Human Health Issues Related to Avian Influenza: Canada
The human health issues related to avian influenza provides recommendations for public health authorities and other stakeholders involved in the management of actual and potential human health issues related to domestic avian influenza outbreaks. In this document the recommendations have been organized to align with certain components of the Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan for the Health Sector, specifically: surveillance, public health measures, infection control, antivirals, and vaccine programs. As a reference document for jurisdictions dealing with an outbreak of avian influenza, the recommendations summarized in this document include: protecting individuals who are involved in the response to an outbreak of avian influenza; protecting individuals who have been exposed to the virus; controlling the outbreak in the human population (if applicable); and minimizing the risk of viral reassortment (i.e., mixing of genes from human and avian viruses). This document can be accessed online at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/daio-enia/index.html.
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada, 25 October 2006

Guidelines Regarding Departure from Canada of Persons with Suspected Respiratory Tuberculosis (TB), Untreated Active Respiratory TB or Partially Treated Active Respiratory TB: Canada
These guidelines address the issue of persons with suspected respiratory TB, untreated active respiratory TB or partially treated active respiratory TB leaving Canada. This may occur in the following situations: the person is not under any type of federal legal custody and desires to travel outside Canada; the individual is the subject of a deportation order from Canada Border Services Agency; the individual is being transferred from a Correctional Service Canada institution to another country's correctional system. Policies regarding TB may differ from those related to other diseases because of the transmissibility of TB via the respiratory route and because of the risks of relapse or the development of drug-resistant TB if patients are not provided with a full course of treatment (at least 6 months) with high-quality medication following internationally recognized drug regimens. Every jurisdiction in Canada has a legal mechanism that allows provincial/territorial public health authorities to maintain patients with active, contagious TB in respiratory isolation until they are no longer deemed contagious, usually occurring after 2 to 3 weeks of appropriate drug treatment. Additional provisions of public health acts may require completion of treatment. These guidelines are available online at:
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tbpc-latb/tb_guide-ld_depart_e.html.
Source: Tuberculosis Prevention and Control, Public Health Agency of Canada, 18 October 2006

Salmonella Outbreak: United States
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with state departments of health and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating an outbreak of infections caused by a type of Salmonella called Salmonella Typhimurium. The outbreak has involved 171 cases of infection by this strain in 19 states reported since 1 September 2006. The median age of patients is 36 years, and 59% are female. As with most infections by Salmonella, most patients had a febrile diarrheal illness. Of 73 patients for whom clinical data has been reported, 14 (19%) were hospitalized; there have been no deaths reported. At this time few new cases are being detected, and there is little evidence of continuing risk to the public. CDC and its public health partners are vigorously working to identify the specific contaminated food or foods that caused this outbreak.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31 October 2006

The details given are for information only and may be very provisional. Where incidents are considered of national importance and are ongoing, the initial report will be updated as new information becomes available.