Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Scientists discover novel orthonairovirus in man bitten by tick in China
Med Express A case report published in the New England Journal of Medicine describes a previously unidentified orthonairovirus, dubbed Wetland virus (WELV), in a man bitten by a tick at a wetland park in Inner Mongolia, China, in 2019. After isolating the virus from the index patient, a team led by Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology researchers conducted […]
Sep 10, 2024
US is beefing up mpox testing, vaccine access against new strain
Reuters The United States has beefed up testing and surveillance for a new strain of mpox and has ensured that vaccines are readily available at local pharmacies and community health centers, senior administration officials said in a briefing on Friday. No cases of the more transmissible strain of the virus have been confirmed in the […]
Sep 10, 2024
New Hampshire man tests positive for EEE and 2 other mosquito viruses, now fighting for life
CBS News A New Hampshire man is fighting for his life because of a mosquito bite. Fifty-four-year-old Joe Casey of Kensington has tested positive for three mosquito-borne viruses, including eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus. “He’s my brother. It’s very difficult, especially because it’s from a mosquito,” his sister-in-law Angela Barker told WBZ-TV, fighting back tears. […]
Sep 4, 2024
Officials confirm H5N1 bird flu outbreaks in three California dairy farms
Los Angeles Times Federal officials have confirmed that three California dairy herds have suffered outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu, due most likely to the transportation of cattle and not exposure to diseased birds. Health officials announced last week that they suspected cows at three Central Valley dairies had contracted the illness, and were awaiting testing […]
Sep 4, 2024
As mosquito-borne illnesses spread, here’s how to tell West Nile, dengue and EEE apart
ABC News As mosquito season continues, public health officials in the U.S. have been tracking several different illnesses caused by the pesky flying insect. Health officials are reporting at least eighteen deaths from West Nile virus in the U.S. this year, with three recent deaths recorded in Wisconsin and Illinois. There have been six cases of eastern equine […]
Sep 4, 2024
2 additional cases of West Nile virus confirmed in Massachusetts
WCVB Massachusetts public health officials are raising the risk level for West Nile virus in nine cities and towns after reporting two additional human cases of the mosquito-borne disease. According to the Department of Public Health, one patient is a man in his 50s who was exposed in Suffolk County, and the other is a […]
Sep 3, 2024
What Is the Oropouche Virus Found in US Travelers to Cuba?
VOA American health officials have identified a virus spread by insects in more than 20 people who visited Cuba. The virus is officially called Oropouche. It is also known as sloth fever. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said August 27 it had received reports of 21 cases in the United States. […]
Sep 3, 2024
What to know about the mosquito-borne virus circulating in the Northeast
Washington Post Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, is a rare but serious disease that can cause brain inflammation. There is so far no vaccine against it for humans. One person has died and some communities are restricting activities as eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, circulates in the northeastern United States. The mosquito-borne disease is rare but serious, […]
Sep 3, 2024
How avian influenza has spread to Antarctic islands
Cosmos Discovery of how the deadly avian influenza virus spread to the Antarctic has raised concerns about how vulnerable the region will be during seabird breeding season. In October 2023, British researchers confirmed for the first time the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions. The strain detected in […]
Sep 3, 2024
Mpox is back: What to know and do
Harvard Ever heard of mpox? Wondering why it’s back in the news? Many of us first learned about mpox (formerly called monkeypox) in 2022, when the largest known outbreak spread to nearly 100,000 people in more than 100 countries. While mpox often circulates in central and western Africa, the 2022 outbreak quickly spread from the […]
Sep 3, 2024