities without significant Muslim populations"What we are hearing overwhelmingly is that this market is so huge, and people are just beginning to appreciate the opportunities," says IFANCA development director Asma Ahad, who recently addressed a meeting of corporate chefs and food scientists.Ahad cited Cabot Creamery Cooperative, a Vermont-based dairy best known for its cheddars, as an example of a company which proactively pursued Halal certification. Partly in response to projections showing American Muslims would outnumber American Jews by 2010, Cabot obtained its certification in 2003."They can't exactly say what Halal contributed, but they've seen a double-digit increase in sales since then," Ahad says.There are nine million Muslims in the U.S., and IFANCA estimates they annually spend $20 billion on food. Globally, Halal accounts for 16 percent of food purchases, or $1.2 trillion in sales.Prisons, hospitals and military bases are among the top buyers of Halal products in the U.S."It's a newer area, but it's grown a lot, and it's still growing," Ahad says.Growth in the Halal sector creates a domino effect, since the increased availability of Halal ingredients allows food producers to reformulate their recipes. A decade ago, producers who leaned heavily on alcoholic flavouring agents had little hope of ever meeting Halal requirements. But laboratories have since manufactured alcohol-free alternatives and introduced transgenic enzymes that can stand in for the pork enzymes popular with cheese makers.According to Ahad, food producers intent on winning Halal certification still have to carefully monitor cross-contamination risks. She adds that vigilance is appealing to consumers who worry about food safety. Halal, like kosher, is associated with added inspection and cleanliness."It's different than kosher, though, because kosher's already been developed," Ahad says of the market potential. "Halal is such a growth area."
Halal meningitis vaccine available worldwide
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For many years, the fully Halal meningitis vaccine was a dream for the Muslim world but now it is a reality. The long waited Halal meningitis vaccine named ‘Menveo’ is now available worldwide. Many Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia have approved it and many have instructed to replace the previously used one with this Halal vaccine.According to the available information meningitis vaccine earlier produced, contained materials of bovine or porcine origin. Due to this reason Muslims had been complaining against those vaccines and urging for producing completely Halal vaccine from Halal ingredients. Due to this demand from the Muslim world an ‘apparently Halal’ vaccine was produced named Mencevax. It is alleged that Mencevex even used porcine ingredients at manufacturing stage but the finished product could be made porcine free with the blessings of latest scientific technologies. Nevertheless, to say that Bangladesh is still using this ‘apparently Halal’ vaccine though completely Halal vaccine is available in the market. However, the government is under pressure to use Halal vaccine especially for the hajj pilgrims.Menveo vaccine is a conjugate vaccine but the previous one was polysaccharide vaccine that has lots of limitations. It is not effective for infants; it cannot immune memory and cannot ensure prolonged duration of protection. But Menveo vaccine is very much effective for the aforementioned conditions. It not only protects but also prevents the carrier of the germs to spread, among others. The Halal vaccine has a boosting effect, and in repeated use it doesn’t lose power rather intensifies it.Therefore, saving life is of foremost important for the host country. Besides, the hajis might not be infected and become a carrier of such communicable diseases is also a great concern. And when there is an issue for haram and Halal, the Muslims will accept the Halal one- no doubt. So, it is expected that the government will also take necessary steps to provide Halal conjugate vaccine for this year’s hajj pilgrims.No other mass gathering can compare, either in scale or in regularity. Communicable disease outbreaks of various infectious diseases have been reported repeatedly during and following the hajj. Therefore, to protect the pilgrims from communicable diseases the Saudi government has made it mandatory for the pilgrims to take meningitis vaccine before arriving at the holy place. During Hajj, carrier rates for meningococcal disease rise to a level as high as 80% due to intense overcrowding, high humidity and dense air pollution . It should also be mentioned here that the meningitis belt of Sub-saharan Africa, stretching from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east has the highest rates of the disease.
