News highlights on health security threats and countermeasures curated by Global Biodefense
This week’s selections include cancellation of the DEEP VZN viral zoonosis program, Canada revamping national emergency stockpile; repeat mpox infection assessment; and wet market biosecurity reforms.
POLICY + GOVERNMENT
US-Funded Hunt For Rare Viruses Halted Amid Risk Concerns
The U.S. Agency for International Development quietly notified the program’s main contractor in July that the $125 million project was being terminated less than two years after its inception, amid opposition from lawmakers as well as a number of prominent scientists and public health experts. The program, called DEEP VZN (pronounced ‘deep vision’)— short for the Discovery and Exploration of Emerging Pathogen-Viral Zoonoses program — was led by researchers from Washington State University with the aim of collecting nearly half a million biological specimens from wildlife, and from those, isolating at least 12,000 novel viruses for further study. Supporters of DEEP VZN had said they hoped to be able to provide an early warning about wildlife pathogens that could someday make the jump to human beings. Washington Post
US Cancels Program Aimed at Identifying Potential Pandemic Viruses
WSU’s Guy Palmer, a veterinarian who founded the global health school there in 2007, says he’s disappointed by the decision. “Stepping away from global surveillance is not wise,” Palmer says. “It creates a vacuum, and there are certainly other nations that are less committed to data transparency that are more than happy to fill that gap.” He is convinced political pressure ultimately killed the program. “It’s hard to think of a way to sugarcoat that. There’s a lot of concern about lab leaks and creating a human-animal interface that wouldn’t naturally exist,” he says. Researchers who have been critical of what they see as risky virus research applauded the decision. DEEP VZN was a follow-on to a USAID global surveillance program called PREDICT that ran from 2009 to 2020 and received more than $200 million. PREDICT itself grew out of USAID’s interest in helping countries combat avian influenza, which devastated poultry industries and threatened to spark pandemics. PREDICT funds were used to strengthen labs in more than 60 countries, train more than 6000 people, and detect more than 1100 unique viruses. Science
World Field Epidemiology Day 2023: Increasing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Marked on 7 September each year, World Field Epidemiology Day recognizes the role of field epidemiologists in public health, and advocates for more investments in field epidemiology and research. In their day-to-day work, field epidemiologists investigate public health signals to confirm disease outbreaks and identify cases, contacts, and risk factors for disease. With their activities, they advance evidence-based knowledge that in turn strengthens public health policies and interventions. ECDC, Eurosurveillance, ISID, CDC
Blocs, the BRICS, and Global Health
The worldwide rise of fragmentation makes it nearly impossible to manage tremendous global challenges including pandemics and climate change. Foreign policy action on global health confronts the fragmentation problem, and how countries navigate this challenge is an important question for global health diplomacy and governance. Think Global Health
Group Behind ProMED Fires Three Top Moderators Amid Strike
ISID terminated at least three of ProMED’s top moderators on Thursday. The three were leaders of a strike that began in early August — one that is scheduled to end on Monday. News of further turmoil at ProMED startled some of the people who have been hoping to find a way to safeguard the future of the program, which first alerted the world outside China to the start of the SARS outbreak in 2003 and was among the first voices to raise alarms about what became the Covid-19 pandemic. “The strength of ProMED is not in the technology, it’s in the people. And if you eliminate the people, you’re not left with much.” STAT
Republican Lawmakers Propose Banning ‘Gain of Function’ Research in Wisconsin
The lawmakers’ bill comes in response to incidents at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and as Republicans across the country have targeted this type of research following controversy and political gamesmanship over the origins of SARS-CoV-2. The University of Wisconsin-Madison has warned lawmakers against such a ban in a letter, saying it would stifle pathogen-related research and result in significant delays and uncertainty even for research that is not prohibited, including research being done to protect Wisconsin’s residents, crops and livestock. Wisconsin Examiner
In Advocates’ Push for Superbug Funding, ‘$6 Billion is Nothing’
The Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance, or PASTEUR, Act — has been introduced three times in Congress since 2019 to no avail. The bill’s price tag has been cut down from $11 billion over 10 years originally to $6 billion in the most recent iterations. If passed, the legislation would create a subscription-based funding model that would allow the HHS to pay drug developers for approved antibiotics based on their value to society. In exchange, federally insured patients would receive the drug for free. The Sept. 30 deadline for PAHPA’s reauthorization is fast approaching and PASTEUR is not currently included in either the House or the Senate’s version of the bill. BioPharma Drive
Federal Health Care Legislative Agenda: Fall Updates
As Congress returns and summer turns to fall, the federal health care legislative agenda remains crowded. While much near-term energy is focused on September 30 and averting a shutdown of the federal government before the October 1 start to Fiscal Year 2024, a number of priorities — including the reauthorization (e.g. the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act) or extension of expiring programs or policies — are also on the agenda. JD Supra
MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES
Vaccine Experts Urge More Inclusivity in Clinical Trials
The recently approved RSV vaccines have been celebrated as key public health tools, but some vaccine experts have lamented one aspect of the trials that led to their approval — namely, that older adults were largely left out of them. The trials for the vaccines, which have been approved for adults 60 and older, included few participants 80 and older. People who are immunocompromised and those who live in nursing homes were also not included. “Yeah, it works great in a healthy 60-year-old, but how does it work in the general population?” STAT
The 100 Days Mission: How a New Medical-Countermeasures Network Can Deliver Equity and Innovation
In the first 100 days from a pandemic threat being identified we should aim for the following interventions to be available, safe, effective and affordable: accurate and approved rapid point of care Diagnostic tests; an initial regimen of therapeutics; and vaccines ready to be produced at scale for global deployment. For vaccines, there are continued bottlenecks in clinical trials, regulation, the availability of inputs, and scaling of manufacturing which is reducing access to those who need them. The Lancet
BIOSECURITY + BIOPREPAREDNESS
The Danger of ‘Invisible’ Biolabs Across the U.S.
Recently, many California residents were disturbed to learn that a small, privately-operated bio lab in the Central Valley town of Reedley was shut down by Fresno County Department of Public Health officials after they found that it had been improperly managing almost 1,000 laboratory mice and samples of infectious diseases including COVID-19, rubella, malaria, dengue, chlamydia, hepatitis, and HIV. Government authorities are still investigating the company’s history, but it appears to have previously operated a lab in Fresno under a different name, where city officials flagged it for investigation regarding improperly stored chemicals. Astonishingly, the U.S. government seems to not have even known that the lab existed until it was discovered by chance by Jesalyn Harper, an observant local city code enforcement officer. Time
Public Health Agency Looks to Revamp National Stockpile for a Future Disaster
Canada’s public health agency is looking to reshape the country’s National Emergency Strategic Stockpile (NESS). When the pandemic hit in 2020, the stockpile was not up to the job, with inadequate supplies for the sudden massive demand for personal protective equipment, an inefficient inventory system and revelations that the government had actually thrown away millions of masks the year before. Canada was not alone in dealing with problems with its emergency stockpile during the pandemic, with many countries finding their supplies were wasted or inadequate. National Post
Wet Market Biosecurity Reform: Three Social Narratives Influence Stakeholder Responses
COVID-19 led to global policy statements promoting bans and reforms to wet markets in Asia and Africa to prevent future pandemics. Here researchers conducted a comparative, exploratory qualitative study in three countries (Kenya, Vietnam and the Philippines) to understand the social and political dimensions to biosecurity reform at wet markets. PLOS Global Public Health
Using the Power of Data to Build the UK’s Health Security
Data is essential to health security, underpinning the ability to prepare for, prevent and respond to health threats in order to save lives and protect livelihoods. Data will play a crucial role in the delivery of UKHSA’s recently published 3-year Strategic Plan which sets out how they’ll face down challenges from changing climate and future pandemics through to vaccine preventable disease and antimicrobial resistance. GOV.UK
Embracing the One Health Approach: A Pathway to Preventing Pandemics
The One Health approach isn’t a silver bullet, but it offers a comprehensive strategy to minimize the risk of future pandemics. By recognizing the intricate web of connections between human, animal, and environmental health, we can break down the barriers that enable diseases to cross species boundaries. PLOS Blogs – Your Say
Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response After COVID-19
The US public health system is largely decentralized, with several federal agencies responsible for public health, 55 state or territorial health agencies, and over 3,000 local health departments (LHDs). The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated gaps between these agencies and the multitude of other sectors that participated in the response to the pandemic. 3 areas were consistently identified as being among the highest priority to address: partnerships, data modernization, and incident management. Health Security
How Pandemic Preparedness Let Tanzania Successfully Control a Marburg Outbreak
The 2023 outbreak was the first time the Marburg virus infection had been reported in Tanzania. Within 48 hours, one of Tanzania’s two mobile laboratories was deployed to the Bukoba district. “Before, samples had to be sent to a fixed lab in a city. Getting the results could take several days and during this time you could get more cases and still not know what you’re dealing with. With a mobile lab you can start testing immediately close to the site of an outbreak, transferring results in real time to a country’s central laboratory and to government agencies with the mandate to introduce lockdowns and other measures.” BMZ
SELECT AGENTS + PRIORITY PATHOGENS
Interspecies Transmission of Swine Influenza A Viruses and Human Seasonal Vaccine-Mediated Protection
Researchers used a well-established ferret model of human influenza infection to investigate 2 H1N1 viruses. The first virus was a 1A.3.3.2 lineage, swine-origin virus, A/swine/England/1353/2009, incorporating all gene segments highly homologous to 2009 pandemic strains isolated from humans and swine. The second virus was a 1C.2.1 lineage virus, A/Pavia/65/2016, which was associated with a human clinical case of influenza, but phylogenetic analysis confirmed that all gene segments were derived from contemporary 1C.2.1 viruses circulating in swine herds in Italy. They first assessed the ability of this virus to infect ferrets and undergo onward ferret-to-ferret transmission by direct or airborne exposure. Researchers then evaluated the zoonotic potential of this 1C.2.1 virus by assessing transmission from infected pigs to cohoused ferrets and compared this virus in parallel with the swine-origin 1A.3.2.2 strain. Results reaffirm the need for continuous influenza A virus surveillance in pigs and identification of candidate human vaccine viruses. Emerging Infectious Diseases
Depletion of Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Cells in Ebola Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques
From limited human sampling (of peripheral blood), it has been postulated that emergency hematopoiesis plays a role in severe EVD, but the systematic characterization of the bone marrow has not occurred in human disease or in nonhuman primate models. These data demonstrate not only direct EBOV infection of bone marrow monocytes/macrophages and megakaryocytes but also that disease progression is associated with hematopoietic failure, notably in peripheral cytopenia. American Journal of Pathology
