MIL OSI – Source: Auckland Regional Public Health Service – Release/Statement
Headline: Disease surveillance for Oct-Dec 2016 > ARPHS
Dengue fever
There was a small increase in imported Dengue over the last quarter of 2016, this was unremarkable, less than the average over the past three years and has not been sustained into 2017. On the contrary, notifications have been low in the first two months of 2017, a time when there is an expected increase in dengue importation. This is possibly due to Zika control activities in the Pacific impacting on mosquito breeding sites.
Hepatitis B
There were seven notifications of hepatitis B over the quarter. The age range was between 24 and 69 years, six were males and one was female. Four of the seven cases were of European ethnicity and for the other cases ethnicities was mixed. Two cases were overseas acquired (Vietnam & Samoa), one local case had casual unprotected sex, one case had open wound blood contact with a hepatitis B carrier and the remaining three cases were household contacts of a hepatitis B carrier.
Lead absorption
In increase in lead absorption in the last quarter of 2016 represents third party workplace health and safety routine testing of high risk industries such as foundries, metal workers and the construction industry.
Mumps
In the latter half of 2016, ARPHS received an increase in the number of mumps notifications. The majority of these were associated with a small outbreak in a college. Six cases were aged between five and 15 years and two were aged under five. Of these eight cases five were age appropriately immunised. One case reported recent travel to Fiji and another to the USA where there are ongoing outbreaks. The increase in mumps notifications continued into 2017 with multiple new incursions.
Shigellosis
There was an unexpected increase in Shigella notifications during the last quarter. Three distinct groups were identified and this was supported by ESR serotyping. These were Shigella flexneri serotype 1b acquired while overseas in Tonga with some spread through the extended family, Shigella flexneri 6 biotype Boyd 88 is associated with recent travel to Samoa, and Shigella sonnei was locally acquired amongst a small group of MSM males.
Yersiniosis
The increase in yersiniosis is largely as a result of a changed laboratory process at laboratories that increases the yield of Yersinia enterocolitica. During the second and third quarter of 2016 this was extensively investigated and case control study supported the consumption of bean sprouts while later in the year there appeared to be an increase associated with consumption of raw spring onions and possibly tofu. However this small fourth quarter increase was felt to be as a result of increased detection or yersiniosis rather than a new dispersed outbreak.