Dr. Shkap has assembled the following summary of infectious diseases reported for the region:

1. In Israel the following diseases were diagnosed in 2001:
  -  West Nile Fever in avian, horses and human
  -  Bovine Ephemeral Fever 
  -  Peste des petits ruminants PPR (400 cases in 8 outbreaks in sheep       including one in goats)
-  Newcastle Disease
-  Turkey encephalitis
-  Leishmania infantum in dogs and human

2. In Iraq in 2001 (according to OIE):
-  Bovine babesiosis (2016 cases with no mortality reported)
-  Theileriosis (6932 cases with no mortality reported)

3. In Iran in 2000 (according to OIE)
-  Theileriosis  (6590 cases,  mortality of 1157) 

      4.  In 2001 Bluetongue was reported from the following countries:
Bulgaria, Macedonia, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Kosovo, Tunisia, Turkey and Yugoslavia

       5. Outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever were reported from Saudi Arabia and Yemen 
In August-October, 2000, The Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and The Ministry of Health of  Yemen reported on unexplained hemorrhagic fever in humans and death in animals.  Using PCR, antigen detection ELISA and IgM, virus isolation, and immunochemistry, the diagnosis was confirmed by CDC as Rift Valley Fever  (MMWR Weekly)