Beekeepers Reporting Unusually High Loss of Bees in Recent Years
Niles Daily Star
28 Mar 2007
K Hempel
Area: Michigan
For those looking forward to their perfectly glazed Easter ham, the news has been disturbing. Phil Hempel of Blossomland Bee Supply in Buchanan checks out the condition of his hives to be sure the brood is healthy. Never has the humble honeybee created such a buzz. National and local television newscasts are suddenly taking interest. Colony Collapsing Disorder (CCD) is an ominous title that has been assigned the bees vanishing act.
Ask the experienced beekeeper if the bees will all disappear. Chances are his look will be patient, yet amused. Mike Hansen is the State Apiarist for Michigan, headquartered in St. Joseph. He notes beekeepers across the state have been reporting an abnormally high loss of bees for the last several years.
Plague, Bubonic, Fatal - Tanzania (Manyara) - Archive Number 20070328.1064
International Society for Infectious Diseases - ProMED-mail
28 Mar 2007
Area: Tanzania
At least 8 people have died of plague in Endoji Village, Mbulu District, in Manyara Region. The deadly disease is spread by rodents, which have multiplied in large numbers in the area. The Mbulu District Medical Officer, Dr John Gulisha, confirmed that 8 people had died of the disease since 28 Feb 2007, when the 1st case was reported. Despite the fact that medical reports indicate that only 8 people, mainly children, had died of the disease, impeccable sources in the village maintained that the death toll stood at 15 people.
Dr. Gulisha said symptoms of the ailment include swellings under the armpits, high fever, and body fatigue. Since the beginning of January 2007, rodents have invaded some villages in Mbulu District. The situation deteriorated when villagers started killing the rats. As more rats got killed and were discarded at random, the bacterium [_Yersinia pestis_] that causes the disease spread out quickly [through its flea vector - Mod.LL], causing more infection to people, especially among children.
Workers Commended for Duck Die-Off Efforts
Record-Bee.com
28 Mar 2008
T Revelle
Area: Lakeport, California USA
When avian cholera swept across Clear Lake and claimed the lives of thousands of ducks in mid-January, Lake County's finest stepped up to help with the cleanup efforts, a huge factor in keeping it from spreading even farther. One by one, each was recognized Tuesday for his or her help. The Lake County Board of Supervisors issued seven proclamations commending members of the community for "their immediate response and ongoing assistance in the containment of avian cholera on Clear Lake."
Recipients included Department of Fish & Game wardens Lynette Shimek, Loren Freeman and Ryan Maki, Sandie Elliot managing director of the local wildlife rescue organization SpiritWild, Kono Tayee residents Joe and Joanne Ramhorst for helping pick up the carcasses, Lakeport businessman George Bates for donating the use of his boat, and Katherine Yoder, Lucerne resident who also donated her time in the cleanup. The die-off began the second week of January when citizens began reporting dead ducks to Elliot and DFG wardens. DFG personnel from the Northern Central Region (Region 2) arrived on Jan. 22 to address the die-off and collect samples, then pulled out the following Thursday.
West Nile Virus - Spain (Badajoz): First Case 2004 - Archive Number 20070328.1066
International Society for Infectious Diseases - ProMED-mail
22 Mar 2007
Area: Badajoz, Spain
The daily newspaper yesterday [21 Mar 2007] announced the diagnosis of the 1st [human] West Nile case in Spain. A young man of 21 years was infected via a mosquito bite in Valverde de Leganes (Badajoz) in 2004, when there was an outbreak in Portugal. This patient was admitted to hospital in September of that year [2004] with a headache, vomiting, hallucinations and high fever. Symptoms and tests pointed to possible viral meningitis, and there was recovery without sequelae.
5 days later, he was discharged without signs of meningitis and was able to resume working. Tests discarded common infections such as herpes [virus] and HIV and finally were positive for West Nile virus. Although the case was identified in Barcelona, the patient was infected in Valverde de Leganes, near the Portuguese border, where he spent his summer vacation and became ill 2 days after he returned [home]. Given the incubation period of this disease, he must have acquired the infection during this [vacation] time.
200 Cattle Die from Mystery Disease
ABC News Online
28 Mar 2007
Area: New South Wales, Australia
Graziers across western New South Wales are trying to solve a mystery disease that has been killing cattle. The Western Conference of the Rural Lands Protection Boards heard reports last week that in the past five months about 200 cattle have died on properties from Balranald to Cobar. Greg Curran from the Department of Primary Industries says it is particularly unusual because cattle in the west are generally very healthy. He says symptoms include calves being off-colour before dying very quickly, while older cattle can develop breathing difficulties.
"The other symptoms we've been seeing are pretty rapid weight loss, so they become what's called 'shelley' very quickly," he said. "They might drop one or two condition scores in a week and a half, which doesn't tie in with the food that's available." "We've been seeing ... some upper-respiratory tract signs or lung signs." Mr Curran says graziers are working to get a better picture of what's happening.
Bill Would Give MDWFP Say over Baiting Deer
Associated Press (Posted by the News-Sentinel)
28 Mar 2007
H Mohr
Area: Mississippi
Call it baiting, luring or the more sterile term preferred by some lawmakers - supplemental feeding - the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks could soon decide if it's legal to hunt over feed. Lawmakers have wrangled over the issue for years in what has become a perennial issue at the state Capitol, but attempts to allow hunting over corn and other feeds have been shot down in the past. Now, a bill approved by state lawmakers passes the buck to the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. "It gives them the authority to decide whether we should allow hunting over grain," said Senate Wildlife Committee Chairman Lynn Posey, D-Union Church.
"This may be a program that evolves over the three years authorized by the bill." The proposal now goes to Gov. Haley Barbour. The issue of whether to allow baiting divides hunters - and lawmakers - like a barbed-wire fence on a property line. House Wildlife Committee Chairman Eric Robinson, R-Quitman, said he has been fighting to legalize baiting for 15 years, but this is the best compromise he could reach.
Journal Article(s) of Interest
Emerging Viruses: Coming in on a Wrinkled Wing and a Prayer [online abstract only]
Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Mar 1;44(5):711-7. Epub 2007 Jan 23
K Halpin et al
Modeling Infectious Diseases Dissemination Through Online Role-Playing Games [online abstract only]
Epidemiology. 2007 Mar;18(2):260-1.
RD Balicer
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