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Study: Fatal cases of Ebola after complete recovery rare

Late death from Ebola disease in survivors of earlier episodes is very rare, occurring in less than 1% of patients in a cohort study of Sierra Leone survivors published yesterday in BMJ. The study additionally found that the infecting dose of Ebola as measured by exposure level does not affect the severity of disease.

MERS studies explore risk of secondary cases, countermeasure progress

A preponderance of secondary MERS-CoV infections tend to occur in older and/or male relatives of a primary MERS patient and those with preexisting medical conditions, say findings of a study yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID). Risk factors for household transmission included sleeping in the same room with a MERS patient and direct patient care.

Yellow fever outbreak in Angola slows, but WHO still worried

Only a few new yellow fever cases have been reported in Angola in the past week, but the mostly urban epidemic is still a big concern because of persistent transmission in seven provinces and expansion to new ones, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its weekly update today.

China reports human H7N9 case; Egypt finds H9 infection in toddler

Chinese officials reported another human case of H7N9 avian influenza, the second such infection in Hebei province in nearly 3 years, according to a post yesterday on Avian Flu Diary (AFD). Elsewhere, Egypt documented an H9 case in a toddler, according to a May 19 World Health Organization (WHO) report.

Mass yellow fever vaccination campaign launches in Uganda

Authorities in Uganda launched a large yellow fever vaccination campaign in several districts last weekend, the World Health Organization's (WHO's) African region said yesterday.

Study inconclusive on bias as factor in low flu-vaccine uptake in minorities

A new survey study hints that perceived discrimination may be a factor in low influenza vaccine uptake in racial and ethnic minorities, but the researchers found that it was not significant in comparison with other factors, such as education, according to a report in Medical Care.

Antibiotic treatment of cows may increase their methane emissions

In a small study, antibiotic treatment of cows nearly doubled emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from their manure, suggesting that worries about antimicrobial resistance may not be the only reason to use caution with antibiotics in farm animals, according to a report today in the Journal of the Royal Society B.

FDA finalizes FMSA rule on preventing intentional food adulteration

The seventh and last major rule of the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), this one focusing on preventing intentional adulteration of the food supply and its consequences, is now final and will be published tomorrow in the Federal Register.

Yellow fever transmission continues in Angola, with high risk of spread

Cases continue to rise in yellow fever outbreaks affecting Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Uganda, compelling the World Health Organization (WHO) to say yesterday there is high risk of the disease's spread to other provinces and neighboring countries.

China reports human H5N6 case in Hunan province

Chinese officials last week reported a human case of H5N6 avian flu, according to a post today on FluTrackers, an infectious disease message board.

The case involves a 50-year-old man from Jishou city in Hunan province's Xiangxi autonomous prefecture, FluTrackers said. He is hospitalized in critical condition.

Newer antibiotics more costly but not necessarily better than old

At a time when growing bacterial resistance underlines the need for new antibiotics, records on eight antibiotics approved in the United States from 2010 to 2015 suggest that they cost more than older drugs but don't necessarily offer clear clinical advantages, according to a study published today in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Large trial in Mali finds maternal flu shots protect newborns

In a large trial in the West African country of Mali, influenza vaccination in pregnant women was found to be more than 60% effective in preventing lab-confirmed flu in newborn infants for the first 4 months of life, according to a report published yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

WHO declares Guinea to be Ebola-free

The World Health Organization (WHO) today declared that Guinea has passed 42 days since the last patient was declared free of Ebola, officially ending Ebola virus transmission.

Study: Clinical signs vary in fatal chikungunya-dengue co-infections

Seven patients who died following hospitalization for chikungunya and dengue virus co-infection all had fever and joint pain yet varied in terms of the viruses' effect on organ function and overall pathology, according to a study today in Eurosurveillance.

Flu episode may yield years of future protection against same virus subtype

A study from Spain suggests that people who are infected by the influenza A viruses H3N2 or H1N1 may have better than 60% protection against new infections by the same subtype for several years afterward, according to a report in yesterday's issue of Eurosurveillance.

Saudi Arabia reports first new MERS case since May 15

After 18 days with no new cases, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) today reported a MERS infection in an elderly woman.

Previously, the drug had only been used for treating adults with complicated infections in hospital settings.

India's cases are at the highest level in 6 months, as the US experiences a politically charged unwinding of its COVID health emergencies.

Babies born to moms who had COVID had lower BMIs at first, but weight rose steeply through infancy, a possible harbinger of problems in later life.

The plan calls for federal guidance on infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship and that both be woven into future pandemic preparedness plans.

Along with the four new cases, two more deaths were reported in the outbreak that spans a more than 100-mile area, including two cities.

The variants predate the use of the drugs, appeared independently in multiple world regions, and are capable of spreading.

Investigators are working to determine the Chilean man's H5N1 exposure, and in Senegal, H5N1 has now infected a poultry flock.

The authors said a range of factors--biological, psychological, or social--might trigger and maintain long COVID symptoms.

All of the cases involved vaccine-derived polio strains.