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Influenza D transmits between cattle, causes mild disease

Cattle serve as a natural reservoir for influenza D, which causes mild upper respiratory disease and can be transmitted to other cattle through contact, according to a Mar 30 study in the Journal of Virology.

WHO details maternal-fetal Zika findings in Martinique microcephaly case

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Apr 1 shared more information about Martinique's first probable Zika-related microcephaly case, which documents Zika virus infection in the mother and the fetus.

Yellow fever vaccine shortage a 'ticking timebomb'

In what Director-General Margaret Chan, MD, MPH, of the World Health Organization (WHO) says is the most serious outbreak of yellow fever in Angola in 30 years, a serious global shortage of vaccine makes what is already a bad situation potentially catastrophic, sources are reporting. Dr. Chan recently visited Angola to observe the situation first-hand.

Northern Hemisphere flu activity remains high but appears past peak

Flu activity in the Northern Hemisphere remains high but has likely peaked, with several regions detecting increases in flu B, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in an Apr 4 update.

Flu levels in North America remain elevated because of H1N1 circulation, and Canada reported increasing proportions of flu B.

Guinea Ebola cluster death toll rises to 8

A woman infected in Guinea's recent Ebola cluster died from her illness at a treatment center in Nzerekore, lifting the death total to eight, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported yesterday.

Ibrahima Sylla, spokesman for Guinea's Ebola response team, told AFP that the woman died on Apr 3 and that one more confirmed case-patient is still being treated at the center. The case total in the cluster remains at nine.

Liberia's Ebola cluster grows to 3, linked to fatal case in Guinea

Two Ebola case-patients, both children, and one fatality in Liberia have been linked to a fatal Ebola infection in Guinea's ongoing flare-up, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today, increasing the number of recent cases in Liberia to three.

Kids' deaths continue amid slow decline in US flu activity

Major markers of US influenza generally continued their gradual decline last week, but seven more flu-related deaths in children were reported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) weekly update today.

Travel alert for Angola upgraded as yellow fever outbreak grows

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday upgraded its travel alert for individuals going to Angola to level 2 out of 3 ("practice enhanced precautions"), recommending that all travelers to the country who are 9 months of age or older be vaccinated for yellow fever, and Angola's ministry of health now requires that anyone of this age entering the country have proof of vaccination, according to the

China confirms 6 new H7N9 cases

Chinese health officials today released the country's monthly infectious disease report, which lists 17 H7N9 cases and 7 deaths that occurred during March.

Six of the 17 cases and six deaths listed in China's National Health and Family Planning Commission update had not been previously reported, according to FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board. No demographic information about the new cases was provided.

Saudi Arabia reports 2 new MERS cases and 2 deaths

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported two new MERS-CoV cases, one recovery, and the deaths of two previously reported patients over the past several days.

Neurologic and optical symptoms persist in Ebola survivors

New studies of Ebola's long-term effects in survivors found evidence of neurologic, psychiatric, and optical problems more than a year after recovery, according to two presentations this week at the 26th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID).

Illinois becomes third state to report Elizabethkingia infection

Health officials in Illinois yesterday reported a fatal Elizabethkingia anopheles bloodstream infection, noting that the strain matches the one implicated in Wisconsin's outbreak, according to state and federal sources. With the announcement from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), three states, including Michigan, are investigating cases.

IDSA/SHEA antibiotic stewardship guidelines aim to optimize use

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) today released 27 antibiotic stewardship recommendations to improve patient outcomes, optimize resources, address the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, and more, according to the two groups.

Experts weigh in on the future of Ebola vaccines

Exceptional Ebola surveillance and swift responses to outbreaks will be the key to taking advantage of the availability of Ebola vaccines, say three experts who offered their thoughts on the future use of such vaccines in a new article from the World Health Organization (WHO).

MERS virus found in hospital air, swab samples during 2015 Korean outbreak

MERS virus was detected in hospital air samples and swabs of hard surfaces during the height of Korea's outbreak in 2015, according to a study today in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

TFAH says US public health spending still below pre-recession levels

A nonprofit group's annual report on US public health spending says overall funding is still stuck below where it was before the recession of 2008-09, although spending by states may be picking up a bit.

"Federal funding for public health has remained relatively level for years," says the report by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH), based in Washington, DC.

Study notes single-season influenza A infections followed by influenza B in kids

Austrian researchers who studied samples from 533 children with lab-confirmed flu during the 2014-15 season found that 13 of them (2.4%) were infected by influenza A, then subsequently infected with influenza B after they had recovered.

Angola extends yellow fever vaccine drive as experts warn of global risk

The yellow fever vaccination campaign in Angola will be extended from Luanda province, the center of the ongoing outbreak, to more than 2 million people in Huambo and Huila provinces over the next few weeks, according to a press release yesterday from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Illinois reports 10 more Elizabethkingia cases; tests find different strain

A little over a week after reporting the first Elizabethkingia anopheles infection in the state, Illinois health officials yesterday reported 10 more, including 6 deaths, but tests show that the strain is different than the one implicated in Wisconsin's outbreak.

Tests find evidence for MCR-1 transmission between pets and people

Pet dogs and cats can be colonized with the MCR-1 antibiotic-resistance gene and pass it to people, Chinese researchers reported yesterday in a letter to Emerging Infectious Diseases. Their findings came from an investigation into MCR-1–harboring Escherichia coli isolates from three men hospitalized in a Guangzhou facility's urology ward toward the end of 2015.

H5N6 hospitalizes girl in China's Hunan province

For the second time in a week, China reported an H5N6 avian flu case, this time in an 11-year-old girl from Hunan province, according to a provincial government announcement translated and posted by FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board.

WHO salutes recent malaria successes on World Malaria Day

Global public health initiatives have cut malaria cases 37% and malaria deaths 60% since 2000 and led to other notable progress against the mosquito-borne disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today in a new report and press release to commemorate World Malaria Day.

Study notes stronger immune response in those getting morning flu shots

Flu vaccine might produce a stronger immune response in older adults when administered in the morning versus the afternoon, according to a study published today in Vaccine.

NewLink receives more funding to keep testing VSV-EBOV Ebola vaccine

NewLink Genetics Corporation announced yesterday that it had received $21.6 million in federal funding to continue developing its vesicular stomatitis virus–Ebola virus (VSV-EBOV) vaccine candidate.

Chinese study points to asymptomatic migratory birds as source of H5N8

Asymptomatic migratory birds may play a role in geographic dissemination as well as facilitate the viral evolution and reassortment of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza, Chinese researchers reported yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases.