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Scallops test positive for hepatitis A as Hawaii outbreak grows

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests on scallops implicated in Hawaii's hepatitis A outbreak yielded positive results on two samples, according to an update yesterday from the agency on the investigation.

Findings build case for role of pikas in avian flu evolution in China

Evidence is growing that the pika, a small mammal thought to be the inspiration behind the Pokemon Pikachu character, may play a role in the evolution of avian influenza viruses in China's Qinghai Lake region, according to new findings today from a Chinese research team.

The lake is major stopover for migrating birds that have spread highly pathogenic H5N1 to major global flyways.

Study suggests favipiravir benefits for Ebola patients

A trial of the antiviral drug favipiravir in Ebola patients during Sierra Leone's outbreak suggests that it can reduce viral load, improve clinical symptoms, increase the survival rate, and prolong survival time, Chinese and African researchers reported yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases (CID).

Most adults with bronchitis receive unnecessary antibiotics

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that more than three quarters of adults diagnosed as having bronchitis receive an antibiotic, despite the fact that antibiotics are not indicated for the condition.

Cases of severe MERS in the Middle East likely much higher than reported

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that there were 3,250 likely cases of severe MERS-CoV in the Middle East between Sept 2012 and Jan 2016. This number is 2.3-fold higher than current laboratory confirmed cases, suggesting that the disease is more widespread than previously thought.

Drug-resistant leprosy reported in West Africa

An international team of researchers is reporting transmission of antibiotic-resistant leprosy in Guinea.

MCR-1 found for the first time on the Arabian Peninsula

An international team of researchers is reporting the first case of the colistin-resistance gene MCR-1 on the Arabian Peninsula.

Survey: 87% of pediatricians face parents who refuse to vaccinate kids

The proportion of pediatricians facing parents who refuse to vaccinate their children has grown markedly in recent years, to 87% according to a new survey from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published today in Pediatrics.

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

Drug-resistant leprosy reported in West Africa

An international team of researchers is reporting transmission of antibiotic-resistant leprosy in Guinea.

Convalescent serum fails to protect monkeys from Ebola virus

Blood serum from rhesus monkeys that had survived Ebola virus (EBOV) infection offered little protection to other rhesus monkeys that were treated with the serum several days after exposure to the virus, according to an Aug 28 report in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

AAP: No non-medical vaccine exemptions

For the first time in its history, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy paper recommending against all non-medical vaccine expeditions for school-age children. While medical exemptions are still valid, the AAP is asking states to eliminate non-medical exemptions—including for religious or personal beliefs.

Study: Written reports help dentists reduce antibiotic prescribing

A new UK study has found that dentists prescribe fewer antibiotics to their patients after receiving a report on their past prescribing habits.

In Liberian study, Ebola virus persisted in semen of 9% of male survivors

A study in Liberia has produced more evidence of persistence of the Ebola virus in semen after patients' recovery from the disease, with some of them still testing positive more than a year after recovery and greater age indicated as a possible risk factor.

Study: Risk of H1N1 during 2009 pandemic was double for health workers

A meta-analysis by German researchers yielded the conclusion that healthcare personnel (HCP) faced about twice as high a risk of H1N1 infection as other groups during the 2009 influenza pandemic, says a report published yesterday in PLoS One.

Four CRE cases reported in Wisconsin

Investigators with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today describe a small cluster of the worrisome "superbug" known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) at two Wisconsin hospitals in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

Spain reports its first 2 cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Spain has reported its first two cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF)—one of them fatal—a tick-borne viral disease that is found in eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and much of Asia.

Officials report 25 cases of meningitis C in Southern California

Local and US health officials today reported that 25 people in Southern California have contracted meningitis C, most of them men who have sex with men (MSM).

MERS case appears as Saudi Arabia prepares for Hajj

The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new case of MERS-CoV in Riyadh today. The case is not connected to a previously reported outbreak at King Khalid University Hospital in that city.

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

C Diff DNA found on hospital surfaces during outbreak

Originally published by CIDRAP News on Oct 27.

Saudi MOH: New case of MERS

Over the weekend, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported one new case of MERS-CoV. The patient is in critical condition.

A 41-year-old Saudi man from Buraydah was diagnosed as having MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) on Oct 29. The man is listed as having primary exposure, which means he did not contract the virus from another patient.

New AHRQ guide to help nursing homes implement stewardship programs

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released a new online guide to help nursing homes address the challenge of creating and implementing an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP).

AAP updates guidelines on fluoroquinolone use in children

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) yesterday released updated guidelines on the use of fluoroquinolones in children. The clinical report, published in Pediatrics by the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, highlights the indications, adverse event profile, and practical prescribing information for pediatricians and includes new data available since the report was last published in 2011.

WHO details 7 recent Saudi MERS cases

The World Health Organization (WHO) today detailed seven cases of MERS-CoV reported by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) between Sep 16 and Oct 10. Three of the cases are linked to direct or indirect contact with camels, including drinking raw camel milk. The sources of exposure are being investigated in the remaining four cases.

Review finds high impact for inaccurate Zika posts on Facebook

A review of Facebook posts on Zika virus found that misleading posts were more popular than ones containing accurate information, according to a recent study by a team from Tulane University.

Single dose of laninamivir prevents flu in kids under 10

A study published yesterday in the journal Pediatrics shows that a single inhaled dose of 20 milligrams of  laninamivir octanoate reduced the relative risk of contracting influenza by 45.8% in children under the age of 10 years.