Author: Claudinne Miller
Replication-Competent Virus Detected in Blood of a Fatal COVID-19 Case
Annals of Internal Medicine Background: SARS-CoV-2 infects respiratory tissues, and in some cases, replication-competent virus has been detected in extrapulmonary tissues, including brain (1). Viremic spread is suspected, and detection of viral RNA in blood is frequently reported (2). However, recovery of replication-competent virus from blood has not been previously demonstrated (3, 4). Objective: To confirm viremia in […]
Dec 12, 2023
How long are you contagious with COVID? Here’s what to know if you test positive
NBC News/Chicago With COVID cases and other respiratory viruses on the rise, you might know someone who has recently tested positive or wondered how long a person is contagious. The answer depends on several factors. As of Friday, 44 counties in Illinois were at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the state’s Department of […]
Dec 12, 2023
China’s Children Battling Pneumonia Shows the Dangers of Drug Resistance
Bloomberg The harm caused by antibiotic drug resistance was clear to see in China’s packed pediatric hospitals. An outbreak of walking pneumonia, normally a mild infection, struck millions of children in the second half of 2023, creating Covid flashbacks and raising fears about another novel pathogen. But doctors say another real danger is the rise of superbugs, […]
Dec 12, 2023
Your questions answered about staying safe from COVID, RSV and flu this winter
PBS Video at the link – As we head into the winter holidays, John Yang speaks with epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina about the current state of affairs with COVID, RSV and flu infections, lagging vaccination rates and how to stay healthy this season. It’s almost become a holiday tradition. Temperatures go down, decorations go up and […]
Dec 12, 2023
The avian flu virus is rapidly spreading through commercial flocks in the U.S.
Food Safety News The Avian influenza summer break is not only over, it has been smashed. In the past 30 days, the virus has spread to 106 commercial flocks in 23 states. And California is the latest to report outbreaks —in two broiler operations in Stanislaus County and an egg-laying business in Sonoma County. The […]
Dec 12, 2023
What To Know About Anthrax As WHO Warns Of Growing Outbreaks In Africa
Forbes Anthrax—a bacterial disease with dangerous potential as a biological or bioterrorist weapon—is spreading at an alarming rate in Zambia and a handful of nearby African countries, the World Health Organization warned on Monday, sounding the alarm as health officials rush to gain control of the situation amid fears of a wider outbreak in the region. […]
Dec 12, 2023
Covid and flu rising ahead of holidays, increasing ER visits
Washington Post Respiratory viruses are rebounding in the United States on the precipice of the end-of-year holidays, with emergency room visits for covid-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus collectively reaching their highest levels since February. Among the three viruses, covid continues to be the biggest driver of hospitalizations, settling into a familiar rhythm of causing periodic waves […]
Dec 12, 2023
Bird Flu Claims Nearly 1,000 Seals and Sea Lions in Southern Brazil
Richmond.com Video at the link – In southern Brazil, an alarming avian influenza outbreak has claimed the lives of nearly 1,000 seals and sea lions, marking the first occurrence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the country. The southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, has reported an unprecedented 942 sea mammal deaths due to […]
Dec 12, 2023
Zambia reports 684 suspected anthrax cases, 4 deaths
CIDRAP Zambia is reporting by far its most widespread anthrax outbreak ever, with 684 suspected cases and 4 deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported late last week. Cases have been reported in 9 of Zambia’s 10 provinces. Previous outbreaks were confined to Northwest and Western provinces, with sporadic cases over the years. “Of note,” the WHO said, […]
Dec 12, 2023
Bird flu kills thousands of Common Cranes in Hungary
Bird Guides Bird flu has ripped through Hungary’s important population of migratory Common Cranes this autumn, killing tens of thousands of birds. The deadly virus was first noted in the country in early November, in the counties of Hajdú-Bihar and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg. It wasn’t long before it was evident at the world-famous birding destination of the Hortobágy NP – which […]
Dec 12, 2023
