Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Mpox found in North Carolina wastewater testing samples: What that means
15 News North Carolina health officials are warning the public and medical practitioners to be on alert after a type of mpox never before found in the state was detected during routine wastewater testing. In an April 22 news release, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) said the virus—formerly known as monkeypox—was found during […]
Apr 23, 2025
Measles outbreak in Texas surpasses 600 confirmed cases
USA Today The measles outbreak in Texas has surpassed 600 confirmed cases in 2025, with nearly 30 new infections reported since April 18, the state health department said. As of April 22, there have been 624 measles cases confirmed in Texas since late January, according to new data released by the Texas Department of State Health […]
Apr 23, 2025
Americans unsure what to believe about the measles vaccine
Washington Post Most Americans have encountered false claims about the measles vaccine, and many aren’t sure what the truth is, according to a KFF poll released Wednesday. Misconceptions about measles, a highly contagious virus, and its vaccine abound as cases continue rising across the United States, according to the poll. Prominent false claims suggest that there is a link between autism […]
Apr 23, 2025
The latest on measles outbreak cases in the U.S.
Washington Post The United States is experiencing a large measles outbreak centered in West Texas. The first cases were reported in late January. Since then, the outbreak has spilled over to more states. Two unvaccinated and otherwise healthy school-aged children have died in Texas. An unvaccinated adult has died in New Mexico. Here’s a look at measles […]
Apr 23, 2025
Most Human H5 Bird Flu Cases in CA Had Exposure to Sick Cows
IDSE All but one case of people infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus in California have occurred in dairy workers who were exposed to sick cows, according to a new CDC report. The first human case of HPAI A(H5N1) virus in California was identified in September 2024. From Sept. 30 through Dec. 24, 2024, […]
Apr 23, 2025
Bird flu studies show variant from 2016 was one mutation away from binding to human receptors
Medical Express A variant of the bird flu virus, collected in 2016 and no longer in circulation, was just one mutation away from being able to bind to human receptors. This finding underscores that certain bird flu strains have the potential to cross over to humans and possibly trigger a pandemic. The variant currently circulating […]
Apr 23, 2025
Bird flu, feared as a possible pandemic, poses growing risk to people as pathogen spreads, scientists warn
CBS News Bird flu has been circling the globe for decades. So the discovery in 2024 that the deadly pathogen had jumped from a wild bird to a cow came as a shock to virus watchers. Now, in just over a year, the virus has ripped through America’s dairy herds and poultry flocks. It has […]
Apr 23, 2025
As bird flu hits cattle herds in U.S., scientists say these H5N1 factors worry them most
CBS News As the H5N1 bird flu virus mutates and rapidly spreads through American cattle herds — a first for the U.S. — doctors and veterinarians are fearful that if the virus is left unchecked, it could spiral into a possible pandemic Avian influenza is constantly changing. Every new infection increases the odds bird flu […]
Apr 23, 2025
Eight-year-old girl diagnosed with H5N1 avian flu accompanied by encephalitis
Down to Earth Second such case in Vietnam since 2004; the virus has impacted the central nervous system as against the known respiratory tract. Vietnam has reported its first case of bird flu in 2025 infecting an eight-year-old girl exhibiting encephalitis symptoms. In December 2024, the country reported an H5 infection in an 18-year-old man […]
Apr 23, 2025
We’re Releasing Millions Of Birds. The Ticks Are Thriving
Forbes Each summer in the U.K., up to 50 million pheasants are released into woods and fields for recreational shooting. At their seasonal peak, the biomass of these birds rivals that of all native U.K. breeding birds combined — an astonishing ecological intervention repeated year after year. The practice is legal, well-established and supports rural economies. But new evidence […]
Apr 23, 2025