Outbreak News Today

Women who stayed on a low fat diet for approximately eight years reduced their risk of death from invasive breast cancers and improved their survival rates when compared with women who had not followed the dietary regimen, according to a study to be presented at a clinical trial plenary session, entitled “Transformative Clinical Trials in […]

Officials in Polk County have reported a case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in a horse this week. The eighteen month old, unvaccinated Quarter Horse had not been off the property in at least 6 months. Clinical signs began April 4th and the horse passed on the same day. The case was confirmed positive on April […]

How does a formerly innocuous and obscure virus like Zika transform itself into a feared pathogen inflicting a devastating impact on global health? A new UCLA study suggests that the virus possesses the ability to mutate rapidly, allowing the current outbreak to spread swiftly around the world. The Cell Press journal, Cell Host & Microbe,published […]

Health officials have confirmed a new case of Zika imported in the Canary Islands, according to a government news release earlier this week (computer translated). The new confirmed case of Zika is in a 37-year-old woman, who is not pregnant. She was in Latin America for a month and presented with Zika symptoms upon return to the […]

Impax Laboratories, Inc. announced earlier this week that EMVERM (mebendazole) 100 mg chewable tablets are now available for healthcare providers to prescribe to patients in the United States. EMVERM is indicated for the treatment of Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm), Trichuris trichiura(whipworm), Ascaris lumbricoides (common roundworm), Ancylostoma duodenale(common hookworm), Necator americanus (American hookworm) in single or mixed infections. […]

How is it that chronic Lyme disease is an illness that hundreds of thousands if not millions of sufferers are forced to navigate primarily on their own, save for a handful of brave and noble doctors? How is it that chronic Lyme is a ‘do-it-yourself disease’ (aptly coined by senior producer Kris Newby of award-winning […]

Aedes mosquitoes—the main vector for Zika transmission—are present in all the countries in the Americas with the exception of Canada and continental Chile. Despite that fact, Chile reported the first Zika virus infection acquired in continental Chilean territory–it was sexually transmitted. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the case (Person A) developed symptoms consistent with Zika virus […]

Manitoba health officials identified the first two confirmed cases of Zika virus infection in the province. Both individuals recently travelled to an area affected by the current outbreak. The current overall risk to Manitobans is very low as the species of mosquitoes that can carry the virus are unable to survive the cool weather in […]

The Vermont Department of Health today announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the state’s first case of Zika virus in a Vermont resident, an adult who traveled to a Zika affected area before developing symptoms. Zika is a virus spread by the bite of certain Aedes species of mosquitoes. Illness is […]

Belize was the only country in Central America that hadn’t reported local transmission of Zika virus, but now that appears to have changed. One week ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contacted the Belize Ministry of Health (MOH) concerning possible Zika transmission in a US resident with travel to the Central American country. The CDC […]

The Philippines had the highest incidence in the Western Pacific Region from 2013 to 2015. In 2015 alone, the Philippines recorded more than 200,000 dengue fever cases, including some 600 dengue-related fatalities. The latest data from the Department of Health (DOH) show that in the first three months of 2016, nearly 32,000 cases have been […]

The Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp (ITM) has developed a test that can confirm an infection with the Zika virus even after the acute infection phase. A correct diagnosis is especially important for pregnant women because of the potential risks for the unborn baby if the mother is infected. With the neutralization test, the […]

Long associated with liver cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a study from The University of TexasMD Anderson Cancer Center reveals for the first time that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with certain head and neck cancers. The findings, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, could have significant implications for both the […]

In Jan. 2016, the Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) investigated a male-to-male sexual transmission of Zika virus. The description of the case is published in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). According to the report, one half of the gay couple traveled to Venezuela fro one week. He developed classic symptoms of Zika […]

In a follow-up to a report on the yellow fever situation in Uganda, local media reports an additional three yellow fever deaths, bringing the total fatalities to 10. The report notes that the three deaths were residents of Bukakata in Masaka district. The Masaka health officer said the World Health Organization and the US Centers for […]

On Tuesday, officials at Linfield College in McMinnville, OR reported on a student that was hospitalized with a yet unidentified infection; however, the symptoms are consistent with a variety of diseases including meningitis. Laboratory test results are pending. This has prompted the school to hold an antibiotic delivery clinic yesterday for students concerned about potential risk of exposure. More than […]

One week after local health authorities confirmed its first autochthonous Zika virus infection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel notice today for the island of St. Lucia. Local mosquito transmission means that mosquitoes in the area are infected with Zika virus and are spreading it to people. There is no vaccine […]

Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have concluded, after careful review of existing evidence, that Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. In the report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the CDC authors describe a rigorous weighing of evidence using established scientific […]

The countries of Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have already reported outbreaks of the serious mosquito borne viral disease, yellow fever. Kenya and China have reported imported cases from Angola. Today, news reports say that Uganda has confirmed seven yellow fever cases in the central region in the past week. The confirmed […]

In a follow up report late last year on this website concerning the rise of syphilis in Japan, officials say the syphilis issue in the country remains high, in fact, the number for the first quarter of 2016 (796) is double last year’s number for the same period. The Japan Times reports the number of […]

In a follow-up to a report on the hepatitis A outbreak in Mombasa, Kenya, scores of additional cases of the viral illness have been reported in April bringing the outbreak total to 114, according to local media. Officials report that the disease was spreading fast in four constituencies in Mombasa County–Mvita, Changamwe, Kisauni and Likoni. Illegal […]

One of the country’s most endangered mammals stands to benefit from two proposed actions announced this week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). The Service has conducted Environmental Assessments (EA) for these actions and is seeking public comment for both activities. As part of its ongoing efforts to conserve the rare black-footed ferret, the […]

A group of pathogenic marine bacteria, responsible for many more deaths worldwide each year than sharks, reside within Sydney Harbour, UTS scientists have found. The presence of pathogenic bacteria from the Vibrio genus within Sydney’s heavily used harbour suggests that it, and other vulnerable coastal ecosystems, may be at risk of future pathogen outbreaks, particularly […]

In a follow-up to reports on the Legionnaires’ disease situation in Genesee County, Michigan, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Monday issued an updated summary for 2015. The update includes three additional LD cases (two deaths) identified since the last report. “To date, 91 cases and 12 deaths have been identified in total for 2014 and 2015 in […]

Hawaii representative Tulsi Gabbard voted yesterday for S. 2512, the Adding Zika Virus to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act, a bill that passed unanimously in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, which passed in the Senate last month, would encourage the development of vaccines and treatments against the Zika Virus by adding it to the Food […]

The Thailand Bureau of Epidemiology updated the dengue fever data for the country and the total cases are now 14825. The number of dengue related fatalities have risen to a dozen. Bangkok remains the region with the highest incidence of dengue followed by Rayong, Samutsakorn, Nakornpathom and Phuket. Elsewhere in southeast Asia, Malaysia’s dengue count closes in […]

At least 60 students at the University of Rochester have been taken ill with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Student health says one student has tested positive for norovirus, which is the likely cause of the outbreak. Students affected are from River Campus and the Eastman School of Music. Due to concerns with common utensils being handled […]

The largest outbreak of Elizabethkingia anophelis ever documented in the United States has hit the third state following Wisconsin and Michigan as Illinois health officials report tests from an resident match those from a Wisconsin outbreak. “Illinois is working closely with the CDC and Wisconsin and Michigan health officials to investigate this outbreak and develop ways […]

Since last summer, nine men who have sex with men (MSM) have been confirmed with meningococcal meningitis in the Chicago area with the announcement of two additional cases today, prompting health officials to urge gay and bisexual men to get vaccinated against the serious bacterial infection. One of the cases last year died from the […]

In an update on the yellow fever outbreak in Angola, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that as of Apr. 10, a total of 1,751 suspected cases with 242 deaths were reported, of which 582 were laboratory confirmed cases. Of the 582 laboratory confirmed cases, 406 were from Luanda province, 85 from Huambo, 22 from Benguela […]

On 5 April 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Viet Nam notified WHO of 2 confirmed cases of locally-acquired Zika virus infection. The first case, a resident of Nha Trang, Viet Nam, had onset of fever, rash, conjunctivitis and headache on 26 March 2016. On 31 March, the case tested positive for Zika virus […]

Ever wonder what causes corns and calluses? According to dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology, these hard, thickened areas of skin form as a result of friction or pressure on the skin. In fact, they say, corns and calluses develop naturally to help protect the skin underneath them. “Calluses can develop anywhere on the […]

The World Health Organization (WHO) received notifications last month about cases of yellow fever (YF) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in connection with the outbreak currently occurring in Angola. According to the UN agency, from early January to 22 March 2016, a total of 151 suspected cases of YF, including 21 deaths (CFR: 14%), […]

