Outbreak News Today

Since the beginning of the year, health officials in Faisalabad, Pakistan have reported 81 chickenpox cases, including 16 deaths during the last four months, according to Pakistani media. Sources tell The Nation that more than 100 patients visited both Civil Hospital and Allied Hospital for medical consultation regarding the epidemic. Some patients complained they were not given proper care. The report notes […]The post Pakistan: Chickenpox outbreak claims 16 lives in past 4 months in Faisalabad appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

For the past two weeks, we have watched the Minnesota measles outbreak grow into 32 confirmed cases as of Friday. The bulk of the cases have been reported in Somali children in the state with all of them being unvaccinated. During an interview on the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease […]The post ‘We expect this measles outbreak to grow substantially’: CIDRAP’s Osterholm appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

NHS Lanarkshire’s Department of Public Health along with North Lanarkshire Council Environmental Health and other agencies are investigating nine confirmed and nine suspected cases of hepatitis A in North Lanarkshire. Patients have either been discharged or are currently in Monklands Hospital. All are well and responding to treatment. Initial investigations indicate that there could be […]The post Hepatitis A outbreak investigated in Lanarkshire, Possibly link to the JB Christie bakery appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Men over 50 have a higher risk than the general population of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, so they need to keep a sharp eye out for signs of the disease. Many women in this age group, however, would attest that they’re more likely than their male partners to notice suspicious spots […]The post Melanoma Monday®: Dermatologists encourage women to help men spot skin cancer appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced Friday that the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) has approved a direct-acting antiviral regimen comprised of Daklinza ® (daclatasvir) and Sunvepra ®(asunaprevir), for the treatment of treatment-naive or -experienced patients, with or without compensated cirrhosis, infected with genotype 1b chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). This is China’s first all-oral, interferon- […]The post Hepatitis C: China FDA approves Daklinza and Sunvepra, First all-oral regimen appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) has been investigating an increasing number of cases of mumps infection statewide. Since March 2017, DOH has become aware of two clusters of cases, together involving at least nine (9) individuals on Oahu, bringing the total number of confirmed cases statewide this year to fourteen (14). To date, […]The post Hawaii: Mumps clusters investigated in Oahu appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) warns against consuming local deer- antler tea due to botulism risk. Public Health has recently identified one confirmed and one suspected case of botulism occurring in adults. Preliminary investigation suggests that these cases may be associated with the consumption of a deer-antler tea product (photos […]The post Botulism cases may be linked to deer-antler tea, Health warning issued appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Kings County Health Department (KCHD) announced today that the first human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in 2017 has been confirmed. The last human case in Kings County was in 2016. This is the first human case of WNV reported in the state of California in 2017. According to Dr. Teske, Health Officer […]The post California reports 1st human West Nile virus case of the year in Kings County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the dengue fever epidemic in Sri Lanka, officials with the Epidemiology Unit with the Ministry of Health report 39,313 cases through Apr. 28. This compares with 16,660 cases reported during the same period in 2016. Of this total, local media have reported 65 dengue-related fatalities through Apr. 26. Colombo district remains the […]The post Dengue fever: Sri Lanka reports nearly 40,000 cases through April appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

