Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
New mpox strain in DR Congo ‘most dangerous yet’
BBC A new strain of the mpox virus spreading quickly along the eastern border of Democratic Republic of Congo is “incredibly worrying”, say health officials monitoring its spread. The virus, which can cause lesions across the whole body, is making some people very ill and can be deadly. The current outbreak has been driven by […]
Jun 26, 2024
Michigan launches first effort of its kind to detect silent bird flu infections in farmworkers
STAT Michigan has led the nation in making inroads with its farmers as it has worked to contain spread of H5N1 bird flu infections in dairy cows. Now the state’s health authorities are trying to do the same in looking for undetected infections among farmworkers. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is working with an […]
Jun 25, 2024
COVID summer guide: How to navigate symptoms, variants and vaccines this season amid rising cases
Yahoo News It’s summer 2024, but the COVID-19 pandemic is still hanging around. And while the virus continues to evolve, it’s doing so in more predictable ways. Specifically, the expected summer uptick in infections has arrived: The number of COVID cases is “likely” on the rise in at least 39 states and isn’t dropping anywhere in the […]
Jun 25, 2024
CDC issues dengue fever alert in the U.S.
NBC News This year, the incidence of dengue fever globally has been the highest on record, as nations report increasingly hot temperatures — ideal for mosquitoes that spread dengue to hatch. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory Tuesday alerting authorities, health care providers and the public of the increased risk […]
Jun 25, 2024
Nigeria Issues Alert After ‘Highly Contagious’ Cholera Kills 15
Bloomberg Authorities in Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos have issued a public health warning after confirming a “highly aggressive and contagious” cholera strain that has killed 15 people in the city. The densely populated southwest city of about 25 million people said it has recorded 350 cases, a week after authorities began investigating a possible […]
Jun 19, 2024
Can we prevent a bird flu pandemic in humans?
Popular Science Here’s how experts say we should be mitigating the risk of H5N1 human outbreaks. highly pathogenic subtype of avian influenza (or bird flu), known as H5N1 is spreading among animals worldwide. For the past couple of decades, global health agencies have kept tabs on the virus, which is most well known for decimating […]
Jun 19, 2024
HPAI detected in WYO dairy herd
Oil City The Wyoming Department of Agriculture announced June 7 that highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in one of Wyoming’s dairy herds. According to the FDA, CDC and USDA, the threat of the disease in humans remains low, and consuming pasteurized milk and properly cooked meat is safe. However, the economic impact of […]
Jun 19, 2024
Scientists try to solve bird flu mystery: Why there’s so much virus in Michigan wastewater
Detroit Free Press Newly released wastewater surveillance data suggests Michigan is a national hot spot for the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus that’s infecting poultry, dairy cows and other mammals across the U.S., and has also been identified in three farmworkers — two in Michigan. Researchers told the Free Press they’re still trying to understand exactly why […]
Jun 19, 2024
More Minnesota turkeys struck by avian influenza
Watt Poultry Highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed in a commercial meat turkey flock in Stearns County on June 13. The case was reported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). With this latest detection, Minnesota has now had 11 commercial poultry flocks affected by HPAI in 2024. Prior […]
Jun 19, 2024
What causes long COVID? Case builds for rogue antibodies
Nature Study finds that antibodies from people with the debilitating condition trigger similar symptoms in mice. Antibodies isolated from people with long COVID increase pain sensitivity and reduce movement in mice when transferred to the animals, research shows1. The findings suggest that antibodies might drive some symptoms of long COVID — although how that process […]
Jun 18, 2024