Zoonoses |
Published on: 10 February 2012 |
Next update: 17 February 2012
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Common animal associated infections (England and Wales): 2011
This report, produced by the Emerging Infections and Zoonoses (EIZ) section at HPA Colindale, presents data on confirmed cases of zoonoses reported in England and Wales between October and December 2011 (fourth quarter; weeks 40-52) and summary data for the year as a whole.
The EIZ section produces a regular newsletter with the aim of communicating current issues of interest in zoonoses, including topics that have been discussed by the multi-agency Human Animal Infection Risk Surveillance group (HAIRS) and items of local, regional, or national relevance, particular zoonotic incidents, and information relating to regional or national meetings. Newsletters can be found on the HPA website [1].
Animal associated infections in England and Wales: laboratory reports to LabBase (unless otherwise specified) by specimen date, for 2011
Disease (Organism) |
Reports for weeks 01-13 |
Reports for weeks 14-26 |
Reports for weeks 27-39 |
Reports for weeks 40-52 |
Total reports for weeks 01- 52 |
|
2011* |
2011* |
2011* |
2011* |
2011* |
2010 |
|
Anthrax |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
5 |
Brucellosis ** |
1 |
5 |
7 |
4 |
17 |
11 |
Hydatid ** |
– |
2 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
7 |
Leptospirosis ** |
4 |
4 |
14 |
22 |
44 |
39 |
Lyme disease ** |
93 |
215 |
594 |
217 |
1119 |
967 |
Pasteurellosis |
119 |
154 |
150 |
112 |
535 |
466 |
Psittacosis |
20 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
41 |
50 |
Q-fever |
11 |
9 |
10 |
5 |
35 |
23 |
Toxoplasmosis**# |
86 |
83 |
94 |
83 |
346 |
352 |
Anthrax
No cases of anthrax were reported during the fourth quarter of 2011.
Brucellosis
Four cases of brucellosis were identified in England and Wales during the fourth quarter of 2011, giving a total of 17 for the year. Ages ranged from 5 to 63 years with two infections identified as Brucella melitensis serovar 3, one as B. melitensis serovar 1 and one as B. abortus serovar 5. All three B. melitensis cases are believed to have had initial exposures overseas: a 5 year old male with likely exposure in the Middle East; a 7 year old male had travelled from Turkey; and a 21 year old male had been previously diagnosed in Saudi. A 63 year old male with B. abortus is considered to have had a reactivation of a pre-existing infection as a result of childhood exposure when this serovar was more common in the UK.
Hydatid disease (data from the Parasitology Reference Laboratory)
Two cases were reported during the fourth quarter of 2011; further details of both cases are awaited.
Leptospirosis (data from the Leptospira Reference Unit)
Twenty-two cases of leptospirosis were diagnosed in the fourth quarter of 2011 (20 males and two females), giving a total of 44 cases reported during the year. Seventeen cases (15 males and two females), reported in this quarter, were acquired in England and Wales and five were acquired overseas; ages ranged from 18 to 68 years.
Of the five infections acquired overseas (age range 19-42 years) all had visited South East Asia where they are believed to have had contact with inland surface waters.
Of the 17 UK-acquired infections, 12 reported exposure to inland surface waters through a range of recreational and occupational activities, including canoeing and other water sports, fishing and ditching.
The most common clinical presentations were pyrexia of unknown origin (14/22), ‘flu-like illness (11/22), myalgia (10/22) and headache (9/22).
Serovars identified in cases from England and Wales were Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae (2); L. sakkoebing (2) and L. australis (1). Serovars identified in cases from overseas were L. icterohaemorrhagiae (1) and L. autumnalis (1). For the remaining cases, the serovar was not determined.
Lyme disease (data from the Lyme Borreliosis Unit)
Data for Lyme borreliosis remains provisional and subject to further reconciliation and re-assessment. Total numbers for the year are likely to be revised downwards.
Two hundred and seventeen cases of Lyme borreliosis were diagnosed during the fourth quarter of 2011; 106 in males and 111 in females. Forty-four cases (20%) reported a history of overseas travel, primarily to northern European countries or to the east coast of the USA. The majority of cases were reported from the South East region (79), followed by the South West (60), London (27) and the East of England (23), and the remaining regions reported less than 10 cases each.
