Foodborne Disease

Study finds high Zika awareness in US pregnant women during outbreak

A study of new mothers in 16 US states and 1 city published yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases found that, while over 90% of women pregnant during the 2016 Zika virus outbreak knew about the risks posed by infection, only half discussed it with their doctors.

A mosquito-borne virus, Zika can cause microcephaly (abnormally small head) and other defects in babies born to infected women.

Study highlights spread of C auris in skilled nursing facilities

Point prevalence surveys at high-acuity long-term care facilities in Chicago indicate that ventilator-capable skilled nursing facilities (vSNFs) are particularly vulnerable to Candida auris, a research team led by the Chicago Department of Public Health reported yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Four dead in multistate Listeria outbreak tied to mushrooms

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday announced a deadly Listeria outbreak today linked to enoki mushrooms distributed by Sun Hong Foods, Inc.

One new MERS case reported in Saudi Arabia in Hail

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new MERS-CoV case today. This raises the number of MERS cases recorded this month to 12.

Study ranks relative effectiveness of influenza vaccines in seniors

A study today in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found that egg-based adjuvanted and high-dose (HD) flu vaccines had slightly higher relative vaccine effectiveness (RVE) than egg-based quadrivalent (four-strain) vaccines in nearly 13 million Medicare beneficiaries 65 and older during the 2018-19 flu season.

Surveys find less antibiotic-resistant bacteria in UK chicken meat

The United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency (FSA) released two surveillance reports this week on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in chicken meat.

Qatar reports MERS in 65-year-old man with underlying conditions

Qatar's Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) yesterday confirmed a new MERS-CoV case in a 65-year-old man, the fourth case recorded in Qatar since December.

One new MERS case in Saudi Arabia; WHO details December infections

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) today reported one more MERS-CoV case recorded earlier this week, the fourth to be reported in January.

CDC: E coli outbreak linked to romaine appears over after 167 cases

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today a multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections tied to contaminated romaine lettuce grown in Salinas, California, appears to be over.