Outbreak News Today

In a follow-up on the foodborne illness outbreak in several states of Malaysia linked to the consumption of laksa, Malaysian health officials have identified the agent as Salmonella enterica serovar Weltevreden. Salmonella enterica serovar Weltevreden bacteria have been detected in the patient’s clinical sample and the sample of the laksa involved. The total number of outbreak […]The post Malaysia food poisoning outbreak: Agent identified as Salmonella appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The chief provincial public health officer confirmed today that two cases of measles have been reported in Manitoba. The individuals live in the area of the Interlake Eastern Regional Health Authority and are recovering at home. The first case, a child under the age of one, is believed to have contracted the virus out of […]The post Manitoba health officials confirm two measles cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to a report of a poster presented at IDWeek2018 concerning a relatively recent case of vCJD linked to the consumption of squirrel brains, an expert from National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine said the link was “unjustifiably speculative”. In a letter to ProMED mail, Brian Appleby, MD […]The post Prion expert: ‘A link between consumption of squirrel brain and human prion disease is unjustifiably speculative’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

High-dose influenza vaccination substantially improves immune responses against influenza in adults with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, according to new research findings presented this week at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting (Abstract #837). Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common type of autoimmune arthritis. It is a chronic disease that causes joint pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased movement […]The post Rheumatoid arthritis: High-dose influenza vaccination improves immune responses against flu appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Pinellas County, FL health officials are reporting a rise in hepatitis A cases, urging prevention and vaccination against the viral infection. As of Oct. 22, 58 cases have been reported in Pinellas County and more than 180 in Florida. Increases in hepatitis A cases have been reported in a number of other states. “We are on […]The post Florida: Pinellas County reports rise in hepatitis A appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Maryland Department of Health has declared an outbreak of the viral infection, hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) on the Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood campus after scores of cases have been reported since September. The Wall Street Journal reports that 125 cases have been reported to date, up from 95 the week prior. Roanna Kessler, director […]The post Hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak at Johns Hopkins appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the hantavirus outbreak in the military camps of the Joint Task Force of the Yungas in La Asunta, Bolivian health officials said Friday (computer translated) that so far there are 19 positive cases of hantavirus in La Asunta. The last ones are two members of the Joint Task Force who were evacuated to the […]The post Bolivia: Hantavirus outbreak in La Asunta rises to 19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Pangasinan Provincial Health Office (PHO) is reporting a surge in leptospirosis cases, seeing a 231 percent increase compared to the same time last year. Through Sept. 24, the PHO has reported 372 cases and 47 fatalities. Males accounted for the bulk of the cases in the province. This compares with 110 cases reported during the same nine months […]The post Leptospirosis: Cases skyrocket in Pangasinan, Philippines appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The first documented autochthonous dengue transmission in Spain In a follow-up on the indigenous dengue fever cases in Spain, this week the Spanish Ministry of Health (computer translated) confirmed a third autochthonous, or locally acquired dengue case in Spain. This case belongs to the same family from which two confirmed cases were reported earlier this month. The three […]The post Dengue in Spain: 3rd autochthonous case confirmed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the first polio outbreak seen in Papua New Guinea in two decades, health officials reported three new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) in the past week–one each from Enga, Eastern Highlands and Madang provinces, with onset of paralysis on 6 August, 29 August and 6 September, respectively. This […]The post Polio: Three more cases reported in Papua New Guinea appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On today’s show I spend a lot of time looking at the flu shot/flu season in light of the recent pediatric death reported here in Florida. I look at some disturbing trends and beliefs when it comes to flu shots and vaccines in general. Does the flu shot cause the flu? A survey by Orlando […]The post Outbreak New This Week Radio Show 10-21-18 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

