-
South Korean avian flu situation worsens
In less than two weeks, South Korea has confirmed eleven cases of the deadly H5N1 strain, which had been contained in the southwest of the country, some 200 miles south of Seoul
-
-
Scientists create first successful avian flu virus antibodies libraries
Libraries were developed using samples from survivors of the 2005-6 bird flu outbreak in Turkey; antibody libraries hold the promise for developing a therapy to stop a pandemic in its tracks and provide treatment to those infected, as well as pointing the way toward the development of a universal flu vaccine
-
-
Researchers develop nasal anthrax vaccine
Current FDA-approved vaccine is given as an injection and must be administered in three doses, scheduled two weeks apart; then, to remain effective, booster shots must be given at six, twelve, and eighteen months, and then again each year after for maximum protection; University of Rochester researchers “detoxify” the one of the three toxic proteins of anthrax in an effort to simplify vaccination process
-
-
Anxiety: Human-to-human bird flu infection in China
A 24-year old man in China probably infected his father with the H5N1 strain of bird flu before dying, renewing concerns that the disease may soon spread easily among humans
-
-
Russian official warns of bird flu risk
Russia needs to take steps to prevent a human pandemic from bird flu, a government health official said
-
-
Water monitoring system to be demonstrated in Congress technology fair
The House Committee on Homeland Security is holding a homeland security technology fair at the Rayburn building on Wednesday; a water bioterror monitoring system will be on display, and caught our eye
-
-
Colorado city shuts down water supply because of salmonella poisoning
City orders shut down of water supply after many residents become ill; water supply to be treated for several days with concentrated chlorine, with residents restricted to bottled water and a no-shower regimen
-
-
Long Island restaurant employee discovered with typhoid fever
A Long Island pizzeria employee worked for three days while infected before symptoms showed; health authorities say about 100 may be at “low risk” of infection
-
-
CDC enlists U Indiana in epidemic information sharing, bioterror response
Indiana University awarded $2.6 million to bolster the ability of local, state, and federal agencies ability to share data and information on the outbreak of epidemics
-
-
Pandemic flu may be well mitigated until vaccine is available
New study shows that high levels of compliance, ascertainment, and social distancing would make it possible to mitigate a flu pandemic until a vaccine is available
-
-
Toxic newts lose war against immune-enhanced garter snakes
A newt is armed with a poison so deadly that a single animal can kill a dozen people; garter snakes, the newt’s main predator, have developed resistance to the poison; researchers say this does not bode well for humans: Our bodies may develop resistance which would make medications ineffective
-
-
U.S. water supply contaminated by pharmaceuticals
There are 302 million people in the United States, but over the past five years, the number of U.S. prescriptions rose 12 percent to a record 3.7 billion, while nonprescription drug purchases reached 3.3 billion; ingredients of these medications find their way to, and contaminate, the U.S. water supply; federal, state, and local governments do not regulate medical discharges into drinking water
-
-
New sensor detects airborne pathogens
MIT lab develops an advanced sensor for airborne pathogen; current sensors take at least twenty minutes to detect harmful bacteria or viruses in the air, but the PANTHER sensors can perform detection and identification in less than three minutes
-
-
Killing bugs dead
A new device, based on the old-fashioned mechanical air-pump technology, destroys airborne pathogens by rapidly heating contaminated air under pressure and mechanically compressing it
-
-
FSIS exemplifies growing inadequacy of U.S. food inspection regime
Decline and fall: In FY 1981, FSIS spent $13.22 per thousand pounds of meat and poultry inspected and passed; by FY 2007, the figure had fallen to $8.26 per thousand pounds; in FY 1981 FSIS employed about 190 workers per billion pounds of meat and poultry inspected and passed; by FY 2007, FSIS employed fewer than 88 workers per billion pounds
-
The long view
50,000 Benghazis, 109 Katrinas: U.S. COVID-19 Death in Perspective
The United States now counts over 200,000 dead in direct connection with the novel coronavirus. Elizabeth Hunt Brockway writes that to grasp the enormity of this figure, we need to see how this massive number stacks up to Pearl Harbor, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and other iconic events of mass death, suffering, and pain seared into the American collective conscience.
Covid-19 Kills – but So Does Lockdown
Just over six months ago Boris Johnson gave the British people a clear instruction: “You must stay at home.” Professor Karl Sikora writes that it was impossible for anybody to anticipate the unintended consequences of those five words and quite how much pain and anguish they would unleash. “No computer model nor brilliant epidemiologist can fully estimate the sheer long-term destruction lockdowns have caused,” Sikora says, adding: “This is not an argument for a fundamental shift in strategy, those debates have been had. “This is a plea for more balance.”