Latest news with #InfectiousDiseases
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Health expert furious as Aussies avoid getting the Covid-19 vaccine: 'We have dropped the ball'
Australians have been warned that falling Covid vaccinations rates could pose a risk as a new highly contagious strain of the virus emerges. The variant known as NB.1.8.1 - first recorded on January 21 - is responsible for a sharp rise in cases in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and is now the dominant strain in WA, responsible for a 24 per cent jump in case numbers. Professor Paul Griffin, from Mater Hospital in Brisbane, said the Covid vaccination rate is the lowest it has been since they were introduced five years ago. 'We have dropped the ball with Covid-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' said Prof. Griffin, who is director of infectious diseases at the hospital. 'It should now be a once-a-year booster, just like the flu vaccine is, and with winter here next week, now is the time to get vaccinated and it's safe to get them both together. 'There are hundreds of different strains of Omicron, and the new subvariant NB.1.8.1 is driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. 'The best way to protect yourself and your family, is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms.' Fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received a yearly booster despite it, along with the flu vaccine, being free. He said there has also been a sharp rise in flu cases in Queensland with more than 2,000 people already hospitalised this year. This is a 30 per cent increase on the same period last year and could pose a threat of overloading the hospital system if Covid cases also spiked. He said cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) were also high with 1,500 people hospitalised making it a 'triple threat'. 'More than half of these hospitalisations have been for the most vulnerable in our community, babies less than six months and people over 65,' Prof Griffin said. RSV vaccinations are free for pregnant women, with immunity then passed onto babies up until they are six months old. Experts have warned that childhood vaccination rates across the board - not just for Covid - have been steadily dropping since the Covid pandemic. 'Since 2020, the share of children who are fully vaccinated has fallen every year. For every child vaccine on the National Immunisation Schedule, protection was lower in 2024 than in 2020,' Professor Peter Beadon of the Grattan Institute said. 'Globally, in 2023, measles cases rose by 20 per cent.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Recalled Cookie Dough That Led To Illness In 30 States
If you don't have time to make cookies from scratch (even with the best chocolate chip cookie recipe out there), prepackaged dough is a great alternative. When it comes to popular varieties, Nestlé Toll House offers a selection of refrigerated dough products that not only save time in the kitchen but are also quite tasty where cookie quality is concerned. That doesn't mean the iconic brand hasn't experienced its share of troubles over the years, including an incident in 2009 that resulted in 77 people across 30 states falling ill (almost half of whom required hospitalization). Reports from the time indicated that flour within the ready-to-bake product was contaminated with bacteria called Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, which is a strain very likely to cause a severe E. coli infection. Investigators were unable to land on a definitive cause of illness among those affected, but the flour was suspicious because all other ingredients were deemed safe during the supplier investigation. E. coli infections often cause uncomfortable symptoms like stomach cramping and diarrhea, but 10 people affected by the 2009 outbreak developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause lasting kidney damage and other serious health effects. While the subsequent illness was quite severe, no deaths were reported as a result of this outbreak. Read more: Peanut Butter Brands Ranked Worst To Best The 2009 Nestlé Toll House cookie dough recall was unique because the way consumers used the product was a major factor in the illness that followed. According to the CDC, an investigation found that the majority of people who became ill consumed the contaminated dough raw, and as you hopefully know, eating raw cookie dough is a major no-no (despite how tempting it can be). In addition to health problems posed by raw eggs, raw flour can harbor harmful pathogens like E. coli, as illustrated by Nestlé Toll House's unfortunate situation. Prepackaged cookie doughs feature warnings about consuming the product raw and urge consumers to bake the product according to instructions prior to eating. However, a 2011 study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases had another recommendation in the wake of Nestlé Toll House's E. coli outbreak. After investigating the incident, researchers suggested that prepackaged doughs should be reformulated so that they can be consumed raw without issue. In this case, replacing raw flour with a heat-treated variety can prevent bacterial infections. Similarly, recipes must contain pasteurized eggs, which also undergo a heat-treating process. Worth noting is that Nestlé Toll House has been embroiled in other cookie dough recalls since the 2009 incident, including a 2022 recall that involved plastic contamination. Read the original article on Mashed.
