May 19, 2013

Research and Policy

May 8, 2013

Togo En Route To Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination

By Katharina Schwan

Togo, a small country in West Africa sandwiched between Ghana and Benin, may become the first Sub-Saharan African country to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF), a neglected tropical disease (NTD)...

May 6, 2013

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New Findings on Bacteria in Ground Turkey Have Industry Up in Arms

By Lauren Edmundson

In its debut lab analysis study, Consumer Reports magazine reveals disturbing findings about ground turkey sold in retail stores across America. Reportedly, over fifty percent of the 257 samples...

turkey, ground turkey, antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, bacteria, e. coli

Apr 19, 2013

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Los Angeles to Give Free Meningitis Vaccines

By Lauren Edmundson

Officials in Los Angeles County have started offering the meningitis vaccine for free to low-income and uninsured people in response to recent cases of the deadly disease. So far, there have been...

meningitis, vaccine, los angeles

Apr 12, 2013

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Polio To Be Eradicated By 2018?

By Lauren Edmundson

The new Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan, released on April 11, 2013 and developed by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, has committed signatories to eradicate polio by 2018. Over...

polio, eradication

Apr 10, 2013

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Coronavirus Steals Media Spotlight with Promising New Research

By David Scales

Amidst all the articles on H7N9 in China, the novel coronavirus (nCoV) is making headlines again. While the number of cases continues to trickle upward, there has been rapid progress in developing...

coronavirus, nCOV, SARS, animal models, research

Apr 9, 2013

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New Research on HIV Antibodies: Is a Vaccine in Sight?

By Lauren Edmundson

Researchers are taking a new approach to combat HIV; rather than focus on the virus, scientists are now looking at patients for an answer. Specifically, researchers are looking at those who have...

HIV, AIDS, vaccine, antibody, antibodies

Mar 29, 2013

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New Malaria Drug: A Step Towards Eradication?

By Lauren Edmundson

Malaria prevention and eradication has long been a goal of health officials around the world. New research shows promise: a compound with the potential to simultaneously treat and prevent malaria...

malaria, drug, vaccine, mosquito, resistance, antibiotic resistance

Mar 22, 2013

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Tuberculosis: A Persistent Cough

By Jason Hayes

The disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a strain of mycobacteria, has many names. Over the last two millennia, we’ve called it phthisis, the White Plague, consumption, tuberculosis, and,...

Tuberculosis, TB, World TB Day, WHO

Mar 21, 2013

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Water, Water Everywhere, Only if We Share: United Nations Celebrates World Water Day

By Steven Purcell

“Water, water, everywhere, and not drop to drink” is a phase adapted from Samuel Taylor’s 18th century poem ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’. Though the thirsty sailor’s lament may perhaps only be...

water, United Nations, water-borne disease, cholera

Mar 15, 2013

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U.S. Stockpile of Costly Smallpox Drug Deemed Unnecessary by Experts

By Lauren Edmundson

The U.S. government received its first shipment of an order of 2 million doses of smallpox medication last week. The government is stockpiling the drug to be used in the event of a bioterrorist...

smallpox, vaccine, United States, WHO

Mar 12, 2013

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A Crucial Push for Improved Global Health Statistics

By Alex Ocampo

How many people worldwide suffer from malaria? How many children died last year in Bolivia and of what causes? Which clinics in the developing world have adequate medicines? The haunting answer to...

disease burden, global, IHME, WHO

Mar 8, 2013

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HIV Cure in Mississippi?

By Lauren Edmundson

Doctors in Mississippi are believed to have cured an infant of HIV by initiating high-dosage treatment with antiretroviral (ARV) drugs within hours after birth. If this treatment success can be...

HIV, AIDS, Mississippi, cure

Mar 8, 2013

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International Women's Day: Searching for Equality in STEM Fields

By Jane Huston

March 8th marks International Women’s Day, a day to commemorate the achievements of women and raise awareness of persisting gender inequalities in the world. The day was first celebrated in the...

Mar 1, 2013

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Rubella Vaccine Campaign Ready to Launch in Rwanda

By Lauren Edmundson

Donors plan to launch a measles and rubella vaccine campaign in Rwanda after previous successes with the measles vaccine. This will be the first instance of a nationwide rubella vaccine campaign...

Rwanda, vaccine, measles, rubella

Mar 1, 2013

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Who Will Pay for Cholera in Haiti?

By Amy Hansen

The United Nations (UN) last week rejected a legal claim for compensation to Haitian cholera victims and families, citing diplomatic immunity. The diplomatic immunity granted to UN officials...

