Outbreak News Today

The Myanmar Ministry of Health and Sports said Thursday they have identified a Zika virus case in a pregnant foreigner woman in Yangon, state media reports. Authorities confirmed the infection in the 32-year-old foreign woman yesterday following a laboratory test. This is the first Zika case confirmed in Myanmar, officials note. Seventy-three countries and territories have reported evidence […]

In a follow-up to the meningococcal meningitis cluster at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison), university officials Thursday said testing has identified meningococcal disease in a third UW–Madison student. This student is currently being treated at a local hospital. Further testing will determine if this is related to the two cases of meningococcal disease serogroup B that […]

In what is clearly one of the most bizarre and potentially tragic stories today, Coconuts Bangkok reports that 13 teenagers in Thailand’s Northeast province of Mukdahan dug up a dog that was buried and ate it, not aware all along, the animal was put down by officials because it was rabid. The dog was killed because […]

The first evidence of a superbug in a domestic cat that could infect humans and livestock has been discovered in Australia. The Salmonella strain is resistant to carbapenems, a drug used as the last line of defence in Australian hospitals. Experts believe this resistance may pose a serious threat to public health. Murdoch University researcher […]

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) began surveillance for seasonal influenza early this fall and is detecting laboratory confirmed cases of influenza among Oklahomans. In addition, there have been 14 influenza-associated hospitalizations since September 1, 2016, a total that is concerning at this point in the season. Cases of influenza illness have been geographically […]

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has today announced that there has been an increase in levels of norovirus across Scotland. Latest figures show that NHS Boards are experiencing increased norovirus activity. Health professionals across NHS Scotland are working to reduce the likelihood of outbreaks arising. The public are also being asked to play their part in […]

A wearable patch that delivers small amounts of peanut protein through the skin shows promise for treating children and young adults with peanut allergy, with greater benefits for younger children, according to one-year results from an ongoing clinical trial. The treatment, called epicutaneous immunotherapy or EPIT, was safe and well-tolerated, and nearly all participants used […]

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) reported Wednesday that the mumps outbreak, that as of today stands at 769 suspected and lab confirmed cases, is now being reported in Pulaski County in central Arkansas. ADH says a limited number of Mumps cases have now been identified in Pulaski County. No schools in Pulaski County are affected at this time. […]

Western Australians are being asked to be alert to an increased risk of measles, following a confirmed diagnosis in a passenger who was infected during holidays in Japan, and who was infectious to others on the flight home to Perth. The passenger’s first flight was SQ 633 from Tokyo, arriving in Singapore at around 11pm […]

Four deaths have recently been attributed to leptospirosis in the Coastal Karnataka city of Udupi, causing fear among the population. According to a Times of India report, the four fatalities were seen in Pethri (2), Iruvathoor and Kundapur. Health officials are currently trying to ease the tension among the public by creating awareness programs about the […]

Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH) officials reported Wednesday on the first West Nile Virus (WNV)-associated death of the 2016 season. The death involved a senior adult with underlying medical conditions. Last year, TCPH reported one associated death for the season. West Nile Virus can affect anyone, although people age 50 and older run a higher risk […]

In a follow-up on the Shigella outbreak in the Mid-Michigan counties of Genesee and Saginaw, health officials report that since Mar. 1, 177 cases of Shigella infection have been reported throughout the two counties. The 2016 case numbers are higher than last year. The number of Shigella cases peaked in early July and has slowed considerably […]

In a follow-up to a report of a suspected outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (USVI), health officials confirmed the outbreak yesterday. About three weeks ago, the USVI Department of Health received reports of more than 30 suspected cases of the infection from multiple ophthalmology practices on St. Thomas. Samples sent to the […]

The recent Ebola epidemic in West Africa highlighted the need for better global preparedness and response to disease outbreaks. To help address that need in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — the countries most affected by the epidemic — the National Institutes of Health has established a new program to strengthen the research capacity to […]

GlaxoSmithKline announced this week that it has submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) for its candidate shingles vaccine, ShingrixTM, to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), seeking approval for the prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in people aged 50 years or over. The candidate vaccine is a non-live, recombinant vaccine to help prevent shingles […]

Florida health officials reported two additional non-travel related Zika virus cases, one is associated with the Miami Beach investigation and the other is a Miami-Dade County resident and the department is investigating where exposure occurred. To date, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) has reported 171 locally transmitted cases. In addition, four new travel related cases were reported Tuesday with […]

