Outbreak News Today

Bioterrorism expert and Senior lecturer at Western New England University in Springfield, Lawrence Roberge, PhD joined me on the show to look at the history of bioterrorism–from antiquity to contemporary times. Monkeypox confirmed in Singapore, imported from Nigerian traveler Norway reports human rabies death, individual spent 2 months in Asia Reunion dengue outbreak eclipses 9,000 […]The post History of Bioterrorism with Dr Lawrence Roberge appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed one imported case of monkeypox infection. The patient is a 38-year-old Nigerian national who arrived in Singapore alone on 28 April 2019, and was tested positive for monkeypox on 8 May. He is currently warded in an isolation ward at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), […]The post Monkeypox confirmed in Singapore, imported from Nigerian traveler appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), or Folkehelseinstituttet reported on a human rabies death of a person that got bit of by dog while staying in Southeast Asia. The patient was admitted with rabies infection at Førde central hospital, early on Monday night and admitted to the intensive care unit. The patient died with close family […]The post Norway reports human rabies death, individual spent 2 months in Asia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in Reunion reported an additional 1322 confirmed dengue fever cases during the week ending April 28. This brings the total cases for the first four months of 2019 to more than 9200. Areas in the south of the island continue to be very active for dengue, these include Saint-Louis, Etang-Salé, Les Avirons, Saint-Joseph, […]The post Reunion dengue outbreak eclipses 9,000 cases for 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

From antiquity to modern times, biological agents have been used in warfare and various nefarious uses. My guest today, bioterrorism expert and Senior Lecturer at Western New England University, Lawrence Roberge, PhD joins me to look at these different times–from plague to smallpox, the horrors of Japan’s Unit 731 to the activities of cults like […]The post Bioterrorism history with Lawrence Roberge, PhD appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The parasitic disease, Chagas disease, and the vector, the kissing bug, have been in US media a lot recently after the CDC published an MMWR about finding the bug in Delaware. My guest today is currently conducting survey work in Oklahoma to estimate the prevalence of T. cruzi infection in domestic dogs and kissing bugs […]The post Chagas disease, kissing bugs and the OSU survey appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The measles outbreak in Japan continues this year as the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo reports 422 cases as of Apr. 24. The Government of Japan confirmed a Narita International Airport employee with measles last week may have exposed travelers at Terminal 2 to the disease on 22, 24, and/or 26 April (Mon/Wed/Fri) […]The post Japan: Narita International Airport employee measles positive, prompts US Forces public health announcement appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New York City health authorities reported an additional 43 confirmed measles cases during the past week, bringing the outbreak total to 466 cases in Brooklyn and Queens since September. The new cases were reported from the neighborhoods of Williamsburg (31), Borough Park (8), Sunset Park (3) and Crown Heights (1). As of May 6, 22,833 […]The post Brooklyn measles up by 43 in past week, Rockland County tally now 225 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in Larimer County, CO have confirmed rabies in a steer, prompting a reminder for pet and livestock owners to keep their animals up-to-date on rabies vaccinations to prevent lengthy and costly quarantines—or even euthanasia—if they have an encounter with a rabid animal. This marks the first transmission of rabies to a mammal other […]The post Colorado: Rabies in a Larimer County steer appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The first cases of Candida auris (C. auris) have been identified in Southern California, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH). According to health officials, the first cases of C. auris have been detected in multiple healthcare facilities in Southern California. LAC DPH is working closely with state and local […]The post Candida auris reported in Southern California healthcare facilities appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In September last year, Juan Lubroth, FAO’s Chief Veterinary Officer said concerning the new emergence of African swine fever in China–“Unfortunately, what we’re seeing so far is just the tip of the iceberg,” Lubroth said. “The geographical spread, of which ASF has been repeated in such a short period of time, means that transboundary emergence […]The post African swine fever in Asia: 1.1 million pigs culled appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Quarantine lifted In a follow-up on the report of two plague deaths, a husband and wife in Mongolia, who reported consumed raw marmot meat, the BBC reports that the 6-day quarantine has been lifted. According to Ariuntuya Ochirpurev with the World Health Organization (WHO), the couple had eaten raw marmot meat and kidney, thought to […]The post Plague in Mongolia: Quarantine lifted; Is foodborne transmission possible? appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Federal health agencies, to include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the first collaborative report listing the top zoonotic diseases of national concern for the United States. The report was