Outbreak News Today

Since the fungal disease, White Nose Syndrome (WNS), was first documented in New Hampshire in 2009, little brown bats and other types have taken a huge hit and a recent winter bat survey reflects this clearly. According to the New Hampshire Department Department of Fish and Game, recent surveys for bats in New Hampshire hibernacula, places […]The post White Nose Syndrome effects on bats in New Hampshire according to surveys appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new research-based point-of-care test has been developed in Finland for detecting the Lyme neuroborreliosis spread by ticks. The test makes rapid initiation of antibiotic treatment possible for patients with borreliosis, which reduces the post-treatment symptoms related to the disease. At the same time, unnecessary antibiotic treatments can be avoided. The diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis, […]The post Lyme neuroborreliosis point-of-care test developed appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in Ireland’s Mid-West region, the Health Service Executive (HSE) reports there are now 27 cases of measles confirmed since the beginning of the year. The majority of these are in Limerick City and one is in Clare but linked to Limerick. Almost two thirds of cases are aged between […]The post Limerick area measles outbreak update appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Washoe County health officials report a confirmed case of measles. The individual is a student at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) and does not pose an ongoing risk to the public; however, the individual was at several locations in Washoe County during an infectious period and could have exposed others to the measles virus. […]The post Measles case confirmed in University of Nevada, Reno student appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The bacterium that causes the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea is resistant to multiple standard antibiotics and now threatens to develop resistance against ceftriaxone, which is on the World Health Organization List of Essential Medicines and is the last effective antibiotic against the organism. UNC School of Medicine researchers have identified mutations to the bacterium Neisseria gonnorrhoeae that […]The post Gonorrhea: UNC researchers identify mutations that could lead to ‘superbug’ strains appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Cataract surgery can be safely performed on Ebola virus disease survivors with impaired vision, Emory Eye Center ophthalmologists and 40 colleagues around the world report. Their findings were reported in the journal EBioMedicine. After the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa from 2013 to 2016, thousands of survivors were at risk for impaired vision […]The post Ebola: Cataract surgery can be safely performed on survivors appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) with support from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), UNICEF and other partners launched a diphtheria vaccination campaign in mid-March in the coming weeks, more than 2.3 million Haitian children between the ages of 1 and 14 are expected to be vaccinated against the bacterial […]The post Diphtheria vaccination campaign in Haiti appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has reported two additional measles outbreak cases, bringing the total to 15 since Mar. 8. The new cases were reported in Johnson County and Linn County–12 Johnson County residents, 2 Linn County residents and 1 Miami County resident. The person with measles from out-of-state that was treated […]The post Kansas measles outbreak: New cases in Johnson and Linn counties appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A newly identified coronavirus that killed nearly 25,000 piglets in 2016-17 in China emerged from horseshoe bats near the origin of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which emerged in 2002 in the same bat species. The new virus is named swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV). It does not appear to infect people, […]The post Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus linked to bats appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Utah is one of several states that have reported a hepatitis A outbreak recently. Since January 1, 2017, Utah public health has identified 233 confirmed cases of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection; many among persons who are homeless and/or using illicit drugs (2017-149 cases, 2018-64 cases to date). On Tuesday, the Salt Lake County Health Department […]The post Hepatitis A deaths reported in Salt Lake County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

This year’s flu vaccine has been less effective in protecting people from the most common strain of the virus, compared with recent years. And once people become infected with the flu, there are few good ways to treat it. Now scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a new aspect of the flu virus and […]The post Scripps Research discovery paves way for better flu prevention, treatment appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A University of Maryland (UMD) researcher has uncovered a mechanism by which the bacteria that causes Lyme disease persists in the body and fights your early, innate immune responses. Dr. Utpal Pal, Professor in Veterinary Medicine, has been studying the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria throughout his twelve years with UMD, and his work has already produced the protein […]The post Lyme disease: Protein used to outsmart the human immune system uncovered appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Officials with Akdeniz University, in Antalya Province of Turkey, are on alert after reporting nine confirmed