Outbreak News Today

How aware is the American public about Zika virus? How many people understand the link between Zika and birth defects or the fact that it can be sexually transmitted? How does ones politics effect how they feel about certain public health interventions? To answer these questions and more, David Abramson, PhD, Associate professor at New York University’s […]The post Zika awareness and specific knowledge: An interview with David Abramson, PhD appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Some patients with rare primary immunodeficiency disorders may be at risk for infection by rubella virus, and possibly serious skin inflammation, after receiving the rubella vaccine, usually administered as part of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Although the vaccine for rubella (German measles) has an established record of safety and effectiveness in the general population, patients […]The post German measles risk associated with vaccine and patients with certain immune diseases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In April 2016, WHO declared that the European Region had achieved an important milestone: all 53 countries in the region had interrupted the chain of indigenous malaria transmission for at least 1 year. Countries that maintain zero locally-acquired malaria cases for at least three consecutive years are eligible to apply for a certification of malaria […]The post Kyrgyzstan certified malaria free appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

New research by the Yale School of Public Health and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation/Brazilian Ministry of Health on leptospirosis, a bacterial infection largely spread by rats, sheds light on how the disease causes death and uncovered a potentially novel treatment. While rare in the United States, leptospirosis remains an important health threat for impoverished populations […]The post Leptospirosis: How it causes death, novel treatment appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The health programs of The Carter Center have surpassed a major milestone: The organization on Nov. 4 celebrated assisting with the distribution of 500 million doses of donated medication to combat five neglected tropical diseases in 14 countries in Africa and Latin America. Nigeria’s federal health official joined local dignitaries and officers of The Carter […]The post Carter Center Celebrates Assisting 500 Million Doses against Diseases in 14 Countries appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a follow-up to a report on the mumps outbreak at State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz in Ulster County, New York, school health officials have reported an additional two mumps cases, bringing the total to 11. Student Health Services say most of the cases are in members of the swim team. Per campus […]The post Mumps at SUNY New Paltz: Case count up to 11 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Costa Rica, El Salvador and Suriname are the three winners of the Malaria Champions award, a prize presented by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), that recognizes the efforts of the Americas…

The Louisiana Department of Health reported earlier this week the first death related to West Nile virus (WNV) in 2016. Due to privacy issues, WNV deaths by parish are not reported.…

The University of Southern California (USC) Engemann Student Health Center issued a norovirus alert on campus after reporting dozens of cases of the rapidly spreading gastrointestinal disease. According to a CBS Los Angeles news report Thursday, the Los Angeles County Health Department has put the case tally at 103 since the outbreak started last week. Some […]

Health officials in St. Clair County, Illinois are investigating a Salmonella Newport (PFGE pattern of JJPX01.0381) cluster in individuals who attended the Belleville Chili Cook-off on October 8, 2016. While the number of those infected is not available, health officials say those affected live in multiple Illinois counties of St. Clair, Madison, and Lake, and one ill […]

On November 3, 2016, a 5 year-old Saddlebred displaying severe neurologic signs and a 10 year-old Saddlebred in Los Angeles County displaying moderate neurologic signs were confirmed positive for the non-neuropathogenic strain Equine Herpesvirus-1 at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, according to a Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) alert. Due to severity […]

A new study from HealthPartners Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap) vaccination was not associated with an increased risk for microcephaly or other major birth defects. The study was published in the Nov. 1, 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This retrospective […]

Federal health officials released updated data on the Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) situation in the United States year-to-date, and in September we seen a significant number of cases reported. As of September 2016, 89 people in 33 states were confirmed to have AFM. This is up from 50 cases reported at the end of August. The […]

The number of suspected and lab confirmed cases of mumps in northwest and central Arkansas has increased by a whopping 173 cases in one week, according to newly released numbers from The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) yesterday. One week ago, the case tally stood at 769 cumulative cases. As of Wednesday, ADH puts the number at […]

English health officials have opened up an investigation of several Wahaca Mexican restaurants after hundreds of staff and patrons have become ill with suspected norovirus. The restaurant chain, founded by 2005 MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers, announced today: We assessed each case and when it became clear they were not isolated incidents, we got in touch with […]

