Outbreak News Today

In a follow-up to a report earlier concerning a Burkholderia cepacia multistate outbreak possibly linked to pre-filled saline flushes, Nurse Assist, Inc. announced today that it is voluntarily recalling all unexpired lots of I.V. Flush Syringes due to a potential link to Burkholderia cepacia bloodstream infections with the product. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control […]

Vaccines are one of the paramount public health successes of the 20th century, and this new century has added another milestone to that history: vaccinations that block rotavirus, a major worldwide killer of children under five. Two Philadelphia research institutions are marking the 10th anniversary of a vaccine against rotavirus, a widespread microbe that infects […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the New Jersey Board of Pharmacy, the New Jersey Department of Health and other state health departments are investigating a multistate outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) bloodstream infections possibly associated with pre-filled saline flushes. The New Jersey Department of Health was notified […]

During the past two days in some villages in the southern Nepalese district of Rautahat, something very frightening happened as people went out for walks or to go to the toilet–they were attacked by a rabid jackal. According to local media, some 36 people were victims of the rabid jackal’s biting spree, receiving serious injuries on […]

Since the beginning of the year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received 50 reports of cases of Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) from 24 states through the end of August. During the last half of 2014, 120 AFM cases were reported in the US, while in all of 2015, only 21 cases were reported. […]

The Texas Department of State Health Services today issued a health alert encouraging health care providers in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties to consider Zika virus infection in their patients and order testing as medically indicated. DSHS recommends testing pregnant women who live in this area and have at least two of […]

Federal agriculture officials reported Monday on the first local infestation of New World screwworm in the United States in at least three decades. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) the presence of New World screwworm in Key deer from a wildlife refuge in Big Pine Key, Florida […]

Flint, Michigan and Genesee County continue to battle issues linked to water. Lead poisoning, Legionnaires’ disease and now an outbreak of Shigellosis. A few weeks ago, the Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) reported seeing an increase in infections caused by the bacterium Shigella. The most recent data reveals that Genesee County has reported 84 cases, the most in […]

An Ebola vaccine will take the next critical steps in development under a $24.75 million contract through May 2020 between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and BioProtection Systems Corp. (BPS) of Ames, Iowa. “The Ebola epidemic of 2014 and 2015 was just the latest […]

This week, it became official that more than 9 million Floridians have registered as organ, eye and tissue donors on Florida’s Joshua Abbott Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. This landmark achievement continues Florida’s accomplishment of maintaining the second largest donor registry in the country, second only to California. “Florida’s registry strives to give hope to […]

Florida Publix pharmacies are offering testing and treatment for strep throat and flu for customers 13 years of age or older. Publix Pharmacists can now evaluate patients, perform a diagnostic test, and dispense treatment in one convenient visit to the Publix Pharmacy. For patients who test positive for flu, pharmacists are also able to dispense […]

Asher’s Chocolates/Lewistown, Inc., an affiliated partner of Chester A. Asher Inc. is initiating a voluntary recall of multiple chocolates, chocolate bars, cellophane wrapped chocolates, and individually wrapped chocolates, etc. under the Asher’s brand due to possible Salmonella contamination of items produced in their Lewistown, PA facility distributed nationwide. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes […]

A newly patented vaccine by Kansas State University researchers could be good news for meat consumers. The researchers developed a solution that could provide effective, antibiotic-free prevention of Fusobacterium necrophorum infection. The bacterium afflicts sheep and cattle with liver abscesses, calf diphtheria and foot rot or abscesses. Currently, antibiotics are used to control these infections, […]

Federal, state and local health officials are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg that has affected eight people in three states –Missouri (6), Illinois (1) and Kansas (1). Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations identified shell eggs distributed by Good Earth Egg Company of Bonne Terre, Missouri as the likely source of this outbreak. This has prompted a […]

Oklahoma health officials today reported additional confirmed mumps cases, primarily in Garfield County. According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), the state’s Epi team has reported 43 cases, with another 10 still under investigation. In addition to the Garfield County cases, OSDH has reported a confirmed case of mumps in a Kay County school-aged child […]

For the second time this year, Taiwan health officials have confirmed an imported Lyme disease case, prompting them to advise the public about preventing tick bites when traveling overseas. The patient is a 60-year-old Taiwanese woman who lives in the United States. On September 11, when she developed paralysis on the right side of her face […]

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines global business unit of Sanofi, announced today that Dengvaxia® dengue vaccine has now received its 11th marketing approval, four of which granted from Regulatory Authorities recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). To date the vaccine is approved in Mexico, The Philippines, Brazil, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Guatemala, Peru, Indonesia, […]

