US : Florida hospital workers being monitored after MERS exposure

Article via The Detroit News, excerpt :

" Employees at two Orlando hospitals who came in contact with a Saudi resident infected by the second confirmed U.S. case of a rare virus are being monitored for symptoms and have been told to stay home for two weeks, health officials said Tuesday.

Fifteen hospital workers at Dr. Phillips Hospital and another five employees at Orlando Regional Medical Center were being monitored at home for fever, chills and muscle aches, said Dr. Antonio Crespo, an official with the hospital system.

So far, none of them has tested positive for MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. MERS is a respiratory illness that begins with flu-like fever and cough but can lead to shortness of breath, pneumonia and death."

Flesh-eating bacteria found in Gulf of Mexico

Via Xinhua :

" A flesh-eating bacteria has been detected in the Gulf of Mexico and is believed to have caused one death, U.S. media reported Saturday.

The bacteria, known as Vibrio vulnificus, was found in gulf waters in several U.S. states, including Texas and Louisiana, local TV ABC13 reported. Officials said four swimmers have contracted the bacteria, and one of them died.

The victims were supposedly swimming in seawater near the areas of New Orleans and Thibodaux, both in the U.S. state of Louisiana.

Medical doctors said Vibrio vulnificus sickens people in two ways -- by eating raw shellfish and by entering through an open wound.

"You get bacteria into certain wounds, and they can cause a lot of tissue destruction by virtue of the fact that these bacteria produce enzymes that break down the tissue," said Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious and tropical disease expert at Baylor College of Medicine.

People with normal immune systems typically fight off Vibrio, but those with weakened immune systems -- including the young and elderly -- can become seriously ill and die, Hotez said.

Health officials are warning residents to be alert, as higher temperatures could increase the growth of the potentially deadly bacteria."

US : Listeria outbreak linked to cheese

From CNN, excerpt :

" A listeria outbreak linked to cheese might have killed one person and sickened four others in four states, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. One of the cases was a pregnant woman who suffered a miscarriage.

The listeriosis is linked to Les Freres cheese distributed by Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics, a Wisconsin producer, the FDA said."

Salmonella sickens 90 in U.S.

Via Xinhua :

" At least 90 people have been sickened by an unusual strain of salmonella -- Bareilly, with sushi a possible culprit, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Wednesday.

The foodborne illness was reported in 19 states and the District of Columbia from Jan. 28 to April 2, and the outbreak appears to be ongoing, the CDC said in a statement. Many of the ill persons said they had eaten sushi, sashimi or similar foods before becoming sick.

The CDC did not report any deaths or hospitalizations. It is working with the Food and Drug Administration and state officials to identify the source of the outbreak."

US : Norovirus sickens about 85 GWU students

Via The Washington Times, excerpt :

" Dozens of George Washington University students have reported being sickened this week by an outbreak of the norovirus, school officials said Thursday."

Seasonal flu ramps up in U.S.; bird flu talks to start in Geneva

Via Los Angeles Times, excerpt :

" Flu was in the news Tuesday, with updates on seasonal influenza in the U.S. and on the debate over bird flu research that is raging around the world.In general, Americans have had a mild flu season this year.

But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in its weekly Flu View Surveillance Report that, for the first time this season, more than 10% of respiratory specimens collected in the U.S. tested positive for the flu -- 10.5%, versus 7.6% the prior week. According to the CDC, surpassing 10% is considered an indication that "flu season is beginning.

"Also this week, California became the first state to report widespread flu activity
this season. The FluView summary also stated that "Further increases in activity are expected in the coming weeks." Currently, the prevalent flu strain in the U.S. is influenza A (H3N2), but the number of cases of 2009 H1N1 viruses -- also known as swine flu -- has been increasing.

All of the flu strains detected can be treated with antiviral drugs, the CDC said.

In the meantime, researchers and policy makers prepared to discuss how to proceed with research into the transmissibility of H5N1, the bird flu that has ravaged flocks
in Asia and the Middle East and has killed several hundred people around the
world."

US : Egg recall in 34 states over Listeria concerns

Via CBS News, excerpt :

" Michael Foods, a Minnesota-based food company, is recalling more than one million hard-cooked eggs from 34 states, after tests revealed some may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria."

US : North Carolina public health officials search for source of stomach bug

Via CNN, excerpt :

" A series of viral outbreaks causing diarrhea and vomiting has affected scores of people in North Carolina in recent weeks, sickening them, but causing no fatalities, health officials there said Wednesday."

US : 4 dead swans tested positive for bird flu

Article via The Boston Globe :

" State and federal wildlife officials say four of the 12 swans found dead at a Westborough pond recently have tested positive for avian influenza, but stress that there is no threat to humans.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the US Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services collected the swan carcasses from Mill Pond in December after a resident reported seeing them floating near shore."

