Outbreak News Today

Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) Foundation is proud to announce that Florida Cancer Specialists physicians, Dr. R. Waide Weaver, and Dr. David D. Wright will serve as honorary co-chairs of its annual fundraising Gala in Tampa. The Southern State of Kind will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2019, from 6 – 11 pm at the Armature Works, 1910 North Ola Avenue, Tampa, Florida. […]The post Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) Foundation announces co-chairs of its annual fundraising Gala in Tampa appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists have discovered a pathway that functions like a car wash to prevent the buildup of a toxic protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The report appeared online in the journal Cell. The findings in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s offer a possible new approach to treatment of the chronic neurodegenerative […]The post Pathway discovered that prevents buildup of Alzheimer’s protein appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez and state Surgeon General Scott A. Rivkees announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Florida Department of Health (FDOH) are partnering to control the current rise in Hepatitis A cases throughout the state. This is the coffee Forbes called Best in America! The new partnership with […]The post CDC partners with Florida to help control hepatitis A outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Genentech announced this week that the Phase III MINISTONE-2 study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that XOFLUZA™ (baloxavir marboxil) was well-tolerated in children with the flu. The study also showed that XOFLUZA is comparable to oseltamivir – a proven effective treatment for children with the flu – at reducing the duration of flu symptoms, including […]The post Influenza: XOFLUZA well-tolerated in children with the flu in Phase III study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Bay Area Lyme Foundation recently announced the relaunch of their free tick testing program in collaboration with Northern Arizona University. In addition to testing for pathogens like Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, Babesia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia rickettsii, testing for Bartonella has been added. 3x faster treatment plan than braces Based on the success of the 2016–2018 […]The post Bay Area Lyme Foundation announces the return of free tick testing appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with other federal and state agencies report investigating a multistate outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- infections linked to contact with pig ear dog treats. Forty-five people infected, including 12 hospitalizations with the outbreak strain of Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- have been reported from 13 states–Iowa […]The post Multistate Salmonella outbreak sickens dozens, linked to contact with pig ear dog treats appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Robert Herriman @infectiousdiseasenews According to the World Malaria Report, there were 219 million cases of malaria globally during 2017, resulting in 435,000 malaria deaths. Drug resistance poses one of the greatest threats to malaria control and results in increased malaria morbidity and mortality. Vanderbilt University biomedical engineers have discovered how to rapidly detect critical […]The post Malaria drug resistance: An alternative for detection in the field appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The government of Honduras declared a state of emergency in mid-June in 12 or the 18 departments in the country due to the ongoing dengue fever epidemic. Through the first week of June, a total of 11,436 cases had been reported, including more than 4000 severe dengue cases and 63 fatalities. […]The post Honduras dengue outbreak: State of emergency declared in 2/3s of departments appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A fungus that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS), a deadly disease of hibernating bats but not a direct health risk for humans, has been detected in North Dakota for the first time. The fungus was detected on one little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) that was captured on the night of May 6, 2019 within the boundary of […]The post White-Nose Syndrome Found in North Dakota appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Jory Lange The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency announced today that a fifth child developed E coli after visiting the San Diego County Fair. Like the earlier cases, animals may have been the source of this child’s E coli infection. Five children have developed E coli infections after coming into […]The post 5th Child With E. coli After San Diego County Fair appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews San Bernardino County San Bernardino County health officials have reported the first confirmed measles case of the year in a unvaccinated 8-month old child who traveled internationally. State health officials have seen 56 confirmed measles cases this year so far. Escherichia coli linked to San Diego County Fair update In a follow-up […]The post California: 1st measles case in San Bernardino County, SD E. coli update appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews A Hunterdon County man is the first human case of West Nile virus (WNV) of 2019 in New Jersey, according to state health officials. The man in his 70s began exhibiting symptoms of meningitis on June 21. He was hospitalized for several days and is now recovering at home. “This is the earliest […]The post New Jersey reports 1st West Nile virus case of the year: ‘Earliest time a case was detected’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

