Outbreak News Today

Data may help guide development of a universal flu vaccine Scientists have identified three types of vaccine-induced antibodies that can neutralize diverse strains of influenza virus that infect humans. The discovery will help guide development of a universal influenza vaccine, according to investigators at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the […]

A 17-year-old Karachi teen has died after contracting the “brain-eating amoeba”, Naegleria fowleri, becoming the second fatality of the year. Earlier this summer, a 30-year-old man from Baldia Town Karachi died from the lethal amoeba. Last year, Pakistan saw 14 Naegleria deaths, primarily in Karachi. Naegleria fowleri (commonly referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba”), is a […]

Public Health Wales is urging people to be ‘rash aware’ after notification of two cases of measles in people with links to the Workhouse Festival held in North Powys between 8 and 10 July. People are being urged to phone their GP or local hospital before attending if they, or their child, have a rash-like […]

Chinese health officials have already reported 11 imported cases of the mosquito borne viral disease, yellow fever, in people working overseas in Angola, now health officials have reported the first case of another disease that can be transmitted by mosquitoes, Rift Valley Fever (RVF), according to a CRI Online report (computer translated). The case, the […]

A woman from Niigata Prefecture, on the west coast of Japan’s Honshu island, has died from dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) after contracting the mosquito borne viral disease in the Philippines, according to the Japan Health Ministry (computer translated). This was the first dengue related death recorded in Japan since 2005. The woman in her 30s traveled […]

In collaboration with colleagues from Mexico, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers were the first to directly connect the Aedes aegypti mosquito with Zika transmission in the Americas, during an outbreak in southern Mexico. The findings are available in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The findings will help scientists to better target efforts […]

Diphyllobothrium latum, or the fish tapeworm, is basically a Scandinavian import to the United States. As Robert Desowitz describes in his classic book “New Guinea Tapeworms and Jewish Grandmothers“, many Scandinavian fishermen settled in the cool lake regions of Minnesota and Wisconsin in the nineteenth century and continued to fish for a living but with […]

Montezuma’s revenge – Aztec Two Step – whatever nicknames it may be called, if you’ve experienced it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Traveler’s diarrhea (TD) is the most common medical issue that people complain of while traveling in less developed countries. High-risk destinations (attack rates of up to 60% during the first 2 […]

Mississippi health officials have reported a second case of Vibrio vulnificus in a resident from Forrest County who contracted the bacterial infection in Mississippi gulf waters. This follows a previous case reported in a Hancock County man. The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) says Vibrio vulnificus and other Vibrio bacteria live in warm seawater. Vibrio bacteria can cause […]

Health officials are reporting an increase in the number of dysentery cases in the Jerusalem and Ashkelon areas, according to Israeli media late last week. The Israel Health Ministry says 300 cases of children have been diagnosed with bacillary dysentery and estimate hundreds more will contract the gastrointestinal infection. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says […]

With the addition of 1145 new confirmed locally acquired Zika virus cases during the past week, health officials in Puerto Rico now put the island’s tally at 5582 cases since the arrival of the virus to the island in Dec. 2015 (computer translated). Secretary of the Department of Health, Ana Ríus Armendariz also notes of the total, […]

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that they would be sending a mission into Guinea-Bissau to assist in a Zika outbreak which has affected four people, according to a Sapo report (computer translated). The government of Guinea-Bissau is demonstrating strong leadership in response to these findings, according to WHO. The president of the National Public Health […]

Health officials in Bulgaria announced that four cows had died from the bacterial disease, anthrax, in Silistra district in northeastern Bulgaria. Bulgaria reported a number of anthrax outbreaks in humans and animals in 2015. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the sporeforming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax is most common in wild […]

The number of diphtheria cases in Malaysia are now 24, with the addition of nine new cases reported in Negeri Sembilan, Penang and Kedah, according to a local media report. The death toll is five due to the vaccine preventable disease. “Cases among adults with complete diphtheria immunization histories do not experience serious symptoms and do not […]

Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of BRAVECTO® (fluralaner topical solution) for both cats and dogs, a topical treatment for fleas and ticks effective for up to 12 weeks following a single dose. “The approval of a second BRAVECTO […]

On July 21, one premise in Marion County, Florida was placed under quarantine for strangles. The owner recently purchased the horse in Tennessee. The horse became clinical one day after arriving in Florida on July 15. No animals have left the facility since clinical signs began. This is the third case in Marion County and […]