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Lack of access to antibiotics is driving spread of superbugs, finds research
Less than 7% of people with severe drug-resistant infections in poorer countries get the antibiotics they need, a new study suggests, with researchers warning that not only is this causing suffering and deaths, but is also likely to be driving antimicrobial resistance (AMR). With AMR forecast to cause 1.9m deaths a year by 2050, they are calling for urgent action, akin to the fight earlier this century to get HIV drugs to Africa's virus hotspots. 'The stark reality is that most people with highly drug-resistant infections are not getting access to the antibiotics they need,' said Dr Jennifer Cohn, a senior author of the study. AMR is a process whereby bacteria and other pathogens evolve resistance to treatments typically used against them. One driver is the overuse of antibiotics, with greater exposure to drugs offering bacteria more chances to learn how to evade them. But a focus on overuse has meant access has been neglected, the experts warn. The study, published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, is the first to quantify the treatment gap in low- and middle-income countries. It was led by the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GardP). Researchers focused on Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan and South Africa, and used modelling data on the number of cases of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative (CRGN) infections, which are drug-resistant and on the rise. They then looked at sales data for eight types of antibiotic that could be used as treatment. Across the eight countries, there were an estimated 1.5m CRGN infections and almost 480,000 deaths in 2019. Just under 104,000 courses of antibiotics active against CRGNs were procured. Appropriate antibiotics were available in only 6.9% of cases on average – ranging from 0.2% in Kenya to 14.9% in Mexico and Egypt. Cohn, GardP's global access director, said it was a pattern likely to be repeated in other poorer nations. The infections in the study included pneumonias, bloodstream infections and complicated urinary tract infections. The 'No 1 thing' the lack of drugs did was to drive morbidity and mortality, Cohn stressed, but it could also drive AMR. Trying other, ineffective antibiotics, was likely to mean a longer duration of antibiotic use – linked in studies to increases in resistant bacteria. Killing drug-resistant bacteria with the correct treatment would stop them spreading. There were many factors behind the treatment gap, she said. Sick people may not make it to a hospital for diagnosis, or those who do may not be able to afford treatments. 'We are focusing introduction of newer antibiotics in the US and in a few countries in Europe. That's not where the burden is,' she said. 'We are really trying to change the narrative to say we can't just focus on stewardship, surveillance and containment in low- and middle-income communities, while we're focused on just innovation in high-income countries. We actually have to focus on both all at once, in all places.' Sign up to Global Dispatch Get a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features and pictures, curated by our global development team after newsletter promotion Mechanisms that worked well for HIV could be applied for AMR, Cohn said. GardP is working with the pharmaceutical company Shionogi to use voluntary licensing (allowing generic drugs to be manufactured) to speed up global access to cefiderocol, which can treat some resistant infections. The research team called for treatment targets like the 'care cascade' set by HIV global policymakers aiming for at least 95% of people with HIV to be diagnosed, 95% of people with HIV to be on antiretroviral treatment and 95% of those to have the virus under control by 2030. Cohn said she had been surprised to hear views about 'the inability of certain countries to actually be able to use [antibiotics] appropriately'. 'I just don't think that's true,' she said. Even in well-resourced healthcare systems it could be hard to diagnose and treat bacterial infections. 'Access is important everywhere. No matter how you slice it, there is a big access gap.' Prof Alison Holmes of the University of Liverpool, who leads the global Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network, said the study 'should prompt immediate action'. She said: 'If these critical gaps in access and care are not urgently addressed, the burden of antimicrobial resistance will continue to rise, leading to more preventable deaths, worsening patient outcomes and an already devastating global health crisis becoming even more inequitable.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Strengthening Communities: A Campaign Dedicated to Fighting Infectious Diseases