US : After four mutations, new virus attacks

Article via Futurity, excerpt :

" Scientists have shown for the first time how a new virus evolves, clarifying how easy it is for diseases to quickly gain dangerous mutations.

Published in the journal Science, the research shows how the virus Lambda evolved to find a new way to attack host cells, an innovation that took four mutations to accomplish. The virus, which isn’t dangerous to humans, infects bacteria, in particular E. coli.

“We were surprised at first to see Lambda evolve this new function, this ability to attack and enter the cell through a new receptor—and it happened so fast,” says graduate student Justin Meyer, who co-authored the paper with Richard Lenski, professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at Michigan State University.

“But when we re-ran the evolution experiment, we saw the same thing happen over and over.”

The paper follows recent news that scientists in the United States and the Netherlands produced a deadly version of bird flu. Even though bird flu is a mere five mutations away from becoming transmissible between humans, it’s highly unlikely the virus could naturally obtain all the beneficial mutations all at once. But if conditions are favorable, it might evolve sequentially, gaining benefits one-by-one."

Fatal Case of Measles Without Rash Found in Young Woman

Via Doctors Lounge, excerpt :

" A fatality from measles with acute respiratory distress syndrome, but without rash, has been reported, according to a study published online Jan. 11 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases.

A fatality from measles with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but without rash, has been reported, according to a study published online Jan. 11 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Julien Lupo, from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble in France, and colleagues describe a fatal case of measles, with intractable ARDS, without rash, in a 29-year-old woman in France.

The authors report that five days after receiving outpatient care with initiation of an anti-infective agent and oral prednisone for fever, cough, coryza, diarrhea, and weight loss, the patient was admitted to the hospital with persistent illness. Lab tests showed nonregenerative anemia and leukopenia with profound lymphopenia, and chest radiograph revealed bilateral diffuse interstitial infiltrates; further antimicrobial therapy was started."

US : Rabies victim remains in critical condition

Via Cape Cod Times :

" A Barnstable man infected with rabies two weeks ago remains in stable but critical condition at a Boston hospital, according to Barnstable Health Director Thomas McKean.

The unidentified man in his 60s has been put into a coma-like state and is expected to remain there for several weeks, McKean said.

Last week, state health officials confirmed the man was bitten by a species of myotis bat, a small, brown mammal common in the state.

It's the first confirmed case of rabies in Massachusetts since 1935.

The man is also the fourth confirmed human infected by the rabies virus in the U.S. in 2011, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The man's wife was given the rabies vaccine last week as a precaution. She has been released from the hospital and is staying with friends, McKean said."

US : Le Roy Parents Concerned About Mysterious Disease

Via Rochester Homepage, excerpt :

" Parents in Leroy are concerned about a mysterious illness in the junior/ senior high school. Hundreds attended a public meeting Wednesday night at the school. Twelve girls in the school have been diagnosed with a tic disorder which New York State Health Officials say is more common in boys.

School officials tried to reassure parents that the building is safe. Officials with the health department say they've ruled out environmental factors, drugs and disease as a cause. "I think there is more to this. There has got to be some kind of common denominator," said James Dupont. Dupont's daughter, Brooke, is one of 12 girls that have developed the tic disorder."

US : Ontario school officials say boy didn't die of meningitis

Via Mansfield News Journal :

" Ontario school officials say they were overwhelmed with phone calls Monday as a result of apparent misinformation about a student's death.

Seventh-grade Ontario Middle School student Brian Ward died Saturday after being treated for an ear infection at a Columbus hospital. Ontario Superintendent Lisa Carmichael said a rumor spread the death was caused by an infectious disease, a claim she said is unfounded.

"We've been inundated with phone calls," Carmichael said. "It (the rumor) certainly has caused a lot of grief and aggravation."

She said about 40 middle school students did not attend classes Monday. Carmichael said she spent much of her day assuring parents it was OK to send their children to school. An email sent by Carmichael to school staff Saturday stated the 13-year-old student died from viral meningitis, but the cause of death was corrected in a later email.

Carmichael said Sunday she spoke with Brian's father, Todd Ward, who explained what happened.

"Brian was being treated for an ear infection, his ear drum burst on Wednesday evening, and the infection from the ear drum bursting entered Brian's brain, resulting in his death," she said."

US : Neosho County patient diagnosed with tuberculosis

Via The Chanute Tribune :

" The Neosho County Health Department has confirmed that an individual in Neosho County has been diagnosed with Tuberculosis Disease of the lungs. The individual has been put on medications and is currently being monitored by Neosho County Health Department.

Neosho County Officials are working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to identify and evaluate those who may have had significant close contact with the individual.

A contact investigation has begun, and people needing to be evaluated will be contacted by the Health Department."

US : Recent cases prompt CDC updates on swine-related flu variants

From Lisa Schnirring at CIDRAP, excerpt :

" The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated some of its background documents on swine-origin flu viruses in humans, based on the latest information it has learned about recently detected novel flu infections.

The CDC released the updated information, aimed at both the laypeople and medical audiences, on Jan 6. The information covers key facts about swine-origin variant viruses and infections involving the strains in humans, particularly the H3N2 type that has so far infected 12 people in five different states, most of them children.

Some of the patients had contact with swine, but other cases likely reflect limited human-to-human transmission, the CDC has said.

The new virus is a triple-reassortant that has acquired the M gene of the 2009 H1N1 virus. The CDC and many of its global partners are referring to the new strain as an H3N2 variant and are using the H3N2v abbreviation.

The CDC has said it's unclear why the number of detections in humans is increasing. It said factors could include better lab capacity to detect novel viruses, changed domestic and international novel flu virus reporting requirements, or a true increase in the number of cases from exposure to swine or through limited human-to-human transmission."

US : Barnstable man remains hospitalized in rare rabies case

Via Boston Herald, excerpt :

" A Cape Cod official says a local man diagnosed with the first confirmed case of human rabies in Massachusetts since 1935 remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition."

Flu activity starting to rise in Europe, parts of US

From Lisa Schnirring at CIDRAP, excerpt :

" Though flu activity is still below epidemic thresholds in most of the Northern Hemisphere, increases in areas such as Spain, northern Africa, and part of Canada suggest that the season is starting, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today.

Meanwhile, most flu markers in the United States showed low levels of activity, but three regions saw the percentage of doctor's visits for flu-like illness rise above their baselines, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

So far H3N2 is the dominant influenza strain in the Northern Hemisphere, with small numbers of 2009 H1N1 cases reported over the past few weeks, the WHO said.

In most of Europe, flu activity remained at interseasonal levels, but Spain and Turkey reported notable increases in flu virus detections, according to the WHO. The number of positive respiratory samples at European sentinel sites doubled from the previous week.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in its weekly update today said the flu season has begun in Europe. Though the H3N2 virus is dominant so far, making up about 94% of the viruses that have been subtyped, the 2009 H1N1 virus "features significantly" in the severe flu infections that have been reported so far.

The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for flu more than doubled from the previous week, rising from 9.3% to 23.4%, the ECDC said.

Most countries reported low-intensity flu activity, with the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain reporting local spread, according to the ECDC. Nine countries and the United Kingdom reported sporadic activity."

US : Third baby gets rare bacterial infection: Infant formula to blame?

Via CBS News, excerpt :
" An Oklahoma infant has been sickened by a rare Cronobacter sakazakii infection that's sometimes linked to tainted infant formula. Health officials say the baby from Tulsa County - the third child to be infected by the bacteria this month - has fully recovered."

US : Novel Swine Flu Virus Now Reported in 5 States, Says CDC

Article via Medscape, a long but informative article, excerpt :

" The number of reported cases of a novel swine influenza virus has risen to 12 since July, encompassing 5 states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus includes a gene from the human pandemic strain and affects mostly children.

The agency is taking the influenza newcomer seriously, urging public health departments, hospitals, and clinicians engaged in influenza surveillance to consider the possibility of the virus in patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI).

The infections in question involve a variant of the A(H3N2) virus that circulates among pigs. It contains a gene from the pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) virus that codes for matrix proteins found in the viral shell.

The novel virus is worrisome enough that the CDC, the World Health Organization, and the World Organisation for Animal Health have dubbed it A(H3N2)v. The "v," which stands for "variant," distinguishes the novel virus from the seasonal A(H3N2) virus. The 2011-2012 seasonal influenza vaccine is designed to protect against this strain, the 2009 pandemic strain, and an influenza B strain.

In 3 of the 5 states where the A(H3N2)v virus has surfaced — Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Maine — patients became infected after direct or indirect contact with pigs. In Iowa and West Virginia, the other 2 states, the evidence suggests that the virus spread from human to human on a limited basis.

The CDC has not found evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus, but "all influenza viruses have the capacity to change, and it's possible this virus may become widespread," the agency states on its Web site.

One seeming bit of good news is that, so far, the A(H3N2)v virus causes illnesses that are generally no worse than those triggered by the seasonal influenza virus. Three of the 12 patients were hospitalized, but they and all the others recovered.

However, there is a bad-news chaser: The seasonal influenza vaccine for 2011-2012 is unlikely to protect people from the A(H3N2)v virus, the CDC reports. In addition, limited serologic studies indicate that young children have little preexisting immunity, although older children and adults may have limited immunity."