| Number of cases of Lyme borreliosis | Weeks 40-52/11 | Weeks 1-52/11 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age group | Male |
Female |
Male |
Female |
0-14 |
11 |
10 |
80 |
60 |
15-29 |
16 |
14 |
70 |
86 |
30-39 |
18 |
14 |
79 |
85 |
40-49 |
20 |
12 |
93 |
64 |
50-59 |
16 |
20 |
86 |
91 |
60-79 |
21 |
29 |
144 |
154 |
80+ |
4 |
12 |
12 |
15 |
Total |
106 |
111 |
564 |
555 |
Lyme Borreliosis in England and Wales: 2011
Pasteurellosis
One hundred and twelve cases of pasteurellosis were diagnosed in England and Wales during the fourth quarter of 2011: Pasteurella multocida (79 cases, 71%), P. pneumotropica (3), other named pasturella (3) and Pasteurella sp. (27). In comparison, 118 pasteurella infections were diagnosed in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Of the 112 cases diagnosed in the fourth quarter of 2011, 49 were male and 63 were female. Cases ranged in age from less than one year to 91 years (median 54 years). No deaths were reported. The South West (21) region reported the most cases, and the North East (2) reported the fewest. Of the 15 reports giving an animal exposure, nine cases reported dog bites, five reported cat bites and one case reported cat scratch.
| Number of cases of pasteurella | Weeks 40-52/11 |
|
Age group |
Male |
Female |
0-14 |
4 |
2 |
15-29 |
3 |
3 |
30-39 |
6 |
5 |
40-49 |
4 |
7 |
50-59 |
15 |
11 |
60-79 |
14 |
26 |
80+ |
3 |
9 |
Total |
49 |
63 |
Psittacosis
Seven cases of psittacosis were diagnosed in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared with five during the fourth quarter of 2010. Four cases were in males and three cases were in females (18-75 years, median 55 years). One case had travelled to Nepal. Cases were reported by South West (2), North West (1), South East (1), Wales (1), West Midlands (1) and Yorkshire and Humber (1).
Note: Serological tests for respiratory chlamydophila infections cannot consistently distinguish psittacosis. The cases reported above have been identified by reporting laboratories as infection with Chlamydophila psittaci.
Q fever
Five cases of Q fever were diagnosed in the fourth quarter of 2011, four males and one female (age range 22-68 years, median 50 years). The cases were reported by the South West (3), East of England (1), and South East (1). In comparison, four cases were reported in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Toxoplasma (data from the Toxoplasma Reference Unit)
The tables below show Toxoplasma gondii diagnoses by age group and status for the fourth quarter of 2011. Note that the classification of these data has undergone an extensive review this year, and the categories shown below are not necessarily comparable with data presented in previous HPR reports.
There were 83 laboratory-confirmed reports of Toxoplasma infection in the fourth quarter of 2012. Six cases reported ocular symptoms. Five cases occurred in pregnant women and there was one probable congenital case of toxoplasmosis in a foetal death where the mother had laboratory-confirmed infection and the foetus had clinical features compatible with toxoplasmosis, but where there was no laboratory evidence to confirm infection.
A total of 346 confirmed cases were reported in 2011 compared to 348 in 2010.
Laboratory confirmed and probable congenital cases of toxoplasma infection (week 40-52, 2011)Age group |
Male |
Female |
Unknown |
Total |
Foetus |
– |
– |
1* |
1 |
0 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
1-9 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
10-14 |
1 |
– |
1 |
2 |
15-24 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
10 |
25-44 |
16 |
22 |
14 |
52 |
45-64 |
9 |
4 |
2 |
15 |
>64 |
2 |
1 |
– |
3 |
Total |
31 |
32 |
20 |
83 |
Age group |
Con-genital |
Preg-nant |
HIV |
Organ donor |
Organ recipient |
Other (immuno-competent) |
Other (immuno-suppressed) |
Unknown** |
Total |
Foetus |
1* |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
1 |
0 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
1-9 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
10-14 |
– |
– |
1 |
– |
– |
1 |
– |
– |
2 |
15-24 |
– |
1 |
– |
– |
– |
7 |
– |
2 |
10 |
25-44 |
– |
4 |
5 |
– |
1 |
35 |
1 |
6 |
52 |
45-64 |
– |
– |
1 |
– |
2 |
10 |
2 |
– |
15 |
>64 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
3 |
– |
– |
3 |
Total |
1 |
5 |
7 |
– |
3 |
56 |
3 |
8 |
83 |
Other zoonotic infections
- two cases of Capnocytophaga sp. bacteraemia – in a 12 year old female and a 42 year old male - were reported from the East and the East Midlands regions;
- two cases of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae: one from the South West (isolated from the blood culture of a 29 year old male), one from the East (isolated from the pleural fluid of a female aged 88 years).
Further exposure information was not available for these cases.
Reference
1. www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/Zoonoses/
ZoonosesNewsletters/