Emerging zoonoses: responsible communication with the media--lessons learned and future perspectives.

Emerging zoonotic disease outbreaks are inevitable and often unpredictable events. The environment surrounding an outbreak is unique in public health, and outbreaks are frequently marked by uncertainty, confusion and a sense of urgency. Good communication at this time, generally through the media, is essential, but examples unfortunately abound of communication failures that have delayed outbreak control, undermined public trust and compliance, and unnecessarily prolonged economic, social and political turmoil. With this paper we hope to disseminate the idea that communication expertise has become as essential to outbreak control as epidemiological training and laboratory analysis. The paper presents the best practices for communicating with the public and discusses future aspects of communicating through the mass media during an outbreak.

Prevalence of antibodies against respiratory viruses (parainfluenza virus type 3, respiratory syncytial virus, reovirus and adenovirus) in relation to productivity in Syrian Awassi sheep.

Awassi sheep sera from all the provinces of the Syrian Arab Republic were tested for RSV, P13, REO and Adeno viruses (IIF and AGID tests). RSV was the most prevalent infection with 63.6% of samples seropositive, followed by REO, P13 and Adenovirus with seroprevalences of 27.3%, 24% and 8.1% respectively. Animals were more frequently infected by RSV alone. Mixed infections were also identified but the occurrence was not high. The RSV and REO virus infections occurred more frequently when transhumant flocks travelled for long distances (P < 0.001). The prevalence of RSV, P13, REO and Adenovirus infections was higher in animals sheltered in poor conditions compared to those in good shelter or with no shelter (P < 0.001; P < 0.001; n.s.; P < 0.05, respectively). RSV and P13 infections were related to an adult mortality rate of 10 to 20% (P < 0.001); REO virus was also proportionally related to mortality from low to high rates (P < 0.05). Concerning mortality of lambs, only Adenovirus infection was related to losses (> 20%) (P < 0.001). REO virus was related to low milk yield (P < 0.05).

Parasite nematode infections in Awassi adult sheep: distribution through Syrian farm flocks.

A survey was conducted on 1,474 adult sheep from 73 flocks distributed in the 13 provinces of Syria. Faecal egg and larval nematode outputs were studied. Marshallagia and Nematodirus infections were higher in the driest areas; infections by other nematodes, Dictyocaulus and small lungworms (Cystocaulus and Muellerius) were higher in the more rainy areas. A long transhumance limited small lungworm infections, which were higher in flocks using wet night shelters.

Epidemiological survey of the Maedi Visna (MV) virus in Syrian Awassi sheep.

Awassi sheep sera from all the Syrian provinces were tested for antibodies against the Maedi Visna (MV) virus using the Agar Immuno-diffusion test. Eighty-seven animals out of 1,445 tested, showed positiveness (6%) to MV glycoprotein 135. The infection was detected in most provinces except in the Southern provinces of Damascus, Sweida and Konaitra. Use and quality of folds and rainfall were considered as factors influencing Maedi Visna distribution. The infection could be related to losses in sheep production and especially to the reduction in survivability (i.e. annual percentage of sheep not dying or culled).

Detection of antibodies to bovid herpesvirus 2 infection of cattle in Syria.

Neutralising antibody to bovid herpesvirus 2 was demonstrated in the serum of 31 (10.8%) of 286 heads of cattle in north, south, and west Syria. 38% of titres were 1:2 to 1:8. There is no published report on isolation of this virus in Syria.