Fungal Blastomycosis Infections, Once Thought Rare, Appear Across US
The infection, which can be tricky to diagnose, had been thought to mainly occur in the northern Midwest and parts of the Southeast — but it's actually more widespread, a new study found. Also in the news, Robitussin products are recalled nationwide over contamination issues.
NBC News:
A Rare Fungal Infection Is Popping Up In An Unexpected Part Of The U.S.
A rare fungal infection thought to mainly occur in the northern Midwest and parts of the Southeast is more common in other parts of the U.S. than expected, new research published Wednesday finds. The illness, called blastomycosis, can be difficult to diagnose, in part because it can resemble other respiratory infections. And the longer it goes undiagnosed, the more difficult it is to treat. (Sullivan, 1/24)
In other news about respiratory illnesses —
The Hill:
Robitussin Products Recalled Nationwide Due To Microbial Contamination
Robitussin manufacturer, Haleon, is voluntarily recalling eight lots of its cough syrup due to microbial contamination, the manufacturer announced Wednesday. There have been no reports of adverse events related to this recall, Haleon said in its statement. The recall includes six lots of Robitussin Honey CF Max Day Adult, 4 oz. and 8 oz., and two lots of Robitussin Honey CF Max Adult, in 8 oz. (Fortinsky, 1/24)
CBS News:
Study: Flu Vaccination During Pregnancy Decreases Flu Hospitalizations And ER Visits In Young Infants
UPMC Children's Hospital took part in a new study that found that if pregnant women get the flu vaccine, it dramatically reduces the chance their newborn will go to the ER or be hospitalized for the flu. Children's was one of seven hospitals around the country that studied how the flu vaccine in pregnant moms protected newborns who can't get the flu vaccine until they're 6 months old. They found it reduced hospitalizations or ER visits in young babies by about a third, and for the youngest infants under 3 months old, it went down by half. (Sorensen, 1/24)
On covid —
Stat:
Immunocompromised Patients Offer Clues On Chronic Covid
You’ve heard of long Covid, a condition in which the acute infection subsides but troubling symptoms persist. Less well known is chronic Covid: The virus just doesn’t leave, sometimes staying in patients’ bodies long enough to mutate into new variants. This happens to people whose immune systems are compromised, whether through disease or treatment, leaving them vulnerable to infections that last weeks, months, or, in one known case, a year. (Cooney, 1/24)
CIDRAP:
Chinese Study Suggests COVID Temporarily Affects Sperm Quality
A new small study of 85 men in China shows COVID-19 infections do impact semen quality, but only temporarily. The study is published in Virology Journal. (Soucheray, 1/24)
CIDRAP:
Review Reveals Poor Outcomes For Diabetes Patients Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Rates of death, vision loss, and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions among diabetes patients spiked during the pandemic, finds a systematic review of 138 studies from around the world. (Van Beusekom, 1/24)
On dengue, malaria, and 'zombie' viruses —
Reuters:
South America Dengue Spike Prompts Vaccination Drive As Bug Spray Runs Out
South America is seeing a surge in cases of the mosquito-borne disease dengue during the southern hemisphere summer, prompting Brazil to roll out a novel vaccine campaign, while in Argentina many stores have run out of bug spray. With 2023 already having set a record for dengue cases in the region, Argentina has seen a sharp spike in the disease that's endemic in much of Latin America. While often asymptomatic, dengue can be fatal. (Brito and Elliott, 1/25)
NPR:
Malaria Vaccine Brings Surprise Benefit To Children
The rollout of malaria vaccines in Africa – the world's first routine immunization program against this mosquito-borne disease – has raised excitement for a surprising reason. The vaccine reduces all kinds of deaths among children – not just malaria deaths – by 13%. This RTS,S vaccine is "not only a huge step forward for malaria control but also a major advancement in child health," says Dr. Mary Hamel, the World Health Organization's senior technical officer on malaria, in an email interview with NPR. (Bajaj, 1/24)
Fox News:
‘Arctic Zombie Viruses’ Could Be Released By Climate Change From Thawing Permafrost, Some Scientists Claim
Some scientists are warning of the potential for "Arctic zombie viruses" in Siberia, according to reports. The claim is that as climate change causes the Arctic permafrost to thaw, it will release ancient viruses that could put people at risk of disease. National Geographic defines "permafrost" as "a permanently frozen layer below Earth’s surface [that] consists of soil, gravel and sand, usually bound together by ice." ... "It is now clear that a significant proportion of prehistorical viruses can remain infectious for even longer periods of time," Claverie wrote. (Rudy, 1/25)
