Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

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).

CDC: Flu activity drops across the country

Only two states reported high levels of influenza-like illness (ILI) last week, according to the latest influenza surveillance data reported today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And only 11 states, down from the previous week's 16, recorded widespread influenza activity.

Study: Ebola survivors can safely have cataract surgery

Survivors of Ebola virus disease (EVD) often suffer long-term vision complications that can now safely be corrected with cataract surgery, according to new research from Emory Eye Center ophthalmologists published in EBioMedicine.

Study in pregnant women hints at pertussis protection from flu vaccination

A post hoc study in South African pregnant women who took part in a flu vaccine study in 2011 and 2012 found that flu vaccination may have had a protective effect against Bordetella pertussis. Researchers described their findings today in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine.

South Africa reports more H5N8 outbreaks; H5N1 strikes Cambodian farm

South Africa has reported more highly pathogenic H5N8 detections in ostriches, other captive birds, and a wild bird, and Cambodia reported another H5N1 outbreak in poultry, according to the latest avian flu reports from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Saudi Arabia records four new MERS cases

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) released four new reports of MERS-CoV cases over the weekend, including two cases that had direct contact with camels.

On Mar 21, a 67-year-old Saudi man from Najran was diagnosed as having MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus). He is in stable condition and had contact with camels.