Category: Featured Headlines
CDC says skin-disfiguring parasite may be endemic in Texas, present in other states
NBC News A parasite capable of causing a disfiguring skin disease may be endemic in Texas and present in other southern states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 2005 to 2019, the CDC identified 1,222 cases in the U.S. that were positive for Leishmania, a parasite transmitted through the bites of infected female […]
Oct 25, 2023
Scientists Discuss Prototype Pathogens for Pandemic Preparedness
NIH A special Oct. 19 supplement to the Journal of Infectious Diseases contains nine articles intended as a summary of a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-hosted pandemic preparedness workshop that featured scientific experts on viral families of pandemic concern. Sponsored by NIAID, the supplement features articles on 10 viral families with high pandemic potential […]
Oct 24, 2023
Bird flu has reached Antarctica and could have a devastating effect
New Scientist A lethal form of bird flu has been discovered in the Antarctic region for the first time and it could kill many seals and whales as well as millions of birds. The lethal form of bird flu that has been killing millions of wild birds around the world has spread south to the Antarctic region, […]
Oct 24, 2023
COVID infection can damage the brains of dogs, study suggests
CIDRAP Dogs experimentally infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant but not showing neurologic or respiratory signs of COVID-19 had evidence of degenerative brain disease on necropsy. The study, led by Konkuk University researchers in South Korea, was published late last week in Emerging Infectious Diseases. The research team intranasally infected six female beagle dogs with the SARS-CoV-2 […]
Oct 17, 2023
What Went Wrong with a Highly Publicized COVID Mask Analysis?
Scientific American The Cochrane Library, a trusted source of health information, misled the public by prioritizing rigor over reality. The COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, but in May officials ended its designation as a public health emergency. So it’s now fair to ask if all our efforts to slow the spread of the disease—from masking, to hand washing, to […]
Oct 17, 2023
HHS pledges to keep Paxlovid available as it transitions to commercial market
The Hill The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Friday it had reached an agreement with Pfizer to ensure continued access to the antiviral Paxlovid for the next few years as it prepares to transition the drug into the commercial market. HHS said the agreement “maximizes taxpayer investment.” “This agreement builds on […]
Oct 17, 2023
Mixed Signals for Paxlovid and Long COVID Risk in CDC Study
MedPageToday Antiviral protected older at-risk patients, but appeared to increase risk in teens Use of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) during the acute phase of COVID-19 appeared to significantly reduce the risk of post-COVID conditions (PCCs) in older adults at high risk for severe disease, but may have increased the risk in adolescents, according to a large case-control […]
Oct 17, 2023
Illinois reports first measles case in 4 years, state health officials confirm
ABC News Illinois health officials reported the state’s first case of measles in four years Friday. The Cook County Health Department reported the suspected case Tuesday to the Illinois Department of Public Health. It was confirmed the next day by state health officials. The person, who was exposed to the virus in another country, was […]
Oct 17, 2023
