Day: June 11, 2025
Former CDC director reacts to RFK Jr.’s firing of entire vaccine advisory panel
PBS Newshour The abrupt removal of all of the members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has sparked outrage and worry among many public health experts. That includes the American Medical Association, which called for a Senate investigation into Kennedy today. Geoff Bennett has reaction from Dr. Tom […]
Jun 11, 2025
Artificial intelligence reimagines infectious disease forecasting
Johns Hopkins The new tool is the first to use large language modeling to predict infectious disease risk. A new AI tool to predict the spread of infectious disease outperforms existing state-of-the-art forecasting methods. The tool, created with federal support by researchers at Johns Hopkins and Duke universities, could revolutionize how public health officials predict, […]
Jun 11, 2025
Cambodian human avian flu infection linked to poultry outbreak
WATT Poultry In the Asia-Pacific region, recent outbreaks of HPAI in poultry are reported in Cambodia, the Philippines and South Korea. During the latter half of May, two highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks affecting village poultry were confirmed by the animal health authority in Cambodia. Presence of the H5N1 virus serotype was confirmed in a […]
Jun 11, 2025
How to speak to a vaccine sceptic: research reveals what works
Nature Hesitancy about vaccinations is on the rise, but studies show there are specific ways to address people’s questions. In her professional life, Sophia Newcomer analyses vaccination trends and safety in the United States. The epidemiologist, at the University of Montana, Missoula, has investigated the factors that stop some people from completing their children’s recommended […]
Jun 11, 2025
Game theory explains why reasonable parents make vaccine choices that fuel outbreaks
The Conversation When outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles occur despite highly effective vaccines being available, it’s easy to conclude that parents who don’t vaccinate their children are misguided, selfish or have fallen prey to misinformation. As professors with expertise in vaccine policy and health economics, we argue that the decision not to vaccinate isn’t simply about misinformation or hesitancy. […]
Jun 11, 2025
Clothing—not agriculture—helped spread a tick disease 5000 years ago
Science New study of a pathogen’s Bronze Age spread challenges longstanding links between disease and early agriculture. A now-obscure cousin of Lyme disease called recurring fever was a scourge of early civilization. Caused by the bacterium Borrelia recurrentis, it results in crippling headaches and repeated bouts of high fever; if left untreated, it damages organs and […]
Jun 11, 2025
A rare tick-borne disease has started spreading into Virginia
WHRO The illness is caused by a parasite, which makes it different from many well-known tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme. A rare disease spread by ticks has slowly established a foothold in Virginia. Babesiosis, a parasitic infection similar to malaria, was traditionally limited to the U.S. Northeast and Midwest. But over the past decade, officials […]
Jun 11, 2025
Bird flu detected at 4th commercial farm in Maricopa County
AZ Central Chickens at a fourth commercial farm in Maricopa County tested positive for bird flu, the Arizona Department of Agriculture said. The virus was detected through “routine surveillance sampling” on June 4 at a facility named “Maricopa 05” before any birds had exhibited obvious symptoms. Samples were sent to the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Lab […]
Jun 11, 2025
A huge outbreak has made Ontario the measles centre of the western hemisphere
Guardian Outside the emergency room of the St Thomas Elgin general hospital, about 200km (125 miles) south-west of Toronto, a large sign with bright yellow block letters issues an urgent warning: “NO MEASLES VAX & FEVER COUGH RASH – STOP – DO NOT ENTER!” To see such an imperative in the 21st century might have […]
Jun 11, 2025
Ghana confirms 34 new Mpox cases, total rises to 79
Africa News Ghana has reported 34 new cases of Mpox, raising the total number of confirmed infections to 79. Four patients are currently hospitalised, and contact tracing is ongoing. The Ghana Health Service says more than ten regions have been affected, prompting nationwide surveillance. Authorities are urging the public to seek medical attention if they […]
Jun 11, 2025