Author: Claudinne Miller
New study advances theory on why most U.S. bird flu cases have so far been mild
STAT Researchers believe immunity to an earlier virus may play a role, but not everyone agrees. The H5N1 bird flu virus has historically extracted a heavy toll when it infects humans, with nearly half of confirmed cases ending in death over the past three decades. But of the 70 cases reported in the United States over the […]
Jul 23, 2025
Cambodia reports 13th human case of H5N1 bird flu this year
BNO Cambodia has confirmed a new human case of H5N1 bird flu in a 6-year-old boy who is currently in intensive care, according to health officials. It is the country’s 13th confirmed human case in 2025. The child, from Bos Russey village in Tbong Khmum province, tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza on Monday. He […]
Jul 23, 2025
A genetic tweak could prevent mosquitoes from transmitting malaria
NPR Each year, 263 million people get malaria. But from the parasite’s perspective, infecting humans is harder than you might think, and requires completing an epic journey within the tiny body of a mosquito. First, the mosquito must suck the blood of an individual infected with malaria — bringing the Plasmodium parasite into the insect’s gut. Then […]
Jul 23, 2025
Kennedy Rescinds Endorsements for Some Flu Vaccines
NYT Federal guidelines no longer recommend flu vaccines containing a preservative, used in a small percentage of vaccines, that has been falsely linked to autism. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday formally rescinded federal recommendations for all flu vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that the anti-vaccine movement has falsely linked to autism. […]
Jul 23, 2025
Patient dies of brain-eating amoeba in South Carolina, hospital confirms
CBS News A patient in a South Carolina children’s hospital has died of a brain-eating amoeba, according to the facility. In a news briefing Tuesday, Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Midlands confirmed the patient died of primary amebic meningoencephalitis, also known as PAM, a rare but often fatal brain infection caused by the Naegleria fowleri organism. The hospital […]
Jul 23, 2025
Man Catches Plague From His Cat
MedPageToday Case occurred outside the typical season, suggesting the influence of a changing climate. In a rare, off-season occurrence, a man in Oregon contracted plague from his infected cat, researchers reported. The case occurred in January 2024, earlier in the year than all of the other 18 cases of plague reported in Oregon in the […]
Jul 23, 2025
Summer Covid cases are rising across the U.S. — Is it time for a vaccine?
NBC The uptick in cases, caused by a variant of the virus nicknamed “razor blade throat,” comes as many Americans have likely gone a year or longer without a Covid shot. As Covid cases begin to rise this summer, many may be wondering: What are my risks, and is it time to get another vaccine? […]
Jul 23, 2025
HHS Adopts ACIP Recommendation to Remove Thimerosal from All U.S. Influenza Vaccines
HHS U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. took action Tuesday signing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations to remove the mercury-based preservative thimerosal from all influenza vaccines distributed in the United States. This move follows a 5-1-1 vote at the ACIP’s June 25-26 […]
Jul 23, 2025
Gambia declares mpox outbreak
Daily News The Gambia reported an outbreak of mpox on July 22 with detection of a single case, as several nearby countries have recorded recent increases in infections. Mpox remains an international health emergency, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) director said last month, amid a rise in west Africa. “A case of mpox has been detected in the country through the […]
Jul 23, 2025
West Africa’s Clade II Mpox Outbreak Expands
Vax Before Travel The WHO Director-General recently determined that the upsurge of mpox cases in Africa continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern and issued temporary recommendations to States Parties as of July 10, 2025. The first human case of mpox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, […]
Jul 23, 2025