Outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7: Alberta
Twelve cases of laboratory-confirmed E. coli O157:H7 were identified through notifiable disease surveillance in the Capital Health Region (metro Edmonton) in May 2006. Enhanced surveillance methods were employed, which resulted in the identification of an outbreak associated with consumption of beef donairs from one local restaurant chain. At the time of the outbreak, a local professional hockey team was involved in a playoff tournament. Several cases reported taking part in the hockey celebrations, and when prompted about food history during the festivities these cases also reported consumption of beef donairs from one Edmonton restaurant specializing in this food product. Other outbreak cases also recalled that during the incubation period they had consumed donairs from a different Edmonton location of the same restaurant chain. The case definition was restricted to residents of or visitors to the Capital Health Region who were positive for E. coli O157:H7 national PFGE pattern ECXAI 0.1455 in stool collected between 1 May and 30 June, 2006. A total of nine cases met this definition, eight cases were infected with an isolate of provincial PFGE pattern ECXAI 0.1455, and the ninth case was infected with an isolate of pattern ECXAI 0.1468. Both PFGE patterns had not been previously observed in Alberta. There were nine additional laboratory-confirmed E. coli O157:H7 cases reported in the Capital Health Region during this same period that did not meet the case definition. Of the nine cases that met the case definition, seven (78%) reported consumption of a beef donair during the incubation period. This food item was purchased at one of two locations of an Edmonton restaurant chain specializing in the food product. There were six locations (designated A-F) of the implicated restaurant chain in the Capital Health Region at the time of the outbreak. Of those cases that reported donair consumption, five (71%) purchased the donair at restaurant location A, and two (29%) at restaurant location B. Location A is located in the area of Edmonton where the hockey post-game celebrations took place.
Source: Canada Communicable Disease Report, Volume 33, No. 2, 15 January 2007

Rift Valley Fever: Kenya
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is monitoring an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in Kenya's North Eastern and Coast provinces. As of January 12, 2007, the Kenyan Ministry of Health has reported 220 cases, including 82 deaths. The North Eastern Province's Garissa district remains the focus of disease activity. Although travelers are not expected to access this region at this time, aid and other workers may be going to the region to assist with relief efforts. Major flooding in the region has resulted in serious water and sanitation issues and other epidemic prone diseases known to occur in the region, such as malaria, cholera, and meningitis are also being monitored. With support from a number of international organizations and other countries, including Canada, the Kenyan Ministry of Health has undertaken measures to contain the disease.
Source: Travel Health Advisory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 19 January 2007

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: United Kingdom
A fourth case of variant-Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD ) associated with a blood transfusion has recently been diagnosed. This latest patient has been diagnosed with vCJD about nine years after receiving a blood transfusion from a donor who later went on to develop vCJD. A transfusion from the same blood donor was also associated with one of the previously identified cases. The recently identified patient is still alive and is under specialist care. This fourth case of vCJD infection associated with blood transfusion increases the concern about the risk of vCJD transmission between humans via blood transfusion. All four cases relate to the transfusion of blood components: no cases have been reported relating to treatment with plasma products. The Health Protection Agency has been in contact with doctors caring for the other patients who have been exposed to blood transfusions from donors who later developed vCJD. This is to ensure that they are informed of this new development and provide access to the latest information and specialist advice about their risk due to blood transfusion. vCJD is a rare disease, and less than 2% of the vCJD cases reported to date in the UK have been associated with blood transfusion.
Source: Press Release, Health Protection Agency, 18 January 2007

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.