Outbreak News Today

In this podcast, I briefly go over 20 mosquito-borne diseases. In this not all inclusive list, I discuss a range of diseases to include malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and more of the most common diseases, but also emerging pathogens that are transmitted by the mosquito vector like Mayaro and Madariaga viruses. Aedes aegypti […]The post 20 Mosquito-borne diseases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Today, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) issued a public health advisory due to Lassa fever. Lassa fever remains a major public health challenge in West Africa with Nigeria bearing the highest burden. Lassa fever occurs throughout the year but more cases are recorded during the dry season i.e. November through May. […]The post Nigeria issues Lassa fever Public Health Advisory appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists have discovered how bacteria commonly responsible for seafood-related stomach upsets can go dormant and then “wake up”. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine bacterium that can cause gastroenteritis in humans when eaten in raw or undercooked shellfish such as oysters and mussels. Some of these bacteria are able to turn dormant in poor growth conditions […]The post Vibrio parahaemolyticus: University of Exeter researchers discover how it can go dormant and then ‘wake up’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Norway’s National Institute of Public Health said in the second update of the risk assessment on variants of the coronavirus that they are likely to become a threat to our ability to control the epidemic in the coming months. New variants of the coronavirus are constantly emerging. The varieties that have the greatest dispersal […]The post Norway risk assessment: COVID-19 variants likely to become a threat to our ability to control the epidemic in the coming months appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews GSK, PATH, and Bharat Biotech (BBIL) Wednesday announced the signing of a product transfer agreement for the malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01E. The agreement includes the transfer of manufacturing of the RTS,S antigen part of the vaccine and the grant of a license on all rights pertaining to the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine to BBIL. GSK […]The post Malaria vaccine: GSK announces a product transfer agreement with Bharat Biotech appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews Larvae of a new malaria mosquito species are abundantly present in water containers in cities in Ethiopia. The mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, is the main malaria mosquito in India but only appeared on the African continent a few years ago. It has now been found in cities and towns in urban settings in Ethiopia, […]The post India malaria mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, now widespread in the Horn of Africa appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Birds play an underrecognized role in spreading tick-borne disease due to their capacity for long-distance travel and tendency to split their time in different parts of the world – patterns that are shifting due to climate change. Knowing which bird species are able to infect ticks with pathogens can help scientists predict where tick-borne diseases […]The post New study identifies bird species that could spread ticks and Lyme disease appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Health officials with the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) have issued a health alert this week over an increase in Ross River fever cases in the southern Riverina in New South Wales. According to MLHD, there have been 18 cases notified from 1 – 22 January. There were less than five notified cases […]The post Ross River fever cases up in area of NSW appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Prince George’s County Health Department issued a rabies alert after concerns that animals or people may have been exposed to a rabid raccoon in Fairmount Heights. According to health officials, on or around January 17, 2021, two stray dogs (a black and white male Pitbull and a brown female Pitbull) may have been exposed […]The post Rabies alert issued for Fairmount Heights, Maryland appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new online dashboard, created by NYU Professor Alexej Jerschow, brings together COVID-19 data from U.S. states and countries around the world to compare cases, deaths, vaccines, and testing in a visual, user-friendly format. The tool also integrates a range of policies governments have implemented to limit the spread of COVID-19–including school closings, stay-at-home orders, and mask […]The post COVID-19 dashboard that compares U.S. states and countries around the world appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published new estimates on Lyme disease in the United States and showed an estimated 476,000 people are diagnosed with and treated for Lyme disease each year. The new calculation is roughly 10 times higher than the number of reported Lyme disease cases, […]The post Sens. Collins and Smith respond to new CDC Lyme disease data appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 For the fourth year in a row, Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo (NIID) has reported more than 5,000 syphilis cases in the country. In 2020, 5,784 syphilis cases were reported in Japan with 1,550 reported in Tokyo and 889 in Osaka. Syphilis was a major issue in Japan until shortly […]The post Japan ends the year with 5700 syphilis cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews In 2019, the number of Guinea Worm disease cases tallied were 53, with most cases reported from Chad, nearly double the number seen in 2018. Today, the Carter Center reports the total cases in 2020 has dropped back down