Outbreak News Today

In a follow-up on the Vibrio parahaemolyticus outbreak linked to conch meat in the Bahamas, Health Minister Dr. Duane Sands says the number of confirmed cases has risen to 27, according to local media. In addition, there are 22 cases awaiting lab results. Among those now suffering from the illness are tourists. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a bacterium in the same […]The post Bahamas: Vibrio cases linked to conch in the dozens appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

myLymeTest™, supplier of home sample collection kits for direct-to-consumer Lyme disease testing, has expanded distribution into Canada as part of the company’s continuing efforts to bring simple, convenient and affordable Lyme testing solutions to the public. myLymeTest products combine the convenience of home blood collection with high quality laboratory testing for Lyme disease. Coppe Laboratories, a […]The post myLymeTest: Lyme Disease Testing is Now Available to Canadian Customers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Toronto city health officials received laboratory confirmation that an adult resident in Toronto has tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the first human case testing positive for West Nile virus in Toronto for 2018. The individual was hospitalized for their illness but is recovering at home. “While the risk of becoming infected with West […]The post Toronto reports 1st human West Nile virus case of 2018 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is reminding Teton County residents and others across the state to take steps to prevent tularemia after an infected animal was found recently in the Wilson area. A dead marmot found in Crater Lake in the Bridger-Teton National Forest near Wilson earlier this week tested positive for tularemia, a […]The post Tularemia found in Wyoming marmot appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

More than 250 confirmed and probable Candida auris cases have been reported in the United States since July 31, 2017. As of June 30, 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put the number at 369 (340 confirmed and 29 probable). New York State has recorded the lion’s share with 200 confirmed and […]The post Candida auris in the United States: Updated case counts appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The World Health Organization (WHO) fully supports China’s National Drug Administration’s (NDA’s) actions to withhold the problematic batches of rabies vaccine and ensure they are not placed on the market. During an unannounced inspection at the manufacturing site of Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Ltd., a vaccine manufacturer in China’s northeastern Jilin province, the NDA discovered […]The post Rabies Vaccine Incident in China: WHO statement appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Norway health officials are reporting a positive rabies case in a reindeer from Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard. The Governor of Svalbard received a report of a sick reindeer on July 16th. The reindeer was weak in the legs and could not get up. The adult and one calf were killed and sent to the Veterinary Institute in Oslo for […]The post Reindeer tests positive for rabies appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is offering an expenses-paid fellowship for emerging biosecurity leaders from around the world to attend SynBioBeta 2018: The Global Synthetic Biology Summit and exclusive side events Oct. 1-4 in San Francisco. The program is sponsored by the Open Philanthropy Project and will run in conjunction with SynBioBeta. It covers the cost of […]The post Apply for the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security Fellowship Opportunity at SynBioBeta 2018 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Government of the Republic of Namibia, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and ICAP at Columbia University (ICAP) released new data today at the 2018 International AIDS Conference demonstrating that the HIV epidemic is coming under control in Namibia. Results from the Namibia […]The post New Data Show Dramatic Progress in Namibia Toward HIV Epidemic Control and Substantial Gaps in Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) situation in the state of Florida, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed positive tests for seven horses in July: On July 2nd, a six-month old unvaccinated Tennessee Walking Horse stallion in Okeechobee County became clinical on June 11th and was humanely euthanized on June 12th due to […]The post ‘Triple E’ update in Florida appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

According to data provided to the Romanian Ministry of Health by the National Center for Communicable Disease Surveillance and Control (computer translated), from the beginning of surveillance on May 2, 2018, five cases of meningitis / meningo-encephalitis with West Nile virus (WNV) (2 in Dolj and one case in Iasi, Braila and Olt), and no […]The post Romania: 5 meningitis cases caused by West Nile virus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the hepatitis A outbreak that began in March in West Virginia, health officials now put the outbreak total at 699 cases, up some 160 cases in two weeks. 20 West Virginia counties have been affected with Kanawha (363) and Cabell (153) counties account for 75 percent of the state total. 