Outbreak News Today

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will sponsor the next stages of development of an antibiotic that not only holds potential as a treatment for infections from certain types of drug-resistant […]The post ‘Combating antibiotic-resistant infections is fundamental to U.S. biodefense’: BARDA director appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

North Korea’s military arsenal is a hot topic today–nuclear and conventional. But what is known about the biological weapons (BW) program? Researchers with Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School teamed up with intelligence firm AMPLYFI to examine these topics including policies and proposals for the future. The current status and the […]The post Biological weapons in North Korea: Report outlines what is known and unknown appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Italian health officials reported this week four Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases in the Apulia region in southern Italy. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the cases are 21 to 37-year-old men, originally from Africa. All stated that they had been in Italy for more than three months. Dates for onset of […]The post Italy reports 4 indigenous Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Hong Kong health officials are investigating a local case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) and urge the public to avoid going to rural areas from dusk till dawn when the vector, which breeds in large water bodies such as rice paddies, is most active. According to the attending physician and the patient’s family, the male patient, aged 59 […]The post Hong Kong investigates 5th Japanese encephalitis local transmission appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Antibiotics prescribed by dentists may contribute to the growing problem of Clostridium difficile (C. diff), a serious and potentially deadly infection that causes severe diarrhea, suggests research presented at IDWeek 2017. And many of those antibiotics are likely unnecessary, researchers note. Taking antibiotics can put patients at risk for developing C. diff and illustrates the importance of using the […]The post Antibiotics for dental procedures may contribute to C. difficile infections: Research appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials issue advisory In a follow-up on the monkeypox outbreak in the southern Nigerian state of Bayelsa, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) issued a health advisory for the viral zoonotic disease, monkeypox: It is normally spread by direct contact with bodily fluids (blood, secretions) or mucosal lesions of infected animals such as monkeys and […]The post Nigeria issues monkeypox advisory, media reports suspected outbreak in Port Harcourt appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In July, Texas and Hidalgo County health officials confirmed the first indigenous case of Zika virus infection. On Thursday, the Cameron County Department of Health and Human Services announced the first locally acquired probable Zika Virus Disease Case for 2017 in Cameron County has been confirmed and second in the state. The case is a Laguna Heights […]The post Texas reports 2nd local transmission of Zika, this one in Cameron County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Washington state health officials say lab results confirmed the Salmonella strain recently found in Pride & Joy Dairy organic raw milk matches the strain that hospitalized two Washington residents in January. Health officials are urging consumers not to drink Pride & Joy Dairy organic raw milk in any container size or sell-by date. “Unpasteurized ‘raw’ milk can carry […]The post Salmonella Dublin identified as strain that sickened two in Washington, linked to raw milk appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

It’s “plague season” in Madagascar; however, this year is unique as the current outbreak is affecting major urban centres in the country concerning health officials. For the six years from Jan. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31 2015, 3248 cases of plague in humans were reported, resulting in 584 deaths. This makes Madagascar the most seriously affected […]The post Plague: Antibiotics, money delivered to Madagascar to battle outbreak appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The largest city in the Americas, São Paulo, Brazil is reporting a dramatic increase in hepatitis A cases this year according to data released by the Municipal Health Secretariat earlier this week. According to a local media report (computer translated), between January 1 and September 16 of this year, the city recorded 517 cases of […]The post Brazil: Hepatitis A cases up 700 percent in São Paulo appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Brazilian researchers at the University of São Paulo’s Bioscience Institute (IB-USP) are starting to unravel the molecular mechanisms by which the parasite that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis manages to circumvent the host organism’s defenses and infect new cells. Cutaneous leishmaniasis, caused by protozoans of the genus Leishmania, produces skin lesions that are slow to heal. It […]The post Potential targets for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis identified by University of São Paulo researchers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New Zealand has won international praise for successfully eliminating endemic measles and rubella for the first time. Ministry of Health’s Director of Public Health, Dr Caroline McElnay, says it means no measles or rubella cases have originated here for the past three years, but people who have caught the diseases overseas regularly bring them in […]The post New Zealand: Measles and rubella officially eliminated appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in Washtenaw County, MI are alerting the public to a possible hepatitis A exposure as they confirmed a case of the viral disease in a local restaurant worker. The diagnosed individual works at Cardamom Restaurant located at 1739 Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor. Anyone who ate at the restaurant between September 16 and October 3 […]The post Michigan: Hepatitis A warning issued in Ann Arbor appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