Following a number of countries–Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Paraguay and the Philippines, the Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA) today approved the use of the Sanofi Pasteur dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia. The vaccine has been approved for use for the prevention of dengue disease caused by dengue virus serotypes 1, 2, 3 and 4 in individuals aged 12 […]

About a week after a mumps case was confirmed in a California State University San Marcos undergraduate student, county health officials are reporting another case in an area college. A person at San Diego Christian College in Santee has been diagnosed with mumps and may have exposed others on the campus on Sept. 16, 19 and […]

During the past week, Delhi saw nearly 1600 additional chikungunya cases, a 43 percent increase over the prior week. The total cases in India’s capital is now at 5,293 cases. At least 15 fatalities lined to chikungunya have also been reported. That said, health officials say the worst of the mosquito borne outbreak is over. “New infection […]

For the first time on the Indian subcontinent, an outbreak of ciguatera was reported in Mangaluru, where more than 100 people were sickened Saturday after consuming fish heads. Biologists in India warn that the risk of additional outbreaks stems from a number of factors such as climate change, ocean acidification resulting in coral reef deterioration, nutrient run-off […]

Florida agricultural officials announced Saturday a 6th Zika virus positive mosquito sample in Miami Beach. The positive sample was from a trap located at 575 W. 49th Street in Miami Beach. A summary of the six total positive mosquito samples to date is as follows: Oct. 1, 2016: One mosquito sample from a small area in […]

The rise of anthrax from the permafrost this summer in Siberia, plus the risk of overgrazing has prompted officials on the Yamal Peninsula of Siberia to plan a mass cull of 250,000 reindeer by years end, according to a Siberian Times report. As you may recall, over the summer some 2400 reindeer died from the bacterial […]

Ian Mackay, PhD is a virologist with The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. See more of Dr Mackay’s blogging at Virology Down Under Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a member of the Family Togaviridae. Genetically it’s divided into two genotypes, “D” (widely Dispersed) and “L” (Limited) – shown in the tree to the left. MAYV is […]

On Apr. 1, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in a policy memorandum stated the following: A bachelor’s degree in nursing meets the requirement of having earned a bachelor’s degree in a biological science for high complexity testing personnel. The laboratory may show a Primary Source Verification (PSV) report verifying that a bachelor’s degree in […]

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reminding Iowans to take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites in the coming weeks. Late summer and early fall are the seasons of peak West Nile virus activity in the state. “During the summer months, packing bug spray is just part of the routine for outdoor […]

Orange County health officials reported three additional cases in the Mycobacterium outbreak linked to pulpotomies performed at the Children’s Dental Clinic of Anaheim, bringing the total to 25. Eight cases have been confirmed positive for Mycobacterium abscessus while 17 cases are classified as probable. All 25 children required hospitalization for their illness. The Orange County Health Care Agency […]

The Malaysia Ministry of Health has reported (computer translated) an additional 11 cases of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) on Saturday, linked to swimming pools at Bukit Merah Lake Town Resort in Perak state, bringing the total to 46 AGE cases since Sep. 24. Of the 46 cases, 19 have been confirmed positive for rotavirus. To date, 17 AGE cases […]

Professor at Laboure College in Milton, MA and biodefense and bioterrorism researcher, Lawrence Roberge PhD joined me on the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show to discuss a myriad of topics related to bioterrorism. LISTEN to the interview below: Related: Bioterrorism at the salad bar: 30 years ago in US history Bioterrorism agents: CDC proposes adding Bacillus cereus Biovar […]

University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown associate professor Dr. Jill Henning’s multi-year study on the risk of Lyme disease in western Pennsylvania concluded that one in three deer ticks carry the Lyme bacteria. The report, titled Effective Techniques in the Definitive Diagnosis of Lyme Disease, was published on Aug. 8, 2016, in the SciMedCentral JSM Tropical […]

Vietnamese health officials say they have seen 49 human rabies deaths to date in 2016, according to local media, with 80 percent of the mortality being reported from the northern mountainous region. The Department of Preventive Medicine says deaths have been reported from 20 cities and provinces. LISTEN: Rabies: A comprehensive interview with Pamela Wilson Like in most […]

Graceleigh, Inc. d/b/a Sammy’s Milk is recalling all lots of Sammy’s Milk Baby Food because of possible presence of Cronobacter, a bacteria that can cause severe and sometimes fatal blood infections or meningitis in infants and it may not provide adequate nutritional levels of iron. Sammy’s Milk was distributed in California to Mother’s Markets retailers […]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers that homeopathic teething tablets and gels may pose a risk to infants and children. The FDA recommends that consumers stop using these products and dispose of any in their possession. Homeopathic teething tablets and gels are distributed by CVS, Hyland’s, and possibly others, and are sold […]

