Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

CDC adds two novel H7N9 viruses to risk assessment list

In an update to its Influenza Risk Assessment Tool (IRAT), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday added 2 more viruses, raising the total on the list to 15.

DRC reports more suspected Ebola cases in Iboko

The Democratic Republic of Congo's health ministry yesterday and today ruled out some suspected cases based on lab tests and confirmed 2 more in the remote Iboko outbreak location, dropping the outbreak total to 50 cases, including 37 confirmed and 13 probable, with no suspected cases. No new deaths were reported, keeping that total at 25.

US flu levels continue late-season drop as 3 more kids' deaths reported

US flu levels fell sharply again last week with the approach of summer, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded three more pediatric flu deaths, according to the latest weekly update posted today.

Flu was reported as widespread in only two states: Massachusetts and New York.

Chinese researchers report novel triple-reassortant flu viruses in swine

Chinese researchers today reported novel triple-reassortant influenza strains in swine, and the viruses carry genes that have been noted in human flu infections, according to a study in Emerging Microbes & Infections.

Canada reports 6 cases tied to US romaine lettuce E coli outbreak

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) yesterday confirmed that six Canadian Escherichia coli infections are tied to the 29-state US outbreak in which contaminated romaine lettuce has been implicated.

Meta-analysis finds no protection drop-off with consecutive flu vaccination

A new meta-analysis of 42 flu studies found that vaccination over two consecutive seasons didn't reduce flu vaccine effectiveness (VE) compared with people vaccinated during the current season, but the researchers included the caveat that the overall quality of evidence was low, due to inconsistency and imprecision among the studies.

Chikungunya severity patterns mimic dengue, malaria

A study today in Clinical Infectious Diseases tracked two waves of chikungunya infections in Nicaragua, demonstrating that outbreak intensity is linked to more severe clinical presentations of the mosquito-borne disease.

CDC expands E coli warning to all Yuma-grown romaine lettuce

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today expanded its warning to consumers to include all types of romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Ariz., growing area, based on new information from Alaska that sick people ate lettuce from whole heads of romaine.

MERS superspreader study highlights risk in cardiac, renal patients

Difficulty distinguishing pneumonia from volume overload in a patient with renal failure delayed a MERS-CoV diagnosis at a Riyadh hospital last year, which led to a superspreading event that sickened 44 people at three health facilities, Saudi researchers reported in the American Journal of Infection Control.

CEPI announces support for more Lassa fever, MERS vaccines

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and Inovio Pharmaceuticals yesterday announced a partnership to support Inovio's development of candidate vaccines against Lassa fever and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).