Author: Claudinne Miller
Senegal reports 2nd human CCHF case of 2026
Outbreak News Today During the week ending April 4, Senegal health authorities reported an additional Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) case. The case is a 28-year-old female from Dioffor area in Fatick region in southwest Senegal. She presented at the health facility with fever, muscle and body pain, vomiting, bleeding and meningoencephalitis. CCHF virus was […]
Apr 15, 2026
Walt Disney was an informant for the FBI
History Fun Facts When he wasn’t building an animation empire that still dominates Hollywood more than half a century after his death, Walt Disney was busy moonlighting as an FBI informant. He was initially recruited on November 10, 1940, and was then made a “Special Agent in Charge Contact” in 1954 — essentially a voluntary FBI contact who […]
Apr 15, 2026
As Cities Invade the Amazon, Yellow Fever Makes a Dangerous Comeback
Sci Tech Daily As human development increasingly encroaches on the Amazon, researchers find that the growing boundary between forests and urban areas is accelerating the spillover of yellow fever into human populations. Human activity is pushing deeper into previously undisturbed ecosystems, disrupting natural balances and creating new risks for people. A study from UC Santa Barbara finds […]
Apr 15, 2026
Climate-driven changes in zoonotic risk of arenaviral hemorrhagic fevers in South America
Nature Climate change is expected to significantly alter the ecological dynamics of zoonotic diseases, yet its long-term impact on rodent-borne hemorrhagic fevers in South America remains poorly understood. Here, we developed a robust predictive modeling framework that integrates species distribution models with a mechanistic force-of-infection approach to evaluate the effects of climate change on zoonotic […]
Apr 15, 2026
US Faces $7.8 Billion Measles Risk as Vaccination Rates Decline, Study Finds
Bloomberg A sustained drop in childhood vaccinations could cost the US about $7.8 billion in measles outbreaks over five years, a new study found. The warning comes as vaccine policy and public confidence face fresh pressure under the second Trump administration. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has moved to reshape a key federal vaccine advisory panel, raising concerns among public […]
Apr 15, 2026
Utah: Several preschools exposed to measles, cases reach 600
News4 Utah New measles exposure locations have been released, including several preschools and elementary schools. Utah has now hit 602 confirmed measles cases during the current outbreak. According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Utah now has 602 confirmed measles cases during the current outbreak, which started in June 2025. Southern […]
Apr 15, 2026
More Americans doubt vaccine safety than trust it
Politico Vaccine skepticism among Americans is widespread, The POLITICO Poll found, indicating that one of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s animating priorities is gaining traction. Results from the March poll of 3,851 U.S. adults conducted by Public First show that a plurality of Americans question the safety of vaccines, support reducing the number administered and […]
Apr 15, 2026
Wildlife trade drives animal-to-human pathogen transmission over 40 years
Science The closer and longer the contact between species, the higher the chances of transmission of pathogens. This rule of thumb applies to human-to-human contacts as well as contacts with other species. Gippet et al. examined trade data for wildlife species from the past 40 years and showed that the longer a species had been legally […]
Apr 15, 2026
Global Wildlife Trade Fuels Spread of Disease From Animals to People
NYT Live animal markets and the illegal sale of wildlife pose particular dangers, but any sale of wild animals or animal products poses spillover risks, a new study suggests. The global wildlife trade is driving the spread of disease from animals to people, according to a new study of thousands of wild mammal species and 40 years […]
Apr 15, 2026
Avian influenza and coronaviruses in live animal and wet markets in Laos: prevalence and public health considerations
Frontiers Background: Live animal and wet markets (LWM) serve as critical interfaces where humans closely interact with domestic and peri-domestic animals, facilitating the spillover of zoonotic pathogens. Previous outbreaks of avian influenza viruses (AIV) and coronaviruses (CoV) linked to these markets underscore their significant public health risks. Despite the high density of LWM and historical […]
Apr 8, 2026