Timely and relevant global health security news curated by GCHS
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Featured Headlines
- Drug-resistant infections in Europe set to rise as populations age, study suggestsLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Biggest rise in drug-resistant bloodstream infections are expected in the over-65s and among men. A new study led by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and published in PLOS Medicine finds that ageing populations could lead to a rise in bloodstream infections caused by drug-resistant… Read more: Drug-resistant infections in Europe set to rise as populations age, study suggests
- FDA testing aged raw cow’s milk cheese for bird fluMSN The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will begin collecting samples of raw cow’s milk cheese from across the U.S. to test for the presence of bird flu, spurred on by the ongoing outbreaks of H5N1 in multiple states. In the announcement published Monday, the FDA said the goal of testing will be two-fold: detecting the… Read more: FDA testing aged raw cow’s milk cheese for bird flu
- Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart AttackNYT A new analysis adds to the research about the link between viral infections and heart disease. A number of viral infections, including flu, Covid-19 and shingles, are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, a new study affirmed. The risk of a heart attack triples within the first few weeks after… Read more: Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart Attack
Updates on ongoing disease outbreaks
- Unexpected Detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus in bovine semen from a bull used for natural breeding on an affected dairy farmUniv Wisconsin (PrePub) Abstract Since March 2024, HPAI H5N1 virus has infected dairy cattle in the U.S., prompting concern about novel transmission routes. During an outbreak in California, HPAI H5N1 RNA was detected in an asymptomatic bull’s semen. Although infectious virus was not isolated, questions remain about semen-associated transmission risks and biosecurity practices. Main Text… Read more: Unexpected Detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus in bovine semen from a bull used for natural breeding on an affected dairy farm
- FDA testing aged raw cow’s milk cheese for bird fluMSN The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will begin collecting samples of raw cow’s milk cheese from across the U.S. to test for the presence of bird flu, spurred on by the ongoing outbreaks of H5N1 in multiple states. In the announcement published Monday, the FDA said the goal of testing will be two-fold: detecting the… Read more: FDA testing aged raw cow’s milk cheese for bird flu
- Beyond the Barnyard: How H5N1 Is Crossing Species—and BordersInfection Control Today During the August 2025 Health Watch USA(sm) webinar entitled “Combating Infectious Disease Challenges,” several lectures were devoted to the then-outdated topic of H5N1 or the bird flu. Many people in the public, including those on social media, attributed the disappearance of the bird flu over the summer months to the implementation of… Read more: Beyond the Barnyard: How H5N1 Is Crossing Species—and Borders
- Indiana: Bird flu spreads to total of 15 farmsWISHTV Two more duck operations in northern Indiana and a hobby flock of mixed species in the Indianapolis metropolitan area are the latest to be quarantined with bird flu, the state’s Board of Animal Health said Tuesday night. A commercial meat duck operation with 20,772 birds in Elkhart County and another with 4,837 birds in… Read more: Indiana: Bird flu spreads to total of 15 farms
- Over 93,000 birds affected by bird flu in recent outbreakIndiana Public Media More than 93,000 Indiana birds have caught the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture. Currently, the USDA reports six Indiana commercial flocks and three backyard flocks have been affected by bird flu. Elkhart County has an active case, with 6,900 affected birds. All… Read more: Over 93,000 birds affected by bird flu in recent outbreak
- Reports of bird flu in farm animals raise concerns about the virusNPR Cases of bird flu have been reported in farm animals across the country. While there are no human cases, some are concerned the shutdown and cuts to federal resources have us flying in the dark.
- Is Covid During Pregnancy Linked to Autism? What a New Study Shows, and What It Doesn’tKFF A large study from Massachusetts has found that babies whose mothers had covid-19 while pregnant were slightly more likely to have a range of neurodevelopmental diagnoses by age 3. Most of these children had speech or motor delays, and the link was strongest in boys and when… Read more: Is Covid During Pregnancy Linked to Autism? What a New Study Shows, and What It Doesn’t
- COVID Is Beginning to Surge Globally. Here’s What We KnowScientific American SARS-CoV-2 infections have been rising in the past month — global cases increased by more than 19,000 last month compared with the previous month, according to data posted on the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 dashboard. But the real number of infections is much higher… Read more: COVID Is Beginning to Surge Globally. Here’s What We Know
- COVID-19 is spreading again — how serious is it and what are the symptoms?Nature Limited COVID-19 surveillance data are hampering vaccination and health strategies, researchers say.SARS-CoV-2 infections have been rising in the past month — global cases increased by more than 19,000 last month compared with the previous month, according to data posted on the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19… Read more: COVID-19 is spreading again — how serious is it and what are the symptoms?
- Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart AttackNYT A new analysis adds to the research about the link between viral infections and heart disease. A number of viral infections, including flu, Covid-19 and shingles, are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, a new study affirmed. The risk of a… Read more: Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart Attack
- New Paper-Based COVID-19 Test Uses Aptamer ‘Cocktails’ for Faster, More Accurate DetectionDoc Wire News Researchers in Turkey have developed a new kind of paper-based test for COVID-19 that uses aptamer “cocktails,” special short strands of DNA or RNA that can bind tightly and specifically to parts of the virus. This test is designed to detect two key… Read more: New Paper-Based COVID-19 Test Uses Aptamer ‘Cocktails’ for Faster, More Accurate Detection
- Long COVID associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among children and adolescents in the omicron era (RECOVER-EHR): a retrospective cohort studyThe Lancet Background Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) remain a major public health challenge. Although previous studies have focused on characterising PASC in children and adolescents after an initial infection, the risks of PASC after reinfection with the omicron variant remain unclear. We aimed to… Read more: Long COVID associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among children and adolescents in the omicron era (RECOVER-EHR): a retrospective cohort study
- California: Riverside County Sees Uptick in Mpox Cases Ahead of Large Valley EventsNBC News Health officials are warning of a concerning rise in mpox cases in Riverside County, with 24 cases reported so far this year and more than half occurring in the last two months.… Read more: California: Riverside County Sees Uptick in Mpox Cases Ahead of Large Valley Events
- Mpox outbreak hits Chicago communitiesFox/Chicago Cook County Health’s Dr. Monica Almeida Mercon spoke with ChicagoLIVE’s Anita Blanton to explain the potential causes for the rise in mpox cases in Chicago. She also discussed how individuals can protect themselves… Read more: Mpox outbreak hits Chicago communities
- Nevada: 20 new measles cases reported since Oct. 30th8 News Now Measles cases continue to climb in the area around Colorado City, Arizona, now at a total of 158. The region on the Arizona-Utah border is just 160 miles east of Las Vegas. Cases have increased steadily in the border towns of Hildale in Kane County, Utah, and Colorado City, which is in… Read more: Nevada: 20 new measles cases reported since Oct. 30th
- Central Asia is a hot spot for measles – WHO dataeurasia.net Vaccine hesitancy produces a predictable rise in infection rates. Central Asian states have some of the highest rates in the world for the preventable disease of measles, according to fresh data published by the World Health Organization. Over the past 12 months, Kyrgyzstan has sported the world’s highest rate of measles cases with 1,392 per 1 million… Read more: Central Asia is a hot spot for measles – WHO data
- Measles cases approach 1,700 in U.S.American Hospital Assn here have been 1,681 confirmed cases of measles in the U.S. so far this year, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Cases have been reported by 42 states and jurisdictions, and 12% of cases have been hospitalized. There have been 44 reported outbreaks, and 87% of all cases… Read more: Measles cases approach 1,700 in U.S.