For many years, the fully Halal meningitis vaccine was a dream for the Muslim world but now it is a reality. The long waited Halal meningitis vaccine named ‘Menveo’ is now available worldwide. Many Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia have approved it and many have instructed to replace the previously used one with this Halal vaccine.According to the available information meningitis vaccine earlier produced, contained materials of bovine or porcine origin. Due to this reason Muslims had been complaining against those vaccines and urging for producing completely Halal vaccine from Halal ingredients. Due to this demand from the Muslim world an ‘apparently Halal’ vaccine was produced named Mencevax. It is alleged that Mencevex even used porcine ingredients at manufacturing stage but the finished product could be made porcine free with the blessings of latest scientific technologies. Nevertheless, to say that Bangladesh is still using this ‘apparently Halal’ vaccine though completely Halal vaccine is available in the market. However, the government is under pressure to use Halal vaccine especially for the hajj pilgrims.Menveo vaccine is a conjugate vaccine but the previous one was polysaccharide vaccine that has lots of limitations. It is not effective for infants; it cannot immune memory and cannot ensure prolonged duration of protection. But Menveo vaccine is very much effective for the aforementioned conditions. It not only protects but also prevents the carrier of the germs to spread, among others. The Halal vaccine has a boosting effect, and in repeated use it doesn’t lose power rather intensifies it.Therefore, saving life is of foremost important for the host country. Besides, the hajis might not be infected and become a carrier of such communicable diseases is also a great concern. And when there is an issue for haram and Halal, the Muslims will accept the Halal one- no doubt. So, it is expected that the government will also take necessary steps to provide Halal conjugate vaccine for this year’s hajj pilgrims.No other mass gathering can compare, either in scale or in regularity. Communicable disease outbreaks of various infectious diseases have been reported repeatedly during and following the hajj. Therefore, to protect the pilgrims from communicable diseases the Saudi government has made it mandatory for the pilgrims to take meningitis vaccine before arriving at the holy place. During Hajj, carrier rates for meningococcal disease rise to a level as high as 80% due to intense overcrowding, high humidity and dense air pollution . It should also be mentioned here that the meningitis belt of Sub-saharan Africa, stretching from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east has the highest rates of the disease.
23 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
China : Bird flu `epidemic' sparks chicken cull
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Via The Standard :
" Agricultural authorities have culled about 95,000 chickens following an outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus in northwest China.
The outbreak in Touying township of the Ningxia region was discovered after more than 23,000 chickens began showing symptoms.
The Ministry of Agriculture said the "epidemic is now under control" and that work teams have been sent to the area to step up prevention measures.
In January, a man in Guizhou province died after contracting the bird flu virus, the second such fatality reported in the mainland this year, health authorities said.
China is considered one of the nations most at risk of bird flu epidemics because it has the world's biggest poultry population."
" Agricultural authorities have culled about 95,000 chickens following an outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus in northwest China.
The outbreak in Touying township of the Ningxia region was discovered after more than 23,000 chickens began showing symptoms.
The Ministry of Agriculture said the "epidemic is now under control" and that work teams have been sent to the area to step up prevention measures.
In January, a man in Guizhou province died after contracting the bird flu virus, the second such fatality reported in the mainland this year, health authorities said.
China is considered one of the nations most at risk of bird flu epidemics because it has the world's biggest poultry population."
Australia : Schoolboy contracts scarlet fever
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Via NT News :
" A TERRITORY primary school pupil has caught scarlet fever.
The boy is being kept at home.
Education Department acting school operations head Alan Baillie said the boy's mother had contacted teachers to say her son had been diagnosed with the disease by two doctors at the GP super clinic in Palmerston during the Easter holidays.
"No other cases have been reported," he said. "The school has sent a letter home to parents as a precautionary measure."
" A TERRITORY primary school pupil has caught scarlet fever.
The boy is being kept at home.
Education Department acting school operations head Alan Baillie said the boy's mother had contacted teachers to say her son had been diagnosed with the disease by two doctors at the GP super clinic in Palmerston during the Easter holidays.
"No other cases have been reported," he said. "The school has sent a letter home to parents as a precautionary measure."
Tough new strain of hand, foot and mouth virus hitting U.S.
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Via USA Today :
" Worried parents are phoning their pediatricians, fearful of the spread of a nasty new strain of hand, foot and mouth virus, a common childhood disease.
It hit Alabama last month, is in Northern California now and may be headed to a day care near you soon.
The hand, foot and mouth virus that usually causes a slight fever and a rash on the palms in toddlers is called coxsackie A16. The new variant, A6, was first reported in the United States in December. It can hit kids and adults hard, causing fingernails and toenails to fall off two to three weeks after the illness has passed.
The variant swept Alabama in March, state epidemiologist Mary McIntyre said. "We've had 15 people hospitalized," she said. Some cases included "severe fevers, seizures, headaches, severe diarrhea and vomiting." The oldest patient was 69.
There is no treatment.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is no relation to hoof and mouth disease, an animal illness.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that some victims have been hospitalized for severe pain. The virus is highly contagious. Writing on a parent e-mail list, one San Francisco mom said her toddler infected every child but one in her preschool."
" Worried parents are phoning their pediatricians, fearful of the spread of a nasty new strain of hand, foot and mouth virus, a common childhood disease.
It hit Alabama last month, is in Northern California now and may be headed to a day care near you soon.
