Genomic Characterisation of Human Monkeypox Virus in Nigeria ( Lancet Infectious Disease) A suspected outbreak of human MPXV was reported to WHO on Sept 26, 2017, by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control after a cluster of suspected cases had occurred in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Since the onset of the outbreak, 155 cases have been reported by the NCDC, of which 56 were confirmed. A subset of these samples was sent to the WHO Collaborating Center at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal for confirmation by PCR. Go to article

2 Female Polio Workers Shot Dead in Quetta ( Dawn) Two female members of a polio vaccination team in Quetta were shot dead on Thursday, DawnNews reported. Police sources said unidentified miscreants opened fire on the polio team in the Shalkot area, killing a mother-daughter duo in what law enforcers believe is a targeted attack. Go to article

FY 2018 HHS Contingency Staffing Plan for Operations in the Absence of Enacted Annual Appropriations ( HHS.gov) As shown on the attachment - PDF, HHS' contingency plans for agency operations in the absence of appropriations would lead to furloughing 40,959 staff and retaining 40,956 staff as of day two of a near-term funding hiatus. Put another way, 50% of HHS employees would be on furlough, and 50% would be retained. Go to article

Report Tracks Industry Progress on Drug Resistance ( CIDRAP) A report today from an international association of life sciences companies suggests that the private sector is making progress in meeting its commitment to help solve the antimicrobial resistance crisis, but much work remains. Go to article

Containing Influenza Outbreaks with Antiviral Use in Long-term Care Facilities in Taiwan, 2008-2014 ( Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses) Influenza can spread rapidly in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and residents are usually at higher risk for influenza infections. Go to article

Two-thirds of Pregnant Women Aren't Getting the Flu Vaccine. That Needs to Change ( STAT) ates of flu are skyrocketing in the US, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracking high rates especially in the South, Midwest, Southwest, and West. Lost in the flurry of news stories is the startling and alarming report from the CDC in December that only about one-third of pregnant women are getting flu shots. A startling 64 percent of pregnant women had not been vaccinated against the flu, despite recommendations from the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Go to article

Flu May Be Spread Just by Breathing ( Science Daily) It is easier to spread the influenza virus (flu) than previously thought, according to a new study. People commonly believe that they can catch the flu by exposure to droplets from an infected person's coughs or sneezes or by touching contaminated surfaces. But, new information about flu transmission reveals that we may pass the flu to others just by breathing. Go to article

Digitization of Multistep Organic Synthesis in Reactionware for On-demand Pharmaceuticals ( Science) The infrastructure for chemical synthesis typically lies at either end of a spectrum: small-scale studies in ad hoc assemblies of glassware or large-scale production in capital-intensive custom reactors. Kitson et al. report a hybrid protocol that customizes a blueprint for synthesis of a target compound in a series of interconnected plastic modules, which can be assembled en masse by 3D printing (see the Perspective by Hornung). The approach, demonstrated for the commercial muscle relaxant baclofen, establishes a systematic workflow that is potentially amenable to automation: All that is necessary for synthesis and purification is the introduction of stock solutions and variation of temperature or pressure. Go to article