- Outbreaks of measles are fueled by outbreaks of mistrustAAMC The key to understanding and fighting the forces that fuel measles and other viral outbreaks is better communication with families, says infectious disease physician Adam Ratner, MD, MPH. The day in 2018 that a child with measles showed up at his New York City hospital was a watershed moment for infectious disease specialist Adam… Read more: Outbreaks of measles are fueled by outbreaks of mistrust
Emerging Infectious Disease Headlines
- Hand, foot and mouth disease on rise in certain areas: Doctor explains symptoms, treatmentABC News Health officials in the mid-Atlantic region have recently reported a rise in hand, foot and mouth disease, or HFMD. There were 197 emergency department visits related to the… Read more: Hand, foot and mouth disease on rise in certain areas: Doctor explains symptoms, treatment
- 2 cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported at Cincinnati hospitalFox News Local and state health departments are testing the water at The Christ Hospital’s main campus after two people were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. The Christ Hospital Health Network… Read more: 2 cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported at Cincinnati hospital
- Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart AttackNYT A new analysis adds to the research about the link between viral infections and heart disease. A number of viral infections, including flu, Covid-19 and shingles, are linked to… Read more: Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart Attack
- Diphtheria, a Once Vanquished Killer of Children, Is ResurgentNYT A Somali hospital ward packed with gasping children shows how war, climate and mistrust of vaccines is fueling the disease’s return. Qurraisha Mukhtar’s two youngest children fell sick in… Read more: Diphtheria, a Once Vanquished Killer of Children, Is Resurgent
- Germany: Pet Rat Breeding Facility Linked to Rare Viral OutbreakWild Science A 44-year-old woman in central Germany nearly died from a virus most people have never heard of, transmitted by creatures increasingly found in living rooms across the country:… Read more: Germany: Pet Rat Breeding Facility Linked to Rare Viral Outbreak
- Hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak hits 31 schools, day cares in Tennessee countyABC News An outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has hit Tennessee, affecting dozens of schools in Shelby County, which includes the city of Memphis. The county health… Read more: Hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak hits 31 schools, day cares in Tennessee county
Read more Emerging Infectious Diseases
- First scientific evidence of Black Death in Edinburgh found on skeletonBBC The first scientific evidence of the Black Death in Edinburgh has been discovered on the remains of a teenage boy who died in the 14th Century. Plaque on the child’s teeth has been found… Read more: First scientific evidence of Black Death in Edinburgh found on skeleton
- The Editor Got a Letter From ‘Dr. B.S.’ So Did a Lot of Other Editors.NYT The rise of artificial intelligence has produced serial writers to science and medical journals, most likely using chatbots to boost the number of citations they’ve published. Letters to the editor from writers using chatbots… Read more: The Editor Got a Letter From ‘Dr. B.S.’ So Did a Lot of Other Editors.
- Long COVID Linked to Development of Cardiovascular DiseaseInfectious Disease Advisor The presence of long COVID symptoms after infection with SARS-CoV-2 is strongly associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in United States adults, according to study results presented at IDWeek 2025, held from… Read more: Long COVID Linked to Development of Cardiovascular Disease
- MIT study finds targets for a new tuberculosis vaccineMIT Using these antigens, researchers plan to develop vaccine candidates that they hope would stimulate a strong immune response against the world’s deadliest pathogen. A large-scale screen of tuberculosis proteins has revealed several possible… Read more: MIT study finds targets for a new tuberculosis vaccine
- Do mRNA vaccines hold the key to stopping cancer in its tracks? Northeastern University vaccine experts talk recent developments.Northwestern University There’s a budding scientific literature supporting the idea that so-called messenger RNA vaccines, in prompting a robust immune response inside the body, can help cancer patients. The COVID-19 vaccines could be doing… Read more: Do mRNA vaccines hold the key to stopping cancer in its tracks? Northeastern University vaccine experts talk recent developments.
- How to Spot Medical Misinformation on Social Media and Determine What’s TrustworthyHealthline Always fact-check health claims and trends on social media with what trustworthy sources are saying on the topic. Medical misinformation can have dangerous effects for you and others. Because health content on social media is typically delivered in a… Read more: How to Spot Medical Misinformation on Social Media and Determine What’s Trustworthy
- 6 Reasons Why People Believe Health MisinformationPsychology Today Reasons 1 and 2: Mistrust of Experts and Personal Autonomy Almost everyone has had at least one bad experience with the health care system—particularly in the United States, where both insurance and health care delivery lack consistency and… Read more: 6 Reasons Why People Believe Health Misinformation
- When Covid-19 took hold, cruise ship operators struggled to stay afloat. One option was to scrap older vessels – giving one photographer a unique perspective.BBC As Covid-19 spread at the start of 2020, the modern, globalized economy began to shudder to a halt. Shops shut their doors. Factory production lines grew silent. The world’s vast armada of airliners stayed stationary in quiet airports – at least… Read more: When Covid-19 took hold, cruise ship operators struggled to stay afloat. One option was to scrap older vessels – giving one photographer a unique perspective.
- Covid 2020: Where cruise ships went to dieBBC When Covid-19 took hold, cruise ship operators struggled to stay afloat. One option was to scrap older vessels – giving one photographer a unique perspective. As Covid-19 spread at the start of 2020, the modern, globalised economy began to… Read more: Covid 2020: Where cruise ships went to die
Interesting and Sometimes Funny
- Clinicians Test ‘Butt Breathing’ in Early Study
MedPage Small trial suggests blood oxygenation via the gut may be feasible in humans, but will it work? Young men tolerated the anal administration of a liquid with a high capacity for oxygenation in a phase Ia trial from Japan — a dose of good news for researchers who are developing a rectal ventilation system… Read more: Clinicians Test ‘Butt Breathing’ in Early Study