measles cases among students, according to a Turkish media report. According to the report, the outbreak started when two foreign students were diagnosed after returning from abroad. Since then, seven additional students have been confirmed with the contagious viral infection. Akdeniz […]The post Turkey: Nine Akdeniz University students contract measles appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Officials with Colgate University announced this week that a on-campus student at Parke House–Bryan Complex was taken to a Utica hospital and was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis. In a update from Director, Student Health Services, Dr. Merrill Miller Tuesday, the school has reached out to individuals who were identified as being in close contact with the patient, […]The post Colgate University student tests positive for meningococcal meningitis appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On today’s show we are going to look at some common ectoparasites–lice. According to the CDC, lice are parasitic insects that can be found on people’s heads, and bodies, including the pubic area. Human lice survive by feeding on human blood. Lice found on each area of the body are different from each other. The three […]The post Pediculosis: Head and body lice appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health departments working with CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Lab Network found more than 220 instances of germs with “unusual” antibiotic resistance genes in the United States last year, according to a CDC Vital Signs report released today. Germs with unusual resistance include those that cannot be killed by all or most antibiotics, are uncommon in a geographic […]The post CDC: More than 220 instances of bacteria with ‘unusual’ antibiotic resistance genes in the United States in 2017 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has issued a mandatory recall order for all food products containing powdered kratom manufactured, processed, packed, or held by Triangle Pharmanaturals LLC, after several were found to contain Salmonella. The agency took this action after the company failed to cooperate with the FDA’s request to conduct a […]The post FDA issues mandatory recall for Triangle Pharmanaturals kratom products appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A Saudi Gazette report Sunday states government hospitals in Jeddah have been alerted following the fresh outbreak of Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever (AHF). Although the report doesn’t say if or how many cases there are, Health Affairs in Jeddah has asked hospitals to inform it about new cases of the disease as quickly as possible. Alkhurma hemorrhagic […]The post Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever prompts alert in Jeddah hospitals appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

According to a Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) news release (computer translated), the first confirmed case of Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever in China has been reported this year. The patient is a 44-year-old man from the north and is engaged in the catering industry. The activity is mainly in the home and nearby mountainous areas. There is […]The post Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever case reported by Taiwan CDC appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Taiwan health officials are warning the public to take precautions against scrub typhus this Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Festival. To prevent chigger bites, the public is advised to wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts and pants, apply officially approved insect repellents to exposed skin, and change clothes and take a shower immediately doing activities such as cleaning graves, camping, […]The post Taiwan: Public warned about scrub typhus this Qingming Festival appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up of the outbreak of severe bleeding due to the use of synthetic cannabinoids, Illinois health officials report an additional 18 cases and one death, bringing the outbreak total to 56 severe bleeding cases and two deaths since Mar. 7. While many of the cases report acquiring the synthetic cannabinoid products in the […]The post Synthetic cannabinoids bleeding outbreak: Additional 18 cases, one death appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A Zika vaccine could have a substantial effect on mitigating and preventing future Zika virus outbreaks. Through a combination of direct protection and indirect reduction of transmissions, virtual elimination is achievable, even with imperfect vaccine efficacy and coverage. The researcher is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted Zika virus has become […]The post A Zika vaccine could virtually eliminate prenatal infections: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the monkeypox outbreak in Bambari district, Central African Republic (CAR), a total of eight cases with zero deaths have been reported as of Mar. 25 since the start of the outbreak. CAR Ministry of Health declared an outbreak on Mar. 17 in the sub-district of Ippy. Four of the eight cases (50%) […]The post Monkeypox update: Eight cases reported in CAR appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to the multistate Listeria outbreak linked to Vulto Creamery soft raw milk cheese, federal officials announced that the New York raw milk cheese company has been ordered by a federal court not to manufacture its ready-to-eat aged soft, semi-soft and hard cheeses until it complies with food safety regulations. On March 30, 2018, the U.S. […]The post Vulto Creamery ordered to stop sale of cheeses appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NutriZone, LLC of Houston, Texas is recalling 4 different dietary supplements because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella, is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all […]The post Salmonella risk prompts NutriZone kratom supplement recall appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) working in partnership with colleagues from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) have shown the large potential impact of a completely new type of antimalarial drug that kill mosquitoes, as opposed to existing drugs that target the parasite, to reduce the spread of malaria. The team, […]The post Malaria: Adding ivermectin to antimalarial had ‘major and prolonged effect on mosquito mortality’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in France, health authorities now report 1,232 measles cases since November 6, 2017, with 94 percent reported since January 1, 2018. Sixty-nine departments in France are reporting cases with 57 percent of cases (708) reported in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Twenty percent of cases required hospitalization for their illness. […]The post France measles outbreak update appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the dengue fever epidemic on Réunion, French health officials more than 500 confirmed cases in the west and south of the island since the beginning of the year. 588 indigenous cases have been reported since Jan. 1, with 154 cases confirmed in the last week. The strain implicated for most of the cases is DEN-2, […]The post Reunion dengue outbreak continues rise: 588 indigenous cases this year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Instituto de Salud Publica in Chile recently reported the number vaccinated against influenza at the national level has exceeded the Ministry of Health projections, achieving in just two weeks a total of 2,167,240 immunized through March 28, which represents a 38.13 % of the target population that is intended to be vaccinated during this campaign. Pregnant women over […]The post Chile influenza vaccine campaign reaches 38 percent of target population appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the Greece measles outbreak, 2345 measles cases have been notified in Greece since the beginning of 2017. Of this total, 1390 were laboratory confirmed, 795 are probable cases meeting the clinical criteria and epidemiological link with laboratory confirmed cases and 160 are possible cases meeting the clinical criteria. The outbreak primarily […]The post Greece measles outbreak update appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the dangerous synthetic cannabinoids situation in Illinois, state health officials are reporting the death of an individual who experienced severe bleeding and reported using synthetic cannabinoids, often called Spice, K2, or fake weed. To date, The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has reports of 38 people in the Chicago area and in central Illinois […]The post Illinois reports ‘Spice’ death due to severe bleeding appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The second most populous country in the world, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the global population, India, is also home to the world’s largest absolute burden of at least 11 major neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), according to a recent editorial by Dr Peter Hotez and Ashish Damania with the Baylor College of Medicine | BCM · National School of Tropical […]The post India ranks #1 globally in 11 neglected tropical diseases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending antimalarials for travelers to the Waterberg region of Limpopo Province, including resort areas in South Africa. On March 9, 2018, the United Kingdom (UK) reported two cases of P. falciparum malaria in UK travelers who had returned from the Waterberg region of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Waterberg […]The post South Africa: CDC recommends antimalarials for travelers to the Waterberg region of Limpopo Province appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Brazil Ministry of Health updated on Wednesday (computer translated) the information passed by the state health departments on the situation of yellow fever in the country. During the monitoring period (from July 1, 2017 to March 27, 2018), 1,131 cases of yellow fever were confirmed in the country, of which 338 died. This compares to 660 […]The post Brazil yellow fever update: 1,131 confirmed cases and 338 deaths appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Cases of mumps were recently identified in the Northwest Territories (NWT), for the first time since 1995, according to the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority this week. According to NWT chief public health officer, Dr. Andre Corriveau, there are two cases confirmed and at least two other cases are being investigated. The Chief Public Health […]The post Canada: Mumps reported in NWT for first time since 1995 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Directorate General of Health (DGS) reported Friday that the measles outbreak has risen to 82 cases. Of the 82 infected, 71 have recovered. At present, there are 20 cases under investigation, 197 negative cases and 2 patients hospitalized in a stable clinical situation. The vast majority of cases have links to the Santo António Hospital […]The post Portugal measles outbreak rises to 82 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness (GI) among residents and staff at the Illinois Veterans’ Home in Quincy (IVHQ). Based on the symptoms, the spread, and the duration of illness, norovirus is suspected, although tests are pending to confirm. Beginning earlier this week, 24 individuals experienced vomiting […]The post Suspected norovirus sickens two dozen residents and staff at Quincy Veterans Home appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) and Tulsa Health Department (THD) have joined public health officials in other states and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate a nationwide outbreak of Salmonella associated with kratom. As of March 20, a total of 91 people in 36 states are linked to this […]The post Oklahoma reports four Salmonella cases linked to kratom appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning people about the dangers of synthetic cannabinoids -often called fake weed, K2 and spice- after a number of people in Chicago who used synthetic cannabinoids suffered life-threatening bleeding. Additional cases have been reported across the state. Eight people in Chicago and 32 people in Illinois have suffered severe bleeding, some of whom are in the ICU with threatening illness, after reporting using […]The post Chicago: Eight cases of severe bleeding reported after using synthetic cannabinoids appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New Mexico health officials are reporting the first case of plague in the state this year in a dog from Santa Fe County. An environmental investigation will take place at the dog owner’s home to look for ongoing risk to others in the surrounding area. “New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) staff will ensure the safety of the […]The post New Mexico reports 1st plague case in Santa Fe County dog appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the meningococcal disease outbreak declared in northern Fiji last week, The Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MoHMS) reports that the outbreak is caused by meningococcal C. In addition, laboratory analysis shows the strain is resistant to penicillin and ciprofloxacin. The Ministry, through the National Meningococcal Disease Taskforce, has coordinated the response […]The post Fiji meningococcal disease outbreak: Meningococcal C strain implicated appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Asymptomatic malaria occurs when parasites are present in an individual’s blood but do not cause fever or other symptoms. These “afebrile” infections can be detected either by classical diagnosis tests (if there are enough parasites in blood) or by molecular amplification techniques (if there are very few). Individuals that are infected but present no symptoms […]The post Asymptomatic malaria: Natural dynamics and risk posed for elimination appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Wyandotte County Health Department were notified of a case of measles in an out of state resident with international travel this week. Health officials say the case is not associated with the ongoing outbreak of measles in Johnson County. Measles update: Additional cases and locations […]The post Kansas City: Possible measles exposure at The University of Kansas Hospital, Not linked to E. Kansas outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Wyoming health officials reported Thursday that the state’s gonorrhea rates have increased dramatically in recent years. There were 415 gonorrhea cases reported across the state in 2017, which represents a 50 percent increase over 2016. “When we look back over the past five years, our gonorrhea case count has gone up a startling 529 percent,” said […]The post Wyoming: ‘Gonorrhea case count has gone up a startling 529 percent’ in past 5 years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Donate Life Florida (DLF), a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the public to save and enhance lives through organ, tissue and eye donation, announced a new record today. Ten million Floridians have signed up as donors through Florida’s Joshua Abbott Organ and Tissue Donor Registry, the third largest in the nation. “We definitely want to […]The post Florida’s Registry of Organ & Tissue Donors is Nation’s 3rd Largest appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Public Health England (PHE) is advising people planning to travel to Europe over the Easter holidays to ensure they are up to date with the MMR vaccine, due to ongoing measles outbreaks across the continent. Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can lead to serious complications and in rare cases can be fatal. The European […]The post Easter travel in Europe: PHE offers measles advice for travelers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In the observance of the Holy Week this year, the Philippines Department of Health posed this timely reminder to keep one’s self hydrated especially during, as what experts claim to be, the dry season, particularly on those who will do their annual rounds of Visita Iglesia. “Remember to always carry a water bottle, ready-to-eat meals […]The post Philippines Holy Week health tips: Staying hydrated, tetanus risk appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) Environmental Public Health in Edmonton is investigating to determine the source of an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7. While the investigation into the exact cause is ongoing, this week there have been five lab-confirmed cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection in the Edmonton Zone involving people who consumed food from Mama […]The post E. coli outbreak linked to Edmonton Filipino restaurant appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A team of researchers led by Brown University infectious disease experts and engineers has identified a new class of antibiotics that could one day help combat the alarming emergence of drug-resistant “superbugs.” Eleftherios Mylonakis, a professor of infectious diseases at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School and chief of infectious diseases at Rhode Island Hospital and […]The post Brown scientists identify a new class of antibiotics with the potential to treat MRSA appeared first on Outbreak News Today.