On October 25, one premise in Miami-Dade County, Florida was placed under quarantine for strangles, according to a recent Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) alert. Clinical signs began Oct 18. No animals have left the facility since clinical signs began. This is the fourth case in Miami-Dade County and the 21st case for Florida in 2016. […]

A fourth person in Plattsburgh, NY has been hospitalized due to infection with the Legionella bacteria in recent weeks, according to a local media account. One week ago, the Clinton County Health Department reported that three Plattsburgh residents having been hospitalized with pneumonia infections caused by Legionella bacteria. The Press-Republican reported the first three patients all live in […]

On October 24, a new West Nile virus (WNV) case was confirmed in Palm Beach County, Florida in a donkey, according to a Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) alert today. The animal had no vaccine history and was imported from a Louisiana auction into Florida on October 16 with no clinical signs. Clinical signs began on October 18 […]

Melinta Therapeutics announced Monday that it has submitted New Drug Applications (NDAs) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of IV and oral Baxdela™ (delafloxacin) for the treatment of patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). Baxdela is an investigational anionic fluoroquinolone with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, including activity […]

New Hampshire health officials report three cases of mumps have been identified in students or visitors to the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Durham campus during the past two months, prompting officials to take precautions against the transmission of mumps. “We are asking the University community to be aware of the potential for mumps to be circulating on […]

Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development researchers have identified a potential new target for vaccines that activates a part of the immune system not previously known to be protective against Chagas disease, tuberculosis and AIDS, as well as other diseases. They found that Th17 cells, a special type of white blood cell that recognizes […]

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced the first West Nile virus death in Iowa since 2010 in an 81 year old individual from Northwest Iowa. Testing at the State Hygienic Laboratory (SHL) has confirmed 33 cases of West Nile virus in Iowa, with several more under investigation. This is more than double […]

Venezuela has not seen a case of the vaccine preventable disease, diphtheria, in some 24 years until 2016. Media accounts have put the number of diphtheria cases in Bolivar state, near the borders of Brazil and Guyana, to about 23, according to physicians in the country. However, there are people in the Venezuelan government who […]

The Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) is investigating 2 additional cases of Legionnaires’ disease. To date, there have been 14 cases reported in Genesee County for 2016. GCHD and CDC are continuing to investigate the latest cases along with previously reported Legionnaires’ cases. Legionnaires’ disease is a respiratory infection caused by Legionella bacteria. These bacteria […]

The Detroit Health Department is investigating two cases of Hepatitis A in connection to the prepared foods section at Whole Foods Market in Detroit located at 115 Mack Avenue. One case was diagnosed in an employee who handles prepared food at the store. The second case was a Detroit resident who ate at the prepared […]

Health officials in the northern Liberia county of Gbarpolu are reporting hundreds of cases of the parasitic disease, schistosomiasis, or snail fever, since September, according to a African media source. County Health Officer (CHO), Dr. Anthony Tucker, said, “We went on an outreach in that area and we were able to diagnosed 327 schistosomiasis cases and immediately […]

San Diego County health officials have reported another local university with a student confirmed positive for mumps. A San Diego State University (SDSU) student was recently confirmed positive for the viral infection after exposure to another student who had been ill and likely also had mumps. The two students are housemates living off campus and were up-to-date […]

On Sunday’s airing of the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, I was joined by two great guests to discuss two fascinating and timely topics. In the first half, University of Florida Associate Professor of Veterinary Entomology, Dr. Phil Kaufman joined me for a discussion on screwworm and the situation in the Florida Keys. During the second half, Cornelia […]

After not receiving a Vibrio vulnificus update from the Florida Department of Health since Sep. 23, today we see there has been four additional cases statewide, including one more fatality, this one from Pinellas County. The Pinellas County death is the seventh V. vulnificus fatality in Florida this year to date. The other deaths have […]

Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ZINPLAVA™ (bezlotoxumab) Injection 25 mg/mL. Merck anticipates making ZINPLAVA available in first quarter 2017. ZINPLAVA is indicated to reduce recurrence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in patients 18 years of age or older who are receiving antibacterial drug treatment of CDI and are at […]

Researchers have been trying for decades to develop a vaccine against the globally endemic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Now scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered one reason why success has so far been elusive. Using a sophisticated array of techniques for mapping tiny molecular structures, the TSRI scientists analyzed a lab-made version […]

The mumps outbreak in northwest Arkansas is closing in on 700 cases, according to the latest data from the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) Monday. The ADH is reporting 695 suspected and lab confirmed cases of mumps in Benton, Washington, and Madison counties. There are currently 21 workplaces, 4 school districts, and 2 private schools impacted. In Oklahoma, the […]

