29 June 2012

Army Public Health Weekly Update

The Army Public Health Update is a collection of articles taken verbatim

from public sources to offer awareness of current health issues and the

media coverage given to them. The articles do not necessarily represent

US Army Medical Department opinions, views, policy, or guidance, and

should not be construed or interpreted as being

endorsed by the US Army Medical Department.

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Contents

U.S. MILITARY

 Army official: Health-care issues complicated for the Defense Dept., too

 Hand-held scanner can detect brain injuries

 Malaria, dengue fever, leishmania rapid detection devices to be fielded

 Soldier's death from rabies underscores infection danger overseas

 The risk of mental health disorders among U.S. military personnel infected with HIV, active 

component, 2000-2011

GLOBAL

 Cells most vulnerable to HPV are identified

 Global illicit drug users to rise 25% by 2050, says UN

 Gut microbes battle a common set of viruses shared by global populations

 Sun exposure and cutaneous HPV infection found synergistic in skin cancers

 War on drugs 'unsustainable,' ex-justice Louise Arbour says

INFLUENZA

 Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: DoD Influenza Surveillance Summary

 CDC: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report

 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview

 Naval Health Research Center: Febrile Respiratory Illness Surveillance Update

 WHO sees signs of Southern Hemisphere flu activity

 PANDEMIC AND AVIAN INFLUENZA

 Indonesia begins H5N1 vaccine production

 Pandemic H1N1 flu killed far more than reported: study

VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY

 Congo-Kinshasa: Livestock epidemic causing havoc

 U.S.: Multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to live poultry from Missouri hatchery
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Upcoming CERC 

Training

The Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention 

(CDC) will provide a Crisis 

and Emergency Risk 

Communication Trainthe-Trainer course for 2 1⁄2 

days in August at CDC 

Headquarters in Atlanta, 

Georgia. CERC is an 

approach used by scientists 

and public health 

professionals to provide 

information during natural 

or manmade disasters 

when an individual or an 

entire community has to 

make health-related 

decisions under time 

constraints. The course is 

designed to train those 

who have completed the 

Basic CERC course to 

conduct future CERC 

trainings.

Date: August 14-16, 2012

Location: Atlanta, GA

More information

WELLNESS

 Adults need immunizations, too

 Combating acid reflux may bring host of ills

 Eating fruits and vegetables may help you quit smoking

 Health officials warn of heat-related dangers

 New vaccine for nicotine addiction

USAFRICOM

 Angola: Over 20,000 children to receive polio vaccine

 Building a better Rift Valley fever vaccine

 Ethiopia: Safe water – a glass half full

 Uganda: Cervical cancer - silent killer

 Uganda: HIV Superinfection more common in the country

USCENTCOM

 Abu Dhabi: Delays and errors in malaria diagnosis in Abu Dhabi emirate

 Bahrain to build US$93m insulin factory

 SFDA approves new anti-fungal drug

USEUCOM

 European Medicines Agency gives first opinion for a vaccine for use outside the EU

 German court circumcision ban meets wave of criticism

USNORTHCOM

 U.S.: NRDC annual beach report cites high levels of bacterial contamination

 U.S.: Progress in immunization information systems, 2010

 U.S.: Supreme Court health care ruling - the mandate can stay

 U.S.: Walgreens to offer HIV testing in some stores

USPACOM

 Cambodia: Malaria

 China may be severely under-reporting its carbon emissions

 India: Study, many young people committing suicide

USSOUTHCOM

 Bolivia: Bolivian hemorrhagic fever
Building Resilience 

through PublicPrivate Partnerships 

Conference

U.S. Northern Command 

(USNORTHCOM), in 

collaboration with (FEMA) 

and the Department of 

Homeland Security, will 

host the 2nd annual 

Building Resilience through 

Public-Private Partnerships 

Conference July 23-24, 

2012 in Colorado Springs, 

Colorado. The conference 

will cover a wide range of 

issues related to effective, 

whole- community 

collaboration toward 

resilience.

Date: July 23-24, 2012

Location: 

Colorado Springs, CO

More information

U.S. MILITARY

Army official: Health-care issues complicated for the 

Defense Dept., too

23 June - Army Undersecretary Joseph Westphal's Power Point slide showing the Pentagon 

procurement process flashed on the screen, prompting laughter from the audience at this 

week's Wharton Leadership Conference at the University of Pennsylvania. The tangled web 

of arrows, blocks and bubbles applied to buying tanks and helicopters. But it also applies to 

military health care, which — like the civilian version — is no less complicated, costly and 

important. Westphal told the group that the military had a "moral obligation" to care for its 

employees, which might differentiate it from the private sector. Nonetheless, doctors, 

nurses, hospitals and pharmaceuticals cost money, and part of Westphal's job is to figure 

out how to get the most care for the least money. "You have a responsibility when you send 

somebody into harm's way to ensure they are provided the health care and benefits they 

deserve," Westphal said in an interview after Wednesday's presentation. "The trick is, how 

do you make adjustments over time, particularly with the younger generations coming in." 