Haiti, cholera, United Nations

Feb 28, 2013

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Microorganisms in Microgravity: Spaceflight Experiments Reveal New Properties of Pathogens

By Steven Purcell

The International Space Station (ISS), orbiting some 220 miles above earth at a speed of 17,000 miles per hour, is a modern marvel and the pride of national space agencies around the world. With...

space, research, infectious disease, salmonella

Feb 26, 2013

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Creating Connections: How Transportation Data can Predict Pandemics

By Katharina Schwan

A historical look at the bubonic plague’s trail of terror across Europe in the 1300s reveals interesting epidemiological data when compared to modern-day pandemics, such as SARS or the 2009 swine...

data, transportation, pandemic, epidemic, Digital Disease Detection

Feb 12, 2013

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First New Tuberculosis Vaccine Trial in Nearly a Century Yields Disappointing Results

By Steven Purcell

The first major study in nearly a century intended to test a new tuberculosis vaccine in infants was ineffective. The ‘MVA85A’ vaccine had been the most promising candidate among multiple TB...

Tuberculosis, vaccine, trial, BCG, south africa

Feb 11, 2013

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At Least Nine Polio Workers Killed in Nigeria

By David Scales

On Friday, Feb. 8, at least nine young women working on a polio vaccination campaign were targeted and killed by gunmen in two separate incidents in Kano, the regional capital of Northern Nigeria....

Nigeria, polio, Pakistan, Taliban, Boko Haram, vaccine, vaccination, eradication

Feb 8, 2013

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First Cases of Vaccine-Resistant Whooping Cough Found in United States

By Lauren Edmundson

In a letter to the editor published in the New England Journal of Medicine, doctors have identified twelve cases of pertussis that do not respond to the pertussis vaccine. The samples were...

whooping cough, pertussis, vaccine, resistance, pertactin

Feb 4, 2013

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There’s No Sneezing at Flu Costs

By Catherine Stecyk

Influenza—apart from physical discomfort— brings economic consequences, as well. Experts estimate that the overall cost of influenza to the American economy exceeds $87 billion during an average...

influenza, flu, cost, medical costs

Feb 1, 2013

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HIV Vaccine Progress

By Yuki Ara

In a recent study published online by Immunity this January, researchers have been able to successfully isolate four antibodies against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from HIV vaccines after a...

HIV, AIDS, trial, vaccine, clinical trial

Feb 1, 2013

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Study Links Orchards with Mosquitoes Carrying West Nile in the United States

By Lauren Edmundson

A new study published in the journal PLOS ONE has found a link between West Nile virus prevalence and land use, climate and wildlife populations in the northwest United States. The authors...

west nile virus, WNV, mosquito, orchard

Jan 25, 2013

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New Tool to Reduce HIV Transmission: Thinner Syringes

By Lauren Edmundson

New research published in the International Journal of Drug Policy suggests that widespread use of thinner syringes could reduce HIV transmission among injection drug users who share syringes....

syringe, needle, HIV, drugs

Jan 25, 2013

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A New Vaccine With Boutique-y Bacteria

By Jason Hayes

An article in this month’s issue of PNAS indicates that scientists successfully engineered a new tool that may change the way we design vaccines. Brittany Needham and her colleagues at the...

vaccine, bacteria, endotoxin

Dec 21, 2012

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Thimerosal To Return To Vaccines?

By Anna Tomasulo

In a press release from Dec. 17, the American Academy of Pediatrics endorsed the World Health Organization’s recommendation that thimersol, an organomercurial compound used as a preservative,...

mercury, vaccine, thimerosal, american academy of pediatrics, immunization

Dec 19, 2012

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Dengue On The Rise In Europe

written by Elaine Nsoesie A recent outbreak of dengue in Madeira has resulted in a flurry of articles and reports. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC),...

Dengue, Europe, HealthMap

Dec 12, 2012

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Cluster of Deadly Fungal Infection Investigated in Post-Tornado Joplin, Missouri

By Steven Purcell

On May 22, 2011, the town of Joplin, Missouri was ravaged by a tornado that left nearly 160 dead and over 1000 injured. Of the injured, was a subset of 13 individuals suffering from a rare fungal...

Joplin, fungi, mucormycosis, New England Journal of Medicine

Dec 10, 2012

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New Method to Diagnose Malaria

By Adham Abdel Mottalib

Thanks to a team of researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark, it is now possible to conduct a highly sensitive malaria diagnosis from a single drop of blood or saliva. This research was...

malaria, mosquito, testing, diagnosis

Nov 28, 2012

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CDC Celebrates Antibiotic Resistance Awareness

By Katharina Schwan

Nietzsche was right, though “that which does not kill bacteria makes them stronger” may have been more accurate. Seventy years ago, the advent of antibiotics presented humans with an unparalleled...

antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, foodborne

Nov 27, 2012

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New Recommendation: HIV Testing for Everyone Aged 15-65

By Lauren Edmundson

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released a draft recommendation that all individuals aged 15-65 get tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It also recommends that people...