The hand, foot and mouth virus that usually causes a slight fever and a rash on the palms in toddlers is called coxsackie A16. The new variant, A6, was first reported in the United States in December. It can hit kids and adults hard, causing fingernails and toenails to fall off two to three weeks after the illness has passed.
The variant swept Alabama in March, state epidemiologist Mary McIntyre said. "We've had 15 people hospitalized," she said. Some cases included "severe fevers, seizures, headaches, severe diarrhea and vomiting." The oldest patient was 69.
There is no treatment.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is no relation to hoof and mouth disease, an animal illness.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that some victims have been hospitalized for severe pain. The virus is highly contagious. Writing on a parent e-mail list, one San Francisco mom said her toddler infected every child but one in her preschool."
Meningitis kills 749 in West, Central Africa
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Via Xinhua :
" Meningitis has killed 749 people in West and Central Africa this year, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In a report released here on Friday, OCHA said Burkina Faso and Chad were the most affected countries in West and Central Africa. In Burkina Faso, OCHA recorded 3,630 cases since the beginning of the year, which is 40 percent of all cases reported in the region and, out of which, 400 people had died by April 1.
The organization's website, ochaonline, reported that most cases were found in the country's west bordering Mali, Ghana, Togo and Benin.
By April 1, Burkina Faso had seen eight districts in an epidemic situation and 11 others on alert level. The meningitis disease in Burkina Faso is attributed to NmW135 germ.
Chad had registered 2,136 cases as per April 1 and 102 deaths."
" Meningitis has killed 749 people in West and Central Africa this year, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In a report released here on Friday, OCHA said Burkina Faso and Chad were the most affected countries in West and Central Africa. In Burkina Faso, OCHA recorded 3,630 cases since the beginning of the year, which is 40 percent of all cases reported in the region and, out of which, 400 people had died by April 1.
The organization's website, ochaonline, reported that most cases were found in the country's west bordering Mali, Ghana, Togo and Benin.
By April 1, Burkina Faso had seen eight districts in an epidemic situation and 11 others on alert level. The meningitis disease in Burkina Faso is attributed to NmW135 germ.
Chad had registered 2,136 cases as per April 1 and 102 deaths."
India : Punjab records first swine flu death
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Via Times of India :
" The deadly swine flu is back in Punjab, with the state reporting the season's first fatality due to the disease, sending the state health department -- that grappled with more than 300 such cases over the last two years -- into a tizzy.
Vijay Kumar, 35, resident of Nangal -- a town located on the banks of the country's biggest dam Bhakra Nangal -died in Ludhiana on Friday evening. Kumar, who died at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) was one of the two patients from the state, who had tested H1N1 positive earlier this month.
"The patient's blood sample showed high level of infection which usually happens in this flu, if not reported on time. By the time he was here, he had septicemia -- a bacteria that occurs with infections, resulting in a cardiac arrest," Dr Rajesh Mahajan, professor of medicine at DMCH, told TOI.
Lack of isolation wards, bed facilities and ventilators at district hospitals in Punjab have been a cause of concern. Between 2009 and 2010, there were 252 people in Punjab who tested positive for the flu, leaving 73 of them dead due to delay in treatment. A woefully small number of central government laboratories with facilities to test throat swabs for swine flu has already hampered the early treatment of patients."
" The deadly swine flu is back in Punjab, with the state reporting the season's first fatality due to the disease, sending the state health department -- that grappled with more than 300 such cases over the last two years -- into a tizzy.
Vijay Kumar, 35, resident of Nangal -- a town located on the banks of the country's biggest dam Bhakra Nangal -died in Ludhiana on Friday evening. Kumar, who died at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) was one of the two patients from the state, who had tested H1N1 positive earlier this month.
"The patient's blood sample showed high level of infection which usually happens in this flu, if not reported on time. By the time he was here, he had septicemia -- a bacteria that occurs with infections, resulting in a cardiac arrest," Dr Rajesh Mahajan, professor of medicine at DMCH, told TOI.
Lack of isolation wards, bed facilities and ventilators at district hospitals in Punjab have been a cause of concern. Between 2009 and 2010, there were 252 people in Punjab who tested positive for the flu, leaving 73 of them dead due to delay in treatment. A woefully small number of central government laboratories with facilities to test throat swabs for swine flu has already hampered the early treatment of patients."
17 Mayıs 2012 Perşembe
The dangers of visiting the hospital
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Nosocomial infections are those that one gets while in the hospital for something else. These are bacteria and viruses that pass from patient to patient, or from equipment and staff to patient. Resistant strains seem to emerge in these environments - think MRSA and C. dif....
