Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Single mutation in H5N1 influenza surface protein could enable easier human infection
NIH NIH-funded study finds risk of human infection continues to remain low. A single modification in the protein found on the surface of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 influenza virus currently circulating in U.S. dairy cows could allow for easier transmission among humans, according to new research funded by the National Institutes of […]
Dec 10, 2024
Canadian Probe Into Teen’s Critical H5N1 Case: Implications for Infection Preventionists
Infection Control Today A critical case of H5N1 avian influenza in a British Columbia teenager has renewed focus on the complexities of zoonotic diseases. Despite exhaustive investigations, health officials have been unable to pinpoint how the teenager contracted the virus, underscoring the difficulty of tracing the origins of such infections. H5N1—commonly called bird flu—poses a significant […]
Dec 4, 2024
Sierra Leone: Additional Information on Suspected Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Case in Kono
Sierraloaded In a public notice, the NPHA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) provided additional details following laboratory testing conducted by the 34 Military Hospital Infectious Disease Laboratory. According to the notice, the test results for the suspected case returned as indeterminate. The inconclusive outcome is attributed to the use of formalin for preserving the […]
Dec 4, 2024
Unknown flu-like disease kills at least 79 people in DR Congo
BBC At least 79 people have died from an unknown disease that is causing flu-like symptoms in south-western Democratic Republic of Congo, the health ministry says. The health ministry says the majority of people who have died are between the ages of 15 and 18. More than 300 people have been infected with patients exhibiting […]
Dec 4, 2024
UK: Confirmed cases of mpox clade Ib
gov.uk This release has been published in response to confirmed cases of clade Ib mpox in the UK. Whilst numbers remain low updates will be released on an ad-hoc basis. As of 29 November 2024, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed 5 cases of clade Ib mpox in the UK. The first case […]
Dec 4, 2024
Sick animals suggest COVID pandemic started in Wuhan market
Nature A preliminary analysis takes a closer look at genomic data collected at the market. The quest to understand where the COVID-19 pandemic started has revealed fresh clues. Researchers have re-analysed data collected from a market in Wuhan, China, during the early days of the pandemic and found that animals there were infected with a […]
Dec 4, 2024
Colorado sees rise in walking pneumonia, particularly among very young children
Denver Post Colorado has experienced a surge in walking pneumonia this fall, most notably among very young children who aren’t usually as susceptible to the illness, according to health officials. Bacterial infections that cause the mild lung infection reemerged nationwide this year for the first time since the start of the pandemic, peaking in August […]
Dec 4, 2024
New Zealand suspends poultry exports after first case of H7 bird flu
Reuters New Zealand said on Monday that it had suspended all poultry exports after detecting a highly pathogenic variant of avian influenza at a poultry farm on the South Island. Tests confirmed the H7N6 subtype of bird flu at a rural chicken farm in the Otago region, Biosecurity New Zealand said in a statement. It […]
Dec 4, 2024
Why Anthony Fauci Is Concerned about Bird Flu and Public Division
Scientific American “America’s Doctor” says that our common enemy is the danger posed by viruses, not each other. his episode is part of “Health Equity Heroes,” an editorially independent special project that was produced with financial support from Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Rachel Feltman: The public health world is filled with heroes, but it doesn’t exactly produce a ton […]
Dec 4, 2024
Bird Flu, Explained
NYT By now, you’ve probably seen some alarming headlines about bird flu, and you may be wondering how worried you should be. I understand the uncertainty. On the one hand, we have all spent decades hearing alarming stories about strange viruses — like MERS, Ebola, dengue and Zika — most of which don’t end up […]
Dec 4, 2024