Philadelphia Inquirer

Hand-held scanner can detect brain injuries

26 June - A new hand-held, battery-operated sensor that can help 

detect the most serious of brain bleeds could soon make its way to 

Marines in Afghanistan. The device looks a lot like a Nintendo Wii 

controller and can be used in a mass-casualty situation to prioritize 

needs for emergency medical attention. The device can detect 

invisible wounds from explosive blasts, but it can also be used in the event of a mishap or 

even an athletic injury. The InfraScanner, designed by Philadelphia-based InfraScan Inc., 

helps identify specific types of brain bleeds that could result in death or serious brain 

damage. It’s portable enough that Navy corpsmen can keep the scanner in their pack. The 

device is water resistant and performs well in a wide range of temperatures. Marine Corps 

Times

Malaria, dengue fever, leishmania rapid detection devices 

to be fielded

11 June - The leishmania assay, the third of a trio of arthropod vector rapid detection 

devices developed by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, received its 

individual national stock number Jun. 4, after a recommendation submitted by the Armed 

Forces Pest Management Board. These arthropod vector rapid detection devices, or AVRDDs, sometimes called 'dipstick' assays, detect pathogens in mosquitoes and sand flies 

that cause malaria, dengue and leishmaniasis. The national stock number, or NSN, 

assignment to the latest dipstick assay to detect Leishmania in sand flies marked the 

availability of the three dipstick assays for purchase by preventive medicine personnel and 

units as needed. "The Leishmania, malaria and dengue dipstick assays will become part of 
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entomological medical equipment sets," said Maj. Vanessa Melanson, chief of the 

Diagnostics and Laboratory Services Department in the Entomology Branch at the Walter 

Reed Army Institute of Research. "These kits will enhance and improve the ability of 

preventive medicine personnel to assess the risk of arthropod-borne diseases in a given 

area of operations." U.S. Army

Soldier's death from rabies underscores infection danger 

overseas

June 2012 - For the first time in nearly 40 years, a U.S. servicemember died last year from 

rabies because of an overseas exposure to an infected dog, according to the national 

Centers for Disease Control, which emphasized that overseas travelers, including deployed 

military, need to be warned of the risks. In a recent issue of the Morbidity and Mortality 

Weekly Report (MMWR), CDC said the case “highlights the importance of rabies risk 

awareness for all travelers, including servicemembers, and the need for prompt medical 

care, including [post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)], for potential exposures.” 1 U.S. Medicine

The risk of mental health disorders among U.S. military 

personnel infected with HIV, active component, 2000-

2011

May 2012 - Mental health disorders (MHD) are reportedly more common among soldiers 

and airmen with HIV than their seronegative counterparts. This report documents the 

incidence rates of MHD among HIV-positive members of all service branches and compares 

the rates to those of two HIV-unexposed control groups: an HSV2-infected group and a 

group without documented HIV or HSV2 infections. Approximately 56 percent of HIVinfected service members received an incident diagnosis of a MHD six months or more after 

the initial detection of their infections. Cumulative incidence rates in nearly all MHD 

categories of interest were highest in the HIV group, intermediate in the HSV2 group and 

lowest in the referent group. The disorders more frequently diagnosed among HIV-infected 

service members compared to their uninfected counterparts were psychosis/schizophrenia, 

substance dependence, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, suicide ideation and depression. 

The findings are consistent with previous studies and reiterate the importance of long-term 

and comprehensive clinical monitoring of individuals diagnosed with HIV-1 infections.

Medical Surveillance Monthly Report

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GLOBAL

Cells most vulnerable to HPV are identified

25 June - Scientists have located the cells in the cervix that give rise to cancer when 

attacked by the human papillomavirus, a discovery that may lead to new methods of 

preventing and treating the disease. Even though the virus pervades the entire genital tract, 
HPV infection causes precancerous and cancerous lesions in just one part of the cervix, 

called the ectoendocervical squamocolumnar junction, or SC junction. Now researchers 

have found that cervical cancers are linked to a small population of distinct cells in that 

region. The New York Times

Global illicit drug users to rise 25% by 2050, says UN

26 June - The global number of illicit drug users is likely to 

grow by 25% by 2050, with the bulk of the increase expected 

to take place among the rapidly rising urban populations of 

developing countries, according to the United Nations. The 

UN's office on drugs and crime (UNODC) also predicts that 

the biggest growth area in illicit drug use is most likely among women as cultural barriers 

disappear and gender equality improves. The UN's annual drugs report published on 

Tuesday forecasts a decline in the prominence of heroin and cocaine as consumption in 

North America and western Europe falls sharply and the "burden of the global drug 

problem" shifts from developed to developing countries. In an unusual attempt to forecast 

future drug trends, the UN report suggests that while cannabis will remain the most widely 

used illegal substance, the biggest increase is likely to be seen in the use of synthetic drugs 

including "legal highs" and the non-medical use of prescription drugs "diverted from legal 

supplies". The annual snapshot of drug use says that around 230 million people, one in 

every 20, took illicit drugs at least once in 2010. There are about 27 million problem drug 

users, mainly chronic heroin or cocaine users, representing about 0.6% of the world's 

population. The Guardian

Gut microbes battle a common set of viruses shared by 

global populations

25 June - The human gut is home to a teeming ecosystem of microbes that is intimately 

involved in both human health and disease. But while the gut microbiota is interacting with 

our body, they are also under constant attack from viruses. In a study published online in 