Discovery Health has an interesting piece on 5 infectious diseases you can get in the ER that I thought you'd be interested in.
Discovery Health has an interesting piece on 5 infectious diseases you can get in the ER that I thought you'd be interested in.
Statins get FDA warning label
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Statins, popular drugs used to lower cholesterol, will be sporting a new FDA warning label. The drugs have been associated with increased blood sugar levels, which could lead to or exacerbate type 2 diabetes. They are also associated with confusion and memory loss in some patients.These drugs include Crestor, Lipitor and Zocor.
Statins have had some controversy since their approval due to questionable use in women and men with no history of heart disease. Though studies have shown repeatedly that the drugs lower cholesterol in men with previous heart disease and reduce the chance of a second heart attack, they have not been definitively linked to the same success in women or men with no established heart disease, despite news reports to the contrary. One meta-analysis in January 2012 combined women's data from various studies (they generally don't enroll enough women to test for an effect in a single study) found a benefit, but this still isn't proof, as pointed out by the authors of that study!
Statins have had some controversy since their approval due to questionable use in women and men with no history of heart disease. Though studies have shown repeatedly that the drugs lower cholesterol in men with previous heart disease and reduce the chance of a second heart attack, they have not been definitively linked to the same success in women or men with no established heart disease, despite news reports to the contrary. One meta-analysis in January 2012 combined women's data from various studies (they generally don't enroll enough women to test for an effect in a single study) found a benefit, but this still isn't proof, as pointed out by the authors of that study!
Citrus fruit and stroke risk
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The Atlantic had an interesting article this month about citrus fruit and stroke risk. The article discusses a study showing that women benefit from flavanones in citrus fruit, protecting them against ischemic stroke, reducing their risk by 19 percent.
Flavanones are a specific flavonoid found in citrus, such as oranges and grapefruit. Other flavonoids are found in red win, dark chocolate, vegetables, and other fruits. However the results were specific to the subtype found in citrus. Previous research found that vitamin C is associated with a similar risk reduction.
Another caveat is that increasing fruit juice intake is not recommended - it's high in sugar. Best to just eat more fruit.
The data was from the Nurses Health Study. The idea that flavanones are healthy isn't new as research in 2005 sought to determine the mechanism underlying their antioxidant effect.
 |
| By Figiu, Wikimedia |
The Atlantic had an interesting article this month about citrus fruit and stroke risk. The article discusses a study showing that women benefit from flavanones in citrus fruit, protecting them against ischemic stroke, reducing their risk by 19 percent.
Flavanones are a specific flavonoid found in citrus, such as oranges and grapefruit. Other flavonoids are found in red win, dark chocolate, vegetables, and other fruits. However the results were specific to the subtype found in citrus. Previous research found that vitamin C is associated with a similar risk reduction.
Another caveat is that increasing fruit juice intake is not recommended - it's high in sugar. Best to just eat more fruit.
The data was from the Nurses Health Study. The idea that flavanones are healthy isn't new as research in 2005 sought to determine the mechanism underlying their antioxidant effect.
Women and the Affordable Care Act
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As a woman who is self-employed I've found health insurance to be cost prohibitive. Many American women have run into the same issue, and we've seen in recent months that some of the basic hormonal treatments women use are misconstrued for various purposes (despite being required medication for some women). Women and health care appear to be at odds in the political sphere.
Though we can't fix all the problems women face with Congressional actions, the Affordable Care Act addressed some of the issues women have with insurance rates by regulating insurance companies in regards to not being able to deny women coverage and not being able to charge them more simply because they have particular anatomical features (i.e. a uterus, ovaries, and breasts). In 2014 these aspects of the law take effect (that is, if the Supreme Court doesn't overturn it).
Healthcare.gov outlines all of these features on their website.
Though we can't fix all the problems women face with Congressional actions, the Affordable Care Act addressed some of the issues women have with insurance rates by regulating insurance companies in regards to not being able to deny women coverage and not being able to charge them more simply because they have particular anatomical features (i.e. a uterus, ovaries, and breasts). In 2014 these aspects of the law take effect (that is, if the Supreme Court doesn't overturn it).
Healthcare.gov outlines all of these features on their website.
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| The signed Affordable Care Act |
Mad Cow Disease in California - UPDATED
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Update: USDA's official press release is available here.
Earlier today Reuters and Bloomberg reported that U.S. officials had confirmed a case of Mad Cow Disease in a dairy cow at a rendering plant in California. It appears to be the first confirmed case in North America in a year (the last was Feb 2011 in Canada according to the CDC).