428 […]The post West Virginia hepatitis A outbreak now at 700 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) announced Friday that the county has its first probable human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in 2018. Samples are being sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmatory testing. The resident, a male in his early 70s who lives in the Municipality of Penn Hills, […]The post County officials report first probable human case of West Nile Virus in Penn Hills appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Burundi health officials are reporting a significant decrease in malaria cases and deaths in the first half of 2018 compared to last year, according to new data published. According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), the cumulative number of malaria cases reported during the first 24 weeks of 2018 is 2,378,081 cases with 1,164 deaths, […]The post Burundi malaria cases down 44 percent in 2018 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The initial case of Vibrio in 2018 has been reported to the Mobile County Health Department (MCHD). The case is currently under investigation by MCHD’s Infectious Diseases & Outbreak division. Exposure took place in the Mobile River. The infection has been identified as Vibrio vulnificus. Vibrio bacteria naturally live in certain coastal waters and are […]The post Alabama: 1st Vibrio vulnificus case reported in Mobile County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the trichinosis outbreak in the town of Canals, Argentina, the outbreak has grown from a several dozen to 232, according to a Telediario Digital report (computer translated). The Ministry of Health of the Province Zoonoses Program says the majority of cases (169) are from Canals; however, cases were also recorded in Río Cuarto […]The post Trichinosis outbreak update: Hundreds of cases reported appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the Cyclospora outbreak in Illinois, state health officials today put the case tally at 574 since mid-May. 214 Illinois cases reported eating salads from McDonald’s in the days before becoming ill. 158 Illinois cases are linked to a private event held at the Evanston Golf Club. The Illinois Department of Public Health […]The post Illinois reports more than 200 Cyclospora cases linked to McDonald’s; Texas cases rise appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Michigan health officials are reporting two additional confirmed cases of measles in Michigan for 2018; both related to international travel. These individuals were residents of Oakland and Washtenaw counties. Neither of these cases are related to the two previous Michigan cases in 2018. However, all four cases were the result of exposure outside of the country, emphasizing […]The post Michigan reports two additional imported measles cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Millions of people across the globe, including in our own backyard, are living with a viral hepatitis infection and may not even know it. Experts at Baylor College of Medicine say awareness and diagnosis is the first step to taking control and making changes to either prevent or treat this potentially deadly infection. Hepatitis is […]The post Viral Hepatitis: A, B, C, D and E appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Epidemiological researchers in West Africa have discovered a new strain of the Ebola virus among bats in Sierra Leone. Known as the Bombali virus, the new strain was found during a study by joint teams from the United States and the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. The study by the Predict […]The post New Ebola virus strain discovered in West Africa appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The District of Columbia Department of Health (DC Health) recently released its 2018 HIV, STD, Hepatitis, and TB Surveillance Report for the District of Columbia, which shows record numbers and increases among STDs–chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. Health officials report a 35% increase of chlamydia, a 56% increase of gonorrhea, and a 13% increase of primary and secondary syphilis, reflecting the […]The post STDs rise in Washington, DC: Gonorrhea cases up 56 percent appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Taiwan health officials reported (computer translated) an additional five cases of Japanese encephalitis in the country prompting calls to strengthen anti-mosquito measures in high-risk places and vaccinations for children. The cases were recorded in Bade District and Pingzhen District of Taoyuan City, Sanchong District of Xinbei City, Renai Township of Nantou County and Changhua County. Four of the […]The post Taiwan Japanese encephalitis cases rise, Vaccinations encouraged appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has been investigating potential causes after more than 350 people reported becoming sick after eating at the Fayette Mall food court. Results from those who were tested were consistently positive for norovirus. Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. It can be spread through direct contact […]The post Lexington: Hundreds sickened from norovirus, Linked to Fayette Mall food court appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A group of scientists at Texas Biomedical Research Institute have zeroed in on a new defense against HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS. Led by Ruth Ruprecht, M.D., Ph.D., the team used an animal model to show for the first time that an antibody called Immunoglobulin M (IgM) was effective in preventing infection after mucosal AIDS virus exposure. Worldwide, an […]The post Research Shows a Promising New Class of Antibodies Protects Against HIV-1 Infection appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists are indicating that children in Burkina Faso who were vaccinated against group A meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia (MenA) between the ages of 1-4 years in 2010, could need a booster dose of the vaccine as early as this year to ensure they remain protected. In a study published today in Clinical Infectious Diseases, funded by Meningitis Research Foundation, scientists […]The post The age at which meningitis vaccines are offered can affect the length of time immunity is maintained appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA) says the polio vaccine given to children under 5 years in the past two weeks is safe. The association issued a statement after some parents complained that their children had fallen ill after receiving the oral vaccine. Some parents reported their children as presenting symptoms that included convulsion, diarrhoea, fever […]The post Kenyan medical association says oral polio vaccine safe appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The incidence of tickborne infections in the United States has risen significantly within the past decade. It is imperative, therefore, that public health officials and scientists build a robust understanding of pathogenesis, design improved diagnostics, and develop preventive vaccines, according to a new commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine from leading scientists at the National […]The post Tickborne diseases: ‘It is critical that scientists develop vaccines to prevent disease’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

More than three quarters of the health specialists and epidemiological experts who responded to the recent Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo were drawn from Africa. The Congolese government officially declared an end to the Ebola crisis on July 24 at the expiry of the 42-day incubation period after blood samples […]The post African experts led emergency response to DR Congo Ebola outbreak, says WHO appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have ruled out the presence of wild poliovirus and vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) in tissue samples taken from one case of acute flaccid paralysis in Venezuela. In a report that was released internally on June 15 and made public on July 24, the organizations […]The post Pan-American Health Organization rules out polio from Venezuela AFP case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Kraft Heinz announced Tuesday that it would be recalling approximately 7,000 cases of Taco Bell Salsa Con Queso Mild Cheese Dip because the affected product is showing signs of product separation which can lead to a potential health hazard. This could create conditions that could allow for the growth of Clostridium botulinum(C. botulinum), a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or […]The post Botulism risk prompts recall of Taco Bell Cheese Dip appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the hepatitis A outbreak in Indiana, health officials have reported 283 outbreak cases since Nov. 2017, including one death. Of the outbreak cases, 47 percent required hospitalization. Indiana has an average of 20 cases of hepatitis A per 12 month period. Counties in the southern part of the state have been […]The post Indiana hepatitis A outbreak grows, southern counties hit hardest appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to maintain vigilance in order to prevent future recurrences of Ebola virus outbreaks in the country. The call came as the DR Congo declared an end to the Ebola epidemic crisis which ravaged the north-western Equateur Province […]The post DR Congo: Epidemiological vigilance needed to prevent recurrent Ebola outbreaks appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In an update on the Cyclospora situation in Illinois, The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reports that as of today, 458 cases of cyclosporiasis in counties across Illinois, with people becoming ill starting in mid-May. Health officials report 178 Illinois cases reported eating salads from McDonald’s in the days before becoming ill and 135 Illinois cases are linked to a […]The post Cyclospora cases multiply in Illinois appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Indiana state health officials are reporting a rise in tick-borne illness this year, prompting warnings to the public. More than 100 cases of tick-borne disease have been reported so far in 2018, including one death due to ehrlichiosis in an elderly patient. Deaths from ehrlichiosis are rare in Indiana, with only four deaths reported in […]The post Tick-borne disease: Indiana reports rise in cases including ehrlichiosis fatality appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Malaysian health officials reported an additional 3,852 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) during the week of July 15-21, bringing the outbreak total for the year to 35,886 cases, prompting officials from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Welfare and the National Unity and National Integration Department to join with the Ministry of Health (MOH) […]The post Malaysia hand, foot and mouth disease cases top 35,000; Prompts interagency cooperation appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Pepperidge Farm has joined a number of other food companies and initiated a recall of product(s) due to whey powder used that may be contaminated with Salmonella. According to a notice yesterday, Pepperidge Farm initiated an investigation and, out of an abundance of caution, is voluntarily recalling four varieties of Goldfish crackers. The following four varieties with the indicated […]The post Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers recalled: Potential for Salmonella appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A Philippine News Agency report last week stated 169 people were sickened with diarrhea and vomiting symptoms recently in Sibulan, Negros Oriental due to what is believed to have been fecal contamination of water sources. Majority of the cases are from Barangay Looc, Sibulan, near a quarry site. Water samples were found to have fecal contamination and were […]The post Negros Oriental: Diarrhea outbreak sickens scores appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On Saturday, Union Minister Dr Myint Htwe announced the number of schistosomiasis cases has risen into the