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Bandicoots, Sandboxes and Salmonella

By Scott Weese on May 24, 2017
Posted in Other animals, Salmonella

800px-Perameles_gunniA playground in New South Wales, Australia, has been closed because its sandpit was linked to salmonellosis in two children. Sandboxes are a potential source of a few different infectious diseases since they can be used as litterboxes by animals such as cats, raccoons, and apparently, bandicoots.

In the Australian incident, two kids…

Brucellosis from Aussie pigs

By Scott Weese on October 7, 2013
Posted in Other animals

Australian Elmer Fudds beware… there are concerns that feral pig hunting is a risk factor for brucellosis in New South Wales. Brucellosis is a rare disease, but a report like this raises concern because it can be nasty, and it can also be hard to diagnose (or it’s not considered right away).

We…

Another Australian bat virus in horses

By Scott Weese on May 19, 2013
Posted in Horses

As if horse owners and veterinarians in Queensland need another infectious disease challenge…..

Recently, a horse in southwest Queensland was diagnosed with Australian bat lyssavirus infection. This virus, which is similar to rabies, is present in some bats in Australia. It can be transmitted to people from bats, causing fatal disease, but human…

Hendra vaccination now a reality

By Scott Weese on November 8, 2012
Posted in Horses

In a rather impressive effort – considering the issues inherent with working with a virus like Hendra virus, the nature of the disease and the low economic value of a vaccine that would only be used in a very restricted geographic area – a Hendra virus vaccine has been released for horses. Equivac…

Biohazardous bandicoots? Playground Salmonella outbreak in Australia

By Scott Weese on July 13, 2012
Posted in Other animals

The latest edition of Emerging Infectious Diseases has an article describing a Salmonella outbreak in New South Wales, Australia, that was linked to playground sand (Staff et al, 2012).

The outbreak stretched over a long period of time, from 2007-2009, and involved a strain of Salmonella called Salmonella Java. During the course of…

More Queensland Hendra virus cases

By Scott Weese on June 5, 2012
Posted in Horses

While I guess it’s getting beyond the point where Hendra virus infections in horses in Queensland, Australia are considered "news," it’s still a highly concerning situation. Infections caused by this fruit bat-associated virus continue to occur in the region and there’s no sign that this problem is going to go away any time soon.

In…

Murray Valley Encephalitis down-under – Help from the chickens

By Maureen Anderson on January 18, 2012
Posted in Other diseases

Although the weather in Southwestern Ontario seems quite confused lately regarding whether it wants to be winter or spring, at least we’re still a few months off from having to worry about mosquitoes and the viruses they carry once again.  Warmer parts of the world, however, are in the midst of their mosquito season, and…

Bat slaughter = Hendra virus control?

By Scott Weese on January 6, 2012
Posted in equIDblog

Bob Katter, an Australian Member of Parliament and leader of the Australian Party, has proposed culling flying foxes (fruit bats) as a way to control Hendra virus, which is spread by these large Australian bats. He’s not the first person to make such a proposal, but it’s a knee-jerk reaction that in reality doesn’t…

Bad 2012 for Hendra virus in Australia

By Scott Weese on January 5, 2012
Posted in Horses

While you don’t want to read too much into a single case, 2012 has started off in a bad way for Queensland horses. Hendra virus was identified in a Townsville area horses that died.  This zoonotic viral disease is  largely restricted to Queensland, Australia, but it has a high fatality rate in horses (and people). …

No Answer In Aussie Horse Deaths

By Scott Weese on November 4, 2011
Posted in equIDblog

Despite relatively intensive efforts, no cause has been identified for the deaths of 22 horses ona Kooralbyn farm in Queensland, Australia. Readily identifiable causes have been ruled out, leaving two main theories:

As mentioned in an earlier post, one possibility is botulism It can be very hard to diagnose botulism in horses, and the…

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Worms & Germs Blog is an educational website coordinated by Drs. Scott Weese and Maureen Anderson of the Ontario Veterinary College’s Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses. The site was initially set up with the help of funding from City…

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The Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses offers information relating to zoonotic diseases (diseases transmitted from animals to people), including aspects of human and pet health, infection prevention and control, and vaccination. It is located at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada.

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