The USDA held a briefing on the matter and according to news outlets the cow did not enter the food supply - milk and beef in the U.S. is considered safe.
Earlier today Reuters and Bloomberg reported that U.S. officials had confirmed a case of Mad Cow Disease in a dairy cow at a rendering plant in California. It appears to be the first confirmed case in North America in a year (the last was Feb 2011 in Canada according to the CDC).
The USDA held a briefing on the matter and according to news outlets the cow did not enter the food supply - milk and beef in the U.S. is considered safe.
13 Mayıs 2012 Pazar
3 test positive for avian flu in Taiwan
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Via Channel News Asia :
" Three poultry farm workers have been tested positive for the H5N2 avian influenza strain but none have displayed flu symptoms, Taiwan's disease control authorities said.
They were among 141 people working at five poultry farms where the avian flu was discovered.
Tens of thousands of chickens in the farms have been culled since the outbreak of H5N2 in the past few months.
Medical experts believe the test results may well be a cross-reactivity since all the three persons had flu jabs last year, Xinhua news agency reported.
Cases of humans who tested positive for H5N2 while showing no health disorders were previously reported in South Africa and Japan between 1993 to 1995.
Taiwan authorities confirmed the outbreak of H5N2 following sporadic reports in farms in central Taiwan.
The flu has so far affected chicken farms in Changhua, Tainan and Nantou."
" Three poultry farm workers have been tested positive for the H5N2 avian influenza strain but none have displayed flu symptoms, Taiwan's disease control authorities said.
They were among 141 people working at five poultry farms where the avian flu was discovered.
Tens of thousands of chickens in the farms have been culled since the outbreak of H5N2 in the past few months.
Medical experts believe the test results may well be a cross-reactivity since all the three persons had flu jabs last year, Xinhua news agency reported.
Cases of humans who tested positive for H5N2 while showing no health disorders were previously reported in South Africa and Japan between 1993 to 1995.
Taiwan authorities confirmed the outbreak of H5N2 following sporadic reports in farms in central Taiwan.
The flu has so far affected chicken farms in Changhua, Tainan and Nantou."
Bhutan Reports Another HPAI Outbreak
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Via The Poultry Site :
" The Bhutanese veterinary authorities have reported another outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at two villages in Mongar.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received Follow-up Report No. 6 on Friday, 20 April. The outbreak has affected backyard free-ranging chicken in two villages, Yangbari and Patong. Out of 265 susceptible chickens, 70 cases were reported.
The 70 chickens were reported dead. One carcass tested positive to real-time PCR on 5 April. However, subsequently 16 samples from the affected and nearby villages tested negative to H5N1.
Clinical and laboratory surveillance within a 3-km-radius showed no new cases. Therefore, at this stage, this could be a suspected H5N1 outbreak. The source of the outbreak remains inconclusive."
" The Bhutanese veterinary authorities have reported another outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at two villages in Mongar.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received Follow-up Report No. 6 on Friday, 20 April. The outbreak has affected backyard free-ranging chicken in two villages, Yangbari and Patong. Out of 265 susceptible chickens, 70 cases were reported.
The 70 chickens were reported dead. One carcass tested positive to real-time PCR on 5 April. However, subsequently 16 samples from the affected and nearby villages tested negative to H5N1.
Clinical and laboratory surveillance within a 3-km-radius showed no new cases. Therefore, at this stage, this could be a suspected H5N1 outbreak. The source of the outbreak remains inconclusive."
Vietnam reports 4th bird flu infection
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Article via Thanh Nien News :
" Vietnam’s fourth bird flu (H5N1) patient of the year, and the first in the Central Highlands region, is being treated at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, the hospital’s deputy director Le Manh Hung told Thanh Nien Wednesday.
The 32-year-old male patient, known as N.D.T, from Dak Lak Province, was admitted to the hospital on Monday with high fever, fatigue and respiratory problems.He was put on a breathing machine and kept in quarantine.His family said they had previously slaughtered and eatend a sick home-raised chicken more than 10 days ago.
T. then developed a cough and high fever.The chicken's flock also died, the family said.T. was treated with medicine at home for the first three days after falling sick. After being admitted to Dak Lak Hospital, his condition did not improve.
He was then transferred to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases where tests showed he was positive with the H5N1 virusVietnam has so far this year reported four bird flu infections, two of which are fatal, after 20 months’ absence."
" Vietnam’s fourth bird flu (H5N1) patient of the year, and the first in the Central Highlands region, is being treated at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, the hospital’s deputy director Le Manh Hung told Thanh Nien Wednesday.