Researchers from the University of Liverpool and the King’s Sierra Leone Partnership are to present new findings into post-Ebola syndrome at a major European conference this week. A year on from the Ebola outbreaks in West Africa, and many Ebola survivors are now suffering symptoms of post-Ebola syndrome (PES), including vision complications, joint and muscle […]

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, in collaboration with extramural organizations, have sequenced nearly the entire genome of human, mouse and rat Pneumocystis. This organism causes a life-threatening pneumonia in immunosuppressed hosts. Pneumocystis was one of the first infections that led to the initial recognition of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It has been responsible […]

The Medicines Company today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has granted Fast Track Designation to the investigational agent CARBAVANCE® (meropenem-vaborbactam) for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI). CARBAVANCE is the combination of the carbapenem antibiotic, meropenem, with the novel beta-lactamase inhibitor, vaborbactam (formerly known as RPX7009), that […]

An all-time high of 25,986 sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were diagnosed in Minnesota in 2015, according to a report released today by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). The number of STDs increased by 6 percent from 2014 and by 33 percent from five years ago when 19,547 STDs were reported. The STDs which health […]

The vast majority of doctors worldwide — a preponderance of medical professionals around the globe who so inadequately and woefully acknowledge that chronic Lyme disease exists — will have you believe that this illness presents itself in only a very small number of cases. In those rare cases, when doctors actually acknowledge the existence of Lyme, they will try to convince you […]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Venclexta (venetoclax) for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who have a chromosomal abnormality called 17p deletion and who have been treated with a least one prior therapy. Venclexta is the first FDA-approved treatment that targets the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) protein, which supports […]

This week marks the beginning of spring. And now that it’s here, summer is right on deck. That of course means a few months of sustained sunshine, outdoor festivals, and dining al fresco. This summer, though, could also mean terror. That’s because this year’s mosquitoes will bring with them more than the usual annoyances and […]

Florida health officials reported today on an additional travel associated Zika virus infection in Lee County, bringing the state total to 85, all imported cases and the most in the nation. Of the cases confirmed in Florida, six cases are still exhibiting symptoms. There have been no locally-acquired cases of Zika in Florida. A Declaration of Public […]

NSW Health is warning the public to be alert to the symptoms of measles after four people were reported to have been in the community while infectious with the highly contagious disease in the past two weeks. Two cases were travellers who spent time in hostels in Cairns and Magnetic Island whilst infectious. Both cases […]

The four-day long tribal Easter dance party located inland from Byron Bay NSW, Australia, Rabbits Eat Lettuce announced that a female attendee contracted the serious, vaccine preventable disease, diphtheria. According to a post to attendees by the event last week: IMPORTANT: One of our guests has contracted Diphtheria whilst attending the event. The doctors have said it […]

Join the Florida Department of Health in recognizing April as National Minority Health Month. This year’s theme, “Building Healthy Communities: Accelerating Health Equity throughout Florida,” reflects our continuous and collective efforts to increase momentum toward becoming a state where all Floridians achieve the highest level of health possible. This observance serves as a reminder of […]

Health officials in the Sunshine State reported on the third confirmed or probable Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) case of 2016 on Friday in Duval County. The confirmed case is from Jacksonville, no other information is available. In 2015, Duval County did not report any CJD cases. This follows recent reports of two CJD cases in Hillsborough County […]

Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon is recalling nineteen refrigerated salad items due to notification from one of our ingredient suppliers that Listeria monocytogenes may be present in one lot of onions that was used in the manufacture of these salads. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometime fatal infections […]

Vaccines have been recognized as reliable and cost efficient ways to prevent some the most debilitating diseases in the US – Measles, Pertussis, Diphtheria, Polio and Mumps. Decades ago, these illnesses caused thousands to die in a span of a year. Currently, the development of vaccines has increased the chances of not contracting these infectious […]

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published an informational piece on a specific foodborne illness, Listeriosis, and how to prevent certain foodborne risks during your pregnancy. Listeria monocytogenes is a harmful bacterium that can be found in refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods (meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy – unpasteurized milk and milk products or foods made with […]

On Sunday’s Outbreak News This Week Radio Show, I looked at a number of topics related to organ donation, as it is National Donate Life Month. During the first half of the show, I spoke with Professor Emeritus, Department of Surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville and lead author of a recent study on compensating […]

The U.S. Geological Survey released additional evidence that western Alaska remains a hot spot for avian influenza to enter North America. The new report announces that while no highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses have been found in Alaska, the state remains an important area to monitor due to migratory bird flyways from North America and […]