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The Netherlands lost nearly 45,000 poultry to low-pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza, the first outbreak of the strain in more than a year, according to a Jun 10 report from the country to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that Escherichia coli O121 found in a sample of General Mills flour from the home of one of the patients in a 38-case outbreak matches the strain infecting people.
At times consumers were at risk "for several weeks after FDA was aware of a potentially hazardous food," the report says.
The CDC is working on a Zika response plan for when the first local US cases are detected.
The WHO says it does not recommend delaying pregnancy in Zika-affected areas, while 3 reports highlight sexual transmission risks.
Low doses of the Makona strain of Ebola failed to cause disease, tissue lesions, or high viral titers in macaques when administered via the mouth or eye, according to a study yesterday in the Journal of Infectious Disease.
In an emergency department study, more than 75% of patients were given the drugs unnecessarily for suspected gonorrhea or chlamydia.
Also, the NAS says more research is needed on genetically modified mosquitoes.
Yellow fever stubbornly persists and is spreading, despite a major influx of vaccine.
Today the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Liberia free of Ebola transmission—meaning the last patient in the country tested negative for a second time 42 days ago—a step that marks the third time West Africa has been declared free of Ebola after its massive outbreak in 2014 and 2015.
Non-neutralizing, cross-reactive antibodies may play a role in fostering protective immunity following H7N9 avian flu vaccination and are likely missed by traditional vaccine immunogenicity tests, according to a study yesterday in Cell Host & Microbe.
One report describes eye problems in a baby born without microcephaly and the other notes sexual transmission 44 days after the male partner's infection.
Ebola virus (EBOV) from the West Africa outbreak survived more than 30 days in blood in syringe needles—even in hot, humid conditions— and 6 days on paper money under experimental conditions, according to a study yesterday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Infections with Legionella bacteria have quadrupled since 2000, and the CDC says outbreaks are preventable through proper management of water systems, such as cooling towers.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said today that its Zika emergency committee will meet for the third time on Jun 14, according to a notice e-mailed to journalists. It said experts will review the implementation and impact of the recommendations it made as part of their declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
In research news, studies reveal more evidence for neural progenitor cell infection and clues about how the body might defend itself.
Review finds a nearly 20% drop in overall antimicrobial use, almost 40% in the ICU.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) late last week reported 2,446 new chikungunya cases to bring the 2016 total in the Americas to 117,829 cases.
The previous 2 weeks saw increases of 27,505 and 1,184 suspected and confirmed cases, respectively. PAHO updated its numbers on Jun 3.
Hong Kong officials yesterday suspended live-poultry trading after a routine surveillance test detected H7N9 avian flu in droppings from poultry at a market stall, according to a government announcement yesterday.
Defects can include craniofacial disproportion, spasticity, seizures, irritability, and eye problems.