developed after jointly hosting a One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization Workshop for the United States. A […]The post Zoonotic diseases in the US: Rabies, Lyme disease among eight of most concern appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Candess Zona-Mendola The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recently announced that there is an outbreak of Vibrio and other pathogens and recommended that consumers avoid eating raw oysters harvested from Estero El Cardon in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The oysters have been linked to an outbreak of several gastrointestinal illnesses in California. According to […]The post California: Raw oysters linked to GI illnesses appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Santa Catarina State, Brazil health officials are reporting (computer translated) a human rabies death in 58-year-old woman from Gravatal over the weekend. This is the first human rabies case in the state since 1981. There was no information regarding a history of animal exposure. The last cases of rabies in dogs and cats were recorded […]The post Brazil: 1st human rabies case reported in Santa Catarina in nearly 40 years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In an update on the mumps outbreak Indiana University (IU) Bloomington, school officials now report 31 cases since the outbreak was declared on Mar. 12. In recent years there have been mumps outbreaks on college campuses, including Bloomington. Nationally, from January 1 to April 26, 2019, 41 states and the District of Columbia in the […]The post Indiana University mumps tally rises to 31 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new bill in Germany, the Measles Protection Act, introduced by Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn, if made into law would require all children to have both measles vaccines recommended by the Standing Vaccination Commission when entering the school or kindergarten. The law is to be decided this year in the Bundestag, or the German federal […]The post Germany: New bill could make it costly for parents that don’t vaccinate their kids appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Travelers to many parts of the world are at risk for contracting malaria, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1,700 cases occur each year among international travelers from the United States. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the drug tafenoquine for two indications: Prophylaxis of malaria […]The post Malaria: Tafenoquine approved for prophylaxis and treatment appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Ukraine The measles outbreak in Ukraine increased by 1,399 cases during the past week, according to the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. This brings the total cases 45,147 since the beginning of the year. Seventeen people died from complications of measles to date. Since the middle of 2017, more […]The post Measles in Ukraine, WHO Europe update and Madagascar sees decreasing trend appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Statewide outbreak update The Florida Department of Health (FLDOH) reported an additional 85 hepatitis A cases during the week ending May 4, bringing the outbreak total since the beginning of the year to 1037. The 85 cases is the most reported in one week since the outbreak started in 2018. Pinellas, Pasco, Orange and Hillsborough […]The post Florida: Hepatitis A outbreak tops 1,000 cases for 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The number of measles cases in the New Zealand outbreak this year is now well over 100 and Auckland health officials are officially reported 40 confirmed cases as of today. In Wellington, the Capital & Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) is reporting a case of measles has been confirmed at Wellington Regional Hospital in a […]The post Auckland measles outbreak up to 40, Wellington reports 1st case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Seattle and King County Public Health is reporting a potential measles exposure in various areas of Seattle after an individual who was diagnosed with the disease traveled to the city. Officials say that a resident of British Columbia, a man in his 40s who was diagnosed with measles, traveled to Seattle in late April 2019. […]The post Seattle: Locations of potential exposure to measles appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Officials with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) reported three additional wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases from Afghanistan and Pakistan, bringing the total for 2019 to date to 15. In Afghanistan, one WPV1 case was reported from Nawzad district in Helmand province this past week. The onset of paralysis was on 3 April 2019. […]The post Three wild poliovirus cases reported in past week, 15 total cases in 2019 to date appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a health alert Friday due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination of l’Explorateur soft ripened cheese. The pasteurized, cow’s milk cheese was made by in St. Simeon, France and distributed throughout the U.S. The FDA advises consumers and retailers to not eat, sell, or serve cheese labeled as l’Explorateur. L’Explorateur cheese […]The post Possible Listeria monocytogenes prompts alert over French cheese appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

