The bird flu virus was detected in a retail sample of raw milk from a California-based dairy farm as cases continue to rise across the state, health officials announced. The contaminated sample came from Fresno-based Raw Farm, the largest producer and retailer of raw dairy in California. The tainted sample was detected by officials from … Read more
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday confirmed the country’s first case of H5N1 bird flu infection in a child, who experienced mild symptoms and is recovering from their illness. California’s public health department had reported the case on Tuesday, but said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus. … Read more
Scientists have discovered a surprising silver lining of COVID-19 infection. A new study by researchers at Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, revealed a correlation between COVID-19 infection and cancer regression. Though doctors at Northwestern University warned that the research is still in early stages, they’re hopeful that more tests could lead … Read more
An Iowa resident is believed to have died from Lassa fever, a rarely seen virus in the US that causes one in three cases to suffer permanent hearing loss and 95% of infected pregnant women to miscarry. The patient, who hasn’t been publicly identified, had recently traveled to West Africa where the virus originates and … Read more
You may need a shower after hearing the results of this eye-opening study. Northwestern University researchers identified more than 600 different viruses on 92 showerhead and 34 toothbrush samples — and no two samples were alike. “The number of viruses that we found is absolutely wild,” said indoor microbiologist Erica M. Hartmann, who led the study. “We … Read more
Marburg virus disease has killed 11 people and sickened 25 others in Rwanda, which declared an outbreak on Sept. 27. Similar to Ebola, the rare but very severe illness can be fatal in up to 88% of people who become sick depending on the viral strain and management of the case. That’s why German authorities … Read more
Fall has arrived — but the mosquitoes haven’t left. A New York resident who tested positive last week for a rare mosquito-borne illness has died, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday as State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald declared Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) an imminent threat to public health. The unidentified Ulster County patient, the state’s first … Read more
US wastewater samples are showing an alarming increase in a respiratory virus that has been linked to polio-like symptoms. Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) can lead to acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), which can cause weakness or paralysis, typically in kids. “We are detecting EV-D68 nucleic acids in wastewater across the country now, and the levels are increasing,” … Read more
Scientists are warning of a new virus discovered in China that spreads to humans through tick bites, with the potential to cause problems in the brain. Wetland virus (WELV) was initially detected in a 61-year-old man who reported being bit by ticks at a park in a large wetland in northern China. The unidentified patient … Read more
They’re giving props to nasal drops. UK researchers say that hypertonic saline nasal drops can shorten a kid’s cold by two days and reduce the risk of family members getting sick too. Kids have up to 10 to 12 upper respiratory tract infections a year, the researchers said. AntonioDiaz – stock.adobe.com “Children have up to … Read more
A New Hampshire resident who tested positive for the mosquito-borne infection eastern equine encephalitis virus has died, health authorities in the state said. The Hampstead resident’s infection was the first in the state in a decade, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday. The resident, whom the department only identified as an adult, … Read more
This week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, revealed that he was recovering from West Nile virus. Fauci, 83 was hospitalized for six days and is now recuperating at home. “A full recovery is expected,” his spokesperson said, according to the Washington Post. What is West Nile virus … Read more
An African man who contracted a contagious new strain of mpox known as Clade 1b is speaking out about the harrowing symptoms of the viral infection. Egide Irambona, 40, is currently being treated at a hospital in his home country of Burundi, as Africa’s mpox outbreak continues, sparking fears of another global pandemic. Last week, … Read more
A rare deadly equine virus that can be transmitted to humans, killing about 30% of people afflicted, has been spotted in several Hudson Valley counties and surrounding states. An elderly Massachusetts man was recently infected, and the virus has killed a horse in Orange County, according to health officials. The Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEE) … Read more
A potentially deadly virus known as “sloth fever” has US officials on alert after Florida reported 20 travel-related cases, including nine last week. Oropouche virus (OROV) is spread through the bites of infected small flies and mosquitoes. It’s common in parts of South America, though Florida noted that its 20 cases — the first in … Read more
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory this week to healthcare providers and the public following an increase in human parvovirus B19 cases. Here’s what you need to know about the virus, how it is spread and treated and who is at high risk. What is parvovirus B19? The Centers … Read more
A seventh person has essentially been cured of HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant nearly a decade ago, doctors announced Thursday. The 60-year-old unidentified German man was suffering from acute myeloid leukemia when he underwent the risky procedure to replace his unhealthy bone marrow in October 2015. He quit taking anti-retroviral drugs — which … Read more
Children born with a common viral infection are nearly 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a new study finds. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is part of the herpes family of viruses. It spreads through body fluids like blood, saliva and urine, and it’s usually harmless in healthy people. Around a third … Read more
A British content creator on vacation in Bali thought she had come down with the flu — but she had actually contracted dengue fever, a viral infection spread by mosquitoes that can be fatal if left untreated. “I genuinely thought I had the flu, and I was expecting it to go fairly quickly,” Emma Cox, … Read more
Bird flu has come to roost in the concrete jungle. A highly pathogenic strain of avian flu has been circulating among New York City’s feathered friends for years, a group of scientists say. And it means that pet owners should be on alert. The New York City Virus Hunters have found the avian flu in … Read more