Seventh TEPHINET Global Scientific Conference in Amman, Jordan, November 2012

The Jordanian Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network [EMPHNET] hosted the Seventh Global Scientific Conference of the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network [TEPHINET] in Jordan in November 2012. This was the first time this Conference was held in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The Conference theme was [communicable and noncommunicable diseases: public health challenges and successes]. Over 400 participants including field epidemiology training program residents, graduates and public health officials from 66 countries attended the Conference as well as 187 people from 57 countries who attended the conference sessions on line. The programme included 121 oral and 130 poster presentations in addition to 5 pre-conference workshops and 9 roundtable discussions. All sessions were recorded and virtually broadcasted and made available on line. The Conference succeeded in creating opportunities for dialogue between residents and graduates of field epidemiology training programmes and public health stakeholders across the region and the globe

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever outbreak investigation in the Western Region of Afghanistan in 2008

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever [CCHF] is a life-threatening viral haemorrhagic fever. This paper reports on the first multifocal outbreak recorded in the Afghanistan. The outbreak was detected in 2008 in the Western Region of the country and 30 cases [17 males and 13 females] were detected between 10 July and 22 October 2008. Standard case definitions based on World Health Organization sources were used. Most of the cases [27] occurred in Herat province; 25 were aged between 18-55,1 was > 55 years and 4 were12-18 years [median age was 27 years]. The case fatality rate was 33%; 41% among males and 23% among females [P - 0.29]. Significantly more patients infected by contact with meat and body fluids died that those whose contact was through animal husbandry or ticks [P = 0.0048]. Of the 30 cases, 33 close contacts were traced; 3 were positive for CCHF IgM with no symptomatic evidence of the disease