All Emerging Threats & Epidemiology articles – Page 2
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NewsDid US cities’ indoor vaccine mandates affect COVID-19 vaccination rates and outcomes?
New research reveals that despite widespread adoption of indoor vaccine mandates in major US cities during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no consistent evidence that these policies significantly increased vaccination rates or reduced COVID-19–related outcomes. The findings contrast with those from other countries, as national mandates abroad boosted vaccine uptake.
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NewsVaccine skepticism on social media can predict public health crises
Researchers have developed a new approach that could help public health officials predict where outbreaks might occur. By analyzing social media posts, the method identifies early signs of increasing vaccine skepticism — a warning signal that could emerge before any disease begins to spread.
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NewsTime to act and not react: how can the European Union turn the tide of antimicrobial resistance?
Despite determined efforts by countries and healthcare professionals, Europe is not on track to meet four of the five AMR targets set by the EU Council for 2030*, according to data released on EAAD.
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NewsApriori Bio and A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs Announce strategic partnership to advance next generation influenza vaccines
Apriori Bio and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR IDL) announced a strategic research partnership to co-develop and evaluate next generation self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) vaccines targeting seasonal and pandemic influenza.
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NewsHepatitis E virus from rats can also infect humans in individual cases – a new zoonotic pathogen?
It has only been known for a few years that humans can also be infected with a variant of the hepatitis E virus that is usually prevalent in rats. Following reports of individual cases, mainly from Hong Kong and Spain, the first infection with ratHEV has now also been described in a patient from Germany.
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NewsAMI warns that the threat of antimicrobial resistance in viruses and other pathogens cannot be underestimated
Applied Microbiology International (AMI) has urged global policymakers to strengthen the revised Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (GAP-AMR), calling for a more inclusive, clear and equitable approach to tackling one of the world’s most urgent health challenges.
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NewsWild birds are driving the current U.S. bird flu outbreak
Researchers traced the introduction and spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 viruses during the first 18 months in North America using genomic sequencing and migratory flyway analysis, discovering that the viruses were spread primarily by wild migrating birds.
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NewsProtecting infants against respiratory syncytial virus this winter — ECDC issues advice
ECDC has issued rapid scientific advice for policymakers and public health authorities on ways to mitigate the impact of RSV disease among infants through immunisation and to support intensified efforts to protect them from RSV across Europe.
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NewsAvian flu halves South Georgia’s breeding elephant seal population
South Georgia’s breeding population of female southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) may have been halved by highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV), finds new research. These losses may threaten the security of the island’s breeding population.
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NewsRainfall and temperature shape mosquito fauna in Atlantic Forest bromeliads, including malaria vectors
Results from a study of mosquito larvae conducted in a natural area in the municipality of São Paulo (Brazil) may help estimate the effects of climate change on disease transmission risk in the biome.
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NewsCracking leishmaniasis: new DNA test to track infection
A new study offers an innovative way to track the spread of leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease affecting both animals and humans. Researchers developed a fast, reliable method to identify sand fly species, detect Leishmania parasites, and determine the source of their blood meals from a single sample.
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NewsMissing links for rabies in Peru highlights global threats of health inequity
Researchers found that efforts to track dog-related rabies in poorer areas of Peru’s second largest city were lacking even though more dogs were found to have the disease there than in wealthier neighborhoods.
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NewsFlu vaccine providing important protection despite new subclade
Children and adults across England are receiving strong protection from this year’s flu vaccine, despite the emergence of a new subclade driving an unusually early flu season.
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NewsCould tiny airborne plastics help viruses spread? Scientists warn of a hidden infection risk
While plastics are already recognized as a global environmental threat, a new commentary highlights that their microscopic airborne forms could also play a hidden role in human infection.
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NewsFirst detection of zoonotic Rickettsia species in dog ticks from Malawi reveals potential public health risk
An international research team has reported the first molecular detection of Rickettsia bacteria in ticks collected from domestic dogs in Malawi, addressing a significant knowledge gap in understanding tick-borne disease risks in southeastern Africa.
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NewsNew study shows invasive Group A Streptococcus outcomes shaped by treatment strategies, not species lineage
Researchers highlight the role of early clindamycin prescription in improving the recovery rate of patients with invasive Group A Streptococcus infections in a study that examined the evolving epidemiology of such infections.
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NewsERC Synergy Grant awarded to physicist Michael Lässig and virologist Florian Klein
Researchers have been awarded a Synergy Grant by the European Research Council (ERC) for the project CoEvolve, which investigates the co-evolution of viruses and the immune system.
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NewsNot just a common cold: studies show RSV’s severity and impact on long-term health
Often confused for a common cold, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can in fact be serious and should be studied more closely. Researchers found that the illness could be of comparable severity to other more well-known respiratory viral infections (RVIs) – such as influenza and COVID-19.
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NewsAI can speed antibody design to thwart novel viruses: study
Artificial intelligence (AI) and “protein language” models can speed the design of monoclonal antibodies that prevent or reduce the severity of potentially life-threatening viral infections, according to a multi-institutional study
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NewsResearch finds higher rare risk of heart complications in children after COVID-19 infection than after vaccination
A whole-population study showed that although these conditions were rare, children and young people were more likely to experience heart, vascular or inflammatory problems after a COVID-19 infection than after having the vaccine — and the risks after infection lasted much longer.