News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – Early diagnosis and treatment were crucial in helping a Florida man beat the odds by recovering from inhalational anthrax, a rare and often deadly disease, according to a Minneapolis physician who treated him.

(CIDRAP News) – More than 80 additional cases were reported in Germany's enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) outbreak over the weekend, as European and Russian officials continued to spar over Russia's ban on European vegetables.

(CIDRAP News) – The official toll of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) cases in Europe climbed above 1,600 today, with at least 16 deaths, as the pathogen's source remained elusive and one team of scientists called the strain new and "super-toxic."

(CIDRAP News) – After a second round of committee negotiations today, the World Health Assembly (WHA) agreed to postpone setting a date for destruction of the world's remaining smallpox virus stocks for another 3 years.

(CIDRAP News) – A World Health Assembly (WHA)committee that took up a resolution to destroy the remaining stocks of smallpox virus failed to reach an agreement today, despite a working group's attempts to find an acceptable solution.

(CIDRAP News) – When the World Health Assembly (WHA) considers the fate of the remaining stocks of smallpox virus this week, the debate is likely to be framed in part by a report from a group of independent experts that says the only strong reason for keeping the virus is to satisfy strict regulatory requirements for new vaccines and antivirals.

(CIDRAP News) – Delegates from 193 countries met today in Geneva at the start of the World Health Assembly (WHA), which will address several infectious disease topics, including a report from an independent pandemic review committee, a virus-sharing agreement, and the fate of the world's remaining smallpox virus stocks.