Latest news with #ToddEllerin
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
What to know about chikungunya virus in China as US issues travel alert
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel warning following an outbreak of a mosquito-borne illness called chikungunya in China. The CDC's warning centers on Guangdong Province, where the outbreak has exceeded 7,000 confirmed cases since June 2025, according to Chinese health officials. The outbreak in Guangdong Province has been linked to monsoon flooding, which created ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes, which spread the virus that causes chikungunya. In the new travel warning, the CDC emphasized that vaccination is available and recommended for travelers. Dr. Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious disease at South Shore Health in Massachusetts, told ABC News that travelers to the region "should absolutely take precautions" against the illness. "Wear long sleeves and pants, use insect repellent with DEET, and use mosquito netting for babies too young for repellent," said Ellerin, who is not affiliated with the CDC. Here is what to know about the illness. How common is chikungunya? Chikungunya is not a new infection. It has been around since the 1950s, with outbreaks more commonly seen in tropical areas in recent decades. Globally, there have been about 240,000 infections since the start of 2025, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Chikungunya is not common in the United States. The CDC says there have not been any reported locally acquired cases since 2019. What are the symptoms of chikungunya? According to the CDC, common symptoms of the virus include sudden-onset high fever, severe joint pain (especially in the hands, wrists, ankles, and feet), muscle pain, headache, fatigue and skin rash. Georgia woman describes crippling pain of chikungunya virus Most people recover without medical intervention within seven to 10 days, but in some cases, symptoms can persist for weeks or months. What is the incubation period for chikungunya? Chikungunya typically has an incubation period of less than one week, according to Ellerin. "If it's been more than a week since you left a high-risk area, you're likely in the clear," he said. How is chikungunya treated? There is no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya. Instead, care focuses on relieving symptoms while the body recovers. The CDC recommends rest, fluids, and medications like acetaminophen for pain and fever. NSAIDs may be used once dengue, another mosquito-borne disease, has been ruled out. Deaths from chikungunya are rare, according to the CDC. Is there a vaccine for chikungunya? There are two vaccines available in the U.S. that begin offering protection within about two weeks of a single dose. Cases of mosquito-borne viruses on the rise The CDC recommends vaccination for travelers visiting areas with active outbreaks, people spending extend time abroad -- typically six months or longer -- and laboratory workers who handle the virus. What contributes to the spread of chikungunya? Climate change is a major driver of chikungunya's global spread. "Warmer temperatures and increased rainfall are helping Aedes mosquitoes expand into new regions," Dr. Krutika Kuppalli of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center told ABC News. Veer Patel, M.D., is an emergency medicine doctor at Maimonides Medical Center and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Solve the daily Crossword
6 days ago
- Health
What to know about chikungunya virus amid new outbreak in China
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel warning following an outbreak of a mosquito-borne illness called chikungunya in China. The CDC's warning centers on Guangdong Province, where the outbreak has exceeded 7,000 confirmed cases since June 2025, according to Chinese health officials. The outbreak in Guangdong Province has been linked to monsoon flooding, which created ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes, which spread the virus that causes chikungunya. In the new travel warning, the CDC emphasized that vaccination is available and recommended for travelers. Dr. Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious disease at South Shore Health in Massachusetts, told ABC News that travelers to the region "should absolutely take precautions" against the illness. "Wear long sleeves and pants, use insect repellent with DEET, and use mosquito netting for babies too young for repellent," said Ellerin, who is not affiliated with the CDC. Here is what to know about the illness. How common is chikungunya? Chikungunya is not a new infection. It has been around since the 1950s, with outbreaks more commonly seen in tropical areas in recent decades. Globally, there have been about 240,000 infections since the start of 2025, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Chikungunya is not common in the United States. The CDC says there have not been any reported locally acquired cases since 2019. What are the symptoms of chikungunya? According to the CDC, common symptoms of the virus include sudden-onset high fever, severe joint pain (especially in the hands, wrists, ankles, and feet), muscle pain, headache, fatigue and skin rash. Most people recover without medical intervention within seven to 10 days, but in some cases, symptoms can persist for weeks or months. What is the incubation period for chikungunya? Chikungunya typically has an incubation period of less than one week, according to Ellerin. "If it's been more than a week since you left a high-risk area, you're likely in the clear," he said. How is chikungunya treated? There is no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya. Instead, care focuses on relieving symptoms while the body recovers. The CDC recommends rest, fluids, and medications like acetaminophen for pain and fever. NSAIDs may be used once dengue, another mosquito-borne disease, has been ruled out. Deaths from chikungunya are rare, according to the CDC. Is there a vaccine for chikungunya? There are two vaccines available in the U.S. that begin offering protection within about two weeks of a single dose. The CDC recommends vaccination for travelers visiting areas with active outbreaks, people spending extend time abroad -- typically six months or longer -- and laboratory workers who handle the virus. What contributes to the spread of chikungunya? Climate change is a major driver of chikungunya's global spread. "Warmer temperatures and increased rainfall are helping Aedes mosquitoes expand into new regions," Dr. Krutika Kuppalli of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center told ABC News.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Botulism cases linked to Botox injections under investigation in Massachusetts
Massachusetts health officials are investigating four recent cases of suspected botulism connected to cosmetic injections of Botox. The outbreak on the South Shore prompted the Department of Public Health to warn health care providers to be alert about symptoms. consistent with botulism occurring after botulinum toxin injections. Botox is widely used for cosmetic purposes to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. 'While generally safe when administered by trained professionals, improper dosing, administration technique, or use of non-FDA-approved products may increase the risk of systemic botulism symptoms,' the DPH advisory said. Botulism, though rare, can be fatal. It occurs when botulinum toxin enters the bloodstream and can produce effects far from the injection site, according to the advisory. Initial botulism symptoms include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and breathing problems, according to state health officials. These symptoms may progress to muscle weakness that worsens over hours to days. Anybody who is experiencing any symptoms should go to an emergency room. 'This is very rare,' South Shore Hospital infectious disease specialist Dr. Todd Ellerin told WCVB. 'We call it iatrogenic botulism, which means you get it as a complication of an injection. It is very rare.' The DPH has not released details about the condition of the four individuals involved in the South Shore cases or information about the provider or facility where they received their injections. How pink heart shaped fentanyl led to Mass. father's 18-year prison sentence ICE deportation blocked by Boston judge: Migrants now in shipping container in Djibouti Mass. State Lottery winner: Father will take children to Disney with $100K prize Former police deputy chief, school resource officer convicted of child rape Mass. casino winner: $2.50 bet won gambler jackpot prize ``` Read the original article on MassLive.
28-05-2025
- Health
Another COVID-19 variant is rising abroad. Doctors say there's no need to panic
Cases of the new COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1, a descendent of the Omicron variant, are on the rise in some parts of the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, there are not enough cases in the United States to register in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID variant tracker. Symptoms appear to be similar to other variants of COVID-19 and the public health risk remains low, WHO information shows. The earliest sample of the NB.1.8.1 variant was collected on Jan. 22 and it was designated a variant under monitoring -- which may require prioritized attention and monitoring -- on May 23 by the WHO. Since the omicron variant was detected in 2021, new cases of COVID have been dominated by hundreds of its descendent subvariants, though none have led to the rise in cases once seen during the peak of the pandemic. As of May 18, there were 518 NB.1.8.1 cases detected from 22 countries, according to WHO. While still only comprising 10.7% of the global cases at the end of April, this is a significant rise from 2.5% four weeks prior. "Remember, we've seen summer surges. One thing that COVID has done is it's been able to surge in the summer, and it's been able to surge in the winter, and that's very different than respiratory viruses we've dealt with in the past. But we still don't know if this is going to be the virus that leads to a summer surge, it's just too early to know," Dr. Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, told ABC News. While there are increases in reported cases and hospitalizations in some of the countries with the highest proportion of NB.1.8.1 circulating, there are no reports to suggest that disease severity is higher in this latest variant than other circulating variants of the virus. "With each new variant, what we've seen is severity doesn't really change so far, we're not seeing it have more severe complications," said John Brownstein, chief innovation officer at Boston Children's Hospital and ABC News contributor. "What we know is that when a virus is more transmissible, it will ultimately infect more people and when you infect more people ... you'll have more cases of severe illness, hospitalization, and unfortunately death. " Data from China and elsewhere doesn't seem to show anything unique about the variant other than increased transmissibility, Brownstein added. Some of the variant's mutations found on the surface proteins of the virus could increase its transmissibility and potentially make it somewhat harder to treat compared to current variants in wide circulation, according to the WHO. Approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against this variant, according to the WHO. "This is the natural path we've seen with every variant, and so the guidance doesn't really change at the end of the day," Brownstein said. "It's making sure people are up to date with their vaccines and boosters ... and then of course, those that are immunocompromised or in high-risk groups may want to layer in other types of interventions like masking or being careful about large group settings where there could be increased risk of transmission."
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Another COVID-19 variant is rising abroad. Doctors say there's no need to panic
Cases of the new COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1, a descendent of the Omicron variant, are on the rise in some parts of the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, there are not enough cases in the United States to register in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID variant tracker. Symptoms appear to be similar to other variants of COVID-19 and the public health risk remains low, WHO information shows. The earliest sample of the NB.1.8.1 variant was collected on Jan. 22 and it was designated a variant under monitoring -- which may require prioritized attention and monitoring -- on May 23 by the WHO. Since the omicron variant was detected in 2021, new cases of COVID have been dominated by hundreds of its descendent subvariants, though none have led to the rise in cases once seen during the peak of the pandemic. As of May 18, there were 518 NB.1.8.1 cases detected from 22 countries, according to WHO. While still only comprising 10.7% of the global cases at the end of April, this is a significant rise from 2.5% four weeks prior. MORE: RFK Jr. cuts COVID vaccine recommendation for healthy kids, pregnant women -- and why it matters "Remember, we've seen summer surges. One thing that COVID has done is it's been able to surge in the summer, and it's been able to surge in the winter, and that's very different than respiratory viruses we've dealt with in the past. But we still don't know if this is going to be the virus that leads to a summer surge, it's just too early to know," Dr. Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, told ABC News. While there are increases in reported cases and hospitalizations in some of the countries with the highest proportion of NB.1.8.1 circulating, there are no reports to suggest that disease severity is higher in this latest variant than other circulating variants of the virus. "With each new variant, what we've seen is severity doesn't really change so far, we're not seeing it have more severe complications," said John Brownstein, chief innovation officer at Boston Children's Hospital and ABC News contributor. "What we know is that when a virus is more transmissible, it will ultimately infect more people and when you infect more people ... you'll have more cases of severe illness, hospitalization, and unfortunately death. " Data from China and elsewhere doesn't seem to show anything unique about the variant other than increased transmissibility, Brownstein added. Some of the variant's mutations found on the surface proteins of the virus could increase its transmissibility and potentially make it somewhat harder to treat compared to current variants in wide circulation, according to the WHO. Approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against this variant, according to the WHO. "This is the natural path we've seen with every variant, and so the guidance doesn't really change at the end of the day," Brownstein said. "It's making sure people are up to date with their vaccines and boosters ... and then of course, those that are immunocompromised or in high-risk groups may want to layer in other types of interventions like masking or being careful about large group settings where there could be increased risk of transmission." Niki Iranpour, MD, is an internal medicine resident at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Another COVID-19 variant is rising abroad. Doctors say there's no need to panic originally appeared on