Genome Research, researchers have analyzed a bacterial immune system, revealing a 

common set of viruses associated with gut microbiota in global populations. Viruses that 

prey on bacteria, called phages, pose a constant threat to the health of bacterial 

communities. In many ecological systems, viruses outnumber bacterial cells 10 to 1. Given 

the richness of bacteria in the human gut, it was not surprising that scientists have found 

that phages are also highly prevalent. But how can viruses targeting gut microbiota be 

identified? How do viral communities differ between people and global populations, and 

what could this tell us about human health and disease? In this report, a team of scientists 

from Israel has taken advantage of information coded in a bacterial immune system to shed 

new light on these questions. Infection Control Today
Sun exposure and cutaneous HPV infection found 

synergistic in skin cancers

25 June - Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues at the University of South 

Florida and the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg have found that having 

antibodies for cutaneous types of human papillomavirus (HPV), coupled with sun exposure 

(ultraviolet radiation) or poor tanning ability, can act “synergistically” in the development of 

non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell 

carcinoma (SCC). A number of studies into the relationship between cutaneous HPV and sun 

exposure have been conducted previously but with mixed results, the researchers said. This 

study, the first to investigate interaction effects between genus-specific cutaneous HPV 

positivity and multiple measures of sunlight exposure as related to BCC and SCC in a U.S. 

population, was published in a recent issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases. “UV 

radiation exposure is the most important risk factor for the development of non-melanoma 

skins cancer,” says study lead author Dana E. Rollison, PhD, Moffitt associate member, vice 

president and chief health information officer. “Cases of non-melanoma skin cancers are 

increasing despite the increased use of sunscreen products. Thus, so that new interventions 

can be developed, there is a need to identify co-factors that may interact with UV radiation 

exposure in increasing the skin cancer risk.” Infection Control Today

War on drugs 'unsustainable,' ex-justice Louise Arbour 

says

29 June - The war on drugs is a "destructive" failure that is fuelling the spread of HIV and 

diverting funds to enforcement and punishment that could be used for public health, 

according to former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour. Louise Arbour, who has also 

served as UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, said a "repressive" approach to drug 

policies is not only a public health disaster - but a colossal waste from an economic 

perspective as well. "The current cost world-wide of the law enforcement model, the 

repressive model, is astronomical and frankly is becoming unsustainable," Arbour told CBC 

News. "It's a massive industry that includes not only prisons, but increasingly heavy and 

sophisticated law-enforcement operations." Arbour is a member of the Global Commission 

on Drug Policy, which formally released a landmark report Tuesday suggesting the 

criminalization of drug use is driving the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS. While the report did 

not drill down on the costs associated with law enforcement and incarceration, she hopes 

the commission will delve into the global finances in its next stage. EIN News

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INFLUENZA

Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: DoD Influenza 

Surveillance Summary

10 May 2012, corrected 27 June 2012:

This is the final issue of the DoD Influenza Surveillance Summary for the 2011-2012 

season. 

The overall influenza activity remains low to moderate with predominantly influenza 

A/H3 & B in overseas DoD laboratory surveillance networks, except in Southeast Asia & 

Central Africa where no influenza activity is detected. 

The influenza activity level within the MHS continues to decrease from previous weeks. 

The DMSS electronic surveillance report was revised to include vaccine codes 141 and 

144. The previous exclusion of these two codes had led to a misleading higher 

incidence of influenza-related outcomes among vaccinated Servicemembers. AFHSC 

DoD Influenza Surveillance Summary

CDC: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report

During week 24 (week ending 16 June 2012), 6.3% of all deaths reported through the 122-

Cities Mortality Reporting System were due to P&I. This percentage was below the epidemic 

threshold of 7.0% for week 24. FluView

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control:

Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview

During weeks 23-24 (4-17 June 2012), all sixteen countries reporting experienced lowintensity influenza activity. Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview

Naval Health Research Center: Febrile Respiratory 

Illness Surveillance Update 

For the week ending 23 June 2012:

Adenovirus 

Vaccination against types 4 and 7 adenovirus was instituted at all basic training centers 

by mid-November 2011 (week 45). 

FRI rates and the proportion of FRI cases positive for adenovirus have decreased 

markedly since vaccine was reintroduced. 

A MSMR paper on the initial impact of adenovirus vaccine resumption was recently 

published.

FRI surveillance at all eight U.S. military basic training centers indicated FRI rates were at or 

below expected values. NHRC Febrile Respiratory Illness Surveillance Update 
WHO sees signs of Southern Hemisphere flu activity

22 June - Although the Southern Hemisphere's flu season hasn't yet started, several 

countries including Australia, Chile, Paraguay, and South Africa are reporting small but 

sustained upticks in flu detections, most of them involving the H3N2 subtype, the World 

Health Organization (WHO) said today. Some tropical countries in Central America, the 

Caribbean, South America, and sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing increasing or stable flu 

transmission. The 2009 H1N1 virus has made up 40% of flu detections in El Salvador and is 

circulating at lower levels in other countries in that region. In tropical Asia, Hong Kong is 

reporting an unusual spike in flu activity for this time of the year, with some severe and even 

fatal H3N2 infections in older adults. Northern Hemisphere flu activity in temperate 

countries has largely ended, except for some persistent low-level transmission in eastern 

