News as of September 20, 2012

Enhanced Surveillance of Chikungunya and Dengue in Lot-et-Garonne

In mainland France, confirmed cases (both locally acquired and imported) of chikungunya and dengue have been subject to mandatory reporting since April 2006.In departments where the Aedes albopictus mosquito (tiger mosquito) is established, a system for reporting and accelerated biological confirmation of suspected cases of Chikungunya and Dengue is in place during the mosquito’s active season (May 1 to November 30). This system enables rapid intervention by vector control services around suspected cases. It is combined with enhanced entomological surveillance. In Aquitaine, the department of Lot-et-Garonne has been affected since August 11.Therefore, clinicians and laboratories in Lot-et-Garonne are requested to report each suspected case by fax on the same day to the regional health surveillance and emergency platform using the rapid reporting form, and to promptly send a biological sample to the National Reference Center for Arboviruses (IRBA Marseille) along with this reporting form and the IRBA labels for diagnostic confirmation. The report must be submitted without waiting for biological confirmation. The procedure, reporting form, and IRBA labels can be downloaded at: http://www.ars.aquitaine.sante.fr and http://www.invs.sante.fr

Update as of 09/20/2012: Since the start of enhanced surveillance in Lot-et-Garonne, 4 cases have been reported. One case has been confirmed, imported from an endemic country.