Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
DOH detected Mpox in Oahu wastewater sample
Hawaii News Now State health officials say mpox has been detected in a wastewater sample on Oahu for the first time. The Hawaii Department of Health said the sample, collected April 13 at a treatment facility on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, tested positive for clade I mpox. Officials emphasized that no clinical cases of clade […]
Apr 29, 2026
Pasadena urges mpox precautions as cases rise for the viral disease
Pasadena Star News The Pasadena Public Health Department on Wednesday, April 29, urged residents to take precautions against mpox and consider vaccination as cases increase in California. Health officials said vaccination remains the best protection against severe illness, particularly for individuals at higher risk of exposure. Mpox, a viral disease, is currently circulating in two […]
Apr 29, 2026
AI classifier flags bird flu genomes more likely to spread in mammals
Phys.org A research team from the LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has developed a machine-learning classifier capable of analyzing the genomes of influenza A viruses (IAVs) to accurately predict their potential risk of transmission among mammals. The team has successfully identified the key clues that may explain cross-species transmission […]
Apr 29, 2026
In Readiness For The Next Pandemic, Human Trials Begin Of An mRNA Vaccine For Bird Flu
IFL Science An mRNA vaccine for avian influenza, developed by pharma company Moderna, has begun Phase 3 human trials. Building on the same technology used in their highly successful COVID-19 vaccine, the aim is to shore up the world’s defences against what is widely considered to be one of the biggest viral threats facing humanity. […]
Apr 29, 2026
Targeted Hunts Were Supposed to Curb ‘Zombie Deer Disease.’ Now What?
New York Times n Illinois and other states, officials hoped that culls could halt the progress of chronic wasting disease. Now they are losing hope. In the middle of a spring afternoon near Lowden-Miller State Forest, Daniel Skinner poured a small pile of dried, yellow corn onto the ground. Shouldering his .308 Remington rifle equipped […]
Apr 29, 2026
CDC warns additional measles cases in US are expected amid upcoming travel season
ABC News With a busy travel season approaching, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that additional measles cases in the U.S. can be expected over the next few months. The agency sent the alert to state and local health departments, reminding them to report measles cases to the CDC within 24 hours and to […]
Apr 29, 2026
2 Legionnaires’ disease cases linked to Las Vegas Strip hotel
8 News Now The Southern Nevada Health District announced on Tuesday that two cases of Legionnaires’ disease were associated with stays at the Wynn Las Vegas, and guests who have stayed at the resort recently are urged to complete a health survey. According to a release from the district, both cases are associated with travel. […]
Apr 29, 2026
Measles deaths are coming. Doctors are fighting an uphill battle.
Washington Post OPINION This November, the Pan American Health Organization will review whether the United States has lost its measles elimination status — a designation held since 2000. As of April 23, 1,792 confirmed cases have been reported across the U.S. Utah is the latest epicenter: nearly 600 cases since last summer. At one to three deaths per […]
Apr 29, 2026
Rheumatic Disease Drugs Help COVID Virus Stick Around Longer, Study Suggests
MedPageToday Lengthy viral antigen persistence far more common, regardless of prior vaccination. Drugs commonly used to treat systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) may keep the SARS-CoV-2 circulating after COVID-19 infection in patients with these conditions, with researchers documenting substantially increased viral antigen persistence compared with other post-COVID patients. Tests for 40% of SARDs patients remained […]
Apr 29, 2026
Long a dream, it’s now real: a fast and accurate TB test that doesn’t need phlegm
NPR That has been the question for nearly 150 years, when Dr. Robert Koch first identified the rod-shaped bacterium that causes tuberculosis. This serious respiratory illness is currently the world’s deadliest infectious disease, killing more than a million people a year. The most common test to determine if someone has tuberculosis hasn’t really changed since the […]
Apr 29, 2026