NEW YORK, March 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mediaplanet, a leader in purpose-driven content marketing, proudly announces the launch of its latest campaign, Infectious Diseases. This initiative aims to enhance public understanding of the risks and effects of infectious diseases while equipping individuals with essential resources to protect themselves and their loved ones. Despite remarkable advancements in modern medicine, infectious diseases remain a global challenge, impacting millions each year. From emerging threats to seasonal illnesses, the need for reliable, up-to-date health information has never been more critical. Mediaplanet's Infectious Diseases campaign serves as a vital platform to educate and empower communities across the nation, fostering a healthier and more resilient society. The print component of "Infectious Diseases" is distributed in today's edition of USA Today in New York, Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh and more, with a circulation of approximately 150,000 copies and an estimated readership of 450,000. The digital component is distributed nationally, through a vast social media strategy, and across a network of top news sites and partner outlets. To explore the digital version of the campaign, visit: This campaign was made possible with the support of Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), American Lung Association, The Joint Commission, Families Fighting Flu, AMR Action Fund, Hepatitis B Foundation, American Society for Microbiology, American Academy of Pediatrics, Vaccinate Your Family, Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP), National Association of School Nurses (NASN), and Kelley Flanagan and features paid content from Gilead Sciences, Biolabs International, Textile Rental Services Association, and Aligos Therapeutics. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mediaplanet Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Study: COVID-19 hospital patients face greater risk of death for 2 or more years afterward
People hospitalized for a severe bout of COVID-19 are far from in the clear after they've recovered enough to return home, a new study says. COVID-19 hospital patients have an increased risk of death from any cause for at least two and a half years following their initial illness, researchers reported in the journal Infectious Diseases. They also are more likely to be hospitalized again, with particularly high risk for neurological, psychiatric, heart and lung problems, researchers found. "These findings are a stark reminder of the far-reaching impact of COVID-19, which extends far beyond the initial infection," lead researcher Dr. Sarah Tubiana, an infectious disease specialist at Bichat Hospital in Paris, said in a news release. "While much attention has been given to the immediate dangers of the virus, our research shows that hospitalized COVID-19 survivors remain at greater risks of severe health complications months and even years later," Tubiana said. "The long-term implications for public health are significant." For the study, researchers followed nearly 64,000 French adults admitted to a hospital with COVID-19 between January 2020 and August 2020. The team compared their health with nearly 320,000 other people matched for age, sex and location who had not been hospitalized for COVID-19 during the same period. During follow-up for up to 30 months, researchers found that hospitalized COVID-19 survivors had a higher rate of deaths from any cause -- 5,218 deaths for every 100,000 person-years, compared with 4,013 deaths among the healthy control group. Person-years is a statistical measure of the number of people considered in a study, as well as the amount of time they were followed. COVID-19 survivors also landed in the hospital again more frequently, with 16,334 hospitalizations per 100,000 person-years compared with 12,024 hospitalizations among the control group. COVID-19 patients specifically were twice as likely to be hospitalized again for respiratory problems, researchers found. They also were 15% more likely to be hospitalized for heart problems, 41% more likely for psychiatric problems and 50% more likely for neurological disorders. These excess risks decreased after the first six months following hospitalization, but remained elevated for up to 30 months for neurological and respiratory illnesses, chronic kidney failure and diabetes, results show. "Even 30 months after hospitalization, COVID-19 patients remained at an increased risk of death or severe health complications, reflecting the long-lasting, wider consequences of the disease on people's lives," senior researcher Dr. Charles Burdet, an infectious diseases specialist at Université Paris Cité, said in a news release. "These results highlight the need for further research to understand the mechanisms behind these long-term health risks and how to mitigate them," he added. COVID-19 is known to damage organs and systems throughout the body, particularly during severe, life-threatening infections, researchers noted. However, researchers added that these risks might not fully apply to people who've more recently been hospitalized with COVID-19, as the study focused on patients infected before new variants of the coronavirus emerged. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about long COVID. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