LA County health officials report investigating an additional confirmed case of measles in a Los Angeles County resident and an additional non-resident measles case that traveled throughout Southern California. This brings the measles tally in LA County to eight among Los Angeles County residents in 2019, and six non-resident measles cases that traveled through the […]The post California: Additional measles case reported in Los Angeles, 1st case in Long Beach appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Hungarian health authorities have reported (computer translated) four human cutaneous anthrax cases, at least one confirmed, in two separate counties in recent weeks. The affected individuals were reported from farms in Bács-Kiskun and Békés counties. In addition, an additional 30 people were treated prophylactically with antibiotics due to possible exposure. Animal health officials have reported […]The post Hungary reports 4 human anthrax cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to a post last September, The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reports investigating two cases of HIV infection among VIP Spa in Albuquerque clients who received injection related procedures at the spa between May and September 2018. The NMDOH investigation has not identified potential exposures for HIV transmission other than the injection related procedures at the […]The post New Mexico investigates two HIV infections possibly linked to ‘Vampire facial’ at Albuquerque spa appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is reporting that across the province, the number of infectious syphilis and gonorrhea cases continue to rise at alarming rates. Gonorrhea cases have more than doubled from 1900 cases in 2014 to over 5,000 cases in 2018 and syphilis cases have increased from 160 in 2014 to over 1500 cases in […]The post Canada: Alberta grapples with ‘alarming’ increases in syphilis and gonorrhea appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The number of cases caused by Leishmania, a parasite carried by the sandfly, mainly found in tropical and subtropical areas and in countries around the Mediterranean, has increased in Sweden, according to a new study from Lund University (computer translated). It’s still a very rare disease here, but the number of cases has more than […]The post Leishmaniasis cases up in Sweden, primarily cutaneous form: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Ministry of Health (MOH) reported Friday (computer translated) that the death toll from the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak has surpassed 1,000 total. Since the outbreak began last summer through May 2, 2019, 1,008 deaths (942 confirmed and 66 probable) have been reported. To date, more than 1500 […]The post Ebola death toll tops 1000, ‘Operating environment has become increasingly insecure and socio-politically complex’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Officials with the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) report (computer translated) the first case of the tickborne infection, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in a 55-year-old female from Chungcheongnam-do (Chungnam) province in the west of the country. This has prompted health officials to advise the public to take precautions when doing […]The post South Korea CDC reports 1st Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) case of 2019 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Korean health officials are reporting a significant increase in the number of hepatitis A cases in recent months in Seoul and region around it. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), 3,597 cases had been reported as of Friday, up 2.4 times from the same period last year. The majority of […]The post Hepatitis A increase reported in Seoul area appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccines are available in Dagupan City in the Philippines and city health officials are urging parent to get their children vaccinated. According to City Health Officer, Dr. Ophelia Rivera, some 200 children have been vaccinated. “We have 14,000 Japanese encephalitis vaccine vials and each vial is good for five persons, so we […]The post Philippines: JE vaccine campaign in Dagupan appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On this weeks program, I take a look a the surge of dengue fever cases in the Americas and southeast Asia. A primer of dengue fever and severe dengue is also introduced. Measles does not just have individual health implications, but a measles investigation can be very expensive in terms of manpower and dollars and […]The post Outbreak News This Week: Dengue fever, Measles outbreaks are expensive appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka health officials report that there has been 15641 dengue fever cases reported in the first quarter of 2019. This is down from nearly 18000 cases reported during the same period lats year. Year-to-date, officials say that 15 deaths have been attributed to dengue. Colombo continues to report the most cases, followed […]The post Dengue fever: Sri Lanka update, Philippines Congressman calls out Dengvaxia blunder appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health authorities in Mongolia are reporting two deaths in Ulgii district in westernmost Mongolia. Preliminary test results show that bubonic plague is the likely caused the deaths of the husband and wife, according to the Siberian Times. It is reported that the couple contracted the deadly infection after consuming infected marmot. The deaths prompted a […]The post Plague deaths reported in western Mongolia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A recently published study from Iowa State University medical entomologists found transmission of West Nile virus most often occurs in Iowa’s western counties, where the data also found the heaviest concentrations of the mosquito species most often identified as the vector of