ProMed: EBOLA-RESTON, SWINE - PHILIPPINES: HUMAN SEROPOSITIVE, WHO

A communication from ProMED-mail

ProMED-mail is a program of
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Tue 3 February 2009
Source: World Health Organization (WHO)
Alert and in case of epidemic and pandemic outbreaks of epidemics [edited] 



Discovery of the Ebola-Reston virus in pigs and humans in the Philippines
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------
The January 23, 2009, the Government of the Philippines
announced that a person, believed she
been in contact with sick pigs, was
positive results in search
antibody (IgG) against the Ebola-Reston.
30 [Jan. 2009], the government announced that 4  
  others had yielded results  
  positive in the search for these antibodies: 2  
  farmers in Bulacan, another farmer  
  Pangasinan - these 2 farms in Northern Luzon  
  are currently under quarantine because of  
  infection with Ebola-Reston found at  
  pigs - and a butcher in the slaughterhouse  
 Pangasinan.  The person who announced the
the 23 positive tests [Jan 2009] student, as
information, pigs at his home in Valenzuela
City, a neighborhood in the metropolitan area of Manila.

The Ministry of Health of the Philippines
stated that people have given tests
Positive appear healthy and have not had
significant disease in the last 12
months.  The team in charge of the investigation indicated
it was possible that these people have 5
been exposed to the virus as a result of contact
direct contact with sick pigs.  The use
personal protective equipment is not
common among those who care for these animals.

It follows from these observations and studies
earlier that the Ebola-Reston is
transmitted to humans without causing disease.
However, current data only cover
healthy adults and it would be premature
to draw conclusions for the whole of the
population.  It is likely that the threat is
low for healthy adults but
is unknown for other groups of
population, as the immunocompromised, the
people with other diseases, pregnant women and children.

The Philippine government shall
contact tracing of 5 persons
gave positive tests.  In addition, analysis
are underway for other people
could have been in contact with pigs
patients on 2 farms located in
quarantine in the provinces of Bulacan and
Pangasinan which was reported in 2008 pigs
simultaneously infected by the syndrome
dysgenesis and swine respiratory (PRRS) and
Ebola-Reston.  2 These holdings remain
quarantine and the Philippine government
maintain its voluntary suspension of
exports of live pigs and pork fresh or frozen.

The Philippine government announced
adopting a common strategy of the Ministries
of Health and Agriculture to limit the
risks of Ebola-Reston for health
feed and he stressed that the
local authorities, the sector of the pig
and the general public would play a key role in its implementation.

With its international partners, WHO
continue to support the Government
Philippines in its efforts to better understand
Ebola-Reston, its effects on the be
human and measures to reduce any risk to health.

Provided by:
ProMED-FRA


FAO (United Nations
Food and Agriculture) reported
discovered for the very first time
Ebola-Reston virus among pigs,
Philippines and announced the dispatch of a team
experts at the request of Manila.  The virus was
isolated as a result of research laboratory
triggered by increased mortality
in swine farms in 2007 and 2008.  The
virus has been detected among the Philippines
monkeys.  FAO states that the Reston strain
can infect humans, but that
serious illnesses or deaths have been reported
to date, unlike the strains of Zaire or
Sudan. (Source:
)

You can access the map of the Philippines
.
- Mod.SC]