Author: Claudinne Miller
How did H5N1 bird flu get introduced to California’s dairy industry?
LA Times Experts say it was bound to happen: The H5N1 bird flu that ravaged dairy herds in 13 states was inevitably going to arrive in California. But exactly how it happened is still being investigated by the state. However, Anja Raudabaugh — the chief executive of Western State Dairies, a trade organization for California dairy farmers […]
Oct 22, 2024
Unusual surge of “walking pneumonia” reported in young kids this year
CBS News Infections with the illness known as “walking pneumonia” or “white lung pneumonia” have been spreading at unusually high levels in young kids, emergency room data suggests, a year after a surge of such cases filled hospitals overseas. The worst rates of the illness, caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae, are in young children ages 2 to […]
Oct 22, 2024
Scurvy Isn’t Just History – Here’s Why It’s Back
Sci Tech Daily Scurvy, a condition caused by vitamin C deficiency was first linked to sailors during the Renaissance era. Scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, may be making a comeback due to the rising cost of living and the increase in weight loss (bariatric) surgeries, according to doctors writing today (October 22) […]
Oct 22, 2024
Germany detects first mpox variant Ib case
DW An infection with the new mpox variant Ib has been detected for the first time in Germany. The strain has been spreading in several African countries for months. Germany’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), announced on Tuesday that an mpox infection that was contracted abroad had been detected within the country. Despite the […]
Oct 22, 2024
Mpox Vaccine in Teens Generates Robust Immune Response, Proves Safe
MedPageToday The modified vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic mpox vaccine (MVA-BN; Jynneos) generated robust immune responses in adolescents against mpox and was safe, according to an interim analysis of a phase II clinical trial. Two doses of the vaccine generated geometric mean titers (GMT) in adolescents (470.3, 95% CI 422.3-523.8) that were higher than titers in adults […]
Oct 22, 2024
Bird flu cases in people quietly tick up, with dozens reported across 6 states
NBC News Four cases in Washington farmworkers are the latest in a drumbeat of human infections across the U.S. as the virus continues to spread among farm animals. Four new cases of avian influenza were detected in farmworkers in Washington state this week, the latest in a drumbeat of human infections cropping up across the […]
Oct 22, 2024
Study shows wastewater detections accurate for norovirus
CIDRAP Norovirus can be accurately tracked in wastewater samples, which can help identify outbreaks and trends, according to a new study based on California wastewater surveillance published in Emerging Infectious Diseases. Norovirus is one of the leading causes of gastroenteritis in the United States, but surveillance is challenging because many cases are unreported, the authors said. As […]
Oct 22, 2024
Washington State: Four Washington farm workers suspected to have bird flu
American Hospital Assn Four workers at a commercial egg farm in Washington tested presumptively positive for H5N1 bird flu, the Washington State Department of Health announced Oct. 20. These are the first presumed human cases in the state. The individuals experienced mild symptoms and Benton-Franklin Health District officials have forwarded test samples to the Centers for Disease […]
Oct 22, 2024
California: Merced County health officials confirm human case of Bird Flu
ABC News Bird Flu cases continue to rise in the Valley, as Merced County has confirmed its first human case. Public health officials say the person had direct exposure to infected cattle at a dairy farm in Merced County. Everyone with known exposure to the diseased dairy cows is being monitored for symptoms. Health officials […]
Oct 22, 2024
Scientists discover concerning behavioral changes in chimps: ‘Could something so small have prevented the pandemic?’
Yahoo News Scientists have found that chimpanzees are turning to bat feces for nutrients in concentrated areas of deforestation, which could have implications for human epidemics, reports Mongabay. What’s happening? In the Budongo Forest in Uganda, animals — including chimpanzees, monkeys, and antelope — rely on minerals from decaying palm trees, per the report. However, between […]
Oct 16, 2024