With thousands of measles cases reported in South America this year and the risk of imported cases hitting the Caribbean Islands, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) organized a workshop to train 35 Caribbean health officers from 25 Caribbean countries and territories on how to respond rapidly and effectively to any imported cases of measles or rubella in […]The post Caribbean Island countries trained to respond rapidly to imported measles appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Venezuela’s health crisis continues to abound and infectious diseases have been rising year after year to include measles, diphtheria and malaria. Take malaria– The number of reported cases of malaria grew from 136,402 in 2015 to 240,613 in 2016 and 406,000 in 2017. And 2018? The president of the Medical Federation of Venezuela, Douglas León Natera warned on Monday (computer […]The post Venezuela malaria situation grows worse: 650K cases so far in 2018 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a very rare condition that affects a person’s spinal cord marked by the sudden onset of weakness in the arms or legs. Less than one in a million people in the United States will get AFM each year. In 2018 to date, Texas health officials have reported 10 AFM cases […]The post Texas reports 37 AFM cases since 2014, Ten so far this year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has reported an additional acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) case, which brings the state total to seven since mid-September 2018 in Minnesota children. Minnesota typically sees at most one case of AFM per year. There has also been an increase of cases nationally this fall. CDC on acute flaccid myelitis: ‘The number of […]The post AFM cases in Minnesota rise to seven appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Washington state health officials report investigating six Salmonella cases in five counties. The six cases include residents of King (1), Snohomish (1), Thurston (1), Yakima (2) and Pierce (1) counties. All were infected with the same strain of Salmonella bacteria. Five of the six people reported buying and eating English cucumbers from various Costco stores in Washington. […]The post Cucumbers sold at Costco linked to Salmonella cases in Washington appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the rubella cases in Japan, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases reported an additional 150 cases during the past week, bringing the total this year to 1,103. This is the most cases reported in Japan since 2014. Tokyo has seen 362 cases, the most in the country this year, followed by […]The post Japan rubella cases top 1,100; Most cases in 4 years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Malaysia Ministry of Health (MOH) reported this week on the death due to diphtheria in the district of Johor Bahru. The reported case is a 14-month-old girl. The patient has never received any diphtheria immunization because the family refuses to receive immunization. Outbreak News TV The child began to have fever and sore throat on October […]The post Malaysia: Diphtheria death reported in unvaccinated Johor toddler appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reports that six Illinois residents from Champaign County have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease since September 15, 2018. Several locations are being investigated, including the First Christian Church, where patients may have participated in wedding activities. Legionella bacteria occur naturally in the environment. Water containing Legionella bacteria can […]The post Illinois: Legionnaires’ Disease cases reported in Champaign County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Clark County (WA) Public Health officials issued a health alert Thursday for a city of Battle Ground school due to a chickenpox outbreak. The affected school, Daybreak Primary School, has seen five chickenpox cases–The first onset of illness was Oct. 13. The last known possible exposure at Daybreak Primary School was Oct. 17. Health officials are requiring […]The post Chickenpox outbreak at Washington school requires exclusion of non-immune appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Patients with sleep apnea who have short interruptions in breathing while they sleep are at higher risk for death than those with longer interruptions, according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. “This finding could help doctors better prevent long-term mortality associated with obstructive sleep apnea,” said the study’s […]The post Sleep apnea: Short interruptions in breathing during sleep linked to higher risk for death appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the Zika virus outbreak in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India has grown to 109 cases in one month, according to a The Hindu report. The comes after health officials reported nine additional cases Friday. This is the third Zika outbreak in India. The first outbreak of Zika virus was reported in Ahmedabad in January […]The post Zika outbreak tops 100 in Jaipur, India appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Here are the top five posts on Outbreak News Today for the week Oct. 13 through Oct 19: 5. Hantavirus outbreak sickens 13, killing one in Bolivia military camp 13 military personnel were infected with hantavirus in the military camps of the Joint Task Force of the Yungas in Bolivia. 4. Dartmouth reports dozens of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease […]The post Infectious disease news: Top 5 posts for the week Oct. 13-Oct. 19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Dengue fever The most current information of the dengue situation in Thailand shows that since the beginning of the year through Oct. 15, a total of 66,372 cases were reported from 77 provinces, including 84 deaths. Nakornpathom, Phichit, Nakornsawan, Nakornnayok and Chiengrai have reported the highest morbidity rates. Rabies The Disease Control Department reported this week […]The post Thailand updates: Dengue, rabies and measles appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

