Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.
------------------------------------------------------------
October 25, 2002
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"WHO Teams Investigate Mystery Afghan 'Epidemic'"
Agence France Presse (www.afp.com/english/home) (10/24/02)
A mysterious illness reportedly has taken the lives of 140 Afghani children--70 within a week--in the northeastern province of Badakhashan, sparking an investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO). A WHO spokeswoman noted that the reported symptoms appear to be similar to whooping cough, diphtheria, or possibly even measles, although she said that is not as likely because the vaccination rate in that part of the country is high. Last year, 300 cases of whooping cough were discovered in the central province of Ghazni, and a diphtheria outbreak in the western province of Herat earlier this year was confined to just a few cases. WHO spokeswoman Loretta Hieber Giradet noted that the suspected outbreak was being taken seriously, as whooping cough and diphtheria are very contagious; however, she also noted that on some occasions in the past, investigations following reports of epidemics turned up nothing.
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.