Author: Claudinne Miller
Bird Flu Outbreak Puts Mink Farms Back in the Spotlight
(New York Times) A new variant of avian influenza appears capable of spreading among mammals, highlighting the need for more proactive surveillance, experts said. Early last October, the mink on a fur farm in Spain suddenly began to fall ill. They stopped eating and began salivating excessively. They became clumsy, started to experience tremors and […]
Feb 8, 2023
Bird Flu Outbreak Is a Wake-Up Call for Agriculture
(Bloomberg) The H1N5 virus has been rampaging through poultry farms and a Spanish mink facility. Perhaps we can blame Covid fatigue for numbing us to the risks of other viruses. But it should be bigger news that a bird flu has mutated to spread through mammals and is ominously appearing among wild and domesticated animals around the […]
Feb 8, 2023
What Socioeconomic Consequences Has COVID-19 Misinformation Had in Canada?
(MedScape) Health and science misinformation has had serious socioeconomic consequences in Canada, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the Council of Canadian Academies. In 2021 alone, misinformation that promoted vaccine hesitancy resulted in higher numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths — and approximately $300 million in additional healthcare costs.
Feb 7, 2023
White House opposes bill to lift foreign air visitor vaccination rule
(Reuters) The White House said Tuesday it opposes legislation before Congress that would end a requirement that most foreign air travelers be vaccinated against COVID-19. The House of Representatives is set to vote on the bill on Wednesday. The Biden administration in June dropped its requirement that people arriving in the country by air must test negative for COVID […]
Feb 7, 2023
The WHO fungal priority pathogens list as a game-changer
(Nature) Invasive fungal diseases are on the increase globally. The World Health Organization fungal priority pathogens list highlights fungi of critical or high importance to human health and provides pathways for action. The report calls for improved surveillance (diagnostics and antifungal resistance monitoring), research and innovation (implementation research) and public-health interventions. In late 2022, the […]
Feb 7, 2023
2022 was a breakthrough year for understanding rare diseases. 2023 needs to be better
(STAT) Major advances in the study and treatment of rare diseases occurred in 2022, from a better understanding of just how many of these diseases exist to the start of new clinical trials that may lead to new therapies. For the last decade or so, the number of accepted rare diseases has stood between 7,000 […]
Feb 7, 2023
First molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus in cockroaches
Biologia Coronavirus is one of the main pathogens that primarily targets the human respiratory system. There are several ways to transmit this virus, such as direct contact or droplets spread by coughing or sneezing, and direct contact with fomites and surfaces is another way. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Shiraz, southern Iran, in 2021. […]
Feb 7, 2023
Bird flu is spreading among mammals. How worried should we be?
(Sydney Morning Herald) In Spain, bird flu appears to have spread from mink to mink for the first time. This is a troubling situation that warrants close attention. “These are exactly the kind of situations we’re really worried about,” Associate Professor Paul Horwood tells me. Dr Michelle Wille says she and “many of my colleagues […]
Feb 7, 2023
Here’s Why Experts Are Concerned About Bird Flu
(MedPageToday) What appears to be mammal-to-mammal transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) on a mink farm in Spain has caught the attention of infectious disease epidemiologists around the world. A paper published in Eurosurveillance last monthopens in a new tab or window detailed an H5N1 outbreak among farmed minks in the Galicia region of Spain in October […]
Feb 7, 2023
Bird flu cases spill over to mammals in Oregon, across the U.S.
(Oregon News) Oregon wildlife officials said they have diagnosed a handful of wild mammals with highly pathogenic avian flu – but they do not consider it an outbreak. The disease, commonly known as bird flu, is usually associated with wild birds and backyard flocks. It has killed thousands of birds throughout the state in recent months and […]
Feb 7, 2023