HIV, AIDS, testing

Nov 21, 2012

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From Pigs to Monkeys, Ebola Goes Airborne

By Jane Huston

When news broke that the Ebola virus had resurfaced in Uganda, investigators in Canada were making headlines of their own with research indicating the deadly virus may spread between species,...

Ebola, pigs, macaque

Nov 8, 2012

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Human Trials for Ebola Vaccine?

By Jason Hayes

Recent Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda underscore a persistent challenge about the terrifying little virus: we don’t yet know how to prevent it. In fact, we only...

Oct 30, 2012

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New HIV Test is Ten Times Cheaper, More Sensitive

By Lauren Edmundson

A study published in Nature Nanotechnology on Oct. 28 reports the invention of an HIV test that is ten times cheaper and more sensitive than existing tests. Once widely available, this test could...

HIV, test, diagnostic, London

Oct 26, 2012

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TB Rates Fall, But Many Hurdles Remain

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

The WHO published its annual Global Tuberculosis Report 2012 last week, providing a recap of the latest data and analysis regarding the tuberculosis epidemic. The nearly 300-page document...

Tuberculosis, WHO, global report, drug resistant

Oct 22, 2012

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DRC and Ugandan Muslims Banned from Mecca for Fear of Ebola and Cholera

By Lauren Edmundson

The Saudi Arabian government has banned people from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from making this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca because of the recent cholera and Ebola epidemics...

Hajj, Mecca, cholera, Ebola, Uganda, DR Congo, Saudi Arabia

Oct 10, 2012

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Prevent Flu This Season with Vaccines and Digital Tools

By Lauren Edmundson

With the start of October, flu season has arrived, and the CDC has recommended that everyone six months of age and older get a vaccine before activity increases. The flu season typically lasts from...

flu, influenza, vaccine, flu near you, vaccine finder

Oct 3, 2012

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Gene Sleuths Identify Novel Hemorrhagic Fever Virus

By Katharina Schwan

In 2009, a fifteen-year-old boy walked into a rural health clinic in western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) displaying symptoms of acute hemorrhagic fever, such as a severe nosebleed and...

hemorrhagic fever, DR Congo, virus

Oct 1, 2012

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Gene Might Hold a Clue for Why HIV Progresses in Some But Not Others

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

UC San Diego researchers have discovered that a gene found in some human cells can inhibit HIV from replicating – perhaps shedding light on why some people with HIV progress to AIDS more rapidly...

HIV/AIDS, gene, schlafen 11, UC San Diego

Sep 26, 2012

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More Climate Change Woes: Avian Malaria Now Found in the Arctic

By Katharina Schwan

For the first time, scientists were able to confirm that Plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria, exists and is transmissible in the frigid temperatures of the Alaskan arctic, according to a...

malaria, arctic, Alaska, parasite, birds

Sep 25, 2012

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Newly Discovered Mosquito Virus Could Lead to Vaccines and Treatments

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

Researchers have identified a previously unknown virus that could pave the way for important medical innovations against dangerous mosquito-borne pathogens. In a paper published September 4 in...

Eilat virus, malaria, mosquito, mosquito-borne illness

Sep 19, 2012

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New Malaria-Carrying Mosquito Found in Kenya

By Anna Tomasulo

Malaria is transmitted to humans by Anopheles mosquitoes. Within the Anopheles genus (“genus” being a group of organisms with common characteristics), there are approximately 430 species. Of those...

malaria, mosquito, anopheles, Kenya

Sep 19, 2012

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England Launches Controversial Badger Cull to Stop Bovine TB

By Lauren Edmundson

Officials in England have issued the first license for a cull of the badger population in Gloucestershire following an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis. It is expected that additional licenses will...

Bovine TB, Tuberculosis, Cow, badger, cull, cattle, England

Sep 14, 2012

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Dengue Vaccine Candidate Falls Short in Clinical Trial

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

The full results of a clinical trial testing a potential dengue vaccine were published Tuesday in the Lancet, in a study that both disappointed and encouraged researchers. The vaccine developed...

vaccine, Dengue, vaccine trial, Thailand, Sanofi Pasteur

Sep 13, 2012

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Ethnic Disparities in Flu Vaccine Coverage

By Katharina Schwan

Vaccine uptake has been a front-page issue over the past year, given the epidemic levels of whooping cough in some U.S. states and the upsurge of measles cases in Europe that first caused a public...

vaccine, flu, vaccination, measles, pertussis, Canada

Sep 7, 2012

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Lenient Standards Lead to More Medical Exemptions From Vaccines in Kindergartners

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

In states where medical exemptions for school vaccinations are easier to get, exemption rates are higher, according to a new study published late last month in the Journal of Infectious Diseases...

vaccine, vaccination, immunization, exemption

Aug 31, 2012

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FDA Approves Combination HIV Drug

By Lauren Edmundson

The FDA has approved a drug that combines four HIV medications in a single tablet, providing a full treatment regimen for people infected with HIV. The medication, produced by Gilead Sciences, is...