UK health officials are seeing an increase in the parasitic infection, cyclosporiasis, in travelers returning from Mexico, according to Travel Health Pro report. The cluster has been seen since June and many of the travelers stayed in Riviera Maya, the same place where some 80 travelers contracted Cyclospora last summer. Cyclospora cayetanensis is a single celled […]

Lyme disease, caused by a spiral-shaped bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), is the cause of more than 90 percent of all arthropod-borne diseases affecting humans in the United States. Arthropods are a group of animals that includes lobsters, crabs, ticks, spiders, mites, insects, centipedes, and millipedes. Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]

The Bio Bio health department confirmed an additional case of hantavirus, the 9th case of 2016 in the region, in a 11-year-old child, according to a local media account (computer translated). The patient is hospitalized in the Asistencial Victor Rios Ruiz of Los Angeles complex, in stable condition. Of the nine confirmed cases this year, […]

Unpublished research conducted by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) in Brazil detected the presence of Zika virus in mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, collected in the city of Recife. This finding confirms the species as a potential vector of the Zika virus, which to date, according to scientific literature, had not been proven to date, according to […]

Avian influenza is making it’s mark in several areas of the world and the editor of the website, Avian Flu Diary, Mike Coston joined me for an update on the global situation which will be aired on the Outbreak News This Week Radio Show on Sunday. Coston discussed what’s happening in the United States to […]

The City of Austin is asking people not to swim at Bull Creek District Park due to high levels of bacteria being detected. This bacteria may cause illness, so swimming and contact with the water are not recommended. The Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department has recently received three reports of shigellosis, an infectious […]

Murine typhus fever is a disease that occurs when people come into contact with fleas infected with a bacteria called Rickettsia typhi. Since 2008, when murine typhus became endemic in Travis County, the annual number of reported cases has ranged from 4 to 54. As of July 11, 2016, 14 cases had been reported to […]

As a precaution, Porirua City Council closed its Arena Aquatic Centre this afternoon after confirmation today of five cases of cryptosporidiosis were linked to the pool. “The people who became ill swam in the pool between 19 and 26 June, says Pools Manager Sue Chapman. “Although we have not been instructed by Regional Public Health to close, we believe […]

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) today confirmed the state’s first human case of West Nile virus (WNV) for 2016. The resident is an older adult from Livingston County and is currently recovering. “Hot, dry summers are ideal for the mosquito that transmits West Nile virus, and this case is an important […]

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is investigating an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli) associated with ground beef. Since June, 12 people have been infected with the same strain of E.coli after eating ground beef. Investigations are underway to determine the source of […]

OneBlood will start testing donated blood for the Zika virus effective August 1, 2016. “With approval to begin using the investigational test granted, our immediate plan is to begin testing a portion of our collections for the Zika virus to allow hospitals to have access to Zika-screened blood products from unaffected areas to use with […]

The Health Department today reported the first baby delivered with Zika-related microcephaly at a hospital in New York City. The baby and mother are currently in care and being monitored by physicians. The baby’s mother was infected while in an area with ongoing Zika transmission. The baby has been diagnosed with microcephaly – or a […]

In a follow up to the news on the investigation on the possible non-travel related cases of Zika virus in the south Florida counties of Miami-Dade and Broward, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) reports the investigations are ongoing and the department will share more details as they become available. To date, approximately 200 people have been interviewed […]

On 12 July 2016, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 7 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including 4 deaths. Onset dates range from 26 May to 23 June. The cases range in age from 52 to 68 years, with a median age […]

No one knows exactly how it happened. It may have entered through a cut or bite wound, the blood of a chimpanzee seeping into an exposed fingertip or forearm or foot. But in the early 1900s, probably near a West African rainforest, it’s thought that a hunter or vendor of bush meat – wild game […]

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) today launched #StopZika-a new citywide public education campaign designed to provide residents with simple steps they can take to help protect themselves from the Zika virus. Though Zika does not currently present a direct threat locally, the new campaign will provide residents with tips to protect against the […]

The State of Florida is now investigating a possible second non-travel related case of Zika virus, this one in Broward Conty. This comes two days after health officials announced the investigation into a possible non-travel related case of Zika virus in Miami-Dade County. The department is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and will […]