to 27 cases in 6 countries. In addition, Guinea worm infections in animals fell […]The post Guinea worm cases cut in half to 27 in 2020: Carter Center appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Scientists have designed a single-dose universal vaccine that could protect against the many forms of leptospirosis bacteria, according to a study published today in eLife. An effective vaccine would help prevent the life-threatening conditions caused by leptospirosis, such as Weil’s disease and lung haemorrhage, which are fatal in 10% and 50% of cases, respectively. Leptospirosis is […]The post Leptospirosis vaccine protects hamsters and mice against death appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 The number of monkeypox cases, confirmed and suspected, reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was nearly a 1,000 case increase compared to 2019. In 2019, DRC reported 5,288 suspected monkeypox cases, a high number indeed; however, this number was eclipsed in 2020 where a total of 6,257 suspected and confirmed […]The post DRC report 1,000 more monkeypox cases in 2020, Deaths double appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 Health officials in Isiolo County in central Kenya were alerted in November 2020 to a number of herders who died who presented a number of symptoms to include fever, headache, nosebleeds and vomiting blood, among others. The Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus was confirmed in mid-December 2020. As of 22 January 2021, there […]The post Kenya Rift Valley fever outbreak: 21 cases, 9 deaths since November appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By NewsDesk @bactiman63 In 2013, Singapore reported the largest dengue fever outbreak in recent history recording some 22,318 cases and eight deaths. However, that record was easily shattered in 2020 as Singapore officials report that as of Dec. 17, 2020, 34,844 dengue cases were reported. The year started with high weekly dengue cases of between 300 – 400, […]The post Singapore’s historic dengue outbreak year in 2020 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 Minnesota health officials announced Monday that its Public Health Laboratory has found the variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus known as the Brazil P.1 variant in a specimen from a Minnesota resident with recent travel history to Brazil. This case marks the first documented instance of the Brazil P.1 variant in the United […]The post Minnesota reports first known COVID-19 case associated with Brazil P.1 variant in the US appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Monday that that on any given day in 2018, 1 in 5 people in the U.S. had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and showed the incredible cost that goes with it. CDC released the following estimates: Nearly 68 million STIs on any given day […]The post Sexually transmitted infections in the US: ‘The burden of STIs is staggering’ appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Biotechnology company, Moderna Inc., today announced results from in vitro neutralization studies of sera from individuals vaccinated with Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine showing activity against emerging strains of SARS-CoV-2. Vaccination with the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine produced neutralizing titers against all key emerging variants tested, including B.1.1.7 and B.1.351, first identified in the UK and Republic of South Africa, respectively. The […]The post Moderna COVID-19 vaccine: Neutralizing activity against emerging variants retained appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 The supervisor of the Epidemiological Surveillance program, María Valdez said in a press conference Friday since the beginning of the year, 145 confirmed salmonellosis cases have been reported in Salta province. More than 80 percent of the infections were concentrated in the city of Salta and the rest in municipalities in the […]The post Argentina reports 145 confirmed Salmonella cases in Salta province appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 China reported it’s fourth rabies case caused by organ transplantation on January 2019 since 2015 and details of the case are described in Biosafety and Health in December. The donor of the organs was a 57-year-old male farmer who was hospitalized in November 2018 of continuous abdominal pain and syncope. He was later […]The post China reports 4th rabies case from organ transplantation in four years appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

In a promising result for the success of vaccines against COVID-19, rhesus macaque monkeys infected with the human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 developed protective immune responses that might be reproduced with a vaccine. The work was carried out at the California National Primate Research Center at the University of California, Davis and is published Jan. 22 in […]The post Rhesus macaque monkeys infected with SARS-CoV-2 developed protective immune responses appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 In a follow-up on the Africa swine fever (ASF) situation in Leyte, Philippines, local authorities said at least 1,451 hogs were culled in three Leyte towns in the past seven days as the government rushes to curb the spread of African swine fever (ASF) in the province. Local authorities started the culling […]The post Philippines ASF: 1,400 pigs culled in 3 Leyte towns appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 The Simcoe Muskoka Health District reports genome sequencing on all six COVID-19 samples from a Barrie long-term care home have now been identified as the United Kingdom (UK) variant that has proven to be highly contagious and easily transmitted. “The rapid spread, high attack rate and the devastating impact on residents and […]The post Ontario: UK COVID -19 variant