See what we’re reading this week at Global Biodefense on topics including the ongoing Zika virus funding battle, gain-of-function research debate, and chemical site remediation.
BIODEFENSE POLICY & PRACTICES
- U.S. House to attempt passing emergency Zika funds next week (Reuters)
- The Strategic National Stockpile’s unique role in Zika prevention (CDC)
- NSABB launches new phase of GOF research debate (CIDRAP)
- CDC labs repeatedly faced secret sanctions for mishandling bioterror germs (USA Today)
- UTHSC partners with FBI on bioterrorism response workshop (Memphis Journal)
- Fallout from NIH smallpox faux pas (Contagion)
- WHO Zika guidelines don’t include delaying Olympics (NY Times)
- Senate to consider 3 proposals to finance fight against Zika (NY Times)
- DARPA shows off technology at demo day (National Defense)
- Congress drags its feet on Zika funding (Pump Handle)
- What’s norovirus costing the world? (PLOS Blogs)
- The world health body you’ve never heard of – but should have (The Conversation)
- NIH announces leadership shake-up at renowned research hospital (NPR)
SELECT AGENTS
- Establishing herd immunity against Ebola through vaccination (Elselvier)
- Smallpox eradication: destruction of variola virus stocks (WHO)
- Liberia salutes EU for contributing to Ebola fight (Front Page Africa)
- Pandemic influenza preparedness: Access to vaccines and other benefits (WHO)
INFECTIOUS DISEASE COUNTERMEASURES
- Status of vaccine research and development of vaccines for S. aureus (PubMed)
- WHO recommends new test, treatment plan for superbug strains of TB (Reuters)
- A scientific roadmap for antibiotic discovery (PEW)
- Gates Foundation backs Takeda polio vaccine with 38M grant (Reuters)
- A race to unravel the secrets of the Zika virus (NY Times)
OUTBREAK NEWS & THREAT SURVEILLANCE
- CDC: Screen pee for Zika, too (The Scientist)
- Novel orthopoxvirus discovered in Alaska patient (Healio)
- Yellow fever: A preventable tragedy (The Economist)
- Another listeria outbreak sickens many (PEW)
- Yellow fever outbreak control stymied by low vaccine supply, urban spread (CIDRAP)
- The emerging Zika virus epidemic in the Americas (JAMA)
- Combating infectious disease: The unfolding threat of Zika (CSIS)
- Threat from emerging vectorborne viruses (EID)
- Yellow fever outbreak in Angola: EU deploys medical experts (EU)
- CDC updates Zika guidance to include urine testing (CIDRAP)
CHEMICAL WEAPONS
- Chemical weapons in the Middle East: Accountability and deterrence (CSIS)
- Isil could use chemical weapons in defence of Iraq’s second city (Telegraph)
- DARPA wants to transform chemical war sites into fertile soil (PopSci)
RESEARCH & TECH
- IBM creates a molecule that could destroy all viruses (Popular Science)
- Paper-based RNA test may offer a low-cost method for detecting Zika (The Scientist)
HISTORICAL REFLECTIONS
- Environment, society and the Black Death in Sweden (Contagions Blog)
- The first vaccine was created thanks to a shocking experiment (Tech Insider)
- “Plague village” may upend what we know about how black death is spread (ARS Technica)
- How did Edward Jenner test his smallpox vaccine? (The Telegraph)
- Setting the stage for the Black Death (Medieval Histories)
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