Europe and northern China, according to the WHO. The US Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) in an update today said flu markers remained low. The CDC reported three 

more pediatric flu deaths, raising the season's total to 29. CIDRAP

PANDEMIC AND AVIAN INFLUENZA

Indonesia begins H5N1 vaccine production

25 June - Indonesia's health minister said the country has started producing its own supply 

of vaccine against the H5N1 virus, Bernama, Malaysia's national news agency, reported 

today. Nafsiah Mboi told Xinhua, China's national news agency, that so far several thousand 

vaccine doses have been produced, with more than 50,000 needed for stockpiling in the 

event of an H5N1 pandemic in Indonesia or to assist other countries where outbreaks are 

occurring. She said the vaccine is being produced in Bandung, the capital of West Java 

province. Indonesia leads the world with the highest number of confirmed human H5N1 

infections and deaths—189 cases, of which 157 were fatal. In a 2007 protest against 

developing countries' poor access to drugs and vaccines against H5N1, it temporarily 

stopped sharing virus samples. Since then, global health officials and the countries 

themselves have developed plans for the countries to start producing their own vaccine, 

and in 2011 the World Health Assembly approved a working group's final virus-sharing 

agreement that improved the flow of the countermeasures to poorer countries. CIDRAP

Pandemic H1N1 flu killed far more than reported: study

25 June - The pandemic H1N1 flu in 2009 may have killed more than 500,000 people 

around the world, 15 times more than reported, a new study suggests. During the 

pandemic, 18,500 laboratory-confirmed deaths were reported to the World Health 

Organization from April 2009 through August 2010, but as many as 575,400 may have 

actually died, an international group of scientists now says. "This is a better approximation 

of the number of deaths that occurred," said researcher Dr. Marc-Alain Widdowson from the 

influenza division at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "This study also 

confirms that the majority of deaths were in the under-65s, which is very different than 
seasonal influenza, where the vast majority of deaths are in the over 65s," he added. In 

addition, the researchers estimate that regions in southeast Asia and Africa were more 

affected than the official numbers reflect, Widdowson said. In these poorer areas, there is 

less ability to diagnose and treat influenza, and people in these areas aren't tested for flu, so 

there are far fewer reported flu deaths than actually occurred, he said. "We need to do a 

better job at understanding what flu does in these settings," Widdowson said. "People in 

the poorer regions of south Asia and Africa get a double whammy. Philly.com

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VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY

Congo-Kinshasa: Livestock epidemic causing havoc

26 June - FAO is mobilizing emergency support for the 

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to counter the 

rapid spread of peste des petits ruminants, a virulent 

livestock disease of goats and sheep. The disease not only 

threatens food security in the country, but could also result 

in a spill-over to southern African countries that have never had the disease. According to 

the national government's Directorate for Animal Production and Health, peste des petits 

ruminants (PPR) has infected tens of thousands of goats, and more than 75 000 have 

already died from the disease. The government estimates that another one million goats 

and 600 000 sheep are at risk of contracting PPR, representing one-quarter of goats and 

two-thirds of sheep throughout the entire country. Sheep and goats are generally kept by 

the poorest farmers, who have the least ability to absorb the loss of one of their few assets. 

"This is the worst livestock epidemic in the country in more than 10 years," said the FAO 

Representative in DRC, Ndiaga Gueye. "We're seeing that in response to the threat of their 

animals contracting the disease, farmers are moving their animals away from infected 

villages to where so far there have been no disease outbreaks, which has been spreading 

the virus to healthy flocks of animals," said Gueye. All Africa

U.S.: Multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to live 

poultry from Missouri hatchery

25 June - At least 66 people have fallen ill in 20 states in a Salmonella Montevideo outbreak 

linked to live poultry from a Missouri hatchery, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention reported Monday. Sixteen people have been hospitalized while one infected 

person in Missouri has died, though Salmonella infection was not considered a contributing 

factor to the person's death. The number ill by state are as follows: Alaska (1 illness), 

California (2), Colorado (1), Georgia (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (8), Iowa (2), Kansas (10), 

Kentucky (1), Massachusetts (1), Missouri (22), Nebraska (5), Nevada (1), New York (1), North 

Carolina (1), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (4), South Dakota (1), Vermont (1) and Wyoming (1). 
Epidemiological and laboratory evidence have linked this outbreak to Estes Hatchery in 

Springfield, Missouri. Illnesses onset dates range from February 28 to June 6, though 

infections that occurred after May 29 might not have been reported yet, which can take 2 to 

3 weeks from the time of infection. Ages of the victims range from less than one year to 83 

years old. Of those with information available, 35 percent are 10 years old or younger and 

46 percent are female. Food Safety News

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WELLNESS

Adults need immunizations, too

25 June - Your need for immunizations doesn't end when you reach 

adulthood. Protect yourself and your loved ones from vaccine-preventable 

diseases. Be the example! Immunizations are NOT just for kids! Regardless 

of your age, we ALL need immunizations to keep us healthy. With time, 

immunity from childhood vaccines can fade and you may be at risk for new 

and different diseases. With adulthood comes responsibility, including the need to protect 

ourselves and our loved ones. Find out which vaccines you need. The specific immunizations 

you need as an adult are determined by factors such as your age, lifestyle, high-risk 

conditions, type and locations of travel, and previous immunizations. Throughout your adult 

life, you need immunizations to get and maintain protection against: Seasonal influenza (flu) 