We all love a good book and on the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, I spend most of the hour discussing a fantastic new book on infectious diseases, outbreaks, epidemiologic investigations and not just what the issues are, but also the solutions. The book is Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs by Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH and Mark […]The post Dr. Mike Osterholm discusses infectious diseases and his new book ‘Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A vocal few Canadians hold anti-vaccine views, but they are not the main reason for insufficient childhood vaccination coverage across Canada, finds a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “In Need of a Booster: How to Improve Childhood Vaccination Coverage in Canada,” authors Colin Busby, Aaron Jacobs and Ramya Muthukumaran, suggest that a […]The post Canada: Fence-Sitting Parents to Blame for Falling Vaccine Rates appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Kent State University Health Services and the health departments of the City of Kent and Portage County have recently become aware of confirmed mumps at Kent State University – Kent Campus. University Health Services is advising all students and university employees that it is likely that the mumps virus is circulating in the vicinity and […]The post Kent State University reports confirmed mumps case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The State University of New York, University at Albany (UAlbany) is currently dealing with eight confirmed cases of mumps in the student body. The affected students are being cared for and are isolated from the rest of the student body while they recover. UAlbany is working closely with the Albany County Department of Health (ACDOH) to […]The post Mumps: Eight cases reported in UAlbany students appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Public Health is investigating an outbreak of gastroenteritis with abdominal cramps and diarrhea associated with Rancho Bravo Tacos at 1001 East Pine St, Seattle. Four people from a single party became ill soon after eating food at the restaurant on 4/22/17; none were hospitalized. Symptoms and timing of illness onset are suggestive of a bacterial […]The post Seattle: Investigation of foodborne illness outbreak linked to Rancho Bravo Tacos appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, can survive within the ubiquitous soil protozoan, the amoeba, by producing proteins that protect against the latter microbe’s digestion. The research is published April 28th in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. The research is important because plague is a re-emerging […]The post Yersinia pestis, the plague bacteria, can survive inside Acanthamoeba for protection appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Interferon is a crucial component of the human immune system’s response to infection by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), but how important a role it plays in determining the severity of disease and explaining why newborns are so much more susceptible to HSV-1 infection than adults remains unclear. A comprehensive review of the contribution […]The post Herpes simplex virus type 1 and the newborn: Why the risk of serious infection increased? appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The number of leptospirosis cases reported during the first three months of 2017 in the Philippines is up by 67.7 percent compared to the period in 2016, according to a Abante.com report (computer translated). Data from the Public Health Division of Epidemiology Surveillance Bureau of the Department of Health (DOH) recorded a total of 337 cases […]The post Leptospirosis cases up 68 percent in the Philippines in 2017 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Three additional measles cases have been confirmed in the Minnesota outbreak, according to state health officials. This brings the total to 32 confirmed cases–30 in Hennepin County, one in Stearns County and now one case in Ramsey County. Of the total cases, 31 are confirmed to be unvaccinated and 1 of the cases had 1 […]The post Measles now seen in Ramsey County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Officials with the University of Surrey in Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom report at least three confirmed cases of meningitis associated with undergraduate students at the school since the end of March 2017. Sadly, one of the students died while returning from a sports trip to Italy. Passengers from the coach in which the student travelled were offered antibiotics […]The post UK: University of Surrey reports 3 meningitis cases since late March, 1 student dead appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A 22-month-old toddler is in a stable condition in hospital following the first confirmed case of tetanus in a South Australian child in 17 years. SA Health’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Paddy Phillips is urging parents to make sure their children are fully vaccinated against tetanus and other diseases. “Sadly, we have been notified of […]The post Tetanus: South Australia reports 1st case in years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Cases of babesiosis, transmitted by tick bites, increase over the spring months with the majority of affected people falling ill in June or July. The seasonal rise in this parasitic disease in the United States is likely well underway. Babesia microti, the species responsible for most cases, is a microscopic protozoan parasite that lives inside […]The post Babesiosis cases likely on the rise appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

India’s GBIT and Oxitec announced the launch of the Friendly™ Aedes project to combat the menace of vector borne diseases including dengue and chikungunya. India recently initiated the outdoor caged trials of Oxitec’s Friendly™ Aedes mosquitoes to demonstrate the efficacy of the Friendly™ mosquitoes in suppressing the local Aedes aegypti population. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Director General of the Indian […]The post India: Battle against dengue and chikungunya with Friendly™ mosquitoes appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Zika virus can persist in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), lymph nodes and colorectal tissue of infected rhesus monkeys for weeks after the virus has been cleared from blood, urine and mucosal secretions, according to a study published online today in Cell. The research was led by Dan H. Barouch, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at Beth Israel […]The post Zika virus can persist in CSF and lymph nodes of Rhesus monkeys: Researchers appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