HIV, AIDS, drugs, FDA, Gilead, antiretroviral

Aug 25, 2012

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2011-2012: Year of the Bat

By Amy Hansen

The year 2011-2012 has been declared the “Year of the Bat” by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the...

bats, EUROBAT, rabies

Aug 17, 2012

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Study Shows Malaria Is Over-diagnosed in Afghanistan

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

It seems logical to think that over diagnosing an illness would not bring too much harm – better safe than sorry, right? Wrong. A study, published recently in the British Medical Journal, shows...

malaria, Afghanistan, rapid test, diagnosis, mistreatment, drug resistance

Aug 15, 2012

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FDA Approves 2012-2013 Influenza Vaccine

By Anna Tomasulo

Early this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced its approval of vaccines for the 2012 – 2013 influenza season. In a post from last year’s influenza season, The Disease Daily...

influenza, vaccine, FDA, flu, shot

Aug 9, 2012

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Malaria in Pregnancy: A Solvable Problem

By Alex Ocampo

While its infectious cycle, treatment, and prevention are well understood, malaria remains one of the most dangerous endemic infectious diseases in the world. The World Health Organization has...

malaria, pregnancy, Maternal Health Task Force, treated nets, intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy

Aug 6, 2012

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New Study Finds Rabies May Not Always Be Fatal

By Lauren Edmundson

A study published on August 1 in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene reported that rabies may not be fatal in all patients who do not receive treatment. Among the study population...

rabies, bats, peru

Jul 31, 2012

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Potential Dengue Vaccine Shows Promise in Thailand Trial

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur announced Wednesday that its dengue vaccine candidate showed significant success during a study conducted in Thailand. Roughly 4,000 children between...

Dengue, vaccine, vaccine trial, Sanofi Pasteur, Thailand

Jul 27, 2012

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New Study Names 40 Airports Most Likely to Spread Disease

By Lauren Edmundson

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently published a report that used mathematical modeling to identify the U.S. airports that, in the event of an infectious disease...

airport, infectious disease, outbreak

Jul 24, 2012

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Healthy Olympics 2012: Disease surveillance and mass gathering medicine

By Katharina Schwan

In the blockbuster Contagion, Gwyneth Paltrow travels to Hong Kong on business and returns to suburban Minneapolis with flu-like symptoms. Within days she is dead. Paltrow is the index case in a...

London, 2012, Olympics, Disease Surveillance, Health Protection Agency, HealthMap, Vector Blog

Jul 18, 2012

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Brazil Rolls Out GM Mosquito Farms

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

Brazil has opened its first-ever, large-scale genetically modified mosquito farm in an effort to reduce the incidence of dengue fever. The mosquitoes are a genetically modified (GM) version of...

Dengue, Brazil, Genetically-modified mosquito, Aedes aegypti

Jul 13, 2012

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Paul Farmer on Working With, Not For, Developing Nations

By Alex Ocampo

Dr. Paul Farmer, co-founder of Partners In Health (PIH) and Chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, had a discussion with a packed auditorium at the...

Paul Farmer, Partners in Health, Rwanda, Haiti

Jul 12, 2012

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Can Your Cat Cause Violent Behavior in Women?

By Muhammad Farid Abdul Rahman

While cats have been adored as pets for many years, these popular pets can be hosts to an interesting parasite. A Danish study published in July’s Archives of General Psychiatry examined the...

Jul 10, 2012

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The War on Drugs' HIV Epidemic

By David Bui

According to a new report released by The Global Commission on Drug Policy, punitive anti-drug policies of the war on drugs have been fueling the HIV epidemic in injection drug users. While the...

HIV, AIDS, war on drugs, injection drug use, syringe

Jul 5, 2012

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Pharmacies to Offer Free HIV Testing

By Lauren Edmundson

Last week, the CDC and Walgreens announced the launch of a pilot program to deliver free HIV tests in 24 pharmacies and retail clinics across the country. The goal of this program is to make HIV...

HIV, rapid test, pharmacy, CDC, HIV testing

Jul 3, 2012

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Healthy Olympics 2012

By Katharina Schwan

After a historic 4-0 victory for Spain in the last match of the European soccer championship, the public eagerly awaits the start of the second great athletic event of the summer: the 2012 Olympic...