(for all adults) Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) (for all adults who have 

not previously received the Tdap vaccine) Shingles (for adults 60 years and older) 

Pneumococcal disease (for adults 65 years and older and adults with specific health 

conditions) Hepatitis B infection (for adults who have diabetes or are at risk for hepatitis B) 

Other vaccinations you may need include those that protect against human papillomavirus 

(which can cause certain cancers), hepatitis A, chickenpox (varicella), and measles, mumps 

and rubella. Ask your doctor which vaccines are recommended for you. Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention

Combating acid reflux may bring host of ills

25 June - As many as four in 10 Americans have symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux 

disease, or GERD, and many depend on P.P.I.’s like Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium to reduce 

stomach acid. These are the third highest-selling class of drugs in the United States, after 

antipsychotics and statins, with more than 100 million prescriptions and $13.9 billion in 

sales in 2010, in addition to over-the-counter sales. But in recent years, the Food and Drug 

Administration has issued numerous warnings about P.P.I.’s, saying long-term use and high 

doses have been associated with an increased risk of bone fractures and infection with a 

bacterium called Clostridium difficile that can be especially dangerous to elderly patients. In 

a recent paper, experts recommended that older adults use the drugs only “for the shortest 

duration possible.” Studies have shown long-term P.P.I. use may reduce the absorption of 
important nutrients, vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, calcium and vitamin B12, 

and might reduce the effectiveness of other medications, with the F.D.A. warning that taking 

Prilosec together with the anticlotting agent clopidogrel (Plavix) can weaken the protective 

effect (of clopidogrel) for heart patients. The New York Times

Eating fruits and vegetables may help you quit smoking

26 June - The next time you have the urge to smoke, can eating fruits and vegetables 

actually help cut your nicotine craving? Well, according to new research, smokers who 

increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables may have a greater chance of 

successfully quitting smoking. According to results of a new study, cigarette smokers who 

ate fruits and vegetables an average of 4 or more times per day were 3 times more likely to 

be tobacco free 14 months later, compared with those who ate fruits and vegetables fewer 

than 2 times per day. The study, which included 1,000 smokers who were age 25 and older, 

had the study participants answer surveys about their smoking habits and their fruit and 

vegetable intake. Then, they followed up with them 14 months later and asked them if they 

didn’t use tobacco over the past month. These results were reproducible and consistent 

even after controlling for age, sex, race and ethnicity, education, household income, and 

behavioral indicators of general health orientation. Those who ate more fruits and 

vegetables also exhibited fewer measures of dependence: they were less likely to smoke 20 

or more cigarettes per day, or to smoke within 30 minutes of waking up. Forbes

Health officials warn of heat-related dangers

28 June - Local health departments are urging officials and 

residents to take precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses as 

temperatures soar during the next few days. The Maryland 

health department is activating its emergency heat plan starting 

Friday, and the plan will be in effect through Sunday July 1 as 

forecasters predict that highs might reach the century mark in the Washington region and 

in much of the eastern half of the United States. In Maryland, the state’s extreme heat 

emergency plan is activated whenever the heat index values have the potential to reach or 

exceed 105 degrees. The District’s heat plan, already in effect, is activated when the heat 

index reaches 95 degrees. Virginia health officials have also posted tips for residents to stay 

healthy in the heat. Washington Post

New vaccine for nicotine addiction

28 June - Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have developed and successfully 

tested in mice an innovative vaccine to treat nicotine addiction. In the journal Science 

Translational Medicine, the scientists describe how a single dose of their novel vaccine 

protects mice, over their lifetime, against nicotine addiction. The vaccine is designed to use 

the animal's liver as a factory to continuously produce antibodies that gobble up nicotine 

the moment it enters the bloodstream, preventing the chemical from reaching the brain and 

even the heart. ENews Park Forest

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USAFRICOM

Angola: Over 20,000 children to receive polio vaccine

26 June - About 250,000 children aged 0 to 5 will receive polio vaccine during a campaign 

happening from 29 June to July 1, in Lunda Norte Province. According to the local public 

health director, Inês Pequenino, 600 vaccinators were recruited for the campaign, as well as 

fixed vaccination posts were also set up in residential and public areas of the province. Inês 

Pequenino explained that material and logistic conditions are guaranteed so that the 

campaign is extended to all localities which border the Democratic Republic of Congo. All 

Africa

Building a better Rift Valley fever vaccine

28 June - Branch researchers have significantly improved an existing experimental vaccine 

for Rift Valley fever virus, making possible the development of a more effective defense 

against the dangerous mosquito-borne pathogen. The African virus causes fever in humans, 

inflicting liver damage, blindness, encephalitis and even death on a small percentage of 

those it infects. It also attacks cattle, sheep and goats, producing high mortality rates in 

newborn animals and causing spontaneous abortions in nearly all infected pregnant sheep. 

