Salmonella: New Brunswick
The Fredericton office of Public Health Services is following several cases of salmonella poisoning linked by persons who ate at Cannon's Cross Pub in Fredericton, since 17 August. Public Health advises those who ate at the restaurant since 17 August to seek medical attention if they experience symptoms of gastro-intestinal illness. Cannon's Cross Pub has been closed since 29 August while Public Health continues to investigate the salmonella cases.
Source: News Release, Government of New Brunswick, 29 August 2007

Estimating the Number Needed to Vaccinate to Prevent Diseases and Death Related to Human Papillomavirus Infection: Canada
A vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18 is now licensed for use in Canada and many other countries. A cohort model of the natural history of HPV infection was developed. Model simulations were based on 209 different parameter sets that reproduced Canadian HPV type-specific data for infection, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, cervical cancer and genital warts. The number needed to vaccinate was calculated as the number of women who would need to be vaccinated to prevent an HPV-related event during their lifetime. Among 12-year-old girls, it was estimated that the number needed to vaccinate to prevent an episode of genital warts would be 8 (80% credibility interval [CrI] 5–15) and a case of cervical cancer 324 (80% CrI 195–757). These estimates were based on the assumption that the vaccine produces lifelong protection and that its efficacy is 95%. If vaccine protection is assumed to wane at 3%/year, the predicted number needed to vaccinate would increase to 14 (80% CrI 6–18) and 9080 (80% CrI 1040–does not prevent), respectively. The latter number would be greatly reduced with the addition of a booster dose, to 480 (80% CrI 254–1572). The model predictions suggest that vaccination with the currently available HPV vaccine may significantly reduce the incidence of genital warts, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer. However, the benefits (particularly in terms of cervical cancer reduction) are highly dependent on the duration of vaccine protection, on which evidence is currently limited.
Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal, Volume 177, Issue 5, 28 August 2007

Influenza Activity - A Preliminary Look at the Winter 2007 Season: Southern Hemisphere
There have been a few unusual and widely reported influenza cases in some parts of the Southern Hemisphere this season. In Australia, several states have reported a higher number of cases this winter, with Queensland and New South Wales particularly affected. In contrast, Chile has had a rise in cases from last year, but not as many as in 2004. In equatorial regions (where influenza is less seasonal), the experience was also unexceptional. In China, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, the predominant strain this season has been A (H3N2), with A(H1N1) and B also present. Sri Lanka has seen a lot of A(H1N1) activity this season, while in Singapore it has been the B virus that has been most reported. In contrast to Australia, New Zealand has been having a relatively mild influenza season in 2007 so far, with a mix of A(H1N1), A(H3N2) and some B viruses circulating. South Africa has had both A and B viruses in roughly equal proportions, with H1N1 viruses more common than H3N2 so far. In summary, therefore, apart from the unusual cases in children in Australia, the 2007 influenza season in the Southern Hemisphere has not been exceptional, either in the number of cases being reported or the strains circulating. Those strains that have been seen were also seen in the Northern Hemisphere in its last season, and most of them are included in the current vaccine for the Southern Hemisphere this season (an A/New Caledonia/20/99(H1N1)-like virus; an A/Wisconsin/67/2005(H3N2)-like virus and a B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like virus). As was seen in the Northern Hemisphere’s 2006/07 season, A(H3N2) strains in the Southern Hemisphere have not reacted well to antiserum A/Wisconsin/67/2005. The World Health Organization will formally address the Southern Hemisphere experience in its coming regular consultation for selection of vaccine strains.
Source: Eurosurveillance Weekly, Volume 12, Issue 8, 23 August 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.