The Public Health Branch of the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency is working closely with a local restaurant and school that served a frozen strawberry product that was recently recalled due to possible Hepatitis A contamination. Bella Vista Elementary School had received the product from its vendor and used it in smoothies at […]

The University of Missouri Student Health Center issued a mumps alert yesterday upon announcing that five confirmed cases of mumps have been identified in MU students since the beginning of the Fall semester. In addition, health officials are investigating five other possible cases. Mumps is an acute viral infection of the salivary glands. Symptoms include […]

Kansas state health officials announced they are investigating of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 cases among persons who attended the Louisburg Cider Mill Ciderfest, which was held September 24-25 and October 1-2. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) says there has been seven cases identified to date. State and federal health officials performed an […]

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported today an additional non-travel associated Zika virus case in a resident of Duval County. Health officials say the individual had multiple exposures in Miami-Dade County and do not believe transmission is occurring in Duval County. This brings the number of locally acquired Zika cases to 186. On Tuesday, Florida […]

In a notice Wednesday from State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz Director of Student Health Services, Jack Ordway, M.D., nine mumps cases have been confirmed on campus. Local media report the cases are members of the school’s intercollegiate swimming program. Mumps is an acute viral infection of the salivary glands. Symptoms include swelling and tenderness of […]

Two widely prescribed antibiotics — chloramphenicol and linezolid — may fight bacteria in a different way from what scientists and doctors thought for years, University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have found. Instead of indiscriminately stopping protein synthesis, the drugs put the brakes on the protein synthesis machinery only at specific locations in the gene. […]

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is investigating two cases of tuberculosis (TB) at University of Washington Tacoma. The Health Department learned of the first case – a Pierce County resident – in April. In the second case, Public Health Seattle King County referred an individual – a King County resident – to Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department […]

The New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services (NH DPHS) issued a health alert after learning of four cases of invasive Group A Streptococcal bacteremia, all males, and all active injection heroin users from Southern/Central New Hampshire, who presented to healthcare in the last 10 days. Health officials say it is unclear if these cases are […]

In a follow-up to a report this weekend about the cholera outbreak in Cape Coast, Ghana, local media report the outbreak in the fishing port city has topped 20 cases, including three fatalities. A StarrFM report states cholera cases have been reported in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem municipality, the Mfanteman municipality and Twifo Atti Morquah districts. Governmental and […]

The City of Lubbock Health Department has confirmed the first human case of West Nile Virus in Lubbock for 2016. WNV is a disease of birds. Humans are exposed to the virus when they are bitten by mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds. The infected mosquitoes become the link (vector) that spreads the disease […]

An outbreak of unknown etiology on the P&O Cruises vessel, Adonia, sickened some 25 total passengers and crew, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vessel Sanitation Program (CDC-VSP) report last week. The 23 passengers and two crew members suffered through symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting. The voyage from Oct 16 through 23, docked in […]

In a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consumer update published today, officials discuss the treatment, control and prevention of the bacterial infection, impetigo. Impetigo is a common bacterial skin infection that can produce blisters or sores anywhere on the body, but usually on the face (around the nose and mouth), neck, hands, and diaper area. […]

Enterovirus activity is up in Taiwan and health officials say has been higher than the epidemic threshold for two consecutive weeks. According to the surveillance data compiled by Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC), during October 23 and 29, 2016, the number of visits to outpatient services and ER for enterovirus infection in the […]

The World Health Organization (WHO) published the following update on the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) situation in Saudi Arabia: Between 16 September and 10 October 2016 the National IHR Focal Point of Saudi Arabia seven (7) additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) including one (1) fatal case. Details of the cases A 28-year-old […]

Lyme disease cannot be contracted in Australia and patients should not be treated with antibiotics for so-called Lyme-like diseases, new medical research has found. Professor Peter Collignon AM from The Australian National University (ANU) and colleagues dispute well-publicised claims by some people and advocacy groups that the disease can be transmitted by ticks in Australia. […]