With an ongoing outbreak of monkeypox in Nigeria and three recent exported cases to other countries, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued a notice for travelers to Nigeria. As of September 2018, health officials in Nigeria have reported more than 100 confirmed cases of monkeypox, including multiple deaths. In addition, three […]The post CDC issues travel notice for Nigeria due to monkeypox appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Andes virus, a species of New World hantavirus with similar symptoms and a fatality rate as others, is transmitted to humans primarily through contact with long-tailed rice rats (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus), which are endemic to much of Argentina and Chile. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the […]The post Andes virus reported for the first time in US appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Since June, officials with Public Health England have reported 165 cases of a particular strain of Salmonella Typhimurium which have been linked to lamb and mutton, prompting them to remind people to take care when handling raw meat and to cook it properly. They report seeing an increase in cases of this particular type of salmonella in July […]The post UK officials issue Salmonella advisory appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed on a farm in Aberdeenshire. In line with the disease prevention response plan, precautionary movement restrictions have been put in place at the farm, while further investigations to identify the origin of the disease occur. This is standard procedure for a confirmed case of classical […]The post Mad Cow disease case reported in Scotland appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The New York City Health Department is reporting at least six confirmed measles cases this month in the Orthodox Jewish community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Individuals ranged in age from 11 months to 4 years. Five of the individuals were unvaccinated prior to exposure, including four because vaccination was delayed. One individual was too young to have […]The post NYC: Measles reported in Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A mosquito-borne parasitic disease, lymphatic filariasis is one of nearly two dozen neglected tropical diseases. Infection is usually acquired in childhood and causes hidden damage to the lymphatic system. The painful and profoundly disfiguring visible manifestations of the disease, notably lymphoedema, elephantiasis and scrotal swelling, occur later in life and lead to permanent disability. In some exciting […]The post Lymphatic filariasis elimination: ‘The Government of Vietnam really deserve congratulations’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Hy-Vee, Inc., based in West Des Moines, Iowa, is voluntarily recalling six of its meat and potato products across its eight-state region due to possible contamination with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. The potential for contamination was discovered after Hy-Vee’s supplier, McCain Foods, announced it was recalling its caramelized mushrooms and fire-roasted tomatoes, which are ingredients that are used […]The post Hy-Vee recalls meat and potato products in eight states: Possible contamination with Salmonella and Listeria appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Government of Canada announced a $4 million investment in a new multidisciplinary research network that will bring together scientists, clinicians, and patients to address gaps in the approach to prevention, control, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease, on Monday, Oct. 15. Led by Queen’s University Professor […]The post Lyme disease: Queen’s University Professor receives $4M for new research network appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

What causes Alzheimer’s disease? The answer could be right under our noses, says leading expert Professor Ruth Itzhaki. Her latest paper presents a lifetime of research evidence that the herpes virus responsible for cold sores can also cause Alzheimer’s – and new data which show antiviral drugs drastically reduce risk of senile dementia in patients with […]The post Herpes virus causes cold sores. Does it also cause Alzheimer’s disease? appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Arthropodborne viruses (arboviruses) are transmitted to humans primarily through the bites of infected mosquitoes or ticks. In the United States, West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of arboviral disease in the country, according to an MMWR report today. In fact, of the 2,291 cases of domestic arboviral disease in the US in 2017, 2,097, or […]The post West Nile virus accounts for 90 percent of arbovirus illness in the US, Jamestown Canyon and Powassan virus see record numbers in 2017 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the measles situation in Brazil, the Ministry of Health reported this week (computer translated) that the number of imported measles cases has risen to 2,192 as of Oct. 15. Currently, the country is facing two outbreaks of measles: in Amazonas there are 1,776 cases and 7,801 in research, and in Roraima, with […]The post UPDATE: Measles in Brazil tops 2,000 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A surge in Lassa fever cases in Nigeria in 2018 does not appear to be linked to a single virus strain or increased human-to-human transmission, according to a genomic analysis published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported an unusually large increase in Lassa fever cases in 2018, […]The post Nigeria Lassa fever outbreak 2018: Genomic analysis helps inform Nigeria’s public health response appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Federal and state health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Infantis infections linked to raw chicken products, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of October 17, 2018, 92 sick people have been reported from 29 states, including 21 people who have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Epidemiologic and laboratory […]The post Multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to raw chicken products appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A hernia is a common medical condition that happens when part of an internal organ or tissue pushes through a weak area of muscle, creating a bulge. It is caused by a combination of muscle weakness and straining, like lifting something heavy. Most hernias occur in the abdomen, between the chest and the hips, and […]The post Hernias 101: What are they, who’s at risk and more appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