identified at Barrie long-term care home appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 Noma (from the Greek: “to devour”), aka cancrum oris is an orofacial gangrene, mainly occurring in malnourished children debilitated by disease and living in the developing world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. The mortality of noma is high (90 percent in the absence of treatment) and the survivors harbor such facial deformities that they […]The post NOMA: Neglected disease, disease of poverty appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The results of a study led by Northern Arizona University and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, suggest the immune systems of people infected with COVID-19 may rely on antibodies created during infections from earlier coronaviruses to help fight the disease. COVID-19 isn’t humanity’s first encounter with a coronavirus, […]The post COVID-19 virus triggers antibodies from previous coronavirus infections: Study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 The Department of Health Eastern Visayas says a month-long vaccination program in the region will start on Feb. 1, covering over 535,000 children between zero and nine-months and below five years old for measles-rubella and oral polio vaccines, respectively. Elaine Villarosa, DOH Eastern Visayas national immunization program manager, said the region is […]The post Philippines: Measles, polio vaccination campaign to start in Eastern Visayas appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 The Finnish Food Authority, or Ruokavirasto reported detecting H5N8 avian influenza from pheasants in the wild in Janakkala, Kanta-Häme. No avian influenza was detected in nearby farmed pheasants. The Food Agency has designated a restricted zone around the site of the disease to restrict the movement of poultry and poultry products. The Food Agency […]The post H5N8 avian influenza reported in Janakkala, Finland appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare report that while new COVID-19 cases are still reported in large numbers across the country, the Christmas and New Year period did not cause any significant rise in the number of COVID-19 infections. The Epidemiological situation has remained about the same for four weeks now, officials […]The post Finland: No significant increase in COVID-19 cases due to Christmas and New Year holiday appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Teddy Cambosa The Ministry of Health in the Pacific island nation of Fiji has recorded three new cases of typhoid, making the total count to 13 after the nation has been hit by Tropical Cyclone Yasa. Previous cases include 11 of the cases are from Macuata and two from Cakaudrove in Fiji. According to […]The post Fiji’s Northern Division tallies 3 new typhoid cases appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Teddy Cambosa The African nation is dealing with another blow of cholera outbreaks, as recent reports have shown 20 people in the state of Delta have died due to cholera. The outbreak was recorded from the coastal communities of Bomadi and Burutu Local Government Areas, mostly children. “Here in Bomadi, we drink from this […]The post Cholera outbreak claims 20 lives in Nigerian Delta state appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By Teddy Cambosa The Municipality of Bontoc in Mountain Province, located at the northern part in the Philippines, have tallied a total of 12 new cases bearing the UK variant of the COVID-19 virus. According to an online update from the municipality’s Facebook, the new cases were rooted from 35 individuals who were initially tested. […]The post 12 tested positive for COVID-19 UK variant at Mt. Province in PH; lockdown still in effect appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 Today, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson said in a press conference on coronavirus that the new COVID-19 variant may be more deadly than previously thought: “I must tell you this afternoon that we have been informed today that, in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that […]The post UK: Boris Johnson says COVID-19 variant may be associated with a higher degree of mortality appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Many college students fully recover from infectious mononucleosis (which is almost always caused by Epstein-Barr virus) within 1-6 weeks, but some go on to develop chronic fatigue syndrome, also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS). A longitudinal study from DePaul University and Northwestern University followed 4,501 college students to examine risk factors that may trigger longer illness. […]The post Chronic fatigue syndrome following mono in college students: 4,500 undergraduates followed in study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 Brazil was the country with the most dengue fever cases in 2020, hitting a total of 1,418,296 cases, more than half the cases seen in the Americas last year (2,245,733). Following Brazil last year was Paraguay (223,082), Vietnam (121,398 during the first 11 months), Mexico (120,239) and Malaysia with more than 88,000 […]The post Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico, Vietnam and Malaysia report the most dengue cases in 2020 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 In a follow-up on the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the North Region of Portugal, health authorities have declared the outbreak over, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The outbreak in Póvoa de Varzim, Vila do Conde and Matosinhos counties, which began in late October, resulted in a […]The post Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in northern Portugal declared over appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 The Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on COVID-19 in South Africa released a memo recently concerning the use of ivermectin for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19. The use of ivermectin for the treatment of prevention of COVID-19 has generated significant global interest. The use of this repurposed medicine is being heavily promoted […]The post Ivermectin: South Africa officials say routine use for either the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 is not justified appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