The 32-year-old male patient, known as N.D.T, from Dak Lak Province, was admitted to the hospital on Monday with high fever, fatigue and respiratory problems.He was put on a breathing machine and kept in quarantine.His family said they had previously slaughtered and eatend a sick home-raised chicken more than 10 days ago.
T. then developed a cough and high fever.The chicken's flock also died, the family said.T. was treated with medicine at home for the first three days after falling sick. After being admitted to Dak Lak Hospital, his condition did not improve.
He was then transferred to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases where tests showed he was positive with the H5N1 virusVietnam has so far this year reported four bird flu infections, two of which are fatal, after 20 months’ absence."
Hong Kong : Two linked imported cases of dengue fever investigated
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Press release from Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection :
" The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating two imported and related cases of dengue fever and has urged people to guard against the disease. The first patient is a 24-year-old woman who developed headache, myalgia and rash since April 9.
The second patient is a 25-year-old man who developed similar symptoms as well as fever, arthralgia and retro-orbital pain on the same day. They sought medical consultation at a private hospital and a general out-patient clinic respectively but no hospitalisation was required.
The pair is now in stable condition. The woman's blood sample tested positive for the dengue virus while that of the man tested positive for dengue IgM. The CHP's investigation revealed that the two patients had travelled together to Bali, Indonesia, from April 4 to 8, where both were bitten by mosquitoes.
The CHP will continue to follow up on the cases. There have been 18 confirmed cases of dengue fever in 2012, and they were all imported. Last year 30 cases of imported dengue fever were reported to the CHP, with no local cases."
" The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating two imported and related cases of dengue fever and has urged people to guard against the disease. The first patient is a 24-year-old woman who developed headache, myalgia and rash since April 9.
The second patient is a 25-year-old man who developed similar symptoms as well as fever, arthralgia and retro-orbital pain on the same day. They sought medical consultation at a private hospital and a general out-patient clinic respectively but no hospitalisation was required.
The pair is now in stable condition. The woman's blood sample tested positive for the dengue virus while that of the man tested positive for dengue IgM. The CHP's investigation revealed that the two patients had travelled together to Bali, Indonesia, from April 4 to 8, where both were bitten by mosquitoes.
The CHP will continue to follow up on the cases. There have been 18 confirmed cases of dengue fever in 2012, and they were all imported. Last year 30 cases of imported dengue fever were reported to the CHP, with no local cases."
Indonesia : Bali Boy Dies From Bird Flu
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Via The Jakarta Post :
" An eight-year-old boy died from bird flu in a Bali hospital on Tuesday night.The boy, Ni Putu Purnami, was in critical condition when he was transferred from Bangli Hospital to Sanglah Hospital on Tuesday afternoon and he was immediately isolated.
“Clinically, and supported by the VCR (Visual Convention Reaction) laboratory result, the victim was positively infected with the H5N1 virus,” said Sanglah Hospital spokesman Ida Bagus Ken Wirasandi on Wednesday.
Putu died at 10:15 p.m. after four hours at the hospital.Ken said Putu’s family told him the victim was in contact with dead poultry two months ago.
The Bali Health Agency head Ketut Suarjaya said that seven people on Bali have died since the virus first reached the island in 2007.“In 2011, 46 patients were suspected to have of avian flu [in Bali],” Suarjaya said."
" An eight-year-old boy died from bird flu in a Bali hospital on Tuesday night.The boy, Ni Putu Purnami, was in critical condition when he was transferred from Bangli Hospital to Sanglah Hospital on Tuesday afternoon and he was immediately isolated.
“Clinically, and supported by the VCR (Visual Convention Reaction) laboratory result, the victim was positively infected with the H5N1 virus,” said Sanglah Hospital spokesman Ida Bagus Ken Wirasandi on Wednesday.
Putu died at 10:15 p.m. after four hours at the hospital.Ken said Putu’s family told him the victim was in contact with dead poultry two months ago.
The Bali Health Agency head Ketut Suarjaya said that seven people on Bali have died since the virus first reached the island in 2007.“In 2011, 46 patients were suspected to have of avian flu [in Bali],” Suarjaya said."
Indonesia : Riau boy: 157th bird flu fatality Indonesia : Riau boy - 157th bird flu fatality
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Via The Jakarta Post :
" A two-year old boy, identified only as MAF, died from bird flu last Friday in a state hospital in Riau, the Health Ministry has confirmed.
A ministry team has investigated the boy’s neighborhood and found that he may have had contact with quails’ eggs because his parents sold them, the ministry’s directorate general for disease control and environmental health said in a press statement released on Tuesday night.