hundreds during a meeting on the topic, according to a Ministry of Health and Sports news release (computer translated). The first cases of schistosomiasis in the country were discovered in March 2018, with about 59 cases in Sittwe Town of […]The post Schistosomiasis outbreak in Myanmar appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reminded us today that tomorrow, 24 July will mark 42 days since the last patient with Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). If no other cases of the Ebola virus disease are identified, the DRC Ministry […]The post Ebola outbreak should be declared over Tuesday appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The government of Niger says four people have died while 123 cases are being monitored following the outbreak of cholera in the Maradi region on July 13. The outbreak is concentrated in the Madarounfa district, which sits on the border with Nigeria. The deceased were members of the same family, which recently returned from a […]The post Niger: Four dead, 123 cases in latest cholera outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says 3 people have died while 453 cases of measles have been confirmed since the latest outbreak hit Mauritius late in March. According to the WHO African weekly outbreaks bulletin for the week ending July 20, Mauritius has reported measles cases since March 21. Infections peaked in the week ending […]The post Mauritius: Three dead, 453 infected in ongoing measles outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A 77-year-old man from the city of Sorocaba in São Paulo state is the first confirmed death due to Rocky Mountain Spotted fever (RMSF) this year, according to a G1 Globo report (computer translated). According to the city officials, the victim contracted the disease in Jumirim (SP) and died in June. To date, the Sorocaba Health Department […]The post Brazil: City of Sorocaba confirm 1st Rocky Mountain Spotted fever death appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to a report last week concerning dengue fever in the city of Florida in Camagüey Province, an Isla Local report states that country health officials admit a dengue hemorrhagic fever outbreak on the island. Gabriel Gutiérrez Águila, head of the Department of Environmental Health of Cruces, Cienfuegos, acknowledged that there are cases of […]The post Cuba health officials admit to dengue hemorrhagic fever outbreak: Report appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Argentina Ministry of Health issued an Epidemiological Alert Thursday (computer translated) after reporting two autochthonous measles cases in Bueno Aires. The cases include two babies of 5 and 6 months, respectively who were treated in Buenos Aires hospitals Ricardo Gutiérrez and Pedro Elizalde. “The two cases were confirmed by IgM serology and viral genome detection by PCR […]The post Measles alert issued in Buenos Aires appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Mondelēz Global LLC announced today a voluntary recall in the United States, including Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands, of certain Ritz Cracker Sandwiches and Ritz Bits product. These products contain whey powder as an ingredient, which the whey powder supplier has recalled due to the potential presence of Salmonella. Salmonella is a microorganism […]The post Ritz Cracker Sandwiches and Ritz Bits recalled due to Salmonella potential appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

King Bio is voluntarily recalling four lots of Aquaflora Candida HP9, Lymph Detox, and Baby Teething liquids to the consumer level. During a routine inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the products were found to contain microbial contaminants Pseudomonas brenneri, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Burkholderia multivorans. Administration or use of drug products with microbial […]The post Homeopathic products recalled due to multiple bacterial contamination appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Out of an abundance of caution, Mars Food Canada is conducting a voluntary withdrawal of select UNCLE BEN’S® products, FAST & FANCY® Broccoli and Cheddar and FAST & FANCY® Country Chicken flavoured rice, after learning about a possible Salmonella contamination in the seasoning pouches in these two products. While the product is sold across Canada, […]The post Uncle Ben’s products recalled in eastern Canada appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Life-threatening fungal infections affect more than two million people worldwide. Effective antifungal medications are very limited. Until now, one of the major challenges is that the fungal cell wall is poorly understood, which has impeded the development of effective antifungal medications that target the cell wall. However, an LSU chemist has identified for the first […]The post Aspergillus fumigatus: LSU chemist has identified the cell wall structure appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved, under Priority Review, single-dose Krintafel (tafenoquine) for the radical cure (prevention of relapse) of Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) malaria in patients aged 16 years and older who are receiving appropriate antimalarial therapy for acute P. vivax infection. Krintafel is an 8-aminoquinoline derivative with […]The post Plasmodium vivax treatment, Krintafel, receives FDA nod appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) continues to work with local, state, and federal public health officials to investigate an increase in the number of Cyclospora illnesses in counties all across Illinois. Since mid-May, IDPH has received confirmation of 266 cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic Cyclospora parasite. Of those, 110 reported eating salads […]The post Illinois: Cyclospora cases top 250 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.