Polio

WHO, GPEI confirm 3 cases of vaccine-derived polio in Syria

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) confirmed today that there are at least three children with circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 in the Deir-Ez-Zor governorate of Syria. Two children have developed acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), and one child has tested positive for the virus but is currently healthy.

Three hospital-related MERS cases in Saudi Arabia

Over the weekend and through today, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported four more MERS-CoV cases, including two linked to possible healthcare exposures.

Study finds raw milk causes 840 times more illness than pasteurized

As more and more Americans consume unpasteurized, or "raw," milk and cheese, a new study in Emerging Infectious Disease found that the unpasteurized products cause 840 times more illnesses and 45 times more hospitalizations than their pasteurized counterparts.

Review finds drug resistance is not just a problem with hospital infections

A new study in Clinical Infectious Diseases has found that antibiotic resistance has a significant clinical impact for patients with common infections managed in the community.

New polio case reported in Pakistan, its second this year

Pakistan has a new case of paralysis and infection with wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), its second of the year and the world's fourth in 2017, according to a post yesterday by ProMED-mail, the infectious disease news service of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.

H5N8 strikes Spanish poultry; Egypt reports H5N1 outbreaks

Spain reported its first highly pathogenic H5N8 avian flu outbreaks in poultry, following two earlier detections in wild birds, and Egypt noted poultry outbreaks involving both the H5N8 and H5N1 strains, according to the latest reports from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

China reports 2 more H7N9 cases, updates treatment recommendations

China today reported two more H7N9 avian influenza infections in humans, and the country's top health officials have announced an update to treatment recommendations for patients.

The latest cases are both from Sichuan province in southwestern China, according to a state news agency report translated and posted by FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board.

Portugal reports first H5N8 detection

Portugal yesterday reported its first highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza detection, in a grey heron found dead near the southern city of Faro, according to a notice yesterday from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In several countries in Europe and other regions that have had H5N8 outbreaks, the virus was first found in wild birds before jumping to poultry.

Officials confirm 5 new cases of H7N9 in China

China today reported five new H7N9 avian flu cases in humans, most of whom are in critical condition.

According to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) in Hong Kong, a 50-year-old woman from Nanchang is hospitalized in critical condition in Jiangxi province. And a 59-year-old man from Yiyang who worked with poultry is also listed in critical condition in a Hunan province hospital, the CHP said.

Pakistan launches polio vaccine campaign after sewage scare

The Pakistani city of Quetta has launched a new 5-day vaccination campaign against polio targeted at children under the age of 5, Reuters reported today.

Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that a rare vaccine-derived type 2 strain of polio was found in sewage samples taken from Quetta in November. No cases of this type 2 polio have been reported in humans so far.