As the hepatitis A outbreak in San Diego continues to grow, 481 cases and 17 deaths at last count in the local outbreak, city officials say that they warned employees about the outbreak two times before Mayor Kevin Faulconer issued any public statements according to newly released emails show, the San Diego Union Tribune reports. The report by Jeff McDonald notes […]The post San Diego hepatitis A update: Emergency shelter for homeless declaration, Public statement controversy appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A collaboration years in the making between The College of Idaho and Boise State University in the research of the microscopic parasite Giardia has resulted in a three-year, $418,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop new drugs treating Giardia infections. C of I Associate Professor of Chemistry John Thurston and fellow researcher […]The post Idaho researchers receive grant for Giardia treatment research appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

While most tick bites do not transmit infectious disease, some very serious infections can be contracted from the bite of this vector. There are more than a dozen tickborne diseases in the United States and several others that are found only in other countries. Massachusetts-based infectious disease physician, Steven LaRosa joined me on the show to […]The post Tickborne diseases: Laboratory diagnosis and treatment appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the cobas Zika test, a qualitative nucleic acid test for the detection of Zika virus RNA in individual plasma specimens obtained from volunteer donors of whole blood and blood components, and from living organ donors. It is intended for use by blood collection establishments to detect Zika […]The post Zika screening test for blood donations receive FDA nod appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Officials with the MidCentral District Health Board report additional cases of mumps in Palmerston North, bringing the total to four confirmed cases in the past five weeks. Many areas around New Zealand are experiencing cases of mumps, with over 500 cases nationally over the past year. Medical Officer of Health Dr Rob Weir said: “Mumps causes […]The post Mumps tally in Palmerston North rises to 4 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

After not reporting any human West Nile virus (WNV) cases in three years, health officials in Onondaga County in Central New York have reported the second case of 2017. The WNV case was diagnosed in an elderly person who is hospitalized but in stable condition. This follows a report of an infection in Syracuse child […]The post New York: 2nd human West Nile virus case reported in Onondaga County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the monkeypox outbreak in Bayelsa State in southern Nigeria, on the Sep. 22, 2017, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was notified of a case of suspected Monkeypox in an 11 year old male patient who presented to the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Subsequently, 11 other […]The post Nigeria monkeypox outbreak: More details appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The World Health Organization (WHO) released an update today on the plague outbreak in Madagascar: As of 3 October 2017, a total of 194 cases (suspected, probable and confirmed) with 30 deaths (case fatality rate 15.5%) have been reported from 20 districts in 10 regions. Of these, 124 cases and 21 deaths (case fatality rate […]The post Madagascar plague update: Nearly 200 cases, 60 percent are pneumonic appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The discovery of antibiotics in the early part of the 20th century changed modern medicine. Simple infections that previously killed people became easy to treat. Antibiotics’ ability to stave off infections made possible routine surgeries, organ transplants, and chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer. But because of overuse and misuse, antibiotics are losing their effectiveness. […]The post Caltech test identifies antibiotic-resistant bacteria in as little as 30 minutes appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Efforts to rid the world of polio have taken another significant step, thanks to research led by University of Queensland bioscience experts and funding from the World Health Organisation (WHO). A fresh study of the Nanopatch – a microscopic vaccine delivery platform first developed by UQ researchers – has shown the device more effectively combats […]The post Polio vaccine: Nanopatch delivery system more effective than needles and syringes appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Plague is endemic to Madagascar, where around 400 cases of – mostly bubonic – plague are reported annually. In fact, during the last decade, the island country reported more than 7,000 human plague cases, second most on the planet. Officials with the World Health Organization (WHO) are expressing concern about this year’s outbreak as this one […]The post Plague: Madagascar reports 30 deaths as concerns of more spread mounts appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new generation DNA-based Zika vaccine is the first to demonstrate both safety and the ability to elicit an immune response against Zika in humans, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, conducted in partnership with The Wistar Institute, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, and GeneOne Life Science, Inc. In […]The post DNA-based Zika vaccine is the first to demonstrate both safety and the ability to elicit an immune response against Zika in humans appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

