See what we’re reading this week at Global Biodefense on topics including Agroterrorism, preparedness for epidemics, and Lassa Fever in Nigeria.
BIODEFENSE POLICY & PRACTICES
- Lawmakers assess US vulnerability to agroterrorist attack (HS Today)
- GOP congressmen question the need for $2 billion to fight Zika virus (NPR)
- The US needs to whip its disaster-response plans into shape (Defense One)
- Data sharing in public health emergencies: a call to researchers (WHO)
- Why the world is stockpiling thousands of doses of unapproved vaccine (Tech Insider)
- Ethical criteria for human challenge studies in infectious diseases (Oxford Journals)
- How can we prevent the next global health epidemic? (NPR)
- US pressures China, South Korea on poultry quarantine (The Hill)
- How Federal and State policy will affect biologics and biosimilars (PEW)
- DTRA’s biosurveillance ecosystem (Armed with Science)
SELECT AGENTS
- Nigeria struggles to rein in Lassa Fever (NPR)
- Ebola survivor study yields insights on complications of disease (NIAID)
- Why Ebola survivors struggle with new symptoms (Scientific American)
- Purification and characterization of Botulinum Neurotoxin FA (mSphere)
- Studies on Ebola survivors show range of complications (CIDRAP)
- Experimental Ebola antibody protects monkeys (NIAID)
INFECTIOUS DISEASE COUNTERMEASURES
- Long-term stability of influenza vaccine in a dissolving microneedle patch (DD&T Research)
- Understanding vaccination through the lens of inoculation (Tracking Zebra)
- On DoD radar: First clinical trial of MERS vaccine candidate (Health.mil)
- Zika virus: Medical countermeasure development challenges (PLOS)
- Zika virus Emergency Use Authorization (FDA)
- CDC notes progress, threat regarding hospital superbugs (CIDRAP)
CHEMICAL THREATS
- UCF assistant professor breaks down chemical weapons (Central FL Future)
- Assad’s forces used chemical weapons during truce: Israel (NBC)
- Chemical companies named in report detailing IS weapons supply chain (Chem.info)
- EPA unveils changes to chemical plant safety planning (C&EN)
OUTBREAK NEWS & THREAT SURVEILLANCE
- GAO’s chief scientist sees possible delays for Zika vaccine (BNA)
- Evidence mounts linking Zika virus to birth defects (Reuters)
- Mysterious outbreak in Wisconsin infects 44 (USA Today)
- Google adds Zika info to search, partners with UNICEF to map outbreak (Tech Crunch)
- Man gets rare strain of HIV despite taking antiviral pills (Yahoo News)
- Zika is expected to infect 1 in 5 Puerto Ricans, raising threat to rest of U.S. (WaPo)
- The emerging Zika pandemic enhancing preparedness (JAMA)
- America’s germiest hospitals? The answer may surprise you (NBC News)
- Study finds multiple problems in fetuses exposed to Zika virus (NPR)