The boy, a resident of Siak in Pekanbaru, was brought to a private clinic on April 20 after developing a fever on April 17, the statement said.
He was then rushed to a private hospital on the night of April 20 because his condition had not improved, it said.
On April 21, he was treated in another hospital identified only as EB, where doctors reported the case to the Riau Health Agency’s post command. He was referred to a state hospital, identified only as AA.
“[The boy’s] condition deteriorated and he died on April 27 at 11:45 p.m. at Hospital AA,” the statement said.
The total number of bird flu cases since 2005 now stands at 189, with 157 fatalities after the latest case.
Director general Dr. Tjandra Yoga Aditama has reported the latest case to the World Health Organization, the statement said."
" A two-year old boy, identified only as MAF, died from bird flu last Friday in a state hospital in Riau, the Health Ministry has confirmed.
A ministry team has investigated the boy’s neighborhood and found that he may have had contact with quails’ eggs because his parents sold them, the ministry’s directorate general for disease control and environmental health said in a press statement released on Tuesday night.
The boy, a resident of Siak in Pekanbaru, was brought to a private clinic on April 20 after developing a fever on April 17, the statement said.
He was then rushed to a private hospital on the night of April 20 because his condition had not improved, it said.
On April 21, he was treated in another hospital identified only as EB, where doctors reported the case to the Riau Health Agency’s post command. He was referred to a state hospital, identified only as AA.
“[The boy’s] condition deteriorated and he died on April 27 at 11:45 p.m. at Hospital AA,” the statement said.
The total number of bird flu cases since 2005 now stands at 189, with 157 fatalities after the latest case.
Director general Dr. Tjandra Yoga Aditama has reported the latest case to the World Health Organization, the statement said."
South Africa : HPAI Outbreak Discovered in Western Cape Province
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Via Xinhua :
" The South African veterinary authorities have discovered another outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a commercial ostrich farm located in Western Cape Province.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received Follow-up Report No. 11 yesterday, 9 May. A total of 310 ostriches were found susceptible, out of which 98 cases were identified.
No deaths were reported, and no birds were destroyed. Initially, no clinical signs or mortalities were seen. Stamping out of ostriches on positive farm is taking place. The presence of the H5N2 sub-type of the HPAI virus has been confirmed. The source of the outbreak remains inconclusive."
" The South African veterinary authorities have discovered another outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a commercial ostrich farm located in Western Cape Province.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received Follow-up Report No. 11 yesterday, 9 May. A total of 310 ostriches were found susceptible, out of which 98 cases were identified.
No deaths were reported, and no birds were destroyed. Initially, no clinical signs or mortalities were seen. Stamping out of ostriches on positive farm is taking place. The presence of the H5N2 sub-type of the HPAI virus has been confirmed. The source of the outbreak remains inconclusive."
Dengue fever kills 14 Cambodian children in 1st four months
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Via Xinhua :
" Cambodia reported 2,277 dengue fever cases, killing 14 children in the first four months of 2012, Dr. Char Meng Chuor, director of the National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, said Sunday.
During the four months this year, the infection cases of the disease had increased by 369 percent if compared to the same period last year, he said.
"It's a concern for us," he said, appealing to people to sleep in mosquito nets and keep clean environment around their houses."To prevent the disease, it's required to kill larvae by using Abate and by filling in puddles around houses, which are sources of mosquitoes," he said.
About 270 tones of Abate (a chemical substance used to kill larvae in water pots) will be distributed free of charge to households this year, he added."
" Cambodia reported 2,277 dengue fever cases, killing 14 children in the first four months of 2012, Dr. Char Meng Chuor, director of the National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, said Sunday.
During the four months this year, the infection cases of the disease had increased by 369 percent if compared to the same period last year, he said.
"It's a concern for us," he said, appealing to people to sleep in mosquito nets and keep clean environment around their houses."To prevent the disease, it's required to kill larvae by using Abate and by filling in puddles around houses, which are sources of mosquitoes," he said.
About 270 tones of Abate (a chemical substance used to kill larvae in water pots) will be distributed free of charge to households this year, he added."
Leptospirosis in Peru
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Via CDC, excerpt :
" What Is the Current Situation?
Flooding has caused an outbreak of leptospirosis in Peru, especially in the Loreto region. This is the worst flooding seen in this area for over 20 years. Peru has reported more than 300 cases and 3 deaths associated with leptospirosis thus far in 2012. Health authorities have alerted people to take precautions against the infection.