Olympics, London, HPA, measles, Mass Gatherings, syndromic surveillance

Jul 2, 2012

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'Malaria-proof' Mosquitoes Bred in Laboratory

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

Scientists have developed a breed of mosquitoes that is resistant to malaria. By altering the DNA of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, scientists at the University of California produced an immune...

malaria, genetic modification, malaria resistance, plasmodium falciparum

Jun 28, 2012

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HHS Spotlights the “Silent Epidemic” During LGBTQ Pride Month

By Alex Ocampo

Prevention of viral hepatitis receives well-deserved attention this June from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in observance of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, and Queer...

LGBTQ, hepatitis, Viral Hepatits, HHS

Jun 26, 2012

Comments

New Test Detects Dengue Virus Faster

By David Bui

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new test to rapidly diagnose dengue infection in humans. The test, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, differs from...

Dengue, mosquito, diagnosis, antibody, virus, CDC

Jun 25, 2012

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A Map of the Malaria Genome

By Jason Hayes

A new paper published in Nature indicates that scientists now know more about Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest species of malaria, than ever before. Dominic Kwiatkowski and co-authors succeeded...

malaria, plasmodium falciparum, genome

Jun 22, 2012

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Did Scientists Just Discover a Cure for Ebola?

By Jane Huston

Scientists in Canada announced the successful treatment of Ebola viral infection in monkeys. The encouraging results were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine on June 13....

Ebola, vaccine

Jun 21, 2012

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FDA Approves New Vaccine to Protect Kids Against Meningitis

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

Federal regulators approved a new vaccine that could prevent bacterial meningitis in young children. Studies show that the combination vaccine, Menhibrix, protects children between six weeks and...

meningitis, Meningococcal disease, bacterial meningitis, GlaxoSmithKline, vaccine

Jun 21, 2012

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From Poor to Rich: The Migration of the Plague in the United States

By Alex Ocampo

The plague, once a disease affecting mostly lower socioeconomic communities in the United States, has made a shift to middle and upper class neighborhoods over the past decade. Today, cases of the...

plague, Yersinia pestis, rodents, New Mexico, poverty, infectious disease, CDC

Jun 20, 2012

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Number of Parents Altering Vaccine Schedules on the Rise

By Lauren Edmundson

A new report published in the journal Pediatrics shows that the number of parents delaying or limiting their children’s vaccinations more than tripled from 2006 to 2009. However, only a small...

vaccination, vaccination schedule, child vaccinations, CDC, measles

Jun 19, 2012

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Hitchhiking Virus Escapes Immune System to Fight Cancer

By David Bui

A new study published in the Science Translational Medicine journal reveals the discovery of how the reovirus, the virus associated with the common cold, may one day be used as treatment against...

Reovirus, cold, Cancer

Jun 18, 2012

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EFSA Measures Impact of Schmallenberg in the EU

By Katharina Schwan

In December 2011, HealthMap reported on a devastating new virus plaguing cattle and sheep farmers in Germany. Now, six months later, the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) released their...

Schmallenberg virus, sheep, cattle, Germany

Jun 18, 2012

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Math Model to Predict Malaria Outbreaks in Africa

By Lauren Edmundson

Researchers from Ethiopia and Norway have created a mathematical model that can predict a malaria outbreak up to two months before it actually occurs. The computer program, called Open Malaria...

malaria, Africa, outbreak, predict

Jun 15, 2012

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Where Have All the Bees Gone?

By Katharina Schwan

The mysterious and alarming decline in bee populations worldwide has raised a wide variety of hypotheses, ranging from the bizarre, namely alien abductions, to the slightly more plausible, such as...

bee, varroa mite, colony collapse disorder, honey bee

Jun 8, 2012

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Light: Enemy of Vampires and…Bacteria?

By Adham Abdel Mottalib

Since the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928, scientists have been involved in a hectic battle against bacteria, which in turn have been continuously evolving to develop...

Acinetobacter baumannii, bacteria, antibiotic resistance

Jun 5, 2012

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The Bond Between a Parasite’s Parasite and a Zombie Ant

By Jason Hayes

After taking control of the ant’s brain and forcing it to act on its behalf, the fungus erupts out of the ant’s head to reproduce. The fungal fruiting body, or stalk, that emerges from the ant’s...

Ant, fungus, cordyceps, parasite, hyperparasite

May 24, 2012

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CDC Recommends Hepatitis C Testing for All Baby Boomers

By Lauren Edmundson

Last Friday, the day before the first National Hepatitis Testing Day, the CDC announced a new recommendation that all “baby boomers” (those born between 1945 and 1965) receive a one-time test for...

hepatitis C, CDC, baby boomers, testing

May 23, 2012

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Artificial Immune System to Further Vaccine Development

By Katharina Schwan

Sanofi Pasteur, a prominent vaccine manufacturer, has developed an artificial immune system that can replicate human immune responses to vaccines and immunotherapies. The Molecular Immune in vitro...

