Category: Featured Headlines
Johns Hopkins Public health agencies and governments across the globe are always readying their response for the next infectious disease emergency, but how do we prepare for the truly unknown? Enter Disease X. Since 2018, this mysterious—and often misrepresented—hypothetical pathogen has been at the heart of international pandemic preparedness efforts. Planning for the emergence of […]
Feb 20, 2024
Bat ‘Nightclubs’ May Be The Key To Solving The Next Pandemic
Texas A&M The evolution of viral tolerance in Myotis bats may help scientists prevent future pandemics, say researchers at Texas A&M. Bats carry some of the deadliest zoonotic diseases that can infect both humans and animals, such as Ebola and COVID-19. In a recently published article in the journal Cell Genomics, a Texas A&M research team revealed […]
Feb 20, 2024
Six cases of measles confirmed in outbreak at a Florida elementary school
NBC The state Department of Health in Broward County announced Friday that a third grader had been diagnosed, and five more cases have been confirmed since. Six people have been diagnosed with measles in an outbreak at the Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston, Florida. The Florida Department of Health in Broward County announced in […]
Feb 20, 2024
Measles infections pose far more risks than most realize
NBC News The virus can cause “immune amnesia,” leaving patients more vulnerable to other infections. Erica Finkelstein-Parker planned her daughter’s 8th birthday party with love. Because Emmalee adored airplanes, Finkelstein-Parker chose the theme “Flying High with Emmalee.” Finkelstein-Parker filled nearly two dozen brightly colored goody bags for Emmalee’s friends — one for every child in […]
Feb 20, 2024
Brazil Is Waging a War Against Rising Dengue Cases
Bloomberg Can a vaccine slow dengue in Brazil? Last year in Brazil, our health regulatory agency approved the Qdenga vaccine for dengue fever. The news excited me — dengue is a painful, common mosquito-borne illness that has no specific treatment and in severe cases can even be fatal. It’s found in tropical and subtropical climates like Brazil, where cases are […]
Feb 20, 2024
What To Know About Alaskapox After Officials Confirm First Death From Recently Discovered Virus
Forbes An elderly man has become the first person to die after contracting Alaskapox, health officials confirmed, urging doctors to stay alert for signs of the recently discovered virus that is closely related to other dangerous human pathogens like smallpox and mpox. The man, who was from Alaska’s remote Kenai Peninsula, is one of only seven […]
Feb 14, 2024
Oregon resident catches rare bubonic plague, likely from their cat
ABC News A pet owner has caught a rare case of the bubonic plague, health officials in central Oregon say, and it’s believed they may have caught it from their cat. The Deschutes County Health Services confirmed the case of the plague in a local resident last week. The resident was likely “infected by their symptomatic pet […]
Feb 13, 2024
Man Dies in First Known Fatal Case of Alaskapox
New York Times Alaska state health officials said that a man died last month of the virus, which occurs mostly in small mammals and causes lesions. There have been seven reported human cases since 2015. An Alaska man died last month of Alaskapox, a rare virus that occurs mostly in small mammals and can cause […]
Feb 13, 2024
The bubonic plague is still around in 2024. How is that possible?
Washington Post The bubonic plague wiped out tens of millions of people in Europe in the 14th century — gaining the grim label the Black Death. In 2024, a handful of cases arise each year in the United States and around the world — though the diseaseis far less common and far more treatable. Last week […]
Feb 13, 2024
Using Math to Poke and Prod at Our Models for Infectious Disease
Univ of Nevada oes limiting population movement during a pandemic really help to minimize the spread of disease? Ph.D. candidate Keoni Castellano is using math to tackle that question. His research under mentor Rachidi Salako, an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, explores epidemic models through analysis using mathematical, statistical, and computational tools to study the spread […]
Feb 6, 2024