Q Fever Immunology: The Quest for a Safe and Effective Vaccine
Q fever is an infectious zoonotic disease, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Coxiella burnetii. The current preventative human Q fever vaccine Q-VAX poses limitations on its worldwide implementation due to reactogenic responses in pre-sensitized individuals. Many strategies have been undertaken to develop a universal Q fever vaccine but with little success to date. The mechanisms of the underlying reactogenic responses remain only partially understood and are important factors in the development of a safe Q fever vaccine. This review provides an overview of previous and current experimental vaccines developed for use against Q fever and proposes approaches to develop a vaccine that establishes immunological memory while eliminating harmful reactogenic responses. NPJ Vaccines
Low Seroprevalence of Ebola Virus in Health Care Providers in an Endemic Region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
A serosurvey among health care providers (HCPs) and frontliners of an area previously affected by Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was conducted. In contrast to previous studies that observed high seroreactivity against EBOV-m in Boende, these results show that the baseline seroprevalence of HCP and frontliners that reported no previous EBOV infections is low. Given the high variance between seroprevalence estimates by different studies in the same region, this highlights the need for more uniform antibody assays. Neutralizing antibody quantification methods, which are inexpensive in terms of resources, are likely to be crucial for improving EVD surveillance in this region, given the high background of concomitant parasitic disease burden that can be expected to be found in the serum of this population. PLOS One
Partial Genome Characterization of Novel Parapoxvirus in Horse
A severe infection caused by a parapox-like virus (F14.1158H) was first verified from a horse euthanized in Finland in 2013. No other clinical cases were confirmed until 2022, when an epidemic of dermatitis emerged in horses across Finland. Based on phylogenetic analyses, the virus is a novel parapoxvirus. Most known parapoxviruses are zoonotic, and any novel virus detected in animals should be treated with concern. Emerging Infectious Diseases
Bioterrorism – Could Smallpox Return?
U.S. pandemic preparedness strategies and plans appeared sufficient until SARS-CoV-2 emerged in early 2020. Existing smallpox planning and preparedness levels could be in the same position with much more serious consequences. The strategy looks good on paper, but the vaccines and MCM may not be readily available and sufficiently effective for an entire nation. Domestic Preparedness
Mpox in People with Past Infection or a Complete Vaccination Course
Since May, 2022, a large global outbreak of human mpox has predominantly affected men who have sex with men. The strain responsible, Clade IIb, has mutated substantially from precursors originating from the 2017–18 outbreak in Nigeria. Immunity to smallpox, another orthopoxvirus, via previous infection or vaccination provides lifelong immunity. However, since the 2022 mpox outbreak, recent clusters were described in individuals with presumed immunity through recent infection or vaccination. This paper summarizes the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of mpox in individuals with past infection or vaccination to improve the understanding of this disease in the setting of previous immunity. The Lancet Infectious Diseases
CHEMICAL + RADIOLOGICAL THREATS
From Tragedy to Responsibility: How 9/11, CFATS and Responsible Care Shape Chemical Facility Security
Chemical manufacturing facilities, like other critical infrastructure, were identified early-on following 9/11 as potential high-risk targets. establishing what is now known as the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard (CFATS). “We recognize it takes a commitment from all stakeholders, public and private, to keep our country safe from those who would threaten it. That’s why ACC and our members were disappointed that Congress, despite strong bipartisan support for the program, failed to reauthorize CFATS before a July deadline. The program’s expiration has suspended the valuable resources and tools that the program provided our industry. This week, as we reflect on the tragedy of September 11th, we urge Congress to act swiftly to remedy this failure, reinstate CFATS, and support the chemical industry’s continued efforts to protect our workers, our communities, and our nation.” American Chemistry Council
Syria’s Chemical Weapons Remain a Threat to International Peace and Security
Statement at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria Chemical Weapons. “This Council expressed its outrage, it condemned the killing of civilians, it affirmed that any use of chemical weapons constitutes a serious violation of international law and we collectively called for accountability. Security Council resolution 2118 was adopted, unanimously…Ten years later, the provisions of UNSCR 2118 have not been met. As others have said today, there have been nine further confirmed chemical weapons attacks by the Syrian regime. It is a moment for us to all reflect on our responsibility for the implementation of UNSCR 2118, and how we can move forward, collectively, and in support of the OPCW’s efforts to resolve outstanding inconsistencies with Syria’s declaration.” GOV.UK
SURVEILLANCE + DETECTION
Wastewater-based Disease Surveillance for Public Health Action
A National Academies’ report examined the potential value and limitations of wastewater surