Diseases & Outbreaks News and Discussions

[weatheriscool]

Mississippi hit by 900% increase in newborns treated for syphilis
NBC News via Yahoo News

JACKSON, Miss. — The number of babies in Mississippi being treated for congenital syphilis has jumped by more than 900% over five years, uprooting the progress the nation’s poorest state had made in nearly quashing what experts say is an avoidable public health crisis. The rise in cases has placed newborns at further risk of life-threatening harm in a state that’s already home to the nation’s worst infant mortality rate.

In 2021, 102 newborns in Mississippi were treated for the sexually transmitted disease, up from 10 in 2016, according to an analysis of hospital billing data shared by Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the medical director for the Mississippi State Department of Health’s Crossroads Clinic in Jackson, which focuses on sexually transmitted infections.

Dobbs, the state’s former health officer, said he’s spoken with health care providers who “are absolutely horrified” that babies are being born with the disease, and in rare instances dying from it.

“This seems like something that should have happened a hundred years ago, not last year,” said Dobbs, who is also a dean at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. “There’s really kind of a shock.”

The Mississippi State Department of Health does not formally track congenital syphilis deaths but said there was at least one baby who died in 2021.

[caltrek]

Another better late than never citation:

Iowa Leads Numbers in Ongoing Outbreak of Bird Flu
by Suzanne Behnke
February 2, 2023

Introduction:

(Investigate Midwest) In the U.S., 58.2 million birds in 47 states have been affected by the ongoing avian flu outbreak, according to the latest data released by USDA.

The data collected by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) as of Jan. 27 shows 312 commercial flocks have been affected.
Iowa, a leading egg and poultry producing state, remains the state with the highest numbers at 15.9 million birds, including 25 commercial flocks and six affected backyard flocks. It is followed by Nebraska and Colorado.

In this case, “affected” does not mean all the birds had the disease — every bird in a facility with a known case is considered “affected” under the USDA’s definition.

In June 2022, APHIS reported more than 40 million birds had been affected.

Read more of the Investigate Midwest article here: https://investigatemidwest.org/2023/02 ... bird-flu/

For a USDA report on the matter: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfoc ... rd-flocks

For more on what was reported in June 2022: https://investigatemidwest.org/2022/06/ ... -in-iowa/

[wjfox]

Bird flu: UK health officials make contingency plans

11 hours ago

UK health experts are sharing details of their Covid-style plans against bird flu, including modelling for the unlikely scenario that it could mutate and cause a pandemic in people.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says there is no evidence H5N1 virus is an imminent threat or can spread between people, despite some getting sick after contact with infected birds.

But there is no room for complacency.

One expert told the BBC "we must prepare for the worst" just in case.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging heightened vigilance from all countries, following the death of an 11-year-old girl in Cambodia from H5N1.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64763625

[Time_Traveller]

Norovirus levels at the 'highest in over a decade' for this time of year

Friday 3 March 2023 09:41, UK

Norovirus levels across the UK are "the highest we have seen at this time of year in over a decade", a doctor at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned.

Cases of the highly infectious stomach bug have surged in recent weeks, with hundreds of NHS hospital beds filled by people with symptoms.

Lab reports of norovirus are more than double the five-season average before the coronavirus pandemic, according to the UKHSA.

It said reporting has increased across all age groups, most notably those aged 65 and older.

The virus is known as the "winter vomiting bug" because it is notorious for spreading rapidly during the colder months.

https://news.sky.com/story/norovirus-le ... r-12824197

[wjfox]

New disease caused by plastics discovered in seabirds

Fri 3 Mar 2023 11.19 GMT

A new disease caused solely by plastics has been discovered in seabirds.

The birds identified as having the disease, named plasticosis, have scarred digestive tracts from ingesting waste, scientists at the Natural History Museum in London say.

It is the first recorded instance of specifically plastic-induced fibrosis in wild animals, researchers say.

Plastic pollution is becoming so prevalent that the scarring was widespread across different ages of birds, according to the study, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

Young birds were found to have the disease, and it is thought chicks were being fed the plastic pollution by parents accidentally bringing it back in food.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... n-seabirds

[weatheriscool]

Estimated 20,000 people possibly exposed to measles at Kentucky religious event

Around 20,000 people may have been exposed to measles at a large religious event in Kentucky, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and said. In a statement to the Guardian, the CDC said it was “aware of a confirmed case of measles in an unvaccinated and contagious individual who attended a large religious gathering in Kentucky on 17 and 18 February.

A screen capture of a telecast showing Karan Rai, of Louisville, Kentucky, singing on the Nepali version of the Voice, which he won, the culmination of a remarkable journey that began with his birth in a Nepali refugee camp. “Large numbers of people that attended the gathering from across Kentucky and from other states and countries may have been exposed.

“An estimated 20,000 people attended the gathering on the days that the patient attended. The Kentucky department for public health is actively working with CDC and clinicians to help identify if there are additional cases.” The event was a multi-week religious gathering held by Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. The “revival”, which began on campus on 8 February, saw between 10,000 and 20,000 people descend on the 6,000-person town. The event was moved off campus around two weeks later.

On 24 February, Asbury University released a statement saying state officials confirmed a case of measles in a Jessamine county resident. According to the university, the resident was unvaccinated and had attended the revival on 18 February. The university urged those not fully vaccinated against measles who attended services on 18 February to quarantine according to CDC guidelines.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... t-exposure

[wjfox]

[erowind]

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[wjfox]

[weatheriscool]

Marburg Virus Spreading in Equatorial Guinea
https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease ... 023-DON449

March 22, 2023

Since the first Disease Outbreak News on this event was published on 25 February 2023, eight additional laboratory-confirmed cases of Marburg virus disease (MVD) have been reported in Equatorial Guinea. This brings the total to nine laboratory-confirmed cases and 20 probable cases since the declaration of the outbreak in February 2023. There are seven deaths among the laboratory confirmed, and all probable cases are dead. Of the eight new confirmed cases, two were reported from the province of Kié-Ntem, four from the Litoral, and two from Centre- Sur provinces. The areas reporting cases are about 150 kilometers apart, suggesting wider transmission of the virus.

WHO has deployed experts to support national response efforts and strengthen community engagement in the response.

MVD is a highly virulent disease that causes haemorrhagic fever, and is among the viral haemorrhagic fevers that require assessment under the International Health Regulations.

WHO assesses the risk posed by the outbreak as very high at the national level, moderate at the regional level, and low at the global level.

[wjfox]

China reports human case of H3N8 bird flu

Published 10 hours ago
on March 27, 2023

A woman in southern China has tested positive for H3N8 bird flu, local officials say, making it only the third time that the virus has been found in humans, although a previous strain may have caused the 1889 pandemic.

The Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in a brief statement released on Monday, said a 56-year-old woman from Zhongshan City had been infected with H3N8.

The woman, who has multiple myeloma and other underlying health conditions, had exposure to live poultry before falling ill, the statement said. Wild birds are also frequently found near her home.

Details about her condition have not been released.

“No abnormalities have been found in close contacts so far,” the Guangdong CDC said. “Experts believe that this is a sporadic case and the risk of virus transmission is low at this stage.”

https://bnonews.com/index.php/2023/03/c ... -bird-flu/



Credit: CDC/F.A. Murphy

[wjfox]

Chile detects first case of bird flu in a human

March 30, 202312:18 AM GMT+1

Chile detected the first case of bird flue in a human, the country's health ministry reported on Wednesday.

The case was detected in a 53-year-old man who presented severe influenza symptoms, according to a statement issued by the ministry, but they noted the patient was in stable condition.

The government is also investigating the source of contagion as well as others who were in contact with the patient.

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ ... 023-03-29/

[wjfox]

As the weather starts to improve, I'll be going out for walks again soon, in the local forest and nature reserve.

This worries me (a bit).

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Rare encephalitis tick disease found in England

2 hours ago

A virus carried by ticks, which is common in many parts of the world, is now present in the UK and health officials are reminding the public how to avoid bites from the tiny bugs.

They say the risk of tick-borne encephalitis is very low - only one person is confirmed to have been infected in England so far, last year.

But the tick species which carries the virus is widespread in the UK.

Most people do not develop symptoms but swelling to the brain is possible.

The UK Health Security Agency has recommended changes to testing in hospital so that any new cases can be picked up quickly.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65177440

[weatheriscool]

Avian flu kills 3 California condors in northern Arizona
Source: AP

today

Marble Canyon, Ariz. (AP) — Three California condors have died from avian flu in northern Arizona and authorities are trying to determine what killed five others in the flock, the National Park Service announced Friday.

A sick female condor suspected of having lead poisoning was found dead on March 20 and testing showed it had Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), the park service said.

Two other birds later found dead also tested positive, while test results aren’t yet completed for five others, the park service said.

The birds are part of a population that moves throughout northern Arizona and southern Utah, including Grand Canyon National Park, the park service said.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/california-c ... ad56254c57

[caltrek]

Report on British Woman Infected with Dengue in the South of France in September 2022
April 13, 2023

Introduction:

(European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases via Eurekalert) Doctors in the UK and France give details of a British woman who was infected with dengue while visiting family near Nice in September 2022, in a case report being presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark (15-18 April).

