Author: Claudinne Miller
‘Milk-stealing’ calves spread deadly bird flu virus among US cows, China study reveals
Interesting Engineering A recent study has unraveled the mystery of how the H5N1 avian influenza virus infects the mammary glands of dairy cows, despite typically being a respiratory pathogen. Researchers, led by Professor Hualan Chen of the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute in China, have also presented a roadmap for managing the disease in cattle. “This […]
Jul 16, 2025
Bangladesh and India alert WHO about new H5N1 infections
CIDRAP Bangladesh and India alert WHO about new H5N1 infections. In a monthly zoonotic flu update, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Bangladesh and India have reported new H5N1 avian flu cases that were previously unreported. Bangladesh’s patient is a child from Chittagong division in the country’s southeast who was admitted to the hospital on May […]
Jul 16, 2025
New Details Revealed About Father-of-2 Who Died After Catching Fatal Bat Virus
People A man in his 50s died after contracting the first confirmed case of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) in New South Wales, Australia. Craig Nolte died on July 3 after falling critically ill from a bat bite the he sustained eight months prior, his wife Robyn Nolte confirmed in a post on Facebook on Tuesday, July 15. “I said […]
Jul 16, 2025
Chikungunya Virus Found to Infect Cartilage Cells, Offering Clues to Long-Term Joint Pain
Global Biodefense A new study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases provides the first in vivo evidence that chikungunya virus (CHIKV) directly infects cartilage-producing cells known as chondrocytes. Using a genetically engineered virus that glows in infected tissues, scientists tracked the progression of CHIKV in mice, revealing persistent infection in joints and uncovering cellular mechanisms that may underlie […]
Jul 16, 2025
Swiss genome of the 1918 influenza virus reconstructed
Medical Express Researchers from the universities of Basel and Zurich have used a historical specimen from UZH’s Medical Collection to decode the genome of the virus responsible for the 1918–1920 influenza pandemic in Switzerland. The genetic material of the virus reveals that it had already developed key adaptations to humans at the outset of what […]
Jul 16, 2025
Scientists discover compounds that help cells fight a wide range of viruses
MIT News The molecules trigger a built-in cellular stress response and show promise as broad-spectrum antivirals against Zika, herpes, RSV, and more. Researchers at MIT and other institutions have identified compounds that can fight off viral infection by activating a defense pathway inside host cells. These compounds, they believe, could be used as antiviral drugs […]
Jul 16, 2025
Mozambique sees surge in mpox cases
aa.com Mozambique has confirmed a surge in cases of the mpox virus during the past 48 hours in parts of the country. According to a report by the National Directorate of Public Health made available Tuesday, the country has recorded 11 cases, but no deaths have been reported so far. Niassa is said to be […]
Jul 16, 2025
Measles isn’t just dangerous – it may erase your immune system
The Conversation Blindness, pneumonia, severe diarrhoea and even death – measles virus infections, especially in children, can have devastating consequences. Fortunately, we have a safe and effective defence. Measles vaccines are estimated to have averted more than 60 million deaths between 2000 and 2023. Yet despite this success, measles cases are rising sharply in the UK and around the […]
Jul 16, 2025
Measles cases are surging in Europe and the US. This is what the anti-vax conspiracy theory has brought us
The Guardian Nearly 30 years after Andrew Wakefield’s discredited study linking the MMR vaccine and autism, we badly need an injection of rationality. It’s easy to say in hindsight, but also true, that even when the anti-vax movement was in its infancy in the late 90s before I had kids, let alone knew what you […]
Jul 16, 2025
Measles, rubella and polio: The return of preventable diseases
The Hill With outbreaks of previously eradicated measles leading the news for months, more epidemics may be in store for the U.S. As vaccination rates among children continue to plummet, concerns are rising over the potential for infectious diseases to spread rampantly in the coming years and decades. Research published in the medical journal JAMA suggests a continued decline could lead to […]
Jul 16, 2025