MIMIC, immune system, artificial, vaccine

May 21, 2012

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UNAIDS and Algeria to Build Region's First HIV/AIDS Research Center

By David Scales

Earlier this month the UN Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the Algerian Ministry of Health announced their cooperation in building a dedicated HIV/AIDS research center in southern Algeria. The...

Algeria, UNAIDS, HIV, research

May 17, 2012

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HIV Testing Moves Closer to Home

By Katharina Schwan

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may soon approve the first over-the-counter at home HIV test that delivers results within 20 minutes. On Tuesday, May 16 2012, an FDA advisory...

HIV, testing, USA, FDA

May 16, 2012

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New Research Explores Important Immune Reactions in the Skin

By David Scales

At HealthMap we study infectious diseases, but we often overlook the only reason infectious diseases become important: because our immune systems let us down. When working properly, the immune...

langerhans cells, dendritic cells, immune system, bacteria, fungus, virus

May 15, 2012

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East African Bill Rejects HIV Criminalization Clause

By Katharina Schwan

On April 23, the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) passed the HIV and AIDS Prevention and Management Bill, which outlines progressive strategies to better manage the HIV/AIDS epidemic in...

HIV, AIDS, legislation, East Africa Region, criminalization

May 2, 2012

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Vermont Talks Vaccines

By Jason Hayes

In Vermont, the current debate over whether to get rid of “philosophical exemptions” to childhood vaccines mirrors rising skepticism about vaccine-use across the country. The philosophical...

vaccines, Vermont, state police power, immunity

Apr 27, 2012

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Inadequate FDA Antibiotic Policy Spurs Criticism

By Katharina Schwan

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent recommendations on antimicrobials in animal food production gave rise to a myriad of opinions, ranging from biased opposition to candid claims...

FDA, antibiotic resistance, cattle

Apr 24, 2012

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Fungi Present Increasing Threat to Plant and Animal Life

By Anna Tomasulo

Members of the scientific community suggest that the threat posed by certain fungi has been underestimated. Existing and emerging infectious diseases caused by fungi threaten plant and animal...

fungus, emerging infectious disease, white-nose sydrome

Apr 23, 2012

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Protect Your World: Get Vaccinated!

By Jane Huston

The World Health Organization celebrates World Immunization Week from April 21 to April 28. This year, the week coincides with exciting developments in the world of vaccination. Haiti and Ghana are...

Apr 20, 2012

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Scientists Try to Identify Disease Agent Behind “Robot Cats”

By Katharina Schwan

Scottish veterinarians are perplexed by a mysterious new illness that is causing their feline patients to walk like robots. In a report published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, a...

cat, robot, central nervous system, mystery illness

Apr 18, 2012

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The Bird Flu that Man Built: Controversial H5N1 Research to be Published in Part

By Jason Hayes

One of the many articles about Dr. Ron Fouchier’s mutated strain of H5N1 is titled “The Deadliest Virus” and printed with a menacing illustration of a gaunt bio-safety mask opening to release three...

H5N1, Ron Fouchier, avian influenza, research

Apr 13, 2012

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Possible New Virus Discovered In Kawasaki Research

By Katharina Schwan

“Kawasaki? I thought that was a motorcycle.” This was my mother’s response when I told her my topic for this week’s article. She is not alone in her unfamiliarity with a term that is more commonly...

Kawasaki Disease, virus, Rowley

Apr 12, 2012

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Is Drug-Resistant Malaria Spreading?

By Anna Tomasulo

Early this month, two studies were published in Science and The Lancet, each with evidence of artemisinin-resistance along the Thailand-Myanmar border. If this strain of drug resistant malaria...

artemisinin, malaria, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, antibiotic resistance

Apr 11, 2012

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Haiti: Waiting to Vaccinate

By Jane Huston

Time is ticking as aid organizations wait to launch a vaccination campaign against cholera in Haiti. The heavy seasonal rains have already begun to fall, and threaten to bring flooding,...

cholera, Haiti, Partners in Health, vaccine preventable

Apr 6, 2012

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Research Shows Dengue Makes Mosquitoes Hungrier, Better Feeders

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health announced that dengue virus infection in mosquitoes could make them hungrier and better at feeding. A study published in the...

