Latest news with #AlbertaHealth
CTV News
27-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Standing advisory in place: Alberta measles case number hits 606; 452 in south health zone
Measles cases in Alberta continue to climb, with 606 cases across the province. The south zone accounts for the vast majority, with 452.
Calgary Herald
25-05-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Northern Alberta epicenter for rare coyote-borne tapeworm: U of A doctor
Article content A forty-fold increase in a Canadian strain of coyote-borne tapeworm that can cross to the human population is causing concerns for doctors in northern Alberta. Article content Article content Echinococcus multilocularis is a zoonotic parasite that resides quite harmlessly in coyotes, foxes, wolves— even domestic dogs and cats, but the symptoms in humans are enough to make you wash your hands, rinse, and repeat if you shake a paw. Article content Article content Dr. Dave Waldner is an infectious diseases physician affiliated with the University of Alberta. Article content Article content 'We haven't had it as an issue in Alberta and Canada for too long, but over the last several years, it's certainly been emerging and concerning,' Waldner said. Article content Current diagnosed cases put the risk as low — one in 100,000 Albertans. Article content The first was identified in 2013 in Edmonton, and the majority of Alberta cases are in the northern half of the province. Article content Mice and voles perpetuate the disease by eating eggs shed in canid dung and then being consumed by a predator. Article content The disease was probably inadvertently imported from Europe in a dog or fox, which aren't required to be dewormed, and does not cause obvious symptoms in the host coyote, fox, dog, or cat. Article content 'We've now identified over 40 cases in Alberta, and there's several more throughout other parts of Canada, but Alberta seems to be a bit of a hot spot,' Waldner said. Article content Article content 'We have the majority of the cases in Canada.' Article content Article content The spread Article content According to a May 2022 bulletin from Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, posted on Alberta Health's MyHealth website, the disease caused by the tapeworm, alveolar echinococcosis (AE) spreads animal-to-person but not person-to-person. Article content 'People can be infected by E. multi by accidentally swallowing tapeworm eggs from contaminated food or water, or from handling infected animals,' it reads. Article content Alberta Health said the common ways of getting AE include eating foods (usually wild berries and herbs) or drinking water that has been contaminated with the stool of an infected coyote, fox, dog, or cat.
Vancouver Sun
25-05-2025
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Northern Alberta epicenter for rare coyote-borne tapeworm: U of A doctor
A forty-fold increase in a Canadian strain of coyote-borne tapeworm that can cross to the human population is causing concerns for doctors in northern Alberta. Echinococcus multilocularis is a zoonotic parasite that resides quite harmlessly in coyotes , foxes, wolves— even domestic dogs and cats, but the symptoms in humans are enough to make you wash your hands, rinse, and repeat if you shake a paw. Dr. Dave Waldner is an infectious diseases physician affiliated with the University of Alberta. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'We haven't had it as an issue in Alberta and Canada for too long, but over the last several years, it's certainly been emerging and concerning,' Waldner said. Current diagnosed cases put the risk as low — one in 100,000 Albertans. The first was identified in 2013 in Edmonton, and the majority of Alberta cases are in the northern half of the province. Mice and voles perpetuate the disease by eating eggs shed in canid dung and then being consumed by a predator. The disease was probably inadvertently imported from Europe in a dog or fox, which aren't required to be dewormed, and does not cause obvious symptoms in the host coyote, fox, dog, or cat. 