Collaboration: the key to investigations of emerging and re-emerging diseases

Countries need teams of well trained epidemiologists with extensive field experience to work with clinicians and laboratory scientists to conduct prompt and effective outbreak investigations of epidemics. To identify these outbreaks of possible emerging or re-emerging problems, existing surveillance must be strengthened and the quality of data validated routinely. In addition, ministry of health officials and international agencies need an open, collaborative, scientific work environment. The best environment to design effective interventions and control measures to limit the impact of these newly identified problems on the public's health is one of cooperation and collaboration

Rift valley antibodies among camels imported into Egypt

Studies were conducted to investigate the potential role of imported camels and associated ticks from sudan and Kenya as a mechanism for the introduction of arboviruses into Egypt. Blood specimens were obtained from camels in Southern Egypt on arrival from Sudan during October 1986 through October 1987 and from Kenya during 1986 for serological assays. Also, ticks were collected from camels for viral assays. Antibody to RVF virus was demonstrated by the HI test among 24% [1, 417. 5, 907] of the camels or 19% [1, 040/5, 607] from Sudan and 92% [275/300] from Kenya. Neutralizing antibody was detected in 25 of the antibody positive camels from Kenya and in 75 from Sudan. Also, antibody was demonstrated to Dhori virus by the complement fixation test in 19% [N=200] of a sample of sera, and likewise, antibody to Chikungunya [5%, N=686], West Nile [44%, N=419] and Sindbis [14%, N=419] viruses was detected by the HI test on the basis of immunofluorescent staining, Chikugunya, Sindbis and Dhori viruses were isolated from Hyalomma dromedarii ticks. These data imply that arboviruses may be spread by infected ticks associated with the movement of camels from Kenya and Sudan to Egypt

Colorzyme E.A, a simple and rapid test for detection of rabies antigen in infected cell culture and rabies post-vaccination antibody

A new simple, rapid and highly sensitive method, colorzyme, E.A. [lmmunoconcepts] for rabies antigen detection in infected cell culture and for rabies post-vaccination antibody determination has been developed. Vero cells infected by rabies strain, FRVK from passage level 19 to 3.7 were tested by colorzyme test in comparison with immuno-fIuorescent [IF] test and the results were identical in the two tests. 7 days post-infection using colorzyme test, from 60-90% to cells were found to be infected according to the input multiplicity dose of inoculum used [IMD] and the duration of post-infection. Infected cells showed dark blue-purple staining inclusions in the cytoplasm while negative control non infected cells showed faint red staining using only an ordinary microscope. Testing rabies post-Vaccination antibody by colorzyme and ELISA, the results were identical. Sera with high or low antibody level in I/U by ELISA could easily be distinguished by Colorzyme test. All incubations in colorzyme E.A. test were in room temperature and only an ordinary microscope was used