In 2000, outbreaks of Rift Valley fever in Yemen and Saudi Arabia showed that the virus 

could expand beyond its original range. With this and the rapid North American spread of 

West Nile virus in mind, infectious-disease experts have long feared that Rift Valley fever 

virus might come to the United States or Europe, causing major human suffering and 

devastating the livestock industry in affected areas. "If Rift Valley fever virus were 

introduced to the U.S. or Europe, it would be a very scary situation," says UTMB assistant 

professor and Sealy Center for Vaccine Development member Tetsuro Ikegami, lead author 

of a paper on the vaccine work now online in the Journal of Virology. "To be ready to 

respond, we want a vaccine that can raise immune response very quickly in large animals 

and health workers. We also want a vaccine that will allow us to differentiate between 

infected and vaccinated animals." Infection Control Today

Ethiopia: Safe water – a glass half full

27 June - More than half of all Ethiopians have access to an 

improved source of drinking water, but the country still has 

much work to do if it hopes to achieve its goal of providing 

access to safe water and sanitation for its 83 million people by 

2015, experts say. "Despite an increase in coverage, the number 

of people that require access to sanitation and hygiene, for instance, are still the highest in 

Africa, if not the world," said Kebede Faris, water and sanitation expert for the World Bank's 

Ethiopia office. "As a result, a significant number of Ethiopians are still facing WASH [water, 

sanitation and hygiene]-related health problems and also losing their lives." A recently 

released study by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) shows that some 271,000 Ethiopian 

children under the age of five died in 2010 alone, with pneumonia and diarrhoea causing 

more than one-third of those deaths. IRIN
Uganda: Cervical cancer - silent killer

25 June - In the obstetrics and gynaecology ward of St Mary's Hospital Lacor in northern 

Uganda's Gulu District, Apilli Kilara lies on the floor under a blood-stained sheet, staring at 

the ceiling. Kilara, 43, and the mother of seven children, is in the advanced stages of cervical 

cancer. "I started experiencing funny itching in my private parts after my fifth delivery in 

2007. In November 2011 when I delivered my seventh child, I began noticing an on-and-off 

sharp pain in my pelvis with sudden bleeding in between my periods," she told IRIN. "The 

pain and bleeding didn't stop, that's when I started imagining something was wrong with 

me." If Kilara had sought medical help when her symptoms first started, she could have 

been treated successfully, but she knew nothing of cervical cancer at the time. As it is, the 

doctors fear she may not live much longer...Cervical cancer is the most common form of 

cancer affecting Ugandan women, according to the UN World Health Organization, which 

reports that every year, 3,577 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 2,464 die from 

the disease. By comparison, 1,100 women die of breast cancer every year, according to the 

Uganda Women's Health Initiative (UWHI). To put this figure into further context, 2,594 

people in Uganda died in road accidents in 2010). All Africa

Uganda: HIV Superinfection more common in the 

country

22 June - HIV superinfection, when a person with HIV could acquire a second, new strain of 

HIV, may occur as often as initial HIV infection in the general population in Uganda, a study 

suggests. Since researchers demonstrated more than a decade ago that a person infected 

with HIV could subsequently acquire a second, new strain of HIV, there has been little 

agreement in the scientific community as to how often HIV superinfection occurs. Previous 

studies have found HIV superinfection to be relatively frequent among individuals who 

engaged in high-risk behaviors, but the rate of superinfection in general populations 

remained unclear. The new study, supported in part by the National Institute of Allergy and 

Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a component of the National Institutes of Health, offers some 

evidence about the likelihood. All Africa

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USCENTCOM

Abu Dhabi: Delays and errors in malaria diagnosis in 

Abu Dhabi emirate

25 June - A sizable number of patients who contracted malaria during their travels have 

either been misdiagnosed in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, or have suffered due to delays in 

diagnosis, a senior health official said in the capital yesterday. While the exact number of 

misdiagnosed or delayed diagnosis cases are not available, a greater number of malaria 
cases have been recorded by the HAAD in recent years, Dr Ahmad Abdullah, senior officer 

for communicable diseases at the Health Authority Abu Dhabi ( HAAD ), told Gulf News. 

“The number of reported malaria cases in the emirate has doubled between 2005 and 2011. 

Last year [2011], 2,731 patients were diagnosed with the disease. While none of the patients 

contracted the disease locally, there is a risk of inaccurate diagnoses because the disease 

could be reintroduced into the UAE,” Dr Abdullah said. Zawya

Bahrain to build US$93m insulin factory

21 June - Bahrain will invest US$93m in a manufacturing facility to produce up to 26m units 

of insulin a year amid a rapid increase in the number of GCC nationals being diagnosed with 

diabetes. The Gulf Biotic facility, slated to be operational in two years, will focus its supply of 

insulin vials and cartridges to the GCC, where the rate of lifestyle diseases is increasing. “The 

focus of the supply will be in the six GCC states as increasing number of population in these 

countries are suffering from diabetes,” Dr Khalid Abdulla, CEO of operator Innovest, said in a 

statement. Rates of diabetes in the Gulf have reached epidemic proportions. The number of 

people suffering in the Middle East and North Africa is expected to double from 366m in 

2011 to 552m by 2030, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). By 2030, 11 

percent of residents in the MENA region will be living with diabetes while six out of the 

world's top ten countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes are in the MENA region, 

IDF has said. Arabian Business

SFDA approves new anti-fungal drug

26 June - The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has approved a new drug to treat 

Candidemia, a potentially life-threatening invasive bloodstream fungal infection. Pfizer, the 

manufacturer of the new medicine Ecalta, has a portfolio of anti-infective speritonitis, acute 

or chronic inflammation of the peritoneum, the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity 

and surrounds the internal organs. Dr. Mahmoud Ghannoum - Director, Center for Medical 

Mycology, Professor of Mycology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, US who held 

presentations and discussions regarding the new drug with the concerned medical 

practitioners in Jeddah recently, said Candemia is the most deadly of the common hospitalacquired bloodstream infections, with a mortality rate of approximately 40 percent. Dr. 

