PlagueMadagascar travelers bring plague to Seychelles

The Seychelles Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday reported an imported plague case in a 34-year-old man who had travelled to Madagascar and had been under passive surveillance since he arrived, according to a statement posted on the MOH Facebook page.

He had been under passive surveillance in Seychelles since 6 October and sought care for symptoms on 9 October, which resulted in immediate isolation. Jude Gedeon, MD, the country’s public health commissioner, said several tests yielded normal findings, but a rapid plague test was weakly positive. Testing at the Pasteur Institute in France confirmed the positive plague findings.

The Ministry of Health Seychelles says that the man was given antibiotics, and all 42 of his direct contacts are under active surveillance, including his partner, who has symptoms, though an infection has not been confirmed. Close contacts also include a child who lives with the couple. Fifteen of the close contacts have been placed on antibiotic prophylaxis.

Air Seychelles has cancelled all flights to and from Madagascar, and members of a basketball team who were under surveillance at a center have been discharged after none of them came down with symptoms. The MOH said the imported case is separate from the basketball group.

Madagascar is battling a plague outbreak since August, so far totaling 387 cases, 45 of them fatal. Most of the illnesses are the pneumonic form if the disease. Though plague is endemic to parts of Madagascar, with outbreaks typically reported this time of year, the current outbreak is unusual due to its high case count, widespread geographic area, large percentage of pneumonic cases, and involvement of large urban areas.