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Bioterror surveillance uneven from state to state
What is even worse than being a subject to bioterror attack? Answer: Being subject to such an attack in Mississippi; state is among six states scoring the worst scores on compatibility with CDC’s National Electronic Disease Surveillance System
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Two more bird flu deaths in Egypt
Egypt’s location on major bird migration routes and the wide-spread practice of keeping domestic fowl near living quarters have helped make the country the hardest-hit country outside of Asia
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Communication's last mile especially vulnerable to pandemic
As much as 40 percent of the U.S. workforce would be unable to go to work during peak periods of an outbreak, “and you don’t get to pick which 40 percent that could be,” says Greg Garcia, DHS’s assistant secretary of cybersecurity and communications
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Two stillbirths lead to food warnings
Two recent stillbirths in North Carolina prompt health officials to issue a warning regarding eating habits of pregnant women; cold cuts and soft cheeses may expose pregnant women to the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes
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Nanocavity sensor capable of detecting virus-sized particles
University of Rochester researchers develop a nanoscale device capable of detecting one quadrillionth of a gram of biological matter, which is about the size of many viruses
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Epidemic preparedness varies widely from state to state
If an epidemic breaks out in the United States, you don’t want to find yourself in Arkansas or Mississippi: Research organization scores states’ epidemic preparedness level, and these two states brought up the rear
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New, quick test for dehydration
In-the-field exertions by soldiers and first responders may cause dehydration, the result of fluid loss of only a few percent of body weight; Philips offers a transducer which measures how much the skin deforms when sucked — a clear indication of dehydration
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Debate intensifies over London's biotech super-lab
U.K. prime minister Gordon Brown unveiled an ambitious project — a £500 million biolab facility next to the reopened St. Pancras station, which will house some 1,500 scientists who now work in several different labs; the project has its critics: London city hall wants low-income housing to be built on the site; some scientists argue that centralization of research is not good for science; and citizens worry about dangerous pathogens accidentally released in a populated area
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Influenza pandemic could cost Canadian economy $9 billion
Over half of Canadian critical industry workers may not show up to work during a flu pandemic
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U.K. anthrax death attributed to handling West African drums
One source of anthrax infection is untreated animal hides; in West Africa, untreated skins of cattle, sheep, and goats are used to make drums; musicians who use these drums are susceptible to infection; in the U.S., three cases of drum-related anthrax infection were reported
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Dutch health insurance database easily accessible
The Dutch Vecozo medical database is used by Dutch health care workers to make payments easier and to check Dutch medical insurance data; trouble is, at least 80,000 people are able to search the database, which contains personal information about nearly every Dutch citizen
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Critical infrastructure employees to receive vaccine in influenza pandemic
HHS, CDC, and other government agencies conduct three-day public discussion on how to prioritize allocation of vaccine during an influenza pandemic; majority of discussants emphasize need to distribute vaccines first to employees in critical infrastructure
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China worries about outbreaks of bird flu over winter and spring
Two members of the same family are infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu in the first case in China since June; China has the world’s biggest poultry population and millions of backyard birds, and the authorities are worried
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Growing concerns about Chinese apple juice imports
In 1996, the United States imported 4.5 million gallons of apple juice concentrate from China; in 2005, 249.54 million gallons were imported; there is growing concern about what goes into these concentrates
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Self-powered biosensor sniffs out danger
University of Glasgow students win prestigious competition with a device which can sniff out pollution and then generate its own electricity to set off an early-warning system
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The long view
Plum Island, 1954-2026: A Requiem
Plum Island is an 840-acre island in the Long Island Sound, just off Long Island’s North Fork (New York), a short distance from Connecticut. It has been federally owned since the 19th century and was long home to the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC), a research laboratory focused on foreign animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease.
Plum Island: A History
The history of Plum Island is rich and varied, with changing times, historical context, and national challenges changing the use of the island and its purpose.