Ghannoum has been awarded the 2009 Billy Cooper Award of the Medical Mycological 

Society of the Americas. The annual B. Cooper Award is in recognition of an outstanding 

contributor to the practice of diagnostic clinical mycology. Dr. Ghannoum's combined 

strengths in outstanding laboratory research and clinical service distinguished him for this 

award. Invasive fungal infection is considered the 4th main most common cause of 

bloodstream infection in intensive care units (ICU) and the 2nd cause of death in ICU 

patients. Zawya

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USEUCOM

European Medicines Agency gives first opinion for a 

vaccine for use outside the EU

22 June - The European Medicines Agency has issued a scientific opinion recommending 

that the benefits of the vaccine Hexaxim outweigh its risks and that it can be used in regions 

outside the European Union (EU). This is the first such opinion on a vaccine. The vaccine, 

developed by Sanofi Pasteur, offers protection against six World Health Organization 

(WHO) priority diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B, polio 

and invasive disease caused by the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae type B, including 

meningitis. It is given to children between six weeks and two years of age. The Agency's 

Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) can give scientific opinions in 

cooperation with the WHO on human medicines that are intended for markets outside of 

the EU and that prevent or treat diseases of major public health interest. They may include 

vaccines used in the WHO's Expanded Programme on Immunization, as well as medicines 

for protection against public-health-priority, neglected or WHO target diseases such as 

HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. EIN News

German court circumcision ban meets wave of criticism

28 June - Germany's foreign minister added his voice on Thursday to a chorus of criticism of 

a court decision to ban the circumcision of young boys for religious reasons, arguing that 

such traditions must be permitted in a tolerant society. "Germany is an open-minded, 

tolerant country where religious freedom is firmly established and religious traditions like 

circumcision are considered an expression of religious pluralism," Guido Westerwelle told 

the daily Bild in an interview to be published in its Friday edition. A court in Cologne ruled 

on Tuesday that involuntary religious circumcision should be illegal as it could inflict serious 

bodily harm on people who had not consented to it. The ruling, which applies only to the 

area around the western city of Cologne but sparked fears among Muslims and Jews in 

particular that other German states could copy the ban, said boys can consciously decide to 

be circumcised later in life. Reuters

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USNORTHCOM

U.S.: NRDC annual beach report cites high levels of 

bacterial contamination

27 June - America’s beaches saw the third-highest number of closing and advisory days in 

more than two decades last year, confirming the nation’s seashores continue to suffer from 

stormwater runoff and sewage pollution that can make people sick and harm coastal 

economies, according to the 22nd annual beachwater quality report released today by the 
Natural Resources Defense Council. “Our beaches are plagued by a sobering legacy of water 

pollution,” says NRDC senior attorney Jon Devine. “Luckily, today more than ever, we know 

that much of this filth is preventable and we can turn the tide against water pollution. By 

establishing better beachwater quality standards and putting untapped 21st century 

solutions in place – we can make a day at the beach as carefree as it should be, and 

safeguard America’s vital tourism economies.” In its 22nd year, NRDC’s annual report –

Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches – analyzes government 

data on beachwater testing results from 2011 at more than 3,000 beach testing locations

nationwide. The report examines the pollution realities that loom at America’s beaches and 

calls for a timely, concerted effort to avert future beachwater pollution. Infection Control 

Today

U.S.: Progress in immunization information systems, 

2010

29 June - Immunization information systems (IIS) are confidential, computerized, 

population-based systems that collect and consolidate vaccination data from vaccination 

providers and provide important tools for designing and sustaining effective immunization 

strategies at the provider and immunization program levels (1). These tools include clinical 

decision support, vaccination coverage reports, interoperability with electronic health record 

systems, vaccine inventory management, and the ability to generate reminder and recall 

messages. In 2010, based on strong evidence of effectiveness, the Task Force on 

Community Preventive Services recommended IIS use as a means of increasing vaccination 

rates (2). A Healthy People 2020 target (IID-18) is to increase to 95% the proportion of 

children aged <6 years whose immunization records are in fully operational, populationbased IIS (3). To monitor progress toward program goals, CDC annually surveys 56 

immunization program grantees (50 states, five cities, and the District of Columbia) using 

the IIS Annual Report (IISAR). Results from the 2010 IISAR (completed by 54 grantees) 

indicate that 82% (18.8 million) of U.S. children aged <6 years participated in IIS, as defined 

by having at least two recorded vaccinations, an increase from 78% (18.0 million) in 2009 

(1). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

U.S.: Supreme Court health care ruling - the mandate can 

stay

28 June - In a landmark ruling with wide-ranging implications, the Supreme Court today 

upheld the so-called individual mandate requiring Americans to buy health insurance or pay 

a penalty, the key part of President Obama's signature health care law. The court ruled 5 to 

