Zika Virus

OpenZika: An IBM World Community Grid Project to Accelerate Zika Virus Drug Discovery ( PLOS: Neglected Tropical Diseases) The Zika virus outbreak in the Americas has caused global concern. To help accelerate this fight against Zika, we launched the OpenZika project. Go to article

Outbreak of Zika Virus Disease--American Samoa, 2016 ( MMWR) During December 2015-January 2016, the American Samoa Department of Health detected through surveillance an increase in the number of cases of acute febrile rash illness. Concurrently, a case of laboratory-confirmed Zika virus infection, a mosquito-borne flavivirus infection documented to cause microcephaly and other severe brain defects in some infants born to women infected during pregnancy was reported in a traveler returning to New Zealand from American Samoa. Go to article

Guillian-Barre Syndrome Associated with Zika Virus Infection in Colombia ( New England Journal of Medicine) Zika virus infection has been linked to the Guillain-Barré syndrome. From November 2015 through March 2016, clusters of cases of the Guillain-Barré syndrome were observed during the outbreak of ZIKV infection in Colombia.  Go to article

Gullian-Barre Syndrome and Healthcare Needs during Zika Virus Transmissio, Puerto Rico, 2016 ( Emerging Infectious Diseases) To assist with public health preparedness activities, we estimated the number of expected cases of Zika virus in Puerto Rico and associated healthcare needs. Estimated annual incidence is 3.2-5.1 times the baseline, and long-term care needs are predicted to be 3-5 times greater than in years with no Zika virus. Go to article

Microcephaly Cases Under Investigation for Links to Zika Virus in Colombia Keep Accruing... ( Virology Down Under) Diagnoses of Zika virus infection linked to microcephaly continue to very slowly rise in Colombia, rising by 11 since the end of July 2016--with 1 new case in this most recent reporting week to reach a total of 47. Go to article

Biological Agents & Infectious Diseases

First Report of the East-Central South African Genotype of Chikungunya Virus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ( bioRxiv) Chikungunya virus is an arbovirus that causes an acute febrile syndrome with a severe and debilitating arthralgia. In Brazil, the Asian and East-Central South African genotypes are circulating in the north and northeast of the country, respectively. Go to article

Domestic Preparedness & Response

The Strategic National Stockpile Stores Medication and Equipment in Case of Emergency ( Emergency Management) The federal government stockpiles emergency medicines and supplies in several locations throughout the US. Go to article

Need for FirstNet Greater than Ever, First Responders Say (Emergency Management) With an award on the $7 billion First Responder Network Authority program potentially just weeks away, those on the front lines say that despite years of planning, they still have more questions than answers--but the need for such a network remains. Go to article

Global Health Security

Billionaires Pony Up More Funds in Fight to Eradicate Polio ( Wall Street Journal: subscription required) Bill Gates is getting help from some fellow billionaire philanthropists as he and other health leaders work to overcome setbacks that have delayed the eradication of polio despite a recent sharp decline in the number of cases. Go to article

Stop Pakistan's Polio Vaccination Tax ( Science) Pakistan is 1 of 3 countries in the world where polio remains endemic. The country recorded more than 300 polio cases in 2014, the highest number since 1999. In 2016, 14 cases have been reported. Although vaccinations could mitigate the spread of infection, many people in Pakistan are very suspicious of vaccines and those delivering them. Go to article

Medicine & Public Health

Education and Training of Emergency Medical Teams: Recommendations for a Global Operational Learning Framework ( PLOS: Current Disasters) An increasing number of international emergency medical teams are deployed to assist disaster-affected populations worldwide. Since Haiti earthquake those teams have been criticised for ill adapted care, lack of preparedness in addition to not coordinating with the affected country healthcare system.  Go to article

Laboratory Diagnosis for Outbreak-Prone Infectious Diseases after Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), Philippines ( PLOS: Current Disasters) Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit the central part of the Philippines on November 8, 2013. To identify possible outbreaks of communicable diseases after the typhoon, nasopharyngeal swabs, stool and blood samples were collected from patients who visited the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center. Go to article

Status of New Vaccine Introduction--Worldwide, September 2016 ( MMWR) Since the global Expanded Program on Immunization was launched in 1974, vaccination against 6 diseases (tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and measles) has prevented millions of deaths and disabilities. Go to article

WHO Panel Recommends Dose-Sparing Strategy for IPV Polio Vaccine ( CIDRAP) To help alleviate worse-than-expected shortages in inactivated polio vaccine, outside experts who advise the WHO on vaccine issues this week recommended that countries prepare to administer IPV intradermally as a dose-sparing tactic. Go to article

Herd Effect from Influenza Vaccination in Non-Healthcare Settings: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials and Observational Studies ( Eurosurveillance) Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Many countries recommend vaccination against influenza to prevent influenza infections, in particular for groups at high risk for complications. Go to article

Impact of Pharmacists as Immunizers on Vaccination Rates: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis ( Vaccine) Underutilization of vaccination programs remains a significant public health concern. Pharmacists serve as educators, facilitators, and in some jurisdictions, as administrators of vaccines. Go to article

Science & Technology

Frontiers Micro: Novel H7N2 & H5N6 In Sentinel Chickens--Jiangsu Province, China ( Avian Flu Diary) New, hybrid viruses can sometimes emerge when 2 different influenza A subtypes (like H5N1 & H6N6) infect the same host (human, swine, avian, or otherwise) at the same time.  Go to article

Hitting Ebola, to the Power of Two ( Science) Passive immunotherapy with therapeutic antibodies is one of the most promising treatments for Ebola virus infection. Despite disappointing initial results using single monoclonal antibodies, successful post-exposure protection in nonhuman primate models of Ebola virus infection was eventually achieved using "designer polyclonals" that mixed individual mAbs. Go to article

See also: A "Trojan Horse" Bispecific-Antibody Strategy for Broad Protection against Ebolaviruses ( Science) The recent major Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa high-lighted the need for effective therapeutics against this and other filoviruses. Go to article

Bacterial Toxin's DNA Vaccine Serves as a Strategy for the Treatment, Infectious and Autoimmune Diseases ( Microbial Pathogenesis) DNA vaccination--a 3rd generation vaccine-is a modern approach to stimulate humoral and cellular responses against different diseases such as infectious diseases, cancer and autoimmunity. Go to article

Other 21st Century Threats

Syria Used Chemical Weapons in 2015 Attack ( UPI) The Syrian government launched a chemical weapons attack in 2015, a confidential report to the United Nations Security Council said. Go to article

Learning from Past Mistakes: Rebuilding Haiti after Hurricane Matthew ( Relief Web) As Haiti reels from another disaster once again, many are questioning the humanitarian system and looking for long-term solutions with Haitians at the heart of response. Go to article

Washington State 'Grossly' Unprepared for Major Quake-Report ( Reuters) Washington state is grossly unprepared for a large earthquake and tsunami that may strike in the coming decades, putting it at risk for a humanitarian disaster, the Seattle Times reported on Sunday, citing a draft government report. Go to article