What Is Leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis is a disease that is spread by animal urine. People become infected with the disease when they come in contact with body fluids of infected animals or in contact with water, soil, or food contaminated with infected urine. Leptospirosis is a hazard for many people who work outdoors or with animals. The disease has also been associated with swimming, wading, kayaking, and rafting in contaminated lakes and rivers. Symptoms include high fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, jaundice (yellow eyes and skin), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rash. Some people do not experience symptoms. This disease can cause kidney or liver failure and/or meningitis (swelling of the tissue covering the brain). Without treatment, recovery can take several months.Leptospirosis occurs throughout the world, especially in regions with flooding. Leptospirosis occurs more often in tropical areas. Urban areas lacking sanitation may also have a higher risk of leptospirosis."
" What Is the Current Situation?
Flooding has caused an outbreak of leptospirosis in Peru, especially in the Loreto region. This is the worst flooding seen in this area for over 20 years. Peru has reported more than 300 cases and 3 deaths associated with leptospirosis thus far in 2012. Health authorities have alerted people to take precautions against the infection.
What Is Leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis is a disease that is spread by animal urine. People become infected with the disease when they come in contact with body fluids of infected animals or in contact with water, soil, or food contaminated with infected urine. Leptospirosis is a hazard for many people who work outdoors or with animals. The disease has also been associated with swimming, wading, kayaking, and rafting in contaminated lakes and rivers. Symptoms include high fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, jaundice (yellow eyes and skin), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rash. Some people do not experience symptoms. This disease can cause kidney or liver failure and/or meningitis (swelling of the tissue covering the brain). Without treatment, recovery can take several months.Leptospirosis occurs throughout the world, especially in regions with flooding. Leptospirosis occurs more often in tropical areas. Urban areas lacking sanitation may also have a higher risk of leptospirosis."
India : Dengue claims two more in Tirunelveli
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Via Times of India :
" TIRUNELVELI: Two more persons, including a six-year-old child, fell victim to dengue in Tirunelveli on Saturday as the illness threatens to assume epidemic proportions. According to health officials, the number of persons who have died due to dengue in Kadayanallur and adjoining rural areas in the southern district has risen to 10 with these two deaths since April.
The two deceased were identified as Sharmila (6) daughter of Kumaresan of Udayampuli near Mukkoodal, about 40 kilometres from Kadayanallur, the epicentre of the outbreak and Hassan Mohideen (58) of Vadakarai near Alangulam. The two were admitted in the government hospital at Tirunelveli since May 10. "We did our best to save them.
But they were brought to the government hospital after the illness turned severe. They had taken treatment in private hospitals before coming to the GH. If they had come earlier, they would have been saved,'' said deputy director (health) Meeran Mohideen. Now as many as 110 persons belonging to all age groups from various villages in Kadayanallur region are undergoing treatment at the government hospital for dengue. A battery of health officials have plunged into action soon after the outbreak was reported last month.
Besides state health officials, experts from the Vector Control Research Centre, Pondicherry have landed in Tirunelveli to study the unusual outbreak of the disease in summer, as dengue is usually reported only during winter. The dengue outbreak was reported from Kadayanallur region way back in 2009 when a number of deaths were reported. This year, in April, three persons died sparking fear of dengue though officials were on a denial mode initially. Later they admitted that the cause of death was dengue and sprang into action."
" TIRUNELVELI: Two more persons, including a six-year-old child, fell victim to dengue in Tirunelveli on Saturday as the illness threatens to assume epidemic proportions. According to health officials, the number of persons who have died due to dengue in Kadayanallur and adjoining rural areas in the southern district has risen to 10 with these two deaths since April.
The two deceased were identified as Sharmila (6) daughter of Kumaresan of Udayampuli near Mukkoodal, about 40 kilometres from Kadayanallur, the epicentre of the outbreak and Hassan Mohideen (58) of Vadakarai near Alangulam. The two were admitted in the government hospital at Tirunelveli since May 10. "We did our best to save them.
But they were brought to the government hospital after the illness turned severe. They had taken treatment in private hospitals before coming to the GH. If they had come earlier, they would have been saved,'' said deputy director (health) Meeran Mohideen. Now as many as 110 persons belonging to all age groups from various villages in Kadayanallur region are undergoing treatment at the government hospital for dengue. A battery of health officials have plunged into action soon after the outbreak was reported last month.
Besides state health officials, experts from the Vector Control Research Centre, Pondicherry have landed in Tirunelveli to study the unusual outbreak of the disease in summer, as dengue is usually reported only during winter. The dengue outbreak was reported from Kadayanallur region way back in 2009 when a number of deaths were reported. This year, in April, three persons died sparking fear of dengue though officials were on a denial mode initially. Later they admitted that the cause of death was dengue and sprang into action."
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