Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
At Least 19 Valley Fever Cases Confirmed After California Music Event
San Francisco Chronicle: Confirmed Valley Fever Cases Surge After California Music Festival
The number of festivalgoers who developed a potentially deadly fungal infection after attending Lightning in a Bottle near Bakersfield has quadrupled, according to the California Department of Public Health. As of Aug. 21, there were at least 19 confirmed cases of Valley fever among attendees and workers at the festival, eight of whom were hospitalized. (Vaziri, 9/3)
The Hill: California Drought Fuels Spread Of Dangerous Valley Fever Fungus, Study Finds
Climate changed-induced drought conditions have been driving the dispersal of a dangerous airborne fungus across California in recent years, a new study has found. Cases of the flu-like disease coccidioidomycosis — also known as “Valley fever” — have risen dramatically over the past two decades, tripling from 2014 to 2018 and again from 2018 to 2022, according to the study, published Tuesday in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas. While the disease can cause grave or even deadly complications, the authors said they have identified certain seasonal patterns that could help public health officials prepare for future surges. (Udasin, 9/3)
On West Nile virus —
The Boston Globe: Mass. Public Health Officials Confirm 2 More Human Cases Of West Nile Virus For A Total Of 6
Two more Massachusetts men have been exposed to the West Nile virus in Suffolk and Middlesex counties, taking the state from four to six human cases so far this year and matching the total reached in 2023, state health officials announced Tuesday. Risk levels for the mosquito-borne virus have been elevated in several communities throughout the state, the state Department of Public Health said in a statement. (Alanez, 9/3)
WABE: West Nile Virus Found In Metro Atlanta, Cases Rise In Georgia
Health officials are urging people to take precautions after mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus have been identified in parts of Georgia. At least a half dozen Georgians contracted West Nile virus as of Aug. 27, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with at least two of the infected individuals living in Dekalb and Fulton counties. (Mador, 9/3)
ABC News: As Mosquito-Borne Illnesses Spread, Here's How To Tell West Nile, Dengue And EEE Apart
Experts who spoke with ABC News said some of the uptick is due to the "randomness" regarding which seasons have a greater number of cases than others, coupled with the general rise in mosquito-borne viruses during the summer and early fall months. Here are some ways to tell the difference between West Nile, EEE, and dengue. (Kekatos, 9/3)
On Lyme disease —
CIDRAP: FDA Clears New Lyme Disease Test
Diagnostics company ID-Fish Technology announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its new Lyme disease test. The iDart Lyme IgG ImmunoBlot Kit is a stand-alone test for detecting Lyme-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies that includes 31 Lyme antigen bands, more than any other Lyme test on the market. (9/3)
Fierce Biotech: Pfizer, Valneva Show Lyme Disease Shot Effective For 2nd Booster
Pfizer and Valneva may have about two more years to wait before they make the first approval filing to the FDA for a Lyme disease vaccine, but that hasn’t stopped the companies collecting more positive data in the meantime. The multivalent protein subunit vaccine, dubbed VLA15, is currently in a pair of phase 3 trials the companies hope will provide the backbone for a filing to the FDA and European regulators sometime in 2026. There are currently no approved vaccines for Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that is spread via the bite of an infected tick. (Waldron, 9/3)
