Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
CBS News A man in his 80s from Worcester County is the first person in Massachusetts diagnosed with EEE since 2020. State officials have not released the man’s name or hometown, but the state is raising the EEE risk level to critical in Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster. The risk level for Auburn, Charlton, Grafton, Leicester, […]
Aug 20, 2024
What to know about the ‘slapped cheek’ virus uptick in the U.S.
NPR Federal health officials are warning doctors to keep watch for a respiratory virus, known as parvovirus B19, as infection rates tick up in the United States. Parvovirus B19 has existed for decades, and its symptoms are typically mild or nonexistent among children and healthy adults. But it can also lead to serious complications for […]
Aug 20, 2024
Cambodian girl dies of H5N1 bird flu: health ministry
Xinua A 15-year-old girl from southeast Cambodia’s Prey Veng province died of H5N1 avian influenza on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said in a press statement. The patient lived in Kanhchriech district’s Por Marinh village. Health experts were looking into the source of the infection and examining any suspected cases or people who have been […]
Aug 20, 2024
The mpox strain spreading now is different from the one in 2022: Here’s what to know
NBC News This strain of the virus is known to be more severe, but it’s behaving differently from its usual patterns. The World Health Organization’s decision to declare mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years may seem like déjà vu — but there are key differences between the strain that’s causing international […]
Aug 20, 2024
MedPageToday In the late 1990s, my long-time colleague, Pam Nagami, MD, met a petite, Indian-American student she later called “Manju” when writing a terrific book about patients with infectious diseases. Some of the stories by Nagami end happily, but Manju’s did not — and all because of a case of measles she contracted early in life. So, […]
Aug 20, 2024
Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH assessment of recent influenza A(H5N1) virus events in animals and people
WHO At the present time, based on available information, FAO-WHO-WOAH assess the global public health risk of influenza A(H5N1) viruses to be low, while the risk of infection for occupationally exposed persons is low to moderate depending on the risk mitigation measures in place. Transmission between animals continues to occur and, to date, a limited […]
Aug 14, 2024
What You Need to Know About Oropouche Virus Disease
Medscape The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has issued a warning to travelers in areas in South and Central America and the Caribbean affected by a current outbreak of Oropouche virus (OROV) disease. The ECDC said that there had been more than 8000 cases reported in these areas since January, with 19 […]
Aug 14, 2024
Increase in Human Parvovirus B19 Activity in the United States
CDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to notify healthcare providers, public health authorities, and the public about current increases in human parvovirus B19 activity in the United States. Parvovirus B19 is a seasonal respiratory virus that is transmitted through respiratory droplets by people with symptomatic […]
Aug 14, 2024
Dengue Is Spreading: Is Warmer Weather to Blame?
American Society for Microbiology “More Americans are at risk than ever before as mosquitoes and ticks are moving into new areas of the country, increasing cases and geographic ranges of vector-borne diseases.” said Christopher Braden, M.D., the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Center for Emerging and Infectious Zoonotic Diseases. […]
Aug 14, 2024
60% of American Samoans have evidence of previous dengue infection
CIDRAP Since 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended dengue vaccination for kids ages 9 to 16 in communities where more than 20% of age-eligible persons have previously been infected with the virus. While vaccination offers strong protection for people with prior infections, but it may increase the risk of […]
Aug 14, 2024