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) has recently reported two imported cases of the bacterial disease, leptospirosis in Oct. 2016. The first case was recorded on October 14 affecting a 21-year-old female tourist with unremarkable past health. She presented with fever, headache, malaise, runny nose and skin […]

Most of the research to understand the consequences of Zika virus infection has focused on how the virus affects pregnant women and causes severe birth defects in their developing fetuses. But a new study in mice suggests that Zika infection also may have worrisome consequences for men that interfere with their ability to have children. […]

Leopoldo Villegas. MD joined me for an in-depth interview on the crisis in Venezuela on the Sunday, Oct. 30 airing of the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show. Dr Villegas is a Venezuelan trained physician, a senior international health adviser, an infectious disease expert and a former advisor to the Venezuelan Ministry of Health. LISTEN to […]

The International Company for Agricultural Production & Processing (ICAPP) is voluntarily recalling certain lots of its frozen strawberries out of an abundance of caution in response to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation of an outbreak of Hepatitis A. The recalled products were all distributed for sale to and use in food service […]

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) reports the third West Nile Virus death in Dallas County for the 2016 season. The patient was a resident of the 75149 zip code of Mesquite and was previously diagnosed with West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease on Monday, Oct.17. West Nile Virus (WNV) is a disease that is spread […]

The number of Zika virus infections in the southern Vietnam city of Ho Chi Minh City (HCM City)have tripled in recent weeks, according to the Vietnam Health Ministry’s Department of Preventive Medicine today. Through Oct. 31, HCM City has recorded 17 Zika virus cases detected by the local disease monitoring system. This is up from five […]

Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria exposed to chlorhexidine-containing disinfectants can become resistant to colistin, a last resort antibiotic often used against multidrug resistant pathogens. This is the first study to link exposure to chlorhexidine with resistance to colistin in this clinically important pathogen. The research is published this week in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of […]

Three additional confirmed Vibrio vulnificus cases were reported in the past week in the state of Florida, bringing the state total to 36 through Friday. The new cases include the fourth case confirmed in a Atlantic Beach, Duval County resident, a second case out of Palm Beach County (Lake Worth) and Hillsborough County’s first case […]

In a follow-up on a report two weeks ago concerning a potential Zika-related microcephaly case in a four-month old child Krong Buk district, Dak Lak province, Vietnam health officials say the link was laboratory confirmed Sunday, local media report. Vietnam is the second country in Southeast Asia to record cases of Zika-linked microcephaly after Thailand confirmed two […]

Hong Kong health officials released updates recently on the situations on Legionnaires’ disease (LD) and dengue fever (DF). According to the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today reported from October 23 to 29, three community-acquired LD cases were reported: A male patient, aged 63, who lives in Chung Kuk […]

Columbus Public Health tweeted Friday an update to the Cryptosporidium outbreak in Central Ohio, which shows a slight increase in the past week (29 cases) bringing the total to 966. Columbus Public Health spokesman Jose Rodriguez says fewer cases are being diagnosed on a daily basis. “At one point we were seeing 10, 20 a day,” Rodriguez […]

Following reports over a week ago about historic numbers of the sexually transmitted infections (STI), chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in 2015 in the United States, California health officials have reported numbers of the same reportable STI at a 20 year high. Findings from a 2015 California Department of Public Health (CDPH) report on sexually transmitted infections demonstrate The […]

With the announcement of two additional autochthonous, or locally acquired Zika virus cases Friday in the Philippines, the Department of Health now puts the case tally at 19 this year. Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo said the two new cases are from Region IV-A or CALABARZON, a forty-something woman and a boy. The pregnancy status of the […]

The Cape Coast Health directorate is reporting new cholera cases in the metropolis linked to contaminated food, local media reports. Ten residents have been diagnosed with cholera and are they are currently hospitalized for their illness. The current situation has been described by health experts in the region as having reached an epidemic status. Health officials […]

An international study, led by the University of Southampton, shows the UK and France experience the highest number of malaria cases imported from other countries. Research led by WorldPop, based at the University, examined and mapped the movement of the disease from endemic countries (those where malaria is regularly found in the population) to around […]