Health department notes fewer reports of rabies, West Nile virus

By Mary Garrigan, Journal staff | Saturday, January 13, 2007

Previous Page

Share

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• NewsVine
• Fark

Print

Email

South Dakota reported fewer cases of rabies in animals and falling numbers of West Nile virus in people in 2006, according to the state Department of Health.

There was good news and bad news among the infectious-disease numbers for 2006 released Friday by the health department, state epidemiologist Dr. Lon Kightlinger said.

An influenza pandemic never developed, and the lowest number of rabies cases in at least 50 years was reported in the state. Rabies decreased by 62 percent in 2006, with only 36 cases in animals reported. The incidence of West Nile virus fell by 19 percent last year. There were 113 cases of West Nile reported to the state health department, compared to an average of 140 annually for the past four years.

But there were big increases in South Dakota last year in some gastrointestinal infections, as well as in several sexually transmitted diseases. Also, the first outbreak of mumps in the state since 1991 saw 293 people diagnosed with the disease.

Sexually transmitted diseases on the rise in 2006 included syphilis, HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, herpes and chlamydia.

An outbreak of 10 syphilis cases in Minnehaha County caused a huge percentage increase in that disease. There were only 13 syphilis cases reported statewide in 2006, but that is 12 more than normal.

HIV/AIDS cases rose 55 percent, to 34 new cases statewide. Gonorrhea was up for a third consecutive year, with 367 cases reported. There were 371 new cases of herpes reported for a 15 percent increase, and chlamydia rose 4 percent, with 2,633 cases reported statewide. Highest rates for chlamydia were in the central and west regions of South Dakota.

Other infectious diseases that showed increases in 2006 were the gastrointestinal diseases shigellosis, cryptosporidiosis, E. coli, campylobacter and giardia. Shigellosis, including a multi-drug resistant strain, rose by 192 percent. There were 49 cases of E. coli, the most since 2000.

Nine new cases of hepatitis A created a 200 percent increase in that disease.

The disease data released Friday is considered provisional and is not the final 2006 report.