An anthrax outbreak was reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Wednesday by Dr Joseph Savadogo, Directeur Général des Services Vétérinaires, Services Vétérinaires, Ministère des Ressources Animales et Halieutiques, Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso. The outbreak registered in Banakeledaga, Bama, Houet killed 70 cattle, registered in four (4) herds that belong to four (4) farmers: three (3) of them […]The post Anthrax outbreak: Dozens of cattle die in Houet, Burkina Faso appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Not only has mumps risen significantly in the US recently, but our neighbors north of the border in Canada have also seen dramatic increases in some provinces like Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan, where they typically report 0-2 cases annually in recent years, which are typically imported from endemic countries or areas experiencing an outbreak. In […]The post Saskatchewan: Mumps cases dramatically higher in 2017 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The number of measles cases in the current Minnesota outbreak has risen to 29 cases, as five additional cases were reported today, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Hennepin County has seen 28 of the cases and now one case has been reported in Stearns County. Of the 29 cases, 25 are confirmed […]The post Minnesota: Measles cases continue to rise, Now reported in Stearns County appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The significant presence of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB), such as E. coli, among nursing home residents demonstrates the need for heightened infection control prevention and control measures in nursing homes, according to a meta-analysis published in the May issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official journal of the Association for Professionals in […]The post Multidrug-resistant bacteria found colonized in a quarter of nursing home residents appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

According to a newly released study, there are an estimated 94,200 Oklahomans living with Hepatitis C virus infection. Estimates were developed by researchers at Emory University in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to better understand the number of people in each state living with Hepatitis C. The Oklahoma State Department of […]The post Oklahoma has highest prevalence of hepatitis C in the US appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health reported increased scarlet fever activity in March 2017 as compared with that in February. 249 cases of scarlet fever were reported in March as compared with 168 cases in February. There were 13 institutional clusters occurring in ten kindergartens and three primary schools, […]The post Hong Kong reports increase in scarlet fever in March appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating an imported case of Zika Virus infection in a woman with a travel history to Ecuador and Peru. The female patient, aged 31 with good past health, presented with headache, sore throat, nausea and vomiting since April 21 and consulted a private […]The post Hong Kong investigates imported Zika case appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the meningitis outbreak in Nigeria which started in December 2016, the Nigerian CDC reports 9,646 suspected cases, of which 277 (2.9%) were laboratory confirmed. Nearly 9 percent, or 839 deaths were recorded as of Apr. 22. In the last four weeks, 43 Local Government Areas (LGAs) have reached alert/epidemic threshold in seven States […]The post Nigeria News: Meningitis outbreak nears 10,000 cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the “mystery deaths” reported in Sinoe County, Liberia, Liberian authorities said initial scientific investigations ruled out Ebola as the cause of the deaths, according to a Reuters report. The Chief Medical Officer of Liberia, Dr. Francis Kateh, told a news conference in Monrovia on Wednesday: “Initial test conducted by the Liberian Institute of Biomedical […]The post Liberia: Ebola ‘ruled out’ as cause of ‘mystery deaths’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Onondaga County Commissioner of Health, Indu Gupta, MD, MPH, reports that the New York State Health Department’s laboratory has confirmed that a bat found in the Village of Liverpool tested positive for rabies. This is the second animal that has tested positive for rabies in 2017. The Health Department reminds residents that rabid animals […]The post Central NY: Bat found in Liverpool tests positive for rabies appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In our continuous monitoring of the measles outbreak in Hennepin County, Minnesota, state health officials reported three additional confirmed cases today, bringing the total to 24. All the cases are reported in children under five and 23 of the cases were unvaccinated (Vaccination status of the remaining case has yet to be verified). All of the […]The post Hennepin County: Two dozen Somali Minnesotans contract measles appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to previous recalls in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) updated the food recall warning to additional products. Harlan Bakeries – Edmonton is recalling various brands of pie and tart shells due to possible E. coli O121 contamination. Consumers should not consume the recalled products described below: […]The post Harlan Bakeries – Edmonton recalls pie and tart shells due to E. coli 0121 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Almost 30,000 young children, many of them displaced by a searing drought, are being vaccinated against measles this week in an emergency campaign in Baidoa, a town at the heart of one of Somalia’s hardest-hit areas. Many of the children have never been immunized before – they come from remote areas health workers often cannot […]The post Somalia reports 5,700 cases of suspected measles year-to-date, more than all of 2016 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in Italy, the number of cases has increased by 136 since our last report, bringing the total to 1739 cases since the beginning of the year, according to Italian health officials. Some other data pertaining to the Italy measles outbreak include: 88 percent of the cases are unvaccinated, […]The post Measles in Italy: Additional 136 cases reported, European Immunization Week begins appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

