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Four more confirmed Ebola cases in DRC as suspected cases jump

Today the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced four more confirmed cases of Ebola virus in Beni, the current epicenter of the outbreak in North Kivu province.

Officials also recorded three new deaths in Beni, including two community deaths that had safe and dignified burials.

Study finds current diagnostic tests missing MDR-TB cases in South Africa

An international team of researchers found that the World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed diagnostic tests for drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) are missing a substantial number of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB cases in South Africa. The study appeared yesterday in Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Financial incentives may cut antibiotic prescribing, with few unintended results

The antibiotic prescribing component of a financial incentive program to improve services at UK National Health Service (NHS) clinics found a significant reduction in both total and broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing in primary care settings, with no link to unintended consequences, except for a few specific conditions.

CDC: Suspected acute flaccid myelitis cases rise to 155

In an update today, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said state and federal health partners are investigating 28 more suspected acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) cases, raising the overall number of patients under investigation to 155.

Low-path H5N2 detected in Minnesota turkeys; Laos reports H5N1

In avian flu outbreak developments, the United States reported the detection of low-pathogenic H5N2 in a Minnesota turkey flock and Laos reported a highly pathogenic H5N1 outbreak in backyard birds.

CDC: 63 more Salmonella cases linked to JBS Tolleson beef, 120 total

In an update today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced 63 more cases of Salmonella illnesses connected to tainted beef products from JBS Tolleson, Inc. The outbreak, caused by the Newport strain of the bacterium, now stands at 120 cases in 22 states.

FDA approves Xofluza, a novel single-dose drug to treat influenza

Today the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil) for the treatment of flu in patients ages 12 years and older who have been symptomatic for no more than 48 hours.

Xofluza is the first novel flu treatment approved by the FDA in nearly 20 years; the FDA approved the neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir and zanamivir in 1999.

DRC records 3 new cases, 2 deaths in Beni, Butembo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed three more cases of Ebola and recorded two new deaths in the ongoing outbreak in North Kivu province.

Two of the new cases and both deaths occurred in Beni, the hots pot of the outbreak that saw violent attacks by rebel forces over the weekend. One new case was recorded in Butembo.

DRC Ebola total grows by 4 cases as college students support response

In its daily update today the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) health ministry reported four more lab-confirmed cases, three in the current outbreak epicenter in Beni and one in the city of Butembo.

Analysis: Many H3N2v cases linked to Maryland fairs in risk groups

An investigation into 40 variant H3N2 (H3N2v) influenza cases in people exposed to pigs at three agriculture fairs in Maryland in September 2017 found that 30 (75%) occurred in people at high risk for flu complications. Researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Maryland described their findings today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

Cephalosporin-sparing stewardship tied to lower hospital C diff rates

A Swedish study has found that a hospital stewardship program that restricted cephalosporin use was tied to reduced rates of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

More polio recorded in Pakistan, Nigeria

According to the latest weekly update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), both Pakistan and Afghanistan recorded new polio cases in the past week.

Pakistan has two new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), in Sindh and Khyber districts. The case-patients experienced onset of paralysis on Sep 22 and 25, respectively. Officials have now reported six WPV cases in Pakistan this year, one more than at this time in 2017.

Cephalosporin-sparing stewardship tied to lower hospital C diff rates

A Swedish study has found that a hospital stewardship program that restricted cephalosporin use was tied to reduced rates of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

Study finds substantial decline in pediatric Staphylococcus infections

Staphylococcus aureus hospitalizations at US pediatric hospitals fell by 36% from 2009 to 2016, with methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) declining by 52%, with a corresponding drop in antibiotic use, according to a study today in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

New MERS case recorded in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) today reported one new MERS-CoV case for epidemiologic week 44. The MOH did not note any cases in epidemiologic week 43, which was last week.

The new case of MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) occurred in a 74-year-old man from Riyadh who had contact with camels—a known risk factor for MERS transmission. The man is currently hospitalized.

Study: Resistant urinary tract infections increase risk of relapse

Researchers with the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine have found that community-onset urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by extended-cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (ESC-R EB) are associated with a sevenfold risk of clinical failure and an increase in inappropriate antibiotic therapy, according to a study today in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

Suspected AFM reports climb to 191 as more cases confirmed

In its weekly update yesterday the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 36 more suspected acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) cases are under investigation, raising the national total since the first of the year to 191.

COPD reviews highlight some benefits to antibiotics but also precautions

Two Cochrane reviews this week covered the use of antibiotics for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which found benefits in some instances but overall precautions about prescribing them judiciously.

MERS infects 2 more in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia reported two more MERS-CoV cases, according to an update to its week 44 epidemiologic report today.

Neither of the patients had contact with camels, a factor known to raise the risk of contracting MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus). One patient is a 62-year-old man from the city of Omluj in Tabuk region in the northwest, and the other is a 53-year-old man from Riyadh in the central part of the country.

Cases at 2nd New Jersey peds facility caused by different adenovirus strain

The New Jersey Department of Health (NJ Health) said preliminary tests on four adenovirus cases among pediatric patients at Voorhees Pediatric Facility in Voorhees, N.J., ruled out type 7, the strain of adenovirus responsible for 10 deaths and 27 illnesses at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Haskell, N.J., according to an NJ Health news release

Four nations report total of 9 new polio cases

Afghanistan officials have reported 3 new cases of wild poliovirus 1 (WPV1), while Papua New Guinea (3 cases), Nigeria (2 cases), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, 1 case) have all reported cases involving circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV), according to a weekly update today from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

Study finds pyrosequencing tied to much earlier treatment for MDR-TB

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) investigators found that patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) had effective treatment begun 5 weeks earlier when pyrosequencing (PSQ) was used to detect resistance mutations than when it was not, according to a study yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Rate of drug-resistant organisms in Canadian hospitals remains steady

A point prevalence survey conducted at Canadian hospitals shows that national prevalence rates for infection or colonization with antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AROs) saw little change from 2010 to 2016, according to a study today in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

CDC: Suspected AFM cases rise to 219

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today said it and state health partners are investigating 28 more suspected acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) cases, lifting the national number of suspected cases for 2018 to 219.

FDA issues final guidance on mandatory food recalls

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday announced that it has issued final guidance that outlines its mandatory recall authority, part of efforts to answer questions about new mandatory recall authority that the agency gained with the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) of 2011.