An NBC report last week said the rate of Lyme Disease infection in ticks tested so far in 2017 is up by 40 percent compared to 2016 in Connecticut, according to scientists. Researchers with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) recently published a study that suggest an increase in the Lyme disease tick, Ixodes scapularis is associated with an exotic invasive […]The post Lyme disease: Researchers discover ‘significantly higher abundances’ of blacklegged tick linked to exotic invasive shrub appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

At least 10 human monkeypox cases have been confirmed in Bayelsa State in southern Nigeria, according to a local news source. Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ebi Etebu not only confirmed the outbreak but said health workers in the ministry were looking for 49 other people believed to have come in close contact with the identified […]The post Monkeypox reported in Bayelsa State, Nigeria appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

UN health officials are reported seven additional Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) cases–5 cases from Mayadeen and 1 from Boukamal districts, Deir Ez-Zor governorate, and 1 case from Thawra district (newly infected), Raqqa governorate in the past week. This brings the total cases to 47. Poliovirus has been isolated from stool samples collected from a healthy child […]The post Polio: Syria reports 7 additional cVDPV2 cases, Pakistan sees one new wild poliovirus type 1 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Authorities in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (QLD) are reporting a spike in the number of rotavirus cases being reported in children under five years old. The number of people suffering from the virus, which is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in children and babies, is reaching levels not experienced in the […]The post Rotavirus spike reported in New South Wales and Queensland children appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

At least 87 kindergartners in four kindergartens in Okazaki City were sickened after eating salmonella-tainted bento meals, according to a local media report. Bento is a single-portion take-out or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. The children, aged 3 to 6, reported food-poisoning symptoms like fever and vomiting after consuming the tainted bento meals between September 21 and 28. At least 10 […]The post Japan: Scores of schoolchildren struck by Salmonella in Okazaki City appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the paratyphoid outbreak in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, The district health board now puts the case count at 10 with a number of other cases being tested with results still pending. Health officials have also identified a link to another Tangi recently held in the bay. People who attended or ate mussels from one or […]The post Paratyphoid Fever outbreak reaches 10 cases in Hawke’s Bay appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Clinicians managing Zika-affected pregnancies should use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in addition to standard ultrasound (US) because the more detailed MRI images can reveal more extensive areas of damage to the developing fetal brain, according to research presented during IDWeek 2017. “MRI and US provide complementary data needed to assess ongoing changes to the brains […]The post Brain damage caused by Zika exposure in utero can be detected by both fetal MRI and ultrasound appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

“Raising awareness about emerging safety issues associated with compounded drugs is a top priority for the FDA’s compounding program,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Just today, the FDA provided details about a case of severe vision loss associated with eye injections of a compounded drug containing […]The post FDA warns of severe vision loss associated with eye injections of a compounded drug containing vancomycin appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the multistate outbreak of Campylobacter infections linked to puppies sold through Petland, a national pet store chain, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting an additional 16 cases, bringing the outbreak total to 55 in a dozen states-Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin, […]The post Campylobacter outbreak linked to puppies rises by 16 cases, antibiotic resistance noted appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Last month, The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a three-year, $800,000 grant to explore predictive analytic techniques using data collected by the MyLymeData patient registry. LymeDisease.org CEO, Lorraine Johnson, JD, MBA joined me to talk about MyLymeData and the NSF grant. Save up to 40% off tours and activities in Chicago Related: Lyme disease treatment: […]The post LymeDisease.org’s Lorraine Johnson discusses MyLymeData and a new NSF grant appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Based on the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, 68,000 cases of JE occur annually, with 3 billion people living in 24 South-East Asian and Western Pacific regions at risk for transmission of the virus, including the Philippines. The Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was first reported in the Philippines in 1943 and since then, the Philippines […]The post Japanese encephalitis: Philippine pediatricians release position paper appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The seventh case of Vibrio involving a Mobile County resident during 2017 has been reported to the Mobile County Health Department. The individual was in the Dog River area. The patient is recovering in a local hospital from the serious bacterial skin infection necrotizing fasciitis. Of the more than 70 species of Vibrio that exist, […]The post Alabama: Mobile County sees 7th Vibrio case in patient with necrotizing fasciitis appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the locally transmitted malaria increases reported on Cabo Verde this year, 254 indigenous cases were reported through Sep. 24. Most cases (75%) have not sought treatment until 48-96 hours after illness onset. Despite this, case fatality rates have remained low (0.4%), with one death reported in an indigenous case to date. Seven […]The post Cape Verde malaria cases top 250, remains localized to Praia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Users of statins, widely prescribed for prevention of cardiac disease, have a 27% lower risk of contracting a Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bloodstream infection outside of a hospital, according to a new study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Researchers report that statin use, especially among elderly patients with preexisting chronic conditions such as diabetes, kidney, or liver disease, may be protective […]The post Study shows statin use was associated with decreased risk of blood infection with CA-S. aureus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

On Sept 20, Hurricane Maria pulverized Puerto Rico, the worst hit the island had taken since 1928. Access to drinking water has been restored to 45% of Puerto Rico — but more than half of the U.S. territory of 3.4 million is still going without. Reports of some disease outbreaks have already been published, including false […]The post Puerto Rico crisis: What are the infectious disease risks post-Hurricane Maria appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company, Savara, Inc. today announced the initiation of the AVAIL study, a Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of AeroVanc (vancomycin hydrochloride inhalation powder) for the treatment of persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) lung infection in individuals living with cystic fibrosis (CF). Inhaled antibiotics are standard of care for gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in individuals living with […]The post MRSA Lung Infection in Cystic Fibrosis: AeroVanc enters Phase III clinical trials appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the plague outbreak in Madagascar, a total of 73 cases (suspected, probable and confirmed) of pneumonic plague, including 17 deaths (case fatality rate 23.3%) have been reported from August 1 through Sep 30, 2017. The 73 pneumonic cases are geographically spread across nine districts, with the capital Antananarivo (27 cases, 7 deaths) […]The post 24 plague deaths reported in Madagascar since August appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Liberia Ministry of Health has reported a measles outbreak in Bong County in north-central Liberia. As of 27 Sep 2017, a total of 16 cases (4 confirmed and 12 epidemiologically linked) were reported in the community. It all started when a 3-year-old girl from Kayata Community, Suakoko District became ill on 6 Sep 2017 and presented […]The post Measles outbreak in Bong County, Liberia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Italy has reported nearly 200 chikungunya cases in the Lazio Region and this has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a travel notice for the area. As of Sep. 26, 183 confirmed and suspected locally acquired cases of the mosquito borne illness in the coastal areas of Anzio and Latina as well […]The post Italy chikungunya outbreak prompts CDC travel notice appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In the WHO European Region, 42 of 53 countries have interrupted endemic transmission of measles, and 37 countries have interrupted endemic transmission of rubella as of the end of 2016. This was determined by the European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC) at its 6th meeting in June 2017. “I congratulate each […]The post Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom eliminate measles appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to the measles outbreak in Melbourne, Australia, the number of cases have risen to eleven in Victoria in the last two weeks. Health officials believe there may be additional cases upcoming. Measles has an incubation period of between 7 and 18 days (average 14 days from exposure to rash) so should be considered […]The post Melbourne measles outbreak rises to 11 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

An outbreak of the zoonotic bacterial infection, tularemia has been reported in Armenia, according to a Haqqin.az report (computer translated). According to the report, at least 20 people in the village of Artsvaberd in Tavush province were affected by the outbreak. The report does not state how the villagers were infected. Tularemia can be transmitted […]The post Tularemia outbreak reported in Artsvaberd, Armenia appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The number of conjunctivitis, or “pinkeye” cases reported in Panama now stands at 74,661 through mid-September, according to the Panama Ministry of Health (computer translated). The areas where the most cases have been reported are Colón (7057), San Miguelito (14050), Panama Oeste (12313), and Panama Metro (17300). Fortunately, health officials are reporting a decrease in cases in […]The post Panama: ‘Pink eye’ cases near 75,000 this year appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the chikungunya outbreak in Pakistan, health officials in Sindh province are reporting 4,312 cases of chikungunya year-to-date. Karachi has been hardest hit. This is up from 405 cases reported in 2016, according to a Business Recorder report. The increase in cases have been attributed to an “absolute disregard for adequate and safe […]The post Pakistan: Sindh report 10-times increase in chikungunya appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

While the reports of increases in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have poured in over recent years, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report last week showing the most cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis ever. However, contrary to the plethora of reports worldwide of increases, Public Health England released a new report showing that new […]The post London reports drop in gonorrhea cases in 2016 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.