Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hundreds Of People Across 18 States Infected With Severe Stomach Illness
The New York Times: Clusters Of Severe Stomach Illness Reported Across The U.S.
More than 400 people across 18 states have been infected with cyclospora, a parasite that is transmitted through food and water contaminated with feces and causes stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhea. At least 20 people have been hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and no deaths have been reported. New York, Texas, Illinois and Michigan have the most cases so far, according to the C.D.C. and state health officials. (Rabin, 7/2)
CNN: Early, Intense West Nile Season May Signal A Severe Year For The Mosquito-Borne Illness, CDC Says
Much of the country is sizzling under record heat, but Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease specialist in Houston, is heading out for his early morning walks as covered up as possible in a t-shirt, a hooded sweatshirt, a hat, sweatpants, socks and sneakers. It’s not the heat he worries about so much as the mosquitoes. (Goodman, 7/2)
On the threats posed by ticks —
CIDRAP: Increase Of Tick-Borne Diseases In Illinois Highlights The Need To Prevent Tick Bites Year Round
More than 6,400 Illinois residents were diagnosed as having a tick-borne disease from 2004 to 2022, with cases occurring in every county in the state and in every month of the year. That number represents dramatic growth in human cases of tick-borne diseases during that time and reflects the urgency of prevention efforts, according to a new study in Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. (Bergeson, 7/2)
Vermont Public: A Once Rare Tickborne Illness Is On The Rise. This UVM Researcher Is Chasing A Cure
A blood parasite spread by deer ticks is on the rise across New England, and most of the existing treatments for it don’t work well in people who are immunocompromised. But a researcher at the University of Vermont has isolated a few drugs he thinks could change that, and this summer secured a $150,000 grant from the Bay Area Lyme Foundation to test them in mice, in hopes of developing the first-ever therapy created specifically to treat the condition babesiosis. (Giles, 7/2)
NBC News: More People Than Thought May Be At Risk For Red Meat Allergy Caused By Ticks
Far more people may be at risk for alpha-gal syndrome, the tick-borne illness that triggers an allergy to red meat, than previously thought. Nearly a quarter of adults in five states where lone star ticks are prevalent are estimated to show signs that they’ve been bitten, according to new research published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Edwards, 7/2)
On candida auris, norovirus, and hantavirus —
NBC News: Drug-Resistant Fungus Candida Auris Still On The Rise In The U.S.
A potentially deadly type of fungus that is almost untreatable continues to pose severe threats to healthcare facilities across the U.S., a new government study found. (Alvino, 7/3)
The Hill: Ruby Princess Cruise Ship Docked In San Francisco Hit By Norovirus Outbreak
A Princess Cruises cruise ship docked in San Francisco has seen an outbreak of norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC said that 102 out of the over 3,000 passengers onboard the Ruby Princess have been affected, along with 23 crewmembers. Symptoms for those who have become ill include diarrhea and vomiting. (Baker, 7/2)
The New York Times: Deadly MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak Is Over, W.H.O. Says
The reported illnesses this spring initially looked like the spread of a typical stomach bug on a luxury ocean liner, but the situation quickly escalated to a fatal outbreak of hantavirus, a rare rodent-borne pathogen, leading to weekslong quarantines for the ship’s passengers and a global health alert. But the outbreak is now over, the World Health Organization announced on Thursday. Overall, there were 12 confirmed cases and one probable case aboard the cruise ship, including three deaths. (Hassan, 7/2)
The latest about the Ebola outbreak —
CIDRAP: Clinical Trial For Ebola Therapies Begins In DR Congo
As cases and deaths in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continue to climb, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today that the first patient been treated in a clinical trial for two antiviral therapies. The randomized platform trial will evaluate whether the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, alone or in combination, can improve survival in patients of any age with confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease. Bundibugyo virus, the strain responsible for the outbreak, has no licensed therapeutics or vaccines. (Dall, 7/2)
CNBC: Ebola Outbreak: Experts Say USAID Closure Made Virus Harder To Contain
An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in central Africa has been exacerbated by cuts to U.S. and Western foreign support, experts say, a year after Washington slashed its international aid operations. (Taylor, 7/6)
Bloomberg: France’s First Ebola Patient Has Recovered, Health Minister Says
A doctor who was diagnosed with Ebola in France last month after doing humanitarian work in the Democratic Republic of Congo has recovered and left the hospital. The patient has returned home, French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said in a statement on Saturday, according to AFP. (Cohen, 7/4)
