Category: Infectious Disease
Mounting research shows that COVID-19 leaves its mark on the brain, including significant drops in IQ scores
Ziyad Al-Aly, Washington University in St. Louis From the very early days of the pandemic, brain fog emerged as a significant health condition that many experience after COVID-19. Brain fog is a colloquial term that describes a state of mental…
Measles cases surge worldwide, infecting 10.3 million people in 2023
An estimated 107,500 people, mostly children younger than 5 years of age, died due to measles in 2023.
Can you die from long COVID? The answer is not so simple
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 3,544 long-COVID-related deaths from the start of the pandemic up to the end of June 2022.
The symptoms of long COVID – such as fatigue, shortness of breath and “brain fog” – can be debilitating. But can you die from long COVID? The answer is not so simple.
Washington state sees steep increase in whooping cough cases
Nearly 1,200 cases reported to date.
Vaccination key to preventing severe illness
Bird flu detected in pigs – here’s why virologists are concerned
We don’t yet know if the pig was actually infected or if it had just snuffled up some contaminated material from the birds. At the moment, this particular outbreak doesn’t seem to have spread into any other pigs.
Study analyzes bird flu that infected a farm worker
An H5N1 flu virus from an infected farm worker could transmit through airborne droplets and was lethal in mice and ferrets.
The findings emphasize the risks from the current H5N1 outbreak and the need for continued monitoring and testing.
CDC Recommends Second Dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccine for People 65 Years and Older and for People Who are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised
The recommendation acknowledges the increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19 in older adults and those who are immunocompromised, along with the currently available data on vaccine effectiveness and year-round circulation of COVID-19.
First case of bird flu in pig discovered on small Oregon farm
State officials announced Wednesday that a severe form of bird flu has been detected for the first time in a pig on a small farm in Crook County in central Oregon.
CDC confirms two human cases of avian influenza in Franklin Co.
All cases were poultry workers exposed to infected birds, no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
Health News Headlines
E-coli outbreak tied to McDonald’s quart pounders – Flesh-eating bacteria in Florida – Abortions increase –
Buyer beware: Off-brand Ozempic, Zepbound and other weight loss products carry undisclosed risks for consumers
The dietary supplement market has sought to cash in on the GLP-1 demand with pills, teas, extracts and all manner of other products that claim to produce similar effects as the brand names at a much lower price.
Health News Headlines
CDC to screen travelers for Marburg virus – Brain stem damage linked to long COVID – US sets 10-year deadline to replace lead pipes
Health News Headlines
Marburg virus outbreak – Time to get flu and COVID-19 shots – Fake meds online pose overdose risk, CDC – School vaccination rates fall – Long-term deaths from hurricanes
Fungal infections known as valley fever could spike this fall – 3 epidemiologists explain how to protect yourself
As the climate warms and landscapes become drier, researchers fear that valley fever could spread across other regions of the U.S.
What pathogen might spark the next pandemic? How scientists are preparing for ‘disease X’
There are also the unknown unknowns, or “disease X” – an unknown pathogen with the potential to trigger a severe global epidemic. To prepare for this, we need to adopt new forms of surveillance specifically looking at where new pathogens could emerge.