disease transmission. The study, published this week in the academic journal Scientific Reports, drew […]The post Iowa, West Nile virus and Culex tarsalis appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the measles situation in Los Angeles County, health officials report investigating an additional confirmed case of measles in a Los Angeles County resident. This case is linked to the outbreak of four cases reported last month and is not associated with either the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) or California State University […]The post Los Angeles officials report additional measles case, California cases reach 40 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands (IUETSPC) of the University of La Laguna, together with the company Aguas Canarias Research and Development (VADEAGUAS), announced last month (computer translated), that the product of the company called CLORICAN is effective in the elimination of Naegleria fowleri , the famous “amoeba comecerebros” […]The post Naegleria fowleri: Researchers develop product to eliminate amoeba in recreational waters appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Nepal Ministry of Health and Population confirmed Thursday the first human fatality due to H5N1 avian influenza infection. According to health officials, the victim was a 21-year-old man from Kavrepalanchok district. The Himalayan Times says the individual died on March 29 after having contracted the flu. Laboratory […]The post Nepal reports 1st human H5N1 avian influenza death appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the measles outbreak affecting several neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City health officials report an additional 33 confirmed cases during the past week. This brings the outbreak total to 423 cases, with the neighborhoods of Williamsburg (348) and Borough Park (61) reporting the bulk of the outbreak. Most of […]The post New York City measles outbreak tops 400 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

St Lucia health officials report a confirmed measles case onboard a cruise ship that entered the ports on Tuesday. At that time, a decision was made to quarantine the ship after determining one female crew member had contracted measles. 300 passengers and crew were ordered not to leave the ship. Media accounts say the vessel […]The post Measles case onboard Scientology cruise ship, quarantined in St. Lucia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Mayaro virus (MAYV) — which can cause fever, joint aches, muscle pains, headache, eye pain, rash, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea — first was isolated from the blood of five symptomatic workers in Mayaro County, Trinidad, in 1954. Since then, it has caused sporadic outbreaks and small epidemics in several South and Central American countries. In […]The post Mayaro virus situation in the Americas 2019 to date: Peru, Ecuador appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Tennessee Department of Health has reported five confirmed measles cases as of May. 1. Health officials say while this outbreak investigation is currently centered in East Tennessee, all Tennesseans should be aware of measles and its symptoms. Measles symptoms may include fever, runny nose, body aches, watery eyes and white spots in the mouth. […]The post Tennessee measles tally now at 5 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new study shows that vaccination may reduce the impact of white-nose syndrome in bats, marking a milestone in the international fight against one of the most destructive wildlife diseases in modern times. “This is a significant step forward in developing control mechanisms to combat the devastating spread of white-nose syndrome in our important bat populations,” said […]The post White-nose syndrome: Vaccination may reduce the impact of destructive fungal disease appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Denmark health officials are reporting an outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica and the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) is investigating the possible source. According to a Copenhagen Post report, 18 people, men and women, have become infected with the bacteria since Mar. 30. The once common infection is not common in Denmark today. Over the last five […]The post Denmark reports Yersinia enterocolitica outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today the approval of Dengvaxia, the first vaccine approved for the prevention of dengue disease caused by all dengue virus serotypes (1, 2, 3 and 4) in people ages 9 through 16 who have laboratory-confirmed previous dengue infection and who live in endemic areas. Dengue is endemic in […]The post Dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia receives FDA nod for endemic regions appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that a slow-growing variant form of Lyme bacteria caused severe symptoms in a mouse model, which may account for the persistent symptoms seen in up to twenty percent of Lyme patients that are not cured by the current Lyme antibiotic regimen. In addition, they […]The post Lyme ‘persister’ bacteria and a three-antibiotic cocktail: A study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Allegheny County health officials are reporting the first case of measles in Pennsylvania this year in a Pittsburgh adult. The individual, who is not vaccinated, recently traveled internationally. This case is not linked to any ongoing measles outbreak in the U.S. The resident was treated and discharged from UPMC Shadyside emergency room on Monday, April […]The post Measles case reported in Pittsburgh appeared first on Outbreak News Today.