In a follow-up to reports of locally acquired, or autochthonous transmission Zika virus infection in Malaysia, the Ministry of Health reported Friday of the seventh case in a 60-year-old woman. The woman from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah is the second case of Sabah state. According to the health ministry, on Sep 24, the patient developed a rash and […]

The University of Oregon (UO) University Health Center report on their website–Gastroenteritis symptoms have surfaced in the UO community, without much more detail. A KEZI. com report Friday notes that the Lane County Health Department says there could be up to 20 cases of Gastrointestinal illness and that they are looking into cases at four unknown fraternity houses. […]

Officials with the University of North Florida (UNF) in Jacksonville have reported a cluster of cases of the viral infection, hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), which to date has affected eight people. Student Health Services suspect that number may be low since some students are not coming in to see them. HFMD is typically […]

In a follow-up to the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Hopkins, Minnesota, state health officials report three additional confirmed cases in people who live, work or spent time in Hopkins, bringing the total to 23. The pattern of where cases were likely exposed is consistent with a community-wide exposure to contaminated water that became aerosolized, most likely […]

Upon recording an additional 2,391 locally acquired, or autochthonous Zika virus cases during the first week of September, the case count on the island has surpassed 20,000 cases (22,358), according to an update from Secretary of the Department of Health of Puerto Rico, Ana Ríus Armendariz. Secretary Ríus Armendariz also noted there was a second fatality due to Guillain-Barre syndrome […]

The Provincial Health Office of Cavite in the Calabarzon region on Luzon island has declared an outbreak of the mosquito borne viral disease, chikungunya, after detecting 400 suspected cases, Department of Health (DOH) spokesperson Dr. Eric Tayag said Friday during a radio interview. The 400 cases have been reported since the beginning of the year and the bulk […]

The mumps outbreak that has affected three counties in northwest Arkansas continues to grow. As of Friday, The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) puts the case count at 376 under investigation. Benton, Washington, and Madison, all in the northwestern corner of the state, remain the only counties involved. ADH reports the outbreak has affected 11 workplaces and 3 school […]

Hepatitis researchers have long thought that immune cells – sent to attack virus-infected cells in the liver – cause the acute liver injury associated with hepatitis A virus (HAV) and other hepatitis viruses. Yet, investigators at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine discovered that it is an immediate, intrinsic response […]

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) is investigating the 4th case of wound botulism so far in 2016 in a 26-year-old woman from Bernalillo County. The patient is an injection drug user and the suspected source of infection is either a soiled skin injection site, contaminated injection devices or contaminated heroin. The woman is […]

CDC today announced updates to its interim guidance for pre-pregnancy counseling and prevention of sexual transmission of Zika based on ongoing assessment of available data, primarily extending the timeframe for men with possible Zika exposure but no Zika symptoms to wait before attempting pregnancy with their partner and extending the time for use of condoms […]

An anthrax vaccine that may be effective in as few as two doses is moving forward in development with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The five-year, $198.7 million contract between ASPR’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) […]

British health officials are strongly encouraging young people going to university or college to get vaccinated against meningococcal disease after recently released figures showed less than a fifth of young people have received the vaccine so far this year. This plea from health officials also follows the meningitis death (meningococcal meningitis group W) of a 19-year-old Northumbria University […]

With the latest reports from the City of Hopkins putting the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at 20, including one death, and an overall increase in cases in the state of Minnesota as a whole, Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has urged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to take additional steps to respond to outbreaks of […]

Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living is reporting the death of a female in her 70s who tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) after passing away. The woman, who was a resident of the Southern Health–Santé-Sud region, had pre-existing health conditions. It is believed the individual was exposed to WNV in the Southern Health–Santé-Sud […]

In a follow-up on several reports on the Rift Valley fever outbreak in Niger, the World Health Organization (WHO) released an update on the situation in the African country: On 30 August 2016, WHO received reports about unexplained deaths among humans, along with death and abortion in livestock in the North Western parts of Niger, […]

As of Sep. 29, the Florida Department of Health puts the total non-travel related Zika virus cases at 119. In addition to this number, health officials also report 15 out-of-state cases. On Thursday, we learn that one of those cases was in a resident of Connecticut. The Connecticut State Department of Public Health (DPH) announced the […]

The first potential antidote to treat the life-threatening effects of chlorine inhalation, a potential terrorism threat, will advance in development under a contract between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Radikal Therapeutics, Inc. of Beverly, Massachusetts. Currently, there is no specific antidote […]