4, with Chief Justice John Roberts siding with the majority, that the mandate is 

unconstitutional under the Constitution's commerce clause, but it can stay as part of 

Congress's power under a taxing clause. The court said that the government will be allowed 

to tax people for not having health insurance. "The Affordable Care Act's requirement that 

certain individuals pay a financial penalty for not obtaining health insurance may reasonably 

be characterized as a tax," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the ruling. "Because the 

Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or 

fairness." ABC News
U.S.: Walgreens to offer HIV testing in some stores

26 June - Walgreens will begin offering free, private HIV testing in select Chicago locations, 

the company announced Tuesday. The initiative is part of the Deerfield-based company's 

participation in a two-year pilot program with the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention aimed at helping more people with HIV connect with care and resources. The 

pilot is also being rolled out in select Walgreens stores in Washington D.C. and Lithonia, Ga. 

"Walgreens is uniquely positioned to advance the role of community pharmacy to become a 

community health care provider, and this public-private initiative underscores the value of 

collaboration in helping to raise awareness about HIV testing, prevention and treatment," 

said Mike Ellis, Walgreens corporate vice president, specialty and infusion. Participating 

pharmacies will be staffed with specially trained pharmacists and nurse practitioners who 

will privately counsel patrons who test positive and refer them for follow-up care with local 

health care and social services providers. The CDC estimates that 1.1 million people in the 

United States are living with HIV and that nearly one in five of those is unaware of the 

condition. Chicago Tribune

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USPACOM

Cambodia: Malaria

26 June - Some 29 510 malaria cases were reported in Cambodia in the 1st 5 months of this 

year [2012], claiming 27 lives, according to a report of the country's National Center for 

Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control on Tuesday [26 Jun 2012]. The report showed 

that the number of malaria cases declined by 11 percent compared with the same period 

last year [2011], while casualties remained the same. Char Meng Chuor, director of the 

center, said that the decline was thanks to regular awareness campaigns by health officials 

and the distribution of mosquito nets to the disease-prone groups of people. Malaria is a 

mosquito-borne infectious disease. In Cambodia, the disease is often found in the rainy 

season and mostly happens in border provinces, as well as forest and mountainous 

provinces. The country sets a goal to completely eradicate malaria by 2025, which calls for a 

financial input of 20 million USD a year. In 2011, Cambodia reported 62 690 cases of 

malaria, which killed 98 people. ProMED-mail

China may be severely under-reporting its carbon 

emissions

23 June - FOR those who live in China and are forced to breathe in its air every morning, the 

findings of a recent report may come as no surprise, but to climate analysts it will make for 

uncomfortable reading. According to a new paper published in the journal Nature Climate 

Change, China may be under-reporting its annual carbon emissions by as much as 1.4 

billion tonnes a year—roughly the amount that Japan, the world’s fourth-largest emitter of 
carbon dioxide (CO2), pumps out each year. China is the world’s largest CO2 emitter and 

produces around a quarter of global carbon emissions. But according to the new study, 

which used more than a decade of official Chinese data, China’s carbon emissions could be 

20% higher than previously thought. It says the emission discrepancy in 2010 is equivalent 

to about 5% of the total global output (in 2008). The authors, a team of scientists from 

China, Britain and America, found that when comparing national and provincial statistics 

between 1997 and 2010 a startling gap appeared. The Economist

India: Study, many young people committing suicide

22 June - A new study finds that suicide is the secondleading cause of death for young people in India, which 

has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. The study, 

published Friday in the British health journal The Lancet, 

indicates that 56 percent of women and 40 percent of men 

who committed suicide in India in 2010 were 15 to 29-years-old. Complications from 

pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death for women in India, while traffic 

accidents top the list for men. Suicide is close behind for both genders. The study's lead 

author, Vikram Patel, a psychiatrist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 

said the findings are a warning that suicide rates in India are much higher than previously 

thought. The study does not explain why the rates have spiked so much for young people, 

but Patel said the reasons range from social factors such as financial problems and marital 

conflicts, to mental health factors such as depression and alcoholism. "What it alerts us to is 

that suicide rates are much higher than we previously thought and also there’s the fact that 

these suicide rates seem to be not evenly distributed in the country. They're much more 

common in young people and in certain parts of the country, particularly the more 

developed states of southern India," Patel said. Voice of America

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USSOUTHCOM

Bolivia: Bolivian hemorrhagic fever

27 June - Hemorrhagic fever has caused the deaths of 5 people in Bolivia so far this year 

[2012], stated the Director of Epidemiology, Wilfredo Camargo. According to the physician, 

Machupo virus causes this disease and is transmitted by the mouse _Calomys callosus_ 

[large vesper mouse], which is abundant in Mamore and Itenez provinces of the Bolivian 

department [state equivalent] of Beni. To date, 98 suspected hemorrhagic fever cases are 

under investigation, of which 9 were confirmed by laboratory tests, stated Camargo. 

According to him, another 4 people are currently interned in the hospital, suspected of 

having contracted this disease. The health authorities in Beni developed a contingency plan 

to avoid an increase in the cases in these provinces. The Director of the departmental Health 

Services, Cesar Lijeron, said that the departmental government will disburse funds for the 
purchase of poison, traps, and other materials needed in the task of hygiene [rodent 

control] in the area. ProMED-mail

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