Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
California health officials report possible bird flu case in Bay Area child
CBS News Officials with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said they have identified a possible bird flu case in a child in Alameda County. CDPH announced Tuesday that the child has mild respiratory symptoms and is recovering at home. The child had a positive bird flu test which showed a “low-level detection of […]
Nov 19, 2024
Could Avian Flu Cause Our Next Pandemic?
MedPageToday Colleagues, it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee. Or, for a true reality check, just scan the Department of Agriculture’s frequently-updated map and tablesopens in a new tab or window naming the many animals that have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the U.S. since May 2022. Finding influenza A/H5N1 in […]
Nov 19, 2024
Bird Flu Hits Site With Half of World’s Wandering Albatrosses
Bloomberg An island halfway between South Africa and Antarctica, where half of the world’s wandering albatrosses breed, is under threat from a fast-spreading strain of bird flu. High pathogenicity avian influenza, or HPAI, is suspected to have reached Marion Island, one of two sub-Antarctic Islands, controlled by South Africa, the country’s environment department said in […]
Nov 13, 2024
H9N2 avian flu infects 7 more in China
CIDRAP China has reported seven more H9N2 avian flu infections in humans, mostly involving children and all in people whose symptoms began in September and October, Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said today in its weekly avian flu update. Four of the patients are from Hunan province, including a 10-month-old boy, a 1-year-old girl, […]
Nov 13, 2024
Avian flu detected on Oahu for the first time ever
Hawaii News Now For the first time ever, Hawaii’s Department of Health believes they’ve detected H5 Avian influenza from a wastewater site on Oahu. DOH did not immediately provide the location of the site. Officials say the specimen was collected on Nov. 7 and DOH received the result Tuesday. H5N1, also called Highly Pathogenic Avian […]
Nov 13, 2024
When Long COVID Worsens Preexisting Chronic Conditions
Yale Medicine Research reports and detailed case studies from doctors and other providers can tell us a lot about Long COVID. But to understand the full scope of the disease and its impact, we must also listen to the experiences of patients who are suffering. Today’s post features a contribution from one of our readers, […]
Nov 13, 2024
Politico The number of people with long Covid could be three times as high as previous studies have found, according to new research out of the Boston health system Mass General Brigham. The researchers estimate nearly 23 percent of people have endured long-term symptoms, lasting at least two months, from a Covid-19 infection. That compares to a […]
Nov 13, 2024
A twisted protein sheds light on chronic wasting disease in deer
Science News The misfolded proteins responsible for a fatal neurological illness in deer have a twist. The first detailed structure of an infectious prion that causes chronic wasting disease, or CWD, reveals features that could help guide vaccine development or explain why the illness hasn’t yet made the leap to people, researchers report October 24 in Acta Neuropathologica. […]
Nov 13, 2024
Nigeria NCDC Alerts Public To Risk Of Lassa Fever, Meningitis Outbreaks
Science Nigeria The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a public advisory, urging Nigerians to enhance personal and environmental hygiene as the country faces heightened risks of Lassa fever and cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) outbreaks. NCDC’s director-general, Dr. Jide Idris highlighted that proactive measures are essential to prevent these life-threatening diseases. He […]
Nov 12, 2024
Many human infections with ‘cow flu’ are going undetected
Science Scientists find evidence of past H5N1 infection in 7% of workers exposed at dairy farms—but no signs of human-to-human transmission. The H5N1 bird flu strain circulating in U.S. dairy cattle is likely infecting far more farm workers than scientists realized, a new study published today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]
Nov 12, 2024