Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

COVID-19 vaccines may help prevent placentitis, stillbirth in pregnancy

COVID-19 vaccination may protect pregnant women and their fetuses against virus-related placentitis (inflammation of the placenta) and stillbirth, concludes a review study published today in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The research will also be presented next week at ID Week in Washington, DC.

Study finds boosters give good protection against Omicron hospital cases

A US study of almost 17,000 patients finds modest two-dose Pfizer COVID vaccine effectiveness (VE) against hospitalization and emergency department (ED) admission for Omicron BA.1 (the original Omicron variant) and the BA.2 subvariant, but three-dose VE was 79% and 71% for hospitalization, respectively, and 72% and 21%  for ED visits.

CDC issues Ebola alert for clinicians, officials announce airport screening

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged clinicians to consider Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fever illness in the workup of people who have symptoms of the diseases and to immediately take a travel history with an eye toward identifying those who have been in parts of Uganda affected by the recent Ebola Sudan outbreak.

Antibiotic eye drops linked to shorter symptom duration for conjunctivitis

A randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis of previous trials found that topical antibiotics were associated with significantly shorter symptom duration in children with acute infective conjunctivitis, researchers reported today in JAMA Network Open.

CDC, FDA investigate multistate Listeria outbreak

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating a multistate Listeria outbreak linked to brie and camembert cheeses.

UK report shows rise in resistant, sexually transmitted Shigella

A report yesterday from the United Kingdom's Health Security Agency (HSA) shows sexually transmitted Shigella infections are rising again in England after falling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monkeypox vaccine 79% effective, according to Israeli preprint study

According to a new non-peer reviewed study out of Israel, the Jynneos vaccine is 79% effective against monkeypox infection.

The study was based on patients eligible for monkeypox vaccine seen in the Clalit Health Services system between Jul 31 and Sep 12, 2022. Of 1,970 subjects eligible for the study, 873 (44%) were vaccinated with Jynneos and completed at least 25 days of follow-up.

COVID pandemic worsened all-cause death inequities for non-White races

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically worsened disparities in all-cause death rates for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander (NHOPI), and Black Americans and eroded mortality advantages for Asian and Hispanic groups, finds a study published yesterday in PNAS.

CDC reports H1N2v flu case in Wisconsin

In its weekly flu update on Sep 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported two more variant H1N2 (H1N2v) infections, in Michigan and Wisconsin.

E coli outbreak linked to ground beef in Hello Fresh meal kits

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday reported an Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak tied to Hello Fresh meal kits that contained contaminated ground beef.