Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
US government exercises $144m option for smallpox/mpox vaccine contract
Pharmaceutical Technology The options are for the freeze-dried version of Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos, a formulation that allows easier stockpiling. Amid a US measles outbreak the US government has placed a $143.6m order for Bavarian Nordic’s smallpox/mpox jab Jynneos to bolster its infectious disease preparedness. The order is part of a ten-year contract awarded to vaccine-developer […]
May 7, 2025
Genetic Study Retraces the Origins of Coronaviruses in Bats
NYT As China and the United States trade charges of a lab leak, researchers contend in a new paper that the Covid pandemic got its start, like a previous one, in the wildlife trade. In the early 2000s, a coronavirus infecting bats jumped into raccoon dogs and other wild mammals in southwestern China. Some of […]
May 7, 2025
Measles is making a comeback: Can we stop it?
Harvard Health Seven things to know about the recent measles outbreaks. Has the recent news about measles outbreaks in the US surprised you? Didn’t it seem like we were done with measles? In the US, widespread vaccination halted the ongoing spread of measles more than 20 years ago, a major public health achievement. Before an effective vaccine […]
May 7, 2025
Measles could again become widespread as cases surge worldwide
The Conversation Globally, measles is on the rise across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America and parts of Europe. In 2025, North and South America saw 11 times more cases than during the same period last year. In Europe, measles rates are at their highest point in 25 years. In the U.S., as of May 2, 2025, health […]
May 7, 2025
Measles cases hit six-year high in South Korea amid outbreaks across south-east Asia
The Guardian South Korea passes annual tally for 2024 already, as Vietnam and Thailand continue to battle outbreaks. South Korea has recorded the highest number of measles cases in six years, adding to concerns that low vaccination rates combined with international travel are contributing to further outbreaks elsewhere in the region. The country has confirmed 52 cases so far this […]
May 7, 2025
States loosen vaccine rules — even as measles outbreak rages
Politico With a longtime vaccine skeptic serving as the country’s top health official, the movement is likely to make further inroads. The U.S. is on track to surpass 1,000 measles cases this year as the viral illness — once so rare that most young doctors don’t recognize the telltale rash — makes an alarming comeback. […]
May 7, 2025
How dangerous is the H5N1 virus? Experts warn of its pandemic potential
MSN Virologists across the globe are raising alarms over the spread of the H5N1 avian flu virus, which is now infecting not just birds, but cattle and humans. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently considers the risk to the general public low, scientists warn that the virus’s increasing reach could lead to another pandemic. In a […]
May 7, 2025
H5N1 Bird Flu Cases Have Slowed in Animals and People
Medpage Today Detections of H5N1 avian influenza have slowed in both animals and humans, but continued surveillance is warranted, CDC researchers said. In dairy cattle, cases surged over the fall and early winter but eased in January, while cases in poultry flocks fell after February, and came down last month in backyard flocks, according to data […]
May 7, 2025
Texas measles total tops 700 cases amid rises in other states
CIDRAP The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) today reported 19 more cases since its last update on May 2, lifting the state’s total to 702 cases. As the country’s biggest measles hot spot, the state has reported outbreak-linked cases from 29 counties, mainly in west Texas. So far 91 people have been hospitalized, […]
May 7, 2025
USDA Invests in Poultry Vaccine for Bird Flu
Farms The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has allocated $100 million toward researching and developing a vaccine to combat Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The disease has affected flocks across the country, but current infection rates are decreasing due to the slower migration season. Introducing a poultry vaccine could significantly reduce outbreaks and support the […]
May 7, 2025