Author: Claudinne Miller
U.S. dairy farm worker infected as bird flu spreads to cows in five states
Science Unexpected H5N1 outbreaks in cattle raise difficult questions about how to protect herds and people. Texas officials today issued a “health alert” about the first confirmed case of a human infection with a bird influenza virus that has found its ways into dairy cows. The worker developed conjunctivitis, a mild eye infection that frequently occurs when […]
Apr 2, 2024
Bird flu in humans, explained
Washington Post How it spreads, the symptoms and more. After a dairy worker in Texas was infected with a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu, disease trackers worry the recent outbreak among cattle could develop into a larger threat. The risk to the general public remains low, but experts are concerned about the possibility of the H5N1 virus evolving […]
Apr 2, 2024
Texas Reports First Human Case of Avian Influenza
Texas Health Department The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting a human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in Texas. The case was identified in a person who had direct exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with avian influenza. The patient, who experienced eye inflammation as their only symptom, was tested […]
Apr 2, 2024
USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Dairy Herd in New Mexico
USDA The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a dairy herd in New Mexico, as well as 5 additional dairy herds in Texas. APHIS shared on Fri., March 29 that its National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, was […]
Apr 2, 2024
New Groundbreaking Leibniz Lab for Pandemic Preparedness
Global Biodefense The wide-spanning intradisciplinary collaboration aims to provide evidence-based recommendations to decision-makers in Germany for pandemic preparedness and response. The new Leibniz Lab for Pandemic Preparedness: One Health, One Future in Hamburg, Germany focuses on preparing for future pandemics by combining the transdisciplinary expertise of 41 Leibniz institutions. It works in four priority areas: the interaction […]
Mar 27, 2024
How US life expectancy rates changed as COVID deaths wane, drug overdoses persist
USA Today Life expectancy rose to 77.5 years on average in 2022, a slight increase of 1.1 years from 2021, according to new studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Life expectancy at birth increased 1.1 years…largely because of decreases in mortality due to COVID-19, heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, and homicide,” the report […]
Mar 27, 2024
Mpox cases on the rise in Virginia, officials say
WTOP News Hoping to increase awareness and curb the spread of mpox, Virginia health officials are warning about a rise in cases since the start of 2024. So far this year, the state has reported 12 cases, the same number it reported in all of 2023, according to Brandy Darby, director of the Virginia Department […]
Mar 27, 2024
How to counter vaccine misinformation in political discourse
Washington Post | Opinion This fact might be hard to believe, but there’s no denying it: Anti-vaccine sentiments are likely to play a key role in this year’s election. President Biden is fending off challenges from not one but two opponents regularly spouting anti-vaccine messages. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has repeatedly declared in campaign speeches that he […]
Mar 27, 2024
Zoonotic Viruses: Humans More Often a Source Than a Sink
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News Zoonotic viruses fill us with dread—and rightly so. Such viruses have been known to spread from animals to human hosts, transmitting deadly diseases such as Ebola, rabies, and bird flu. And according to virologists and other scientists with relevant expertise, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the source of the COVID-19 pandemic, is […]
Mar 27, 2024
Moderna’s next-gen COVID vax surpasses approved version in phase 3
Fierce Biotech Moderna’s next-gen COVID vaccine notched a higher immune response than its licensed counterpart, passing a phase 3 test. No data accompanied the company’s announcement Tuesday, with Moderna saying more would be revealed at its vaccine day on Wednesday. But the company said mRNA-1283 elicited a higher immune response against both the omicron BA.4/BA.5 and original […]
Mar 27, 2024