Our new study sheds light on coccidioidomycosis in South America! Investigating disease characteristics, genetic variation, and environmental factors, we identified 292 cases and 42 outbreaks in Brazil. Armadillo hunting linked to heightened risks. nature.com/articles/s4146…

Hepatitis on track to overtake TB as world’s biggest infectious killer

#Hepatitis #TB #HepB #HepC #globalhealth

telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

New preprint: Reconstructed influenza A/H3N2 infection histories reveal variation in incidence and antibody dynamics over the life course

medrxiv.org/content/10.110…

1/12

A few years ago, we explored how long it might take for Zika epidemics to re-emerge as a result of gradual new births increasing population susceptibility.

Happy to say this kind of quick analysis (including for both demographic turnover and waning immunity) can now be done in a…

The number of dairy cow herds where #H5N1 #birdflu infection has been detected has increased to 20, in 6 states. It was 17 yesterday.
Breakdown is: Texas, 9; NM, 4; Kansas, 3; Mich, 2; Idaho & Ohio, 1 each.
aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poul…

Toronto, 3:19 PM.

1. Short #flu update: The #influenza -like illness season is drawing to a close. The percentage of folks seeking care for ILIs in the wk ending 3/30 was just a hair over the season baseline. Interestingly the season is ending around the time seasons pre-Covid ended. (red circle)

1/n Some steep declines in U.S. COVID hospitalizations, we might soon hit our lowest levels in a very long time

A sobering read on the current global outbreak & pandemic potential of avian influenza.

'The geographic area & the number of species affected by the current event are considerably larger than in previous waves of infection.'

tinyurl.com/5e872xj5 by Plaza et al.

It *seems* like the #H5N1 viruses rampaging through the Americas have evolved to be better adapted to infecting wild birds & less adept at infecting people. But leading flu virologist Ron Fouchier is not assuaged. My conversation with him. statnews.com/2024/04/05/bir…

Of 49 recent mpox cases in Chicago, 57% were in fully vaccinated individuals, none of whom required hospitalization.

'...we concluded that infections among fully vaccinated persons were less likely to result in hospitalization...'

tinyurl.com/3zfvft8t by @emilygroene et al.

The risk of HPAI transmission to humans is low. Cow's milk and milk products that have been pasteurized remain safe to consume.

Learn more 👉 bit.ly/4cUWZuL

#BirdFlu #CdnAg

Scientists investigate thousands of dead Antarctic penguins for bird flu reut.rs/3vDANV4

The number of states reporting H5N1 bird flu outbreaks in cows is now 6. According to USDA, outbreaks have been detected in 15 herds: Texas (7), Kansas (3), New Mexico (2), Idaho, Michigan & Ohio (new) with 1 each.
Still a single confirmed human case.
aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poul…

More imported measles into 🇨🇦.

This trend will continue given:
1) global travel patterns, &
2) a global surge in cases.

The measles vaccine is safe, free, widely available & very effective.

Some may have missed a dose during the pandemic. Catch-up campaigns are underway.

New from me, on the unusual — but not unsurprising — outbreaks of #H5N1 avian flu among U.S. dairy cows, and why scientists are worried more about where this virus could jump next. Pigs are the main concern, since they’re known to be viral mixing vessels:
cbc.ca/news/health/av…