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More people, animals sickened in Kenya's Rift Valley fever outbreak

The number of people sickened in Kenya's Rift Valley fever outbreak has climbed to 26, including 6 deaths, and though the country has experience handling earlier outbreaks, the new developments are concerning, given the high number of affected livestock and the nomadic culture that depends on an animal-based diet, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today in an update.

Study shows how antibiotic regimen affects resistance in urinary E coli

A retrospective multicenter study showed a dose-response relationship between antimicrobial use and resistance in uropathogens in older adults, Belgian researchers reported yesterday in Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control.

Salmonella outbreak linked to precut melon sickens 10 more, 70 total

Ten more illnesses have been reported in a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to precut melon, pushing the total to 70, and two more states have reported cases, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in an update.

H5 avian flu outbreaks reported in Russia, Northern Ireland

Russia's agriculture ministry reported 16 more highly pathogenic H5 outbreaks, mostly in backyard poultry, according to a notification today from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Ebola in DRC: 5 more suspected cases in Iboko

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) health ministry reported five more suspected cases of Ebola in Iboko health zone, as lab testing ruled out seven previously suspected cases.

There are now a total of 60 cases, including 28 deaths (38 confirmed, 14 probable, and 8 suspected). The case-fatality rate is 47%.

Influx of suspected, ruled-out cases continues in DRC Ebola outbreak

In the latest development in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ebola outbreak, the country's health ministry yesterday reported three new suspected cases in Bikoro, one of the two remote hotspots, according to a daily update.

Senators introduce bill to bolster oversight of antibiotics in food animals

Today Democratic US Senators Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), and Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) introduced the Strengthening Antibiotic Oversight Act to strengthen regulation of medically important antibiotics administered to food-producing animals.

More Ebola cases suspected in remote DRC health zones

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) yesterday noted four new suspected cases of Ebola virus, two each in Bikoro and Iboko health zones, yet the number of cases overall remained steady. Four previously suspected cases tested negative for the virus, so the current total now stands at 61 cases, including 38 confirmed, 14 probable, and 9 suspected.

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

Letter from chief medical officer cuts antibiotic prescribing

The Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government, in partnership with Australia's Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and the Department of Health, released a new report showing that targeting high-prescribing physicians with a letter from the CMO helped lower the number of antibiotic prescriptions within 6 months.

Last DRC Ebola contacts approach end of monitoring period

No new lab-confirmed Ebola infections were reported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) over the past 3 days, though surveillance workers continue to report more suspected cases from the remote hot spots, while tests rule out earlier suspected cases.

More Rift Valley fever cases reported in Kenya, death toll reaches 11

In a World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office weekly bulletin, Kenya reported an additional 44 cases of Rift Valley fever (RVF), including 6 deaths, in an ongoing outbreak of the virus.

The spike in cases raises outbreak totals to 54 cases, including 11 deaths, resulting in a case-fatality rate of 20.4%. Men ages 21 to 30 years old make up 70% of the patients.

Novel one-dose antiviral receives FDA priority review

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast-track approval for a new oral antiviral with a different mechanism of action than neuraminidase inhibitors that offers one-dose treatment, according to a Jun 25 statement from Genentech, part of the Roche Group. The drug, called baloxavir marboxil, was approved in Japan in February for the treatment of influenza A and B in adult and pediatric patients.

Three more tested for suspected Ebola in DRC outbreak

Intensive surveillance activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola virus outbreak have turned up three more suspected cases in the remote town of Bikoro, according to an update today from the country's health ministry.

Financial incentives helped curb unnecessary antibiotic prescribing in NHS doctors

A financial incentive program for United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) local groups reduced antibiotic prescribing by general practitioners for common respiratory infections by 3%, a research team based at Imperial College London reported today in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

Monitoring ends for remaining contacts of DRC's last confirmed Ebola case

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC's) health ministry said today that all contacts of the last confirmed case have completed their 21-day monitoring periods with none showing any signs of illness, marking the beginning of the countdown to the end of the nation's ninth Ebola outbreak.

FDA issues antimicrobial sales reporting guidance for animal-drug makers

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday released guidance to help animal-drug makers meet requirements for reporting antimicrobial sales. The step follows the 2016 implementation of a final rule that revised annual reporting requirements for companies that sell or distribute antibiotics for use in food-producing animals.

More polio cases found in DRC, Somalia

Two countries reported circulating vaccine-derived polio cases this week, according to the latest update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). In addition to new cases from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Somalia, the GPEI confirmed an outbreak of circulating vaccine derived polio in Papua New Guinea.

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

Study: Stewardship module increases antimicrobial reviews, interventions

A new study by researchers with the University of Chicago Medical Center has found that use of a clinical decision support system at the hospital significantly increased the number of antimicrobial reviews and interventions while maintaining a sustained impact on antimicrobial utilization.

First H3N2v case of season detected in Indiana

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) announced the first case of variant influenza H3N2 (H3N2v) detected this year in a county fairgoer who was in close proximity to pigs. The Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the infection on Jun 29.

ECDC report shows rising resistance in gram-negative bacteria

A new European surveillance report shows rising resistance to key antibiotics, and increasing trends in multidrug resistance, in invasive gram-negative bacteria.

Illnesses climb to 90 in Kenya's Rift Valley fever outbreak

Kenya has reported 36 more illnesses in its Rift Valley fever outbreak, lifting the total to 90, the World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office said in its latest weekly health emergencies update. No new deaths have been reported, keeping the fatality count at 10.

Investigation suggests carbapenemase-producing E coli passed from humans to dogs

Finnish researchers are reporting the first transmission of carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli between humans and dogs.

Fractional doses of yellow fever vaccine offer protection for up to 8 years

A study published in Vaccine shows that even small doses of the yellow fever vaccine are likely to offer protection against the virus for up to 8 years after vaccination. The information reassures countries like Brazil, who have used fractional dosing in an effort to stretch supplies of the vaccine during recent outbreaks.