Author: Claudinne Miller
A human isolate of bovine H5N1 is transmissible and lethal in animal models
Nature The outbreak of clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of the H5N1 subtype (HPAI H5N1) in dairy cows in the US has so far resulted in spillover infections of at least thirteen farm workers1-3, who presented with mild respiratory symptoms or conjunctivitis, and one individual with no known animal exposure who was hospitalized […]
Oct 29, 2024
Lassa Fever Suspected in Death of U.S. Traveler Returning from West Africa
CDC The CDC and the Iowa Department of Health are investigating a suspected case of Lassa fever, which was diagnosed today in an Iowa resident who returned to the United States from West Africa early this month. The patient was not sick while traveling so the risk to fellow airline passengers is extremely low. The […]
Oct 29, 2024
Rwanda sees no new infections or deaths due to Marburg virus for nearly a week
EuroNews The country’s health minister cited the absence of new infections and deaths in the past six days. There is no “community transmission” in the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, the country’s health minister said on Sunday. All positive cases have come from the list of known contacts of people with the virus, health minister Sabin Nsanzimana […]
Oct 23, 2024
Indirect and direct effects of nighttime light on COVID-19 mortality using satellite image mapping approach
Nature The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of understanding environmental factors in disease transmission. This study aims to explore the spatial association between nighttime light (NTL) from satellite imagery and COVID-19 mortality. It particularly examines how NTL serves as a pragmatic proxy to estimate human interaction in illuminated nocturnal area, thereby impacting viral transmission […]
Oct 23, 2024
Pfizer’s RSVpreF Vaccine Shows Efficacy in High-Risk Adults Aged 18-59
Contagion C3671023 Substudy A (NCT05842967)(MONeT Study) is a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing the safety and immunogenicity of Pfizer’s RSVpreF vaccine in high-risk adults aged 18-59 with chronic medical conditions, such as pulmonary, cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, and metabolic disorders, including diabetes mellitus. The study aims to show that the immune response in this […]
Oct 23, 2024
Bird flu infects four in Washington state; CDC deploys team
The Hill Bird flu has possibly infected four agricultural workers in Washington state, according to the Washington State Department of Health. In a press release Sunday, the Washington State Department of Health said the “workers tested presumptively positive for avian influenza after working with infected poultry at a commercial egg farm in Franklin County.” Franklin County is […]
Oct 23, 2024
Bird flu infects flock of 800,000 poultry in southeast Washington
Washington State Standard Bird flu has infected a commercial flock of about 800,000 fowl at an egg farm in southeast Washington, the state’s Department of Agriculture said this week. It’s the first detection in Washington this year of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial poultry operation and is one of about four dozen known […]
Oct 22, 2024
Main zoo in North Macedonian capital shut down after avian flu case detected
ABC News The main zoo in North Macedonia’s capital Skopje was closed Saturday after authorities confirmed the presence of a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu. According to a press statement, the flu was detected in a goose that died in a pond. “Laboratory results confirmed a case of the presence of a pathogenic strain […]
Oct 22, 2024
Advanced technologies for the development of infectious disease vaccines
Nature Vaccines play a critical role in the prevention of life-threatening infectious disease. However, the development of effective vaccines against many immune-evading pathogens such as HIV has proven challenging, and existing vaccines against some diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria have limited efficacy. The historically slow rate of vaccine development and limited pan-variant immune responses […]
Oct 22, 2024
Vaccine Hesitancy: COVID-19 to Influenza
AJMC Back in 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) deemed vaccine hesitancy—the outright refusal or reluctance to get vaccinated regardless of the availability of vaccines—as a top-10 threat to global health.1 At the time, WHO estimated that vaccinations prevented up to 3 million deaths each year; furthermore, an additional 1.5 million deaths could be prevented if global […]
Oct 22, 2024