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Genetic analysis yield new clues in 1979 Soviet anthrax accident

Deep genome sequencing of two autopsy specimens from people who died in a 1979 accident at a Soviet anthrax production facility revealed that the Bacillus anthracis is similar to a wild type strain from Russia and shows no evidence of genetic manipulation for drug resistance or other characteristics.

New Saudi MERS case linked to camel exposure

After 9 days of no new cases, the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health (MOH) today reported a new case of MERS-CoV infection.

Eight sick with H3N2v after visiting Michigan county fairs

Eight people who visited Michigan county fairs in July and August have become infected with variant influenza A H3N2 (H3N2v), according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

One person was hospitalized but has been released.

Saudi Arabia reports 2 more MERS cases

The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health (MOH) said today there were two new cases of MERS-CoV in that country, one linked to camel exposure.

Three new MERS cases confirmed in Saudi Arabia

Today the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) said the country has three new cases of MERS-CoV. Two of the cases are linked to camel exposure, one of the most common risk factors for the respiratory illness.

FAO antimicrobial resistance report calls for more research

A new report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says that while antimicrobial use in livestock production is widely acknowledged as contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), large gaps in knowledge still remain, and more research is needed into how and why resistance emerges and spreads among humans and animals.

Our weekly wrap-up of antimicrobial stewardship & antimicrobial resistance scans

New case of MERS confirmed in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new case of MERS-CoV yesterday. The patient is in critical condition.

A 59-year-old Saudi woman from Najran had symptoms of MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) before being admitted to a hospital. The MOH listed her source of infection as primary, meaning she did not contract the virus from another person.

China reports fatal H5N6 infection

Health officials from China's Hunan province today said a 47-year-old woman who worked as a farmer in Shaoyang City has died from an H5N6 avian flu infection, Xinhua, China's state news agency, reported today. The woman's illness marks the 16th infection from H5N6, 10 of which were fatal.

Report: Flu, pneumonia top list of infectious disease causes in US

A research letter published today in JAMA said that although mortality from infectious diseases remains low in the United States, influenza and pneumonia account for nearly 40% of all infectious disease deaths.

Study finds high level of drug-resistant E coli in UK chicken meat

New research from Public Health England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has found that two thirds of raw chicken bought at UK supermarkets in 2013-2014 tested positive for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)–producing Escherichia coli.

CDC: 21 ill from multidrug-resistant Salmonella outbreak tied to dairy calves

At least 21 people in eight states have been sickened by multidrug-resistant Salmonella linked to contact with dairy bull calves in an outbreak dating back to January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today.

WHO: MERS cases down 58% from last year; Saudi Arabia has 3 new cases

In a MERS-CoV situation report today, the World Health Organization (WHO) said there are 58% fewer cases reported in September and October of this year compared with the same period last year.

H5N1 strikes two Nigerian states; H5 identified in Japanese outbreaks

Nigeria's agriculture ministry yesterday reported two more highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu outbreaks, both of which began last week, according to a report to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Trump taps Georgia legislator-physician as HHS secretary

President-elect Donald Trump announced today that he will nominate US Rep. Tom Price, MD (R-Ga.), an orthopedic surgeon, as his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), NBC News reported today.

HHS plays a key role in the nation's public health, with activities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, and National Institutes of Health under its umbrella.

GAO: FDA clearinghouse for produce industry slow to respond

A clearinghouse that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set up to take questions from industry and stakeholders about a new rule that established the food safety standards for the produce industry is slow to answer questions, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Nov 28. The produce rule is part of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, passed in 2011.

Study says pigs, llamas susceptible to MERS-CoV infection

Pigs and llamas appear prone to infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), according to researchers who experimentally infected four animal species and reported their findings yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Online platform aims to fill gaps in antimicrobial surveillance

A paper yesterday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases describes a collaborative, Web-based platform for aggregating, analyzing, and disseminating regional antimicrobial resistance information.

Saudi officials report 3 more MERS cases

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) today reported three more MERS-CoV cases, involving a woman and two men from three different locations. All of them had primary exposure to the virus, meaning investigations revealed that they didn't contract MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) from another person.

Our weekly wrap-up of antimicrobial stewardship & antimicrobial resistance scans

Online platform aims to fill gaps in antimicrobial surveillance

A paper yesterday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases describes a collaborative, Web-based platform for aggregating, analyzing, and disseminating regional antimicrobial resistance information.

Study documents country variations in pediatric antibiotic prescribing

An analysis of antibiotic prescribing in outpatient pediatric settings in three European countries—Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom—showed varied usage patterns that might be helpful for evaluating and modifying current antibiotic stewardship programs, according to a study in the latest issue of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

Researchers describe high-yield flu B vaccine virus production method

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison today described a new technique that could improve the production of influenza B vaccine viruses, consisting of a "backbone" for adding specific components to protect against both the Victoria and Yamagata lineages. They reported their findings today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

3 new MERS cases reported in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) reported three new MERS-CoV cases today, and announced the death of a former patient. All three new patients are listed as having primary exposure to the virus, which means it is unlikely they contracted the disease from another person.

WHO details 2 recent cases of H5N6 in China

The World Health Organization (WHO) today provided details on two cases of H5N6 in China that were first reported last month by local authorities.

Saudi Arabia reports new MERS case, 2 deaths

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new case of MERS-CoV in Riyadh. Riyadh has been the site of a number of recent cases, including one yesterday.

The MOH said a 56-year-old man was in stable condition after presenting with symptoms of MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus). His infection is listed as primary, meaning it's unlikely he contracted the disease from another person.