Dengue, Johns Hopkins

Apr 5, 2012

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On Antimalarials and Afghanistan Shootings

By Anna Tomasulo

On March 11, American Staff Sgt. Robert Bales allegedly killed 17 Afghan civilians. Amidst the media buzz, reporters, psychiatrists, and even Bales’s lawyer, wonder if certain drugs were linked to...

mefloquine, lariam, malaria, Afghanistan, Military, Robert Bales

Apr 4, 2012

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National Public Health Week Recognizes Communicable Disease Prevention

By Jane Huston

This week, the American Public Health Association (APHA) observes National Public Health Week (NPHW). Since 1995, communities around the country have celebrated NPHW each April to draw attention to...

APHA, NPHW, Communicable diseases

Mar 29, 2012

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Digital Disease Detection: Public Health by the “Web Kids”

By Anna Tomasulo

In his essay, “We, the Web Kids,” Polish poet and pundit Piotr Czerski writes: “We don’t use the Internet…we live on the Internet and along it…communicating with one another in a way that comes...

Digital Disease Detection, Surveillance, monitoring, social media

Mar 23, 2012

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Stop TB in My Lifetime

By Katharina Schwan

Every year on March 24, the Stop TB Partnership encourages us to observe World TB Day, a day designed to raise awareness and knowledge of the disease responsible for the deaths of several million...

Tuberculosis

Mar 1, 2012

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SARS Rumor Lands Man in Chinese Labor Camp

By Katharina Schwan

Police sentenced the man responsible for spreading the rumor of a new SARS outbreak in northern China during the previous week to two years of “re-education through labor”. The offender,...

Feb 10, 2012

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How Many Died from Malaria in 2010?

By Jane Huston

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated global malaria deaths in 2010 to be around 655,000 but recent research suggests it may be nearly twice that number. Researchers at the Institute for...

malaria, mortality

Feb 3, 2012

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Scientists Find Possible Key for Plasmodium Falciparum Control

By Robyn Correll Carlyle

Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have uncovered a protein that they believe might be the key to controlling the deadly malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. The discovery could...

malaria, protein, plasmodium falciparum, control

Jan 31, 2012

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No Infectious Agent Found in "Morgellons" Research

By Katharina Schwan

The debate surrounding an inexplicable skin disease, coined “Morgellons” in 2002, may finally provide patients and practitioners with some answers. The CDC’s anticipated study was published on...

morgellons, itching, rash, neurotic excoriation, CDC

Jan 30, 2012

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Change in Leadership as Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Celebrates 10 Years

By Jane Huston

This week, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced the departure of its Executive Director, appointed a new General Manager, celebrated 10 years of operations and received...

Global Fund, Gates Foundation, Michel Kazatchkine, AIDS, TB, malaria

Jan 26, 2012

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Meningitis Vaccine Development

By Gilan Megeed

Following the scare in Kuwait of a possible Meningitis-Neisseria outbreak, news came out of a potential breakthrough in the development of an effective preventative vaccine against Meningitis...

meningitis, vaccine

Jan 18, 2012

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New Yaws Treatment Has WHO Discussing Future Eradication Efforts

By Jane Huston

Recent findings around the treatment of yaws have the World Health Organization (WHO) discussing future eradication efforts. Researchers from Papua New Guinea and Spain have found a single dose...

yaws, penicillin, azithromycin

Jan 12, 2012

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Zoonotic Viruses and Illegal Wildlife Trade

By Jane Huston

The United States is one of the world’s largest consumers of imported wildlife and wildlife products. There are an estimated 120 million live wild animals legally imported every year, plus many...

zoonotic diseases, wildlife trade

Nov 10, 2011

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World Pneumonia Day

By Jane Huston

The third annual World Pneumonia Day will be observed on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011. World Pneumonia Day aims to raise awareness around the leading killer of children in the world. Over 120...

Oct 10, 2011

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Terrorism and Food Safety

By Anna Tomasulo

Early this morning, MSNBC released a report on the post 9/11 influx of foreign insects into the United States and the impact of this flood on the US food supply. According to Associated Press...

Oct 4, 2011

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GAVI to Donate Rotavirus and Pneumococcal Vaccines

By Jane Huston

On 27 Sept, the GAVI Alliance announced approval for 37 more countries to receive vaccines against childhood diarrhea and pneumonia. The vaccination campaigns are slated to start by the end of...

Oct 3, 2011

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Foul Water Fiery Serpent: Guinea Worm Disease

By Anna Tomasulo

As the lights dimmed, the sound of African drums filled the room. The audience was faced with the image of people fetching what appeared to be dirty, muddied water from shallow ponds. This...

guinea worm disease, dracunculiasis, eradication, Foul Water Fiery Serpent, The Carter Center, BUSPH

Sep 29, 2011

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U.S. Prepares for Flu Season

By Jane Huston

In the average year, anywhere from five- to twenty-percent of the U.S. population will get the flu. The most effective way to decrease that percentage is vaccination. As we enter the flu season,...

