Pertussis: Toronto
The city of Toronto is experiencing a five-fold increase in the number of reported cases of pertussis. Since 1 November 2005, 164 cases have been reported to health authorities, more than in 2003, 2004 and the rest of 2005 combined. The only year that recorded more cases was 1994, which had 172 confirmed cases that year. The majority of the diagnosed cases have been in children under the age of four years. Forty-four children were under one year, 90 were between the ages of one and four years, and the rest were over four years old. Nine children at a preschool in East Toronto have tested positive for the highly contagious disease since December. By 25 January, all 104 students at the school were either on antibiotics or prohibited from attending class for 21 days if their parents refused the antibiotics.
Source: Immunization News, 9 February 2006

Blastomycosis: Ontario (Historic 1994-2003)
A case of blastomycosis in an 8-year-old boy with Blastomyces-associated osteomyelitis and possible pulmonary involvement is described. Three hundred and nine (309) cases of blastomycosis in Ontario that were seen during a 10-year period (57% of which occurred from 2001- 2003) were also identified. The overall incidence during the study period was 0.30 cases/100,000 population. Most patients were from north Ontario (n = 188), where the incidence was 2.44 cases/100,000. The incidence in the Toronto region was 0.29/100,000. Thirteen percent of cases occurred in children <19 years of age. These findings substantially increase the number of known cases in Ontario and Canada. Clinicians may encounter persons infected with Blastomyces dermatitidis and should be familiar with its signs and symptoms and be aware of locations, such as northwestern Ontario, where disease is endemic or hyperendemic.
Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases, Volume 12, No. 2, February 2006

Variant CJD Associated with Blood Transfusion: United Kingdom
A new case of variant-CJD associated with a blood transfusion has recently been diagnosed. The patient developed symptoms of vCJD about 8 years after receiving a blood transfusion from a donor who developed symptoms of vCJD about 20 months after donating this blood. The patient is still alive and is under the care of doctors. This third occurrence of vCJD infection associated with blood transfusion is further evidence that vCJD can be transmitted between humans by blood transfusion. All three cases to date relate to the transfusion of blood components and not treatment with plasma products. The patient is one of a small number (< 30) of living individuals who are known to have received a blood transfusion in the UK from a donor who later developed vCJD. The occurrence of a third case of vCJD infection in a small group of patients like this suggests that blood transfusion from an infected donor may be a relatively efficient mechanism for the transmission of vCJD, although much still remains unknown. This underlines the importance of the existing precautions that have been introduced to reduce the risk of transmitting vCJD infection through blood transfusion. vCJD is a rare disease, and only less than 2% of the 160 vCJD cases to date in the UK have been associated with blood transfusion.
Source: Health Protection Agency, 9 February 2006

Introduction of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine: Norway
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is being added to the routine childhood vaccination programme in Norway. Universal immunisation will cover all children born from January 2006 onwards, and will be implemented from 1 July 2006. Norway is one of the first countries in Europe to introduce pneumococcal vaccine in its programme. The vaccine was implemented in the United States vaccination programme in 2000, and after the introduction there was a substantial reduction of notified cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD).
Source: Eurosurveillance Weekly, Volume 11, Issue 2, 2 February 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.