Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Study: Flu vaccine offers 68% protection in Canada, 72% against H1N1

Today in Eurosurveillance, researchers published the first estimates of vaccine effectiveness (VE) for the 2018-19 seasonal flu vaccine administered in Canada, showing that overall VE was 68% in a season driven by influenza A(H1N1) viruses and 72% against the predominant strain.

Washington state measles outbreak sickens 22; exposures in Portland area

Washington state's Clark County, which is part of the Portland, Ore., metropolitan area, has declared a public health emergency related to a measles outbreak, with 22 cases confirmed so far, along with 3 more suspected cases.

CDC records 3 more acute flaccid myelitis cases, 196 total

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today recorded 3 new cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), bringing the total for 2018 to 196 confirmed cases. The confirmed cases are among the 357 reports that CDC received of patients under investigation. 

2018 has seen the most AFM cases of any year since the CDC began tracking the mysterious illness in 2014.

Third case of MERS recorded in Riyadh household cluster

Today Saudi Arabia's ministry of health (MOH) reported a new MERS-CoV case, the third case connected to a household cluster in Riyadh. The notice came in an epidemiologic week 2 notification.

MERS infects 1 more in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's health ministry yesterday reported a new MERS-CoV case, its first of 2019, according to an epidemiological week 1 notification.

The patient is a 54-year-old man from the city of Riyadh who is hospitalized for his MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) illness. An investigation has so far found that he had no contact with camels or another MERS patient.

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter strains identified in Brazilian ICU

Brazilian researchers report in PLOS One that strains of carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in intensive care unit (ICU) patients at a tertiary teaching hospital were associated with high mortality and several healthcare-related risk factors.

WHO snapshot shows Northern Hemisphere flu rise

According to the latest update on global flu from the World Health Organization (WHO), influenza rates in the northern hemisphere have continued to rise, with influenza A dominating the season. The update covers the 2 weeks from Nov 26 through Dec 9.

New case of MERS recorded in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) today recorded a new MERS-CoV case for epidemiologic week 51.

The patient is a 47-year-old man who is in home isolation with a MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) infection. The man is from Al-Kharj, about 48 miles south of Riyadh. He had camel contact, a known risk factor for MERS transmission.

Salmonella outbreak tied to ground beef climbs to 333 cases

A Salmonella Newport outbreak linked to tainted ground beef products has sickened 87 more people, raising the outbreak total to 333 people in 28 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in an update.

Gonorrhea in Europe becoming less susceptible to ceftriaxone

Annual sentinel surveillance of Neisseria gonorrhea isolates in 25 European countries has found decreasing susceptibility to ceftriaxone, according to a study yesterday in BMC Infectious Diseases.