An Australian man died in December from a serious Salmonella infection, some say was contracted by eating a gecko on a dare at a Christmas Party. This is not the first time someone either got very sick or actually died from an infectious agent they got from eating something raw on a dare–I look at […]The post Infectious diseases contracted on a dare appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Florida state health officials reported an additional 90 hepatitis A cases during the week ending June 29, bringing the total to 1718 since the beginning of the year and 2266 since the outbreak began in 2018. The most cases reported this year has been in Pasco County (329) followed by Pinellas (296), Volusia […]The post Florida reports 90 additional hepatitis A cases last week appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Dengue fever The Department of Disease Control announced today of two additional locally transmitted dengue fever cases in Tainan City. The cases were reported in women in their 70s in the Kaishan Mountains in the Central and Western District. There is no history of going abroad, no history of activities in Kaohsiung City […]The post Taiwan: More dengue, Japanese encephalitis and enterovirus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in Rakhine state, Myanmar continue to see high numbers of schistosomiasis infections, according to a Democratic Voice of Burma report (computer translated). Since the beginning of the year, more than 200 people were found to be confirmed infected by the parasitic disease, mostly children. Schistosomiasis was detected in Rakhine state in […]The post Schistosomiasis: 200 cases reported in Rakhine state, Myanmar appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Biotech and vaccine development company, Valneva announced today the initiation of the second study of Phase 2 clinical development for its leading, unique Lyme disease vaccine candidate VLA15. The overall Phase 2 objectives for VLA15 are to determine the optimal dosage level and vaccination schedule for use in Phase 3 pivotal field efficacy studies, based […]The post Lyme disease vaccine candidate: Initiation of second study of Phase 2 clinical development appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In the state of Assam in northeastern India, the Japanese encephalitis (JE) situation has got to the point that the Union minister of health and family welfare (MoHFW) sent a team to the state to review the situation. As of Monday, at least 22 people have died, while 59 positive cases of JE […]The post Japanese Encephalitis: 22 deaths reported in Assam, India appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews State health officials in South Dakota are reporting the first human West Nile virus (WNV) case of 2019 in a adult Turner County resident. “Active transmission of West Nile virus is occurring in South Dakota and people need to protect themselves, especially during evening outdoor activities, such as 4th of July fireworks […]The post West Nile virus: South Dakota reports 1st human case in Turner County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) recently reported their first case of Candida auris (C. auris) infection. In this video, I go over that case and look a general info about the fungus, it’s antifungal resistance, C. auris in the US and globally and a recent infection control research report. Rat hepatitis E […]The post 1st case of Candida auris in Hong Kong appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A more effective seasonal flu vaccine is about to be tested in clinical trials across the US. The current vaccine was 47 percent effective before a flu bug emerged halfway through the season, decreasing it’s effectiveness to 29 percent, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr Nikolai Petrovsky, Flinders University Professor […]The post Influenza: More effective vaccine begins US trials appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Collective intelligence from crowdsourced forecast data will provide health sector leaders with new, actionable information to guide decision making about preparedness and response policies and interventions The second phase of Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security’s Collective Intelligence for Disease Prediction project is launching today. Volunteer predictors are needed to thoughtfully answer a set of forecasting […]The post Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security seeks participants for infectious disease prediction project appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Mexican authorities are reporting anitibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in two hospitals that has resulted in fatalities, according to a Saludiario report (computer translated). The Regional Hospital Dr. Juan Graham Casasús in Villahermosa, Tabasco have reported nine cases recently, including three deaths. Officials note that the fatalities are not due to the “superbug”. In addition, […]The post Mexico: Acinetobacter baumannii strikes hospitals in Tabasco and Tampico appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In California, Oakland Animal Services is reporting an outbreak of the Canine Influenza Virus (CIV), aka canine flu or dog flu. Local media report about 200 infected dogs are being moved to a warehouse and the warehouse was cleaned and filled with kennels and play areas. Reports do not specify the type of […]The post Dog flu outbreak in Oakland appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Malaysia health officials reported on the recall of Malaysian Starfresh packaged beverage (AMB) water products from the Singapore market because they are tainted with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. AMB products involved in 500ml and 1500ml with the final date on May 11, 2021 and May 13, 2021, respectively. The Ministry of Health of Malaysia (KKM) through the Food Safety and […]The post Malaysia recall: Bottled water contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The rates of certain types of sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, are rising dramatically for both male and female service members, according to the Military Health System (MHS) last week. These STIs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirm similar surges for these three types […]The post Sexually transmitted infections in the US military: ‘Appears to be an increase in high-risk behaviors’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Auckland health officials continue to report measles cases and as of July 1, 149 confirmed cases have been recorded. Auckland Regional Public Health Service and the Ministry of Health are recommending that all one year old children in Counties Manukau, Auckland and Waitemata DHBs receive their first MMR early to protect them […]The post Auckland measles outbreak continues to rise appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other viruses now appear to be the main causes of severe childhood pneumonia in low- and middle-income countries, highlighting the need for vaccines against these pathogens, according to a study from a consortium of scientists from around the world, led by a team at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of […]The post RSV and other viruses now the leading cause of global childhood pneumonia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Department of Disease Control announced the first case of local dengue fever in Tainan City. It is a 30-year-old male in Jiadingli, Yongkang District. Dengue virus type 2 was confirmed by laboratory testing. In addition, Kaohsiung City reported an additional local case on June 29, which is a 10-year-old girl from Dingjinli in Sanmin District. Dengue […]The post Taiwan reports 1st locally-acquired dengue case in Tainan City appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Cases of mumps in England have increased dramatically since the last quarter of 2018, according to the latest data from Public Health England (PHE). Provisional data from PHE shows 756 laboratory confirmed mumps cases in the first quarter of 2019, this compares with 162 confirmed cases reported during the fourth quarter of […]The post England: Confirmed mumps cases highest in five years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Vietnam health officials recently reported (computer translated) on a 17-month-old girl from Ha Nam presenting to the hospital with high fever and a body rash. The family told doctors that the rash started at the face then spread to the back, chest, hands–measles. Upon further examination and discussion it was determined that the […]The post Vietnam also battling anti-vaccine sentiment appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Costa Rica Ministry of Health reports a significant increase in cases of dengue fever during the first half of the year, compared to last year. In June 2018 there were 975 cases registered, while this year we had a total of 1666 cases, which represents 70% more than the same period of […]The post Costa Rica: Dengue cases up 70 percent in 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Western Visayas The Philippines Department of Health in the Western Visayas reported 17 human rabies deaths during the first five months of the year, the second most of any province in the country behind only Central Luzon. This is the same number of human rabies deaths reported in all of 2018. This has […]The post Philippines rabies: Western Visayas human deaths, Legazpi City ‘state of calamity’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

As communities across the U.S. replace forests and woodlands with housing developments and other new construction, researchers are noting an increase in Lyme disease. To help prevent the spread of Lyme disease, Dr. Ivan Castro-Arellano, a disease ecologist and wildlife researcher at Texas State University, is exploring how urbanization and its effects on mammals impact the […]The post Researcher explores how urbanization affects wildlife, spread of Lyme disease appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

About 2 weeks ago, news media were reporting of some tourists from Iceland who contracted the mosquito-borne virus, Chikungunya while vacationing in Spain. Turns out the laboratory in Iceland made an error and we finally learn that Chikungunya was not the culprit of the tourist’s illness. In this short video, I look at the timetable. […]The post Chikungunya Lab Error appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Jory Lange Petting zoo animals may be the source of an E. coli outbreak linked to the San Diego County Fair. The County of San Diego Health and Human Services (HHSA) is urging anyone who visited the San Diego County Fair and then began experiencing symptoms of E. coli infection on or after June […]The post 2-year-old boy dies from E Coli infection linked to San Diego County Fair appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Health officials in King County, Washington, are reporting a new confirmed measles case in a child who is a resident. The child received care at the Emergency Department at Seattle Children’s Hospital and remains hospitalized. While