A new tool for monitoring COVID-19 may one day be right under your nose. Researchers at the University of California San Diego are developing a color-changing test strip that can be stuck on a mask and used to detect SARS-CoV-2 in a user’s breath or saliva. The project, which received $1.3 million from the National […]The post Face masks: UC San Diego researchers develop test strip to detect SARS-CoV-2 in a user’s breath or saliva appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Cabenuva (cabotegravir and rilpivirine, injectable formulation) as a complete regimen for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in adults to replace a current antiretroviral regimen in those who are virologically suppressed on a stable antiretroviral regimen with no history of treatment failure and […]The post HIV drug, Cabenuva, approved by FDA; 1st injectable regimen appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 Kenya officials are reporting a anthrax outbreak in Sotik Constituency. Six people from Itoik village were hospitalized and one died, according to a report in The Star. It is believed the group came into contact with a cow who died from suspected anthrax. Residents say seven cows have already died in the area […]The post Kenya reports anthrax outbreak in Sotik appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Synthetic cannabidiol, better known as CBD, has been shown for the first time to kill the bacteria responsible for gonorrhea, meningitis and legionnaires disease. The research collaboration between The University of Queensland and Botanix Pharmaceuticals Limited could lead to the first new class of antibiotics for resistant bacteria in 60 years. The UQ Institute for Molecular Bioscience’s Associate Professor Mark Blaskovich said […]The post CBD can kill gonorrhea bacteria: University of Queensland study appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

While the world’s focus has been on COVID-19, sometimes it seems like nothing else is happening in infectious diseases. But that is far from the reality. In recent years, we’ve seen Nigeria report large numbers of Lassa fever, we continue to see plague outbreaks from Africa to Asia and monkeypox cases have risen in recent […]The post It’s not just COVID-19: Outbreaks of Lassa fever, plague and monkeypox appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

Florida has reported about 1.6 million total COVID-19 cases, including more than 24,000 deaths. We’ve known for some time that some of the most vulnerable people are those aged 65 years and older and since Florida has the second-highest proportion of retirement-age residents in the nation this makes getting the COVID-19 vaccine available an imperative. […]The post COVID-19 vaccines in Florida: How hospitals manage administering to 65+ population appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 After reporting a record year of Lassa fever in Nigeria last year, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported nine confirmed Lassa fever cases, including 2 deaths in Bauchi state among the confirmed cases. Four states (Bauchi, Ebonyi, Edo and Ondo) have recorded at least one confirmed case across six Local […]The post Nigeria reports 2 Lassa fever deaths in first week of 2021 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI), announced that the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) declared that as of January 8, 2021, the country is now free of the last remaining A(H5N6) strain of the Avian Influenza (AI). The country was able to resolve the outbreaks of AI […]The post The Philippines is now free of H5N6 avian influenza: OIE appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminds us. The federal health agency reports multiple COVID-19 variants are circulating globally: In the United Kingdom (UK), a new variant called B.1.1.7 has emerged with an […]The post COVID-19 variant, B.1.1.7, now reported in 21 states appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 In August 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel firmly said of the use of ivermectin: The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel recommends against the use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19, except in a clinical trial. Five months later, that same panel changed their recommendation: The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel […]The post NIH changes on use of ivermectin for treatment of COVID-19 appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 Agriculture officials in Leyte province in the Visayas region of the Philippines are reporting Africa swine fever (ASF) in several barangays (villages). Blood samples taken from hogs in Abuyog tested positive for ASF, the first case reported in the Eastern Visayas. “Samples collected were submitted to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory […]The post African swine fever reported in Leyte, Philippines appeared first on Outbreak News Today.

By News Desk @bactiman63 The Fiji Ministry of Health is reporting at least 10 cases of typhoid fever on the island of Vanua Levu. According to the Minister for Health, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete, the cases were reported in the provinces of Cakaudrove and Macuata. Typhoid fever is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. Salmonella typhi lives […]The post Fiji reports typhoid clusters on Vanua Levu appeared first on Outbreak News Today.