According to a poster presented at the recent IDWeek 2018, on the speed of diagnosis of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) like variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), researchers from Rochester Regional Health present a case series of five that include a relatively recent case of vCJD linked to the consumption of squirrel brains. Apparently, a 61-year-old man contracted the rare […]The post Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease linked to eating squirrel brains appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Ebola virus is a continuing threat in Central and West Africa, with an outbreak currently taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The disease kills up to 90% of the people who get infected, and more than 150 people have died from Ebola so far this year. The factors that determine who is susceptible […]The post How do malarial infections impact people exposed to Ebola virus? appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

During a meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Wednesday, the Committee said that a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) should not be declared at this time. The Committee remains deeply […]The post WHO: Current DR Congo Ebola outbreak not a international public health emergency appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert advise residents to make sure you and your family are up-to-date on your measles vaccinations. Due to additional cases of measles from international travelers to Rockland, more people potentially have been exposed to measles. The first case of international travel was in […]The post Measles: More cases in Rockland County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Nineteen months and more than 1,000 cases later, The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has declared the end of the statewide mumps outbreak. “We are able to declare the outbreak over because there have been no new cases confirmed in the last 50 days, which totals two maximum incubation periods for the illness,” said Dr. Sarah […]The post Hawaii mumps outbreak: Declared over after 1,000 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new study shows that babies that are breastfed for at least six months have less antibiotic-resistant bacteria in their gut compared with infants breastfed for a shorter time. In addition, antibiotic use by mothers increases the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in infants. Bacteria resistant to antibiotics are everywhere. They are present in the human […]The post Breast­feed­ing benefits: Pro­tecting in­fants from an­ti­bi­otic-res­ist­ant bac­teria appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Valneva SE, a commercial stage biotech company focused on developing innovative lifesaving vaccines, today announced progress in its Phase 1 program targeting a single-shot vaccine against Chikungunya. The Company has now commenced the second stage of its Phase 1 study. A first group of study participants is now being re-vaccinated. This re-vaccination will act as […]The post Chikungunya vaccine candidate progresses in Phase 1 study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

During a press briefing today, Director for the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, Dr. Nancy Messonnier gave an update on the acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) update in the United States this year. “CDC has been actively investigating AFM, testing specimens and monitoring disease since 2014 when we first saw an increase in […]The post CDC on acute flaccid myelitis: ‘The number of cases reported in this time period in 2018 is similar to what was reported in the fall of 2014 and 2016’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in Northern Ireland released sexually transmitted infection (STI) data for 2017 and it shows increase in cases of gonorrhea, herpes and chlamydia, while numbers diagnosed with syphilis and genital warts are down. The ‘Sexually Transmitted Infection surveillance in Northern Ireland 2018: An analysis of data for the calendar year 2017’ report shows that there was a […]The post Gonorrhea cases jump 15 percent in Northern Ireland appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis, the causative agents of anthrax and plague, respectively, are two of the deadliest pathogenic bacteria that have been used as biological warfare agents. A team of researchers has now engineered a virus nanoparticle vaccine against the pathogens, tier 1 agents that pose serious threats to national security of the United States. Although Biothrax is […]The post Battling biothreats: Dual anthrax-plague vaccine a strong candidate appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Since the beginning of the year through Oct. 15, Bangladesh has reported 7,450 dengue fever cases and at least 17 fatalities, according to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research (IEDCR). This is a record for the number of dengue cases in a year. The previous highest was 6,232 in 2002. The number of dengue cases […]The post Dengue fever: Bangladesh reporting record year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Zimbabwe cholera outbreak that began over a month ago continues to grow with 9,116 cases , including 54 deaths as of Friday. Fortunately, the weekly case incidence has been on a downward trend in recent weeks. Of the reported cases, 228 are confirmed by culture. Harare (8,824 cases) and Chitungwiza (109 cases) cities in Harare […]The post Zimbabwe cholera outbreak showing a downward trend, More than 9,000 cases reported appeared first on Outbreak News Today.