contagious, the patient was in Fred Meyer in Kent and the Seattle Children’s Hospital Emergency Department before […]The post Measles in Seattle: Possible public exposure at Seattle Children’s Hospital appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Robert Herriman @infectiousdiseasenews Although the number of dengue cases reported in this year’s Reunion epidemic has decreased significantly in the past month and a half–about 300 cases reported per week compared to more than 1300 mid-April at the height of the epidemic–health authorities raised the epidemic level from a 3 (low intensity epidemic) to a […]The post Dengue fever: Reunion raises level of epidemic appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Controlling deadly malaria without chemicals Scientists have finally found malaria’s Achilles’ heel, a neurotoxin that isn’t harmful to any living thing except Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria. Nearly half the world’s population lives in areas vulnerable to malaria which kills roughly 450,000 people per year, most of them children and pregnant women. Progress […]The post Infectious disease research: Malaria control, meningitis vaccines appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The number of dengue fever cases in Vietnam this year is a three-times increase compared to the same period last year, according to newly published data. So far this year, there have been a total of 70,491 cases with four deaths reported through early June, significantly higher compared to the same period in […]The post Vietnam dengue cases up 3-times this year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Dengue fever Brazil health officials are reporting a dramatic increase in dengue fever cases during the first 23 weeks of 2019, according to recent data from the country’s Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. From Jan. 1 through June 8, 1,127,244 probable dengue cases were registered in the country (excluding discarded cases- some 300,000). […]The post Brazil: Nearly 600K dengue cases through early June, Chikungunya update appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal and state agencies report investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Uganda infections linked to whole, fresh papayas imported from Mexico. Sixty-two people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Uganda have been reported from 8 states–(Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and […]The post Salmonella outbreak linked in papayas appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to a recent report out of Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services is advising the public how to reduce the risk of people contracting anthrax and other diseases from livestock and game animals. Two confirmed animal anthrax cases in Uvalde County and another 18 other animal deaths prompted the warning. […]The post Two animal anthrax deaths prompts warning from Texas health officials appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Five wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases were reported in the past week–two in Afghanistan and three in Pakistan, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. In Afghanistan, the two cases were reported from Tirinkot district, Uruzgan province, bringing the country total to 10 year-to-date. Pakistan saw three cases- one each from Lakki Marwat, Torghar […]The post Polio: 5 WPV1 cases reported in past week, global total exceeds 2018 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted threadworm that is endemic in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have conducted a nation-wide parasitology survey of the Cambodian population and concluded that nearly a third of the studied population is infected with S. stercoralis. The threadworm is transmitted through infected larvae in […]The post Strongyloides stercoralis: 30 percent of Cambodians tested positive in study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Hong Kong health officials report investigating an additional human infection of rat Hepatitis E virus (HEV) in a 73-year-old man with underlying illnesses. He presented with liver function derangement earlier this month. He has been in a stable condition all along and no hospitalization is required. His blood sample tested positive for rat […]The post Hong Kong investigates additional human infection of rat Hepatitis E virus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews The World Health Organization (WHO) announced this week that great progress has occurred in the battle against the bacterial neglected tropical disease, trachoma. Major data presented at the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020 reveals the following: The number of people at risk of trachoma has fallen from 1.5 […]The post Trachoma risk drops 90 percent since 2002 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Robert Herriman @infectiousdiseasenews Dengue The number of dengue cases in the country continue to rise with rainy season now here. Since the beginning of the year through June 1, the Philippines has seen 83,570 cases, including 354 deaths. This compares with 45,053 cases and 240 deaths reported during the same period last year. In […]The post Philippines: Dengue cases top 80K, Measles on the decline appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), we learn that the USDA will run the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), the $1.25 billion biosafety level-4 laboratory in Manhattan, Kansas. USDA will assume responsibility for all operational planning and eventual operation of […]The post USDA to run ‘Plum Island’ Kansas appeared first on Outbreak News Today.