[Infectious Diseases News Brief]

Meningococcal C Infection: Alberta
The Capital Health Authority in Edmonton has recently reported two confirmed cases of meningococcal disease occurring in Edmonton since 10 February 2002. The first case was a 19-year-old woman from British Columbia who was a full-time student at a community college in Edmonton since the fall. She died 12 February. The second case, a young man from the same community college, is in serious condition in an Edmonton hospital. Both cases were caused by serogroup C meningococcus; neither person had been immunized. In the past 2 months, 10 cases of meningococcal disease have been reported from the Edmonton Capital Health Authority area. Most cases involved serogroup C meningococcus and affected persons < 24 years of age. Since February 2000, 85 Edmonton area residents have contracted meningococcal disease and four have died. Beginning in April 2001, Alberta has offered publicly funded meningococcal vaccine to all Albertans up to 24 years of age. No cases have been reported from the rest of the province since the end of November 2001.
Source: News Release, BC Centre for Disease Control, 14 February 2002

Listeriosis: British Columbia
Two cases of listeriosis have been reported among persons who consumed cheese which may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. One is a resident of the Vancouver area and one a resident of Manitoba who had traveled to Vancouver. Both had purchased the cheese in Vancouver during the first week of February and developed illness within a few days. The cases experienced a serious form of listeriosis with meningitis and were hospitalized for treatment. Family members who had consumed the cheese were ill with a milder form of the illness, which can cause flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, muscle aches and diarrhea.
Source: News Release, BC Centre for Disease Control, 14 February 2002

Infectious Syphilis: Canada
In 1996, a national goal for infectious syphilis was set for maintenance of the rate at or below 0.5/100,000 population. At that time, elimination of syphilis in Canada seemed like an imminent goal. Factors that favour the elimination of syphilis include the organism's slow growth rate and long incubation period; the availability of effective and easily administered therapy; and the lack of antibiotic resistance. Although the national rate of infectious syphilis remains low, local resurgences are threatening the elimination effort. This includes an outbreak in downtown Vancouver involving sex trade workers; in the Yukon among heterosexuals; in Calgary among men who have sex with men (MSM); in Ottawa among MSM; and in Montreal also among MSM. The national rate had remained 0.4-0.6/100,000 since 1994. However, the projected rate for 2001, calculated from the first 9 months' data, rose to 0.9/100,000. Over the last 5 years, the most significant change in the rate of reported infectious syphilis has been seen in men aged 20-24 years (a 3.8-fold increase).
Source: STD Epi Update, Bureau of HIV/AIDS, STD and TB Update Series, Health Canada, February 2002

Syphilis: United Kingdom
Preliminary results are now available for the first 6 months of the enhanced surveillance program for infectious syphilis in London, England. Between 1 April - 31 December 2001, the PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) received reports of 207 cases of infectious syphilis (187 male, 20 female). One hundred and fifty-one (73%) cases where sexual orientation was known were homosexual or bisexual men and 56 (27%) were heterosexuals, with a median age of 36 years for homo/bisexual men and 29 years for heterosexuals. Among heterosexuals, there continues to be a strong association with overseas acquisition of infection, with a disproportionate burden of disease among those of non-UK origin and ethnic minorities. In contrast to heterosexuals, the majority (75%) of infected homosexual men were born in the UK. Thirty-eight per cent (42/112) of respondents believed that they had acquired their infection only through unprotected oral sex. Relevant social/sexual networks included sex-on-premises commercial venues (17%), saunas (6%), cruising grounds (4%), and the Internet (3%).
Source: Communicable Disease Report Weekly, Vol 12, No 5, 31 January 2002

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.

[Infectious Diseases News Brief]