The 44-year-old woman presented to an Emergency Department in the UK following a 3-day history of fevers, headache behind the eyes, muscle pain, and a blanching, widespread erythematous rash (which can occur with a range of infections, see figure in notes to editors). She had no underlying medical conditions.

The woman had returned from the South of France the day before symptoms started and had not travelled to any other countries. She had been staying with family who had all been unwell with the same symptoms.

An urgent sample was sent to the UK’s Rare Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL) and confirmed as acute dengue virus infection. The patient did not need any medical treatment and was monitored as an outpatient.

“This individual was part of an outbreak of over 30 locally transmitted cases in the south of France in 2022, which highlights the rapidly changing epidemiology of dengue,” says author Dr Owain Donnelly from The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, UK. “Surveillance and reporting mechanisms are important in ensuring we have an accurate understanding of dengue spread.”

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/985881

[wjfox]

Top scientists warn ‘the next pandemic is coming and we’re not ready’

8 hours ago

The UK is not ready for the next global pandemic because public services are being dismantled and key research is being defunded, experts have claimed.

More than three years after the global outbreak of coronavirus, top scientists have warned that the UK is no better prepared for a pandemic than it was in 2020.

They say another epidemic on the scale of Covid-19 is inevitable, but that disinvestment in infection-monitoring services, dismantling of key infrastructure, and the state of the NHS mean the country is “losing ground”.

The warning comes as virologists told The Independent that the new Covid-19 variant behind a surge of 10,000 new Covid cases a day in India may turn more aggressive, and could become the dominant strain in the UK.

The variant, first identified in January and known as Arcturus, has been found in 22 countries, including the UK and the US, and has prompted India to resume its production of vaccines.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/heal ... 20912.html

[wjfox]

Wild birds in danger as avian flu measures lifted

1 hour ago

Bird flu restrictions ease across most of the UK on Tuesday but experts say the H5N1 virus is still circulating, posing an ongoing risk to wild birds.

The requirement to keep poultry and captive birds inside ends as the threat to them is considered to have eased.

But the RSPB fears a repeat of last year's "catastrophic" toll on breeding colonies during the world's largest ever bird flu outbreak.

The government said wild birds faced " a significant threat" from the virus.

The lifting of restrictions has been welcomed on animal welfare grounds and means eggs laid by hens with access to outdoor areas can be marketed as "free-range" again.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65301241

[Time_Traveller]

Lyme disease 'stay safe' warning issued as cases on rise in UK

13:08, 23 APR 2023

Lyme disease cases in the UK are rising, prompting a warning for people to stay safe this spring. The infection, which can cause severe symptoms for those infected, is reported to be on the rise in this country as we move into the warmer seasons of the year.

Lyme disease, which is caused by a bacterial strain known as Borrelia burgdorferi, is generally spread to humans through tick bites. These burrowing insects most often get lodged in the skin of people wearing clothing that exposes skin to grasses and vegetation in warmer weather.

Multiple infections can sometimes be submitted through a single tick bite, with these cases likely to produce more severe symptoms, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Official government estimates suggest that there are somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales every year. However, the real numbers could be a lot higher, with research from 2019 suggesting government numbers could seriously underestimate the spread.

Ticks are found across the country, having been reported in every county of the UK. While they are traditionally thought to be found in woodland and larger grassy areas and often are found here, they have also been known to reside in urban parks and even gardens.

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/n ... ts-wrapper

[Ken_J]

Lyme disease 'stay safe' warning issued as cases on rise in UK

13:08, 23 APR 2023

Lyme disease cases in the UK are rising, prompting a warning for people to stay safe this spring. The infection, which can cause severe symptoms for those infected, is reported to be on the rise in this country as we move into the warmer seasons of the year.

Lyme disease, which is caused by a bacterial strain known as Borrelia burgdorferi, is generally spread to humans through tick bites. These burrowing insects most often get lodged in the skin of people wearing clothing that exposes skin to grasses and vegetation in warmer weather.

Multiple infections can sometimes be submitted through a single tick bite, with these cases likely to produce more severe symptoms, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Official government estimates suggest that there are somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales every year. However, the real numbers could be a lot higher, with research from 2019 suggesting government numbers could seriously underestimate the spread.

Ticks are found across the country, having been reported in every county of the UK. While they are traditionally thought to be found in woodland and larger grassy areas and often are found here, they have also been known to reside in urban parks and even gardens.

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/n ... ts-wrapper

Lyme is a horrible plague on us here in the eastern US. It fucks up so many lives, in part because it's easy to get a false negative test for it, and the longer it persists the more entrenched it becomes and some indications are that even after pulsed longer term cycling of antibiotics wiping out cycles of 'spores' and active infections and no ability to tell if it's gone through tests, it can induce autoimmune disease in those who have it longer term.

[wjfox]