Sep 14, 2011

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Babesiosis in the U.S. Blood Supply

By Jane Huston

On 5 Sept. the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) revealed recently completed research indicating the parasitic infection babesiosis as a growing threat to the blood supply in the United States. The...

babesiosis, tick, blood, anemia

Aug 25, 2011

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Controlling the Spread of Dengue Fever?

By Anna Tomasulo

Yesterday Nature magazine published an article covering two Australian studies that showed the ability of Wolbachia pipientis bacteria to stop reproduction of dengue virus in mosquitoes, which...

Dengue, fever, bacteria, Nature, transmission, vaccines, Sanofi Aventis, infectious disease

Aug 15, 2011

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Welcome to The Disease Daily!

By Sumiko Mekaru

HealthMap strives to provide you with the infectious disease outbreak news you need to know along with the geographic and timeline context for you to understand it. In January 2009, we started a...

Aug 5, 2011

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New England Journal of Medicine Reports on New Tick-borne Bacteria

By Sumiko Mekaru

Ticks are known for carrying Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesia, among other diseases. Now, there’s a new bacteria on the list. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and from...

NEJM, tick, tickborne, vectorborne, ehrlichia

Jul 28, 2011

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World Hepatitis Day

By Jane Huston

Today is World Hepatitis Day. Since 2008, World Hepatitis Day has worked to increase public and media interest through thousands of events worldwide. Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver,...

hepatitis C, hepatitis

Jun 10, 2011

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Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) Reduces Cases

By healthmap

World Health Organization (WHO) data on the MenAfriVac vaccine distributed in Meningitis Belt countries show a massive decrease in cases in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The Serum Institute, based...

meningitis, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger

Jun 6, 2011

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AIDS: Thirty Years Later

By Amy Hansen

On June 5, 1981 the first cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) were documented in a United States medical bulletin. 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of these 1st diagnosed cases of a virus...

AIDS, HIV

Apr 25, 2011

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25 April 2011: World Malaria Day

By healthmap

Today is the fourth annual World Malaria Day. On this date in 2000, leaders from 44 malaria-affected African countries signed the Abuja Declaration pledging to cut their malaria deaths in half by...

malaria, world malaria day, roll back malaria

Dec 26, 2010

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New Collaboration Announcement

By Amy Hansen

HealthMap is now collaborating with the PathoSystems Resource Integration Center (PATRIC). The goal of PATRIC is to develop bioinformatics resources for the research and countermeasures-development...

Dec 8, 2010

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HealthMap at the 9th Annual ISDS Conference

By Amy Hansen

Several HealthMap team members gave oral presentations at the International Society for Disease Surveillance’s 9th annual conference in Park City, Utah last week. In addition, HealthMap had a table...

ISDS

Dec 1, 2010

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HealthMap at the National Design Triennial: Why Design Now? At the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum through January 2011

By healthmap

“Inaugurated in 2000, the Triennial program seeks out and presents the most innovative designs at the center of contemporary culture. In this fourth exhibition in the series, the National Design...

Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Triennial

Oct 26, 2010

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HealthMap Provides Critical Reporting and Response Information for Haiti Cholera Outbreak

By healthmap

HealthMap is working with CrisisMappers and HumanityRoad to provide up-to-date, reliable reporting of suspected cases and clean water resources provided by groups like Water Missions International...

cholera, Haiti

Aug 9, 2010

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DengueMap: New HealthMap collaboration with CDC

By Amy Hansen

More than one-third of the world’s population lives in areas at risk for transmission of dengue infection, and as many as 100 million people are infected each year. Dengue is caused by any one of...

Jun 11, 2010

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HealthMap FIFA World Cup Surveillance

By healthmap

Visit our special surveillance page for the World Cup! As soccer/football fans turn their attention to South Africa, HealthMap is watching for signs of outbreaks besides World Cup Fever. Teams...

Jun 8, 2010

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HealthMap New England Journal of Medicine Publication

By Amy Hansen

The HealthMap team recently published Information Technology and Global Surveillance of Cases of 2009 H1N1 Influenza in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The online paper includes three...

May 18, 2010

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HealthMap 3.0 – Site Redesign

By Amy Hansen

The HealthMap Website has been redesigned, and is now live at http://healthmap.org. The new site features many improvements focusing on removing clutter and allowing for greater customizations to...

Sep 3, 2009

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HealthMap Has a New iPhone App! - "Outbreaks Near Me"

By healthmap

HealthMap has developed an iPhone application, which can be obtained free of charge from the iTunes store! The app is named “Outbreaks Near Me,” as it uses GPS technology to show health alerts and...

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