After reporting more than 200,000 dengue fever cases the past two years, and more than 1000 dengue related fatalities in 2016 in the Philippines, early 2017 data shows that the dengue case tally is down so far. The Philippines Department of Health, National Epidemiology Centre has reported 26,433 suspected cases of dengue since the beginning of the […]The post Philippines: Dengue cases down 35 percent in first months of 2017 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in Kochi district, India has confirmed two diphtheria cases, a six-year-old from Vazhakulam and a 18-year-old from Kaloor, according to Indian media. There is no word on their vaccination status. Health officials said that measures had been strengthened to check the spread of the disease. Diphtheria is a dangerous respiratory disease is caused by a potent toxin […]The post India: Two diphtheria cases confirmed in Kochi appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A Southern Illinois University Carbondale student has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, a serious illness that is spread by direct contact with saliva or through the coughing or sneezing of those who are infected. Although the disease is not highly contagious, the university has notified students and faculty who may have been in direct contact […]The post Southern Illinois University reports bacterial meningitis, student in ‘critical condition’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Heavy rucksacks, parachuting out of helicopters, combat injuries, and stress result in chronic pain for many service members. In the United States, opioids are commonly prescribed to manage chronic pain, and overprescribing is a concern, particularly for veterans’ healthcare. However, a new study published in Pain suggests that opioid use among Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), […]The post Afghanistan and Iraq veterans’ opioid use similar to that of civilians appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists at the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health have discovered abnormal levels of specific gut bacteria related to chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS, in patients with and without concurrent irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. Findings are published in the journal Microbiome. The study is among […]The post Chronic fatigue syndrome linked to imbalanced microbiome appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Murray State University Health and Wellness has recently received one confirmed report of a student on our campus having the mumps. Mumps typically causes swollen and tender parotid glands located just below the ears and around the jaw bone on one or both sides of the jaw. Other symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle aches, […]The post Kentucky: Murray State University reports confirmed mumps case on campus appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Health officials in Sinoe County, Liberia announced the investigation into the “mysterious deaths” of at least six people, including students, in the port city of Greenville, according to a Daily Observer report today. The Ministry of Health’s representative in River Cess, Derry S. Dokie told the news source, “Since 5 a.m. Tuesday, six persons have died from suspected fever of […]The post Liberia reports ‘mystery deaths’ in Greenville: ‘Suspected fever of unknown cause’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists and physicians at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, working with colleagues at the U.S. Navy Medical Research Center – Biological Defense Research Directorate (NMRC-BDRD), Texas A&M University, a San Diego-based biotech and elsewhere, have successfully used an experimental therapy involving bacteriophages — viruses that target and consume specific strains of bacteria […]The post Bacteriophage therapy treats patient near death with MDR Acinetobacter baumannii appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in Hennepin County, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported one additional confirmed measles case, bringing the total to 21. All of the cases are Somali Minnesotan children, age 0-5 years and all are confirmed to be unvaccinated, according MDH officials. This is the highest measles total in […]The post Measles: Additional case reported in Hennepin County, total now 21 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.