Arthritis is the term used to describe conditions which affect joints and tissues around the joints. Joints are found wherever bones join in the body, e.g. wrists, fingers, ankles, elbows, knees and so forth. This comes with a lot of pain which sometimes prohibits one from carrying out daily activities. Facts about Arthritis The Arthritis […]

More and more medical centers are relying on hospitalists — hospital-based internal medicine specialists who coordinate the complex care of inpatients. Now, an 18-month study comparing two hospitalist groups — one with a high physician assistant (PA)-to-physician ratio (“expanded PA”) and one with a low PA-to-physician ratio (“conventional”) — has found no significant differences in […]

At least six employees of the hospital Juan Ramon Jimenez in Huelva in southwestern Spain have been affected by an outbreak of scabies, according to an Hoy.es report (computer translated). The cases include five nursing staff and a a member of the cleaning service. The nurses union says the source of this outbreak could be found in a […]

The same week that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the total combined cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in 2015 reached the highest number ever, Brazil reported significant increases in adult and congenital syphilis, according to a Agencia EFE report (computer translated). Syphilis cases in adults increased by 32.7% between 2014 […]

The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District reported Friday a sample of mosquitoes from a trap in La Quinta tested positive for Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLE), making it the first detection of SLE in that city on record. The trap was located near the corner of Madison Street and Avenue 52. This is also the […]

The outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Central Ohio has been something Outbreak News Today has been following since the outbreak declaration in August. With 937 cases of the protozoan parasite infection reported as of last week, that alone would make Ohio the state with the most cases year-to-date in the US. However, the Buckeye state has reported […]

The Oregon Health Authority is issuing a health alert regarding marijuana products that may have been tainted with high levels of a pesticide and sold to about 130 people in the McMinnville area. The alert is concerning dried flower marijuana that New Leaf, a medical marijuana dispensary located at 3325 NE Riverside Drive in McMinnville, […]

Officials with the Buena Vista University (BVU) Health Services Office announced late last week of a case of bacterial meningitis in a student from the Storm Lake campus. The patient was treated and is recovering. As of Friday, all persons who had been in close contact with the infected individual have been interviewed and treated, if necessary, as […]

Zimbabwe health officials issued health alerts for two serious bacterial pathogens Friday in light of serious water shortages, according to a state media report. Officials say the erratic water supply poses serious problems with water borne disease outbreaks. “The impact may not be serious now, but when it rains and there are flash floods, all this […]

“Creepy Clowns” are a regular occurrence in the media recently as sighting have been recorded in dozens of states and a number of other countries outside the US. The phenomena has affected businesses to include Target, Goodwill and most notably, McDonald’s. Why the recent surge? What is the history with “creepy clowns”? and what is […]

The situation with screwworm has grown since September as officials now report some 10 percent of the endangered Key deer have required euthanasia due to infestation and the screwworm has now been found in several Florida Keys. In an interview for tonight’s Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, University of Florida Associate Professor of Veterinary Entomology, Dr. Phil […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is announcing the availability of about $70 million in supplemental funding to states, cities, and territories to support continued efforts to protect Americans from Zika virus. The funding, distributed through CDC’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC) Cooperative Agreement, will further support activities to protect […]

In a follow-up on the multistate hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen strawberries used in smoothies at Tropical Smoothie Café locations prior to August 8, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported this week updated data on the outbreak. As of October 17, 2016, 134 people with hepatitis A have been reported from nine states: […]

Every year, more than 350 million people in over 120 countries contact dengue fever, which can cause symptoms ranging from achy muscles and a skin rash to life-threatening hemorrhagic fever. Researchers have struggled to create effective vaccines against dengue virus, in part because four distinct serotypes, or strains, cause the disease and a vaccine must […]

A team at Griffith’s Institute for Glycomics identified a unique sensory structure that is able to bind host-specific sugar and is present on particularly virulent strains of Campylobacter jejuni. In their paper A direct-sensing galactose chemoreceptor recently evolved in invasive strains of Campylobacter jejuni published in Nature Communications this week, the team explain that the ability to […]

Every year at this time, New South Wales (NSW) Health issues a warning about the risk of Lyssavirus as the bat breeding season begins in the region. Health officials warn people not to approach or handle injured bats and flying foxes to avoid exposure to the potentially fatal Australian Bat lyssavirus, which is closely related to […]

Scientists have linked mutations in a single gene to autism in people who have a rare tumor syndrome typically diagnosed in childhood. The findings, in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), may lead to a better understanding of the genetic roots of autism in the wider population. The findings are published Oct. 19 in the […]