All Emerging Threats & Epidemiology articles – Page 8
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NewsBetween 2.4 and 4.1 million people estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis B infection in Europe
Chronic hepatitis B is substantially prevalent across the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), affecting an estimated 0.7% of the population in the region in 2022, according to a new study.
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NewsAfrican swine fever: a novel model for assessing transmission between domestic pigs and wild boar
Researchers have developed an innovative multi-host epidemiological model for African swine fever incorporating both pig farms and wild boar habitats and calibrated using empirical outbreak data. The model uses detailed data from the first phase of the Romanian epidemic.
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NewsBird flu spread could be impacted by where waterfowl like to live
The movement patterns of waterfowl, including ducks, swans and geese, may affect the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in bird populations. Researchers found that birds travel much shorter distances in areas with human activity.
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NewsDrones, DNA, and weather: A phase-oriented hybrid engine to predict sugar beet disease
A fungus that can wipe out up to 50% of a sugar beet crop may soon meet its match in a new generation of smart disease forecasting. Combining drone imagery, weather data, and qPCR-based airborne spore monitoring can reveal where disease is present and what the pathogen is likely to do next.
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NewsHIV infections would increase by 10% average if CDC funding for HIV testing ends, study predicts
Researchers used a computer model to quantify the effect of funding cuts for HIV testing. They estimate that HIV infections could increase an average of 10% in 18 U.S. states if this funding is interrupted or ended.
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NewsBlood test using artificial intelligence paves the way for early diagnosis of leprosy
A new blood test combined with a standardized questionnaire and artificial intelligence may transform the way leprosy is diagnosed in Brazil. The method showed potential for identifying the disease in its initial stages, when symptoms are subtle and traditional laboratory tests often fail.
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NewsInuit recommendations to address high rates of tuberculosis in Nunavik, Quebec
Tuberculosis rates for Inuit living in Nunavik, the Inuit lands in northern Quebec, are 1,000 times greater than among non-foreign-born Quebeckers, and underresourcing of local health care adds to hardship from the disease, found new research.
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NewsOne of cholera’s great enemies is found in the human gut
Cholera-causing bacteria are locked in an evolutionary arms race with a viral nemesis, according to a new genomic study. Researchers found that in the Ganges Delta, cholera bacteria rapidly gain and lose special armour that protects against attacks from the virus, known as bacteriophage ICP1.
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NewsAir surveillance reveals hidden reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes
The air we breathe serves as a silent vector of antimicrobial resistance, calling for the need to integrate air monitoring into global public health strategies, according to a review by an international team of researchers.
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NewsGlobal Virus Network launches expanded “Global Guardians for Pandemic Preparedness” program for Florida high school students
The Global Virus Network (GVN) announced the launch of its expanded Global Guardians for Pandemic Preparedness initiative, with applications now open for high school students across the state of Florida.
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NewsInequalities in childhood pneumococcal vaccine uptake persist in England despite schedule change
Vaccine uptake data has been examined to assess the impact of moving from a ‘2+1’ to a ‘1+1’ Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) dose schedule on vaccine coverage and health inequalities among infants in England.
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NewsA study links armed conflict in Colombia with higher tuberculosis cases and mortality
Areas with the highest intensity of conflict between 2008 and 2019 recorded a higher disease burden, highlighting the need for control strategies tailored to each territory.
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OpinionDisease X and the limits of voluntary multilateralism
Disease X is less a biological uncertainty than a governance stress test. The real question is whether the WHO Pandemic Agreement has corrected the failures exposed during COVID-19.
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NewsOver 250,000 deaths from meningitis globally in 2023; over one third in children under five
In 2023, globally 259,000 people died from meningitis and 2.5 million people were infected with the disease, suggests a study. Although death and infection rates have declined significantly since 1990, progress is insufficient to meet the WHO targets.
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NewsDramatic reduction in prescribing of hepatitis C antivirals may leave many curable patients untreated
A new study analyzed a large national prescription database to estimate hepatitis C treatment courses over time and trends by patient and prescriber characteristics from 2013–2025. Prescriptions rose rapidly after direct-acting antivirals first became available, peaking in 2015, but then declined sharply through 2025.
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NewsGlobal Virus Network awards education and training grants to advance next-generation virology research and pandemic preparedness
The Global Virus Network (GVN) today announced the recipients of $90,000 in 2025 Education and Training Grants, supporting emerging scientists and institutions advancing translational virology, genomic surveillance, data-driven preparedness, and global health equity.
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NewsEuropean Region misses 1 in 5 TB cases: WHO Europe and ECDC publish new joint surveillance report
The European Region continues to fall short of regional and global End TB milestones on two fronts: a persistent detection challenge, with one in five TB cases going undiagnosed or unreported, and drug-resistance levels that remain far higher than in other regions.
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NewsDigital early warning systems essential as old diseases like cholera resurge in global crisis zones
A new critical analysis examines how the convergence of climate change, economic collapse, and conflict is bringing back a preventable disease once thought to be under control.
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NewsBird flu risk to Danish cattle – new tool can warn farmers before infection spreads
Researchers have developed a tool that can predict where and when the risk of infection is highest. The tool is based on infection data from the U.S. outbreaks and adapted to a Danish context.
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NewsClimate change is fueling disease outbreaks
Researchers analyzed the connection between a cyclone in Peru and a massive outbreak of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease that can cause fever, rash, and life-threatening symptoms like hemorrhage and shock. Their findings reveal that warmer, wetter weather linked to climate change is making disease epidemics more likely.