See what we’re reading this week at Global Biodefense on topics including hospital preparedness programs, public health funding for states, and the catastrophic threat of deadly superbugs.
BIOPREPAREDNESS
- Commentary: The next super weapon could be biological (Reuters)
- Bioterror attack could kill millions, warns Bill Gates (Newsweek)
- Assessing the threat of infectious disease to the biosecurity of the US (DTIC)
- Is Australia prepared for the next pandemic? (MJA)
- Workshop discusses national bio-surveillance system for US swine industry (IIAD)
- Preparedness Summit spotlights biodefense, national security, innovation (EIN)
- How prepared is the U.S. for disease threats? (Pandora Report)
- 2017-2022 Hospital Preparedness Program Performance Measures (PHE.gov)
- Public report: pandemic risk and emergency management (NUI Galway)
- One Health approach essential to controlling public health threats (Healio)
- Kansas Ebola virus preparedness and response plan (KDHEKS.gov)
POLICY, PRACTICES & POLITICS
- Ongoing drop in federal public health funds, plateau for states (CIDRAP)
- Keeping infection control clean (Contagion Live)
- I will march for science on Saturday — so should you (Foreign Policy)
- Department of Defense FY 2018 Appropriations Statement (ASM)
- Department of Energy Office of Science FY 2018 Appropriations Statement (ASM)
- UK funding increased to fight neglected tropical diseases (BBC News)
- Surgeon General Murthy didn’t get enough time to do what he wanted (Forbes)
SELECT AGENTS
- Huge genome study dissects Ebola outbreak’s spread (CIDRAP)
- A plague year: a doctor at work in an Ebola treatment unit (NY Times)
- Virus genomes reveal factors that spread and sustained the Ebola epidemic (Nature)
- Micro-neutralization assay for ebolaviruses using a replication-competent VSV (SD)
- ‘Zombie infections’ and other infectious disease complications of global warming (JLGH)
- Molecular detection of Francisella spp. among ticks attached to camels in Egypt (MAL)
- Development of TRAP primers for Ricinus communis L. (PubMed)
- Ribosome binding and sarcin/ricin loop depurination by shiga and ricin holotoxins (MDPI)
MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES
- The world’s assault on tropical diseases is working (STAT)
- Why it’s a bad idea to space out your child’s vaccination shots (WaPo)
- In a dragon’s blood, scientists discover a potential antibiotic (NY Times)
- Infographic: antibiotic-resistant bacteria explained (PEW)
OUTBREAK NEWS & THREAT SURVEILLANCE
- ‘Catastrophic threat’: CDC chief fears a deadly superbug’s spread (STAT)
- PAHO: More cases in Brazil lead to another big jump in chikungunya (CIDRAP)
- Experts say Puerto Rico may be underreporting Zika-affected births (STAT)
- State, regional antibiotic resistance labs aim to boost tracking (CIDRAP)
- Why the menace of mosquitos will only get worse (NY Times)
- Italy warns of measles epidemic as vaccine debate rages (Reuters)
