Cholera

Saudi Arabia confirms fatal MERS case in Riyadh

Today the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new case of MERS-CoV related to ongoing outbreaks in three Riyadh hospitals.

A 68-year-old male expatriate who had preexisting disease has died from MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus). He acquired the virus as a patient in a hospital.

Congenital Zika infection linked to problems with swallowing

Nine Brazilian infants with congenital Zika infections developed moderate to severe dysphagia, or problems with swallowing, increasing the risk of aspirating liquids and choking, according to a report yesterday in Emerging Infectious Disease.

Six new asymptomatic hospital MERS cases confirmed in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) reported six new cases of MERS-CoV today, all linked to one or more of the current hospital outbreaks in Riyadh.

Study documents drug resistance in Chinese gonorrhea isolates

A surveillance study yesterday in BMC Infectious Diseases reports high levels of resistance to previously recommended antimicrobials in Neisseria gonorrhea isolates from a city in eastern China.

Yemen's cholera case count nearly doubles

According to the latest cholera situation report published by the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 23,000 new suspected cases of the diarrheal disease in Yemen and 242 related deaths since the last update was published Apr 27.

CDC issues final cholera vaccine recommendations for adult travelers

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today finalized its cholera vaccine recommendation for adults traveling to disease outbreak areas, based on June 2016 advice from its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Hungary, Romania confirm more H5N8 avian flu outbreaks

Two European countries—Hungary and Romania—reported more highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza outbreaks in poultry and wild birds today, and Hong Kong officials confirmed H5N6 in a wild bird found dead in Kowloon,  a major urban area.

Experts theorize why Brazil had fewer microcephaly cases in 2016 than 2015

A new letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine attempts to explain why Brazil saw fewer babies born with microcephaly in 2016 as compared to 2015, despite more suspected Zika infections. The authors suggest that 2016's second wave of Zika infections could have actually been another flavivirus, such as chikungunya.

Report: More oversight, data needed on antibiotic use in food animals

A report today from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) is calling on the two federal agencies responsible for ensuring the safety of the food supply to address oversight gaps and collect more information on the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals.

Blood donor screening finds 13% Zika rate in Puerto Rico last year

In a study that expands on an earlier analysis, screening of blood donations in Puerto Rico last spring and summer found a 13% incidence of Zika virus, according to a study yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases.