Giuseppe
Emeritus
[Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), full PDF document: (LINK). Edited.]
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE THREATS REPORT
Week 6, 2-8 February 2014
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Zika virus infection outbreak - The Pacific - 2013-2014
Opening date: 9 January 2014 Latest update: 6 February 2014
Epidemiological summary
Since early October 2013, and as of 30 January 2013, 7 939 suspected cases of ZIKV infection were reported by the syndromic surveillance sentinel network of French Polynesia, of which 396 were confirmed by RT-PCR.
It is estimated that more than 28 000 cases have sought medical care with Zika-like symptoms in French Polynesia since the beginning of the outbreak.
In New Caledonia, health authorities officially declared a ZIKV outbreak on 1 February 2014. Since 1 January and as of 2 February 2014, there are 44 confirmed ZIKV cases in the territory, 30 of which are imported and 14 are autochthonous cases. Control activities are ongoing with vector control around each case as well as continued surveillance regarding arriving passengers on flights from French Polynesia. No neurological complications have been reported to date.
Since early November 2013, 70 cases presented with neurological or autoimmune complications of which 38 cases were with Guillain-Barr? syndrome (GBS).
Sixteen of these patients required hospitalisation in the intensive care unit.
Currently, five patients are still hospitalised and 14 are in a rehabilitation centre. All the GBS cases were born in French Polynesia.
Public health control measures, including increased surveillance and the promotion of measures to avoid mosquito bites, have been implemented.
There is suspicion of recurrent infection in patients previously infected with ZIKV, which may indicate the presence of several genotypes of the Zika virus, similar to dengue virus.
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ECDC assessment
This is the second ZIKV infection outbreak reported in the Pacific, now affecting two French Overseas Territories.
The first documented transmission outside of the virus����traditional endemic areas in Africa and Asia occurred on the island of Yap in Micronesia in 2007.
ZIKV is a member of the Flaviviridae family and is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. It is related to other pathogenic vectorborne flaviviruses including dengue, West Nile and Japanese encephalitis viruses.
ZIKV infection is considered an emerging infectious disease with the potential to spread to new areas where the Aedes mosquito vector is present. There is a risk for the disease spreading further in the Pacific, and for sporadic imported cases in Europe from endemic areas.
There is no available vaccine against ZIKV infection. Travellers can protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites.
The apparent clustering of GBS cases is considered very unusual, as they occurred within only two months, compared with three or four cases per year on average in French Polynesia.
Zika infection is a mild illness and has not been known to have neurological complications.
The reported complications in French Polynesia are not confirmed to be caused by ZIKV infections.
However, there is a temporal association with the simultaneous outbreaks of Zika and dengue. Investigations are currently underway to identify the cause of the increase and to determine a possible association with the ongoing transmission of DENV-1, DENV-3 and ZIKV, and whether ZIKV has several genotypes.
Actions
ECDC is preparing a risk assessment on this event.
(?)
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COMMUNICABLE DISEASE THREATS REPORT
Week 6, 2-8 February 2014
(...)
Zika virus infection outbreak - The Pacific - 2013-2014
Opening date: 9 January 2014 Latest update: 6 February 2014
Epidemiological summary
Since early October 2013, and as of 30 January 2013, 7 939 suspected cases of ZIKV infection were reported by the syndromic surveillance sentinel network of French Polynesia, of which 396 were confirmed by RT-PCR.
It is estimated that more than 28 000 cases have sought medical care with Zika-like symptoms in French Polynesia since the beginning of the outbreak.
In New Caledonia, health authorities officially declared a ZIKV outbreak on 1 February 2014. Since 1 January and as of 2 February 2014, there are 44 confirmed ZIKV cases in the territory, 30 of which are imported and 14 are autochthonous cases. Control activities are ongoing with vector control around each case as well as continued surveillance regarding arriving passengers on flights from French Polynesia. No neurological complications have been reported to date.
Since early November 2013, 70 cases presented with neurological or autoimmune complications of which 38 cases were with Guillain-Barr? syndrome (GBS).
Sixteen of these patients required hospitalisation in the intensive care unit.
Currently, five patients are still hospitalised and 14 are in a rehabilitation centre. All the GBS cases were born in French Polynesia.
Public health control measures, including increased surveillance and the promotion of measures to avoid mosquito bites, have been implemented.
There is suspicion of recurrent infection in patients previously infected with ZIKV, which may indicate the presence of several genotypes of the Zika virus, similar to dengue virus.
(?)
ECDC assessment
This is the second ZIKV infection outbreak reported in the Pacific, now affecting two French Overseas Territories.
The first documented transmission outside of the virus����traditional endemic areas in Africa and Asia occurred on the island of Yap in Micronesia in 2007.
ZIKV is a member of the Flaviviridae family and is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. It is related to other pathogenic vectorborne flaviviruses including dengue, West Nile and Japanese encephalitis viruses.
ZIKV infection is considered an emerging infectious disease with the potential to spread to new areas where the Aedes mosquito vector is present. There is a risk for the disease spreading further in the Pacific, and for sporadic imported cases in Europe from endemic areas.
There is no available vaccine against ZIKV infection. Travellers can protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites.
The apparent clustering of GBS cases is considered very unusual, as they occurred within only two months, compared with three or four cases per year on average in French Polynesia.
Zika infection is a mild illness and has not been known to have neurological complications.
The reported complications in French Polynesia are not confirmed to be caused by ZIKV infections.
However, there is a temporal association with the simultaneous outbreaks of Zika and dengue. Investigations are currently underway to identify the cause of the increase and to determine a possible association with the ongoing transmission of DENV-1, DENV-3 and ZIKV, and whether ZIKV has several genotypes.
Actions
ECDC is preparing a risk assessment on this event.
(?)
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