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Volume 3, Number 2—June 1997
THEME ISSUE
From the 1st International Conference on Emerging Zoonoses
From the 1st International Conference on Emerging Zoonoses

Epidemiology of Emerging Zoonoses in Israel

Arnon Shimshony
Author affiliation: Veterinary Services and Animal Health, Beit Dagan, Israel

Main Article

Table 3

Mean annual number of rabies cases in animals and humans, 1948-1995

Domestic
Wildlife
No. of
animals
Other
Fauna
Human
Years years Dogs Cats Foxes Jackals fauna (%) cases
1948-1957 10 72.0 3.9 0.1 9.9 0.4 12.0 23
1958-1966 9 19.4 0.9 0.3 0.8 0.1 5.6 2
1967-1978 12 8.6 0.3 1.3 0.3 0.16 16.5 2
1979-1990 12 6.2 0.25 12.6 1.25 1.3 70.1 0
1991-1992 2 27.0 0 11.0 2 0 32.5 0
1993-1995 3 14.25 1.25 35.25 4 4 72.2 0

Main Article

1Dr. John Wortabet (1827-1908), an Armenian-Lebanese physician who worked in the St. John Hospital in Beirut and lectured in the medical college there during the second half of the 19th century diagnosed trichinosis in humans in south Lebanon during a massive outbreak in the village of El-Chiam in November 1880—more than 115 years ago. His exemplary observations about the outbreak, which involved 262 cases, including six deaths, were published in Lancet (6). A second outbreak, in the Northern Golan, was reported by Dr. Wortabet in Lancet (4 August 1883). In this outbreak, 40 inhabitants of the village Ein-Kinya, were infected after consuming raw pork from a wild boar. However, in this outbreak, no deaths were recorded. His footnote, at the end of the report, is still timely: "From personal observation and experience I have found the use of pork in Syria decidedly unhealthy. The wild boar in winter is a delicacy, but unless previously examined with the microscope, according to German law, or cooked more thoroughly than is usually done, its use cannot be free from the danger of communicating trichinae to man." Data about Dr. Wortabet courtesy of Drs. Mertyn Malkinson and Arieh Sheskin.

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