An adult pony with no known vaccine history and no recent travel history has contracted the mosquito borne viral disease, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in Washington County, Florida. This is the second EEE case reported in Washington County and the 13th case seen in Florida to date. Clinical signs of EEE began on July 9 and the horse […]

Officials with the Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) report an increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the area during the first half of 2016. According to health department data, there have been 174 cases of chlamydia, 22 cases of gonorrhea and 6 cases of syphilis through June. A TCHD press release notes that cases of STI have occurred […]

Officials with the Snohomish Health District announced the temporary closing of a Monroe preschool after two schoolkids were hospitalized due to complications from a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection. The school closing is the Monroe Montessori School located at 733 Village Way in Monroe, Washington. The cases have prompted health officials to get more than 60 potentially exposed […]

The hepatitis A outbreak in Oahu, Hawaii has grown by 22 cases in the past week, according to The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH), bringing the total outbreak cases to 74. Health officials say all cases have been in adults, 26 have required hospitalization. All of the cases are residents of Oahu with the exception of two […]

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is reporting increased West Nile virus activity across the state and is investigating numerous suspect cases in humans. While the first human case has not been confirmed by CDPH, a resident of Los Angeles County has symptoms consistent with West Nile virus disease. Initial tests on that patient […]

Earlier, we saw that the number of animal rabies cases have increased in Ontario, Canada, particularly in the City of Hamilton. Now, 1500 miles away in the province of Saskatchewan, authorities are reporting a doubling of rabies cases compared to the same period in 2015, prompting a rabies warning. The province has confirmed 18 cases from […]

Research published today in the journal, Nature Communication, provides new insights into the evolution of Mucorales fungi, which cause a fatal infection in ever-increasing segments of patient population, and several molecular pathways that might be exploited as potential therapeutic or diagnostic targets. Mucorales invades the cells of people with weakened immune systems and causes the […]

About one year ago, more than 100 salmonella cases were reported in a Washington state outbreak which was determined to the linked to pork from Kapowsin Meats in Pierce County. Now, Public Health-Seattle and King County is investigating another outbreak of salmonellosis associated with a Good Vibe Tribe Luau held on 7/3/16 from 6:00-11:00 PM at […]

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) has confirmed the fourth, fifth, and sixth human cases of West Nile infection in Dallas County for the 2016 season. For medical confidentiality and personal privacy reasons, DCHHS does not provide additional identifying information. “Our mosquito surveillance program and the county and municipal abatement teams are taking appropriate […]

Agave Dream of Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA is recalling 389 cases Cappuccino Ice Cream because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term […]

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is investigating a suspected case of botulism, the ninth case, and again stressed to the public that such injections should only be prescribed and performed by registered doctors. The female patient, aged 42 with good past health, has developed swallowing difficulties […]

The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) announced today that a resident of northeast North Dakota was hospitalized with Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a rare, but potentially fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings, urine, and saliva. The case is a school-aged child who had contact with rodent-infested buildings. People can be exposed to hantavirus […]

The Singapore Agri- Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) has seen an increase in the number of suspected leptospirosis cases in dogs being reported by veterinarians since late last year. While there were no animal cases reported in 2014, AVA received 2 notifications between September to December 2015, and 18 notifications to date in 2016. Between […]

Officials with Philippines Department of Health (DOH) report that the number of dengue fever cases reported from the beginning of the year through June 25 is nearly 36 percent higher than the same period in 2015 when the archipelago reported in excess of 200,000 cases. To date, DOH there were 57,026 dengue cases recorded nationwide, compared […]

The norovirus outbreak that has affected at least a dozen individuals in Cleveland for the Republican National Convention (RNC) appears to be winding down as officials with the Erie County Health Department (ECHD) have not reported any additional cases in the past 26 hours. Earlier this week, the ECHD reported on 12 visitors at the Kalahari […]

A biopharmaceutical company collaborating with Hawai’i scientists on an Ebola vaccine has announced encouraging news about its vaccine. Tests on the vaccine, still in development, have shown it is able to retain its effectiveness without refrigeration. That is a real plus when considering the many rural areas in Africa that are most at-risk for another Ebola […]

University of South Florida researchers investigating the aftermath of a September, 2014 sewer line break in St. Petersburg, Florida, have found dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the untreated wastewater that gushed into neighborhoods and into Boca Ciega Bay at a rate of 250 to 500 gallons per minute. Their findings, just published in Applied and Environmental […]