'We've now identified over 40 cases in Alberta, and there's several more throughout other parts of Canada, but Alberta seems to be a bit of a hot spot,' Waldner said. 'We have the majority of the cases in Canada.' According to a May 2022 bulletin from Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, posted on Alberta Health's MyHealth website, the disease caused by the tapeworm, alveolar echinococcosis (AE) spreads animal-to-person but not person-to-person. 'People can be infected by E. multi by accidentally swallowing tapeworm eggs from contaminated food or water, or from handling infected animals,' it reads. Alberta Health said the common ways of getting AE include eating foods (usually wild berries and herbs) or drinking water that has been contaminated with the stool of an infected coyote, fox, dog, or cat. 'Touching, petting, or handling a household pet infected with the tapeworm, then accidentally swallowing the tapeworm eggs by touching your mouth. Infected pets can have tapeworm eggs in their stool and their fur may be contaminated. 'Handling animals like coyotes, foxes, or dogs as part of your job or hobby (e.g., trappers, veterinarians, veterinary technicians),' the site said. Waldner said typically voles or mice eat the eggs, which turn into larva, at which point the mammals prey on the rodents, and the larva hatch into tapeworms. 'We as humans become infected by inadvertently taking the place of the rodents, so somehow, coming into contact and consuming those eggs that are passed in the feces,' Waldner said. Likely sources are vegetables or fruits in the garden, or trappers who are coming in close contact with animals, he said. The coyotes are the likeliest transmitters in northern Alberta, he said, adding there are around 2,000 in Edmonton's river valley. Alas, the eggs are 'super robust.' 'They can resist extremely cold temperatures, so our winter won't kill them off,' he said. For a human, the tiny larvae cause lesions in the liver — more like an expanding tumor with necrotic centres — but it doesn't stop there. 'It kind of behaves like a cancer and can metastasize to all over the body. And it can also spread locally and then basically throughout the liver and into adjacent organs and structures,' Waldner said. AE can metastasize to the brain. It's a medical problem that needs to be treated, Waldner said, although he's not aware of any fatalities from the parasite among his patients. While symptoms may include pain or discomfort in the upper belly, weakness, weight loss, symptoms mimicking liver cancer or liver disease, it can be hard to diagnose. Blood serology tests can be inconclusive, showing previous exposure and not necessarily current infection. Ultrasounds are expensive and not always conclusive. In many cases, the masses formed by the lesions might not exhibit symptoms unless they block a bile duct, and may go unnoticed until the host gets a liver scan, which gets biopsied. Then it's the good news-bad news scenario: 'Well, it's not cancer.' Waldner said with treatment, people do well and can survive for very long periods of time. Ideally, they'd have it surgically removed. Otherwise, they're on lifelong medication to control the infection. The preferred medication isn't Health Canada approved, so requires special authorization for use and importation, he said. 'But we know that in the absence of treatment, like if someone was not treated for whatever reason, it can be very severe and fatal,' he said. The Alberta Health site recommends good hand hygiene like washing hands with soap and water after touching pets, and before touching food. Wash or cook wild picked foods such as berries and herbs carefully before eating them. Talk to your veterinarian about ways to prevent E. multi tapeworm infection in your pets. Do not allow your pets to eat rodents or other wild animals. Keep your pet clean. Some dogs will roll in wild animal stool and can then spread tapeworm eggs from their fur to the home environment. For those dealing with wild animals in their profession, wear disposable gloves if you are handling a coyote, fox, or other wild animal (dead or alive). Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here . You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun .
CBC
22-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Alberta's measles case counts have topped 500 and doctors are worried
It has taken Alberta less than three months to top 500 measles cases, fuelling concerns about the speed at which the virus is spreading and fears it could lead to the death of a child. By midday Wednesday, the province's total case count had surged to 505, more than doubling since the beginning of May. Alberta's outbreaks began in March. Dr. Sidd Thakore, a pediatrician at Alberta Children's Hospital, said some of the sickest kids from the south and central zones are ending up at his hospital in Calgary for treatment. "100 per cent. We are seeing it now," he said. "There's some severe outcomes whether it's severe pneumonia or more severe issues with … inflammation of the brain. I've seen it myself, several times now in hospital." According to Thakore, some of these children are ending up in intensive care. The south zone is by far the hardest hit with 362 measles cases to date. The central zone has had 92 cases. Alberta Health confirmed on Tuesday one Albertan under the age of 18 was in ICU at that time. According to Thakore, it's difficult for parents and health care providers to watch children suffer from a vaccine-preventable illness. "You see the emotional toll it takes on the family and the psychological toll it takes on the family." Like most health care providers, he had never treated measles prior to this year's outbreaks. It was declared eliminated in Canada in 1998. Dr. Stephanie Smith, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Alberta Hospital, is not surprised Alberta's outbreaks have snowballed given that the virus is so highly contagious and immunization rates are far below the level needed for community protection in some parts of the province. And she's worried about the potential for children to die as the outbreaks grow. "Statistically, the more cases we have the more likelihood that we will end up seeing a child that dies of measles," she said. A toddler died of measles in Ontario last year. And Texas, which has the worst outbreak in the United States, has reported two children have died due to measles this year. Both of them were unvaccinated, according to the state's health department. The Alberta government's measles website states between one and three in every 1,000 people infected with measles will die. Publicly available data shows, as of May 10, a total 35 Albertans had been hospitalized since the outbreaks started. "It's heartbreaking and terrible to see children with severe brain inflammation, severe liver inflammation ... or severe pneumonia … when many of those could have been prevented," Smith said. "The message is really quite simple: please, please, please get your children vaccinated if you haven't already." Two doses of the vaccine offer 97- to 98-per cent protection, she said. The vast majority of Alberta's cases have been among the unimmunized, provincial data shows. Alberta's routine childhood immunization schedule recommends children receive their first dose of the measles vaccine at 12 months of age and the second at 18 months. However, babies as young as six months old, who are living in the south, central and north zones, are being offered an early and extra dose due to the level of risk. Health teams scramble to contain spread of measles in central and southern Alberta Meanwhile, Smith believes there are likely more cases in the community that haven't been tested or confirmed. "It does not appear that we've hit our peak yet. And so I think we'll continue to see this increase in numbers of cases in these communities where there's very low vaccination rates," she said. Measles symptoms include: High fever. Cough. Runny nose. Red eyes. Blotchy, red rash that appears three to seven days after the fever starts. In darker skin colours, it may appear purple or darker than surrounding skin. Alberta Health provides detailed information on measles case counts, symptoms and free immunizations here. A list of possible exposure alerts can be found here and a measles hotline is available for people with questions about symptoms, immunization records or to book an appointment: 1-844-944-3434
Calgary Herald
22-05-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Alberta's measles count now over 500 cases in the province
Article content There are now over 500 cases of the measles in Alberta. Article content As of Thursday morning, the province has recorded 505 cases of the virus, 130 more than reported last week. Article content Majority of the cases are reported in the southern region of the province, where 362 cases have been recorded, followed by 92 cases in the central region and 33 in northern Alberta. Article content Few cases have been reported in Calgary and Edmonton, the province's urban hubs, at 12 and 6 cases respectively. Article content Article content Several experts have attributed the rising counts to low vaccination rates, particularly in the rural areas of the province, making the areas hotbeds for the virus to spread. Article content Article content In the south zone, where majority of the cases are concentrated, multiple communities show vaccination rates well below 50 per cent in 2024, including County of Forty Mile (30.2 per cent), Municipality of Taber (39.1 per cent), Lethbridge (46.7 per cent). Article content In the central zone, Two Hills Country reports a paltry vaccination rate of 24 per cent. Article content Experts say, to ensure community immunity against the virus, atleast 95 per cent of the community must be vaccinated. A spokesperson for Alberta Health last week said that the province had initiated a 'boosted social media campaign encouraging Albertans to check and update their vaccination records'. It ran until early May until it transitioned to the new 'Don't Get Measles. Get Immunized.' campaign. 'The 'Don't Get Measles. Get Immunized.' campaign launched on social media, sharing advertorials encouraging Albertans to get vaccinated via radio, print, digital and social media advertising. The campaign also includes an information toolkit for daycare and childcare facility operators. Online ads can be read in English, French, Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Tagalog and radio ads in English, Arabic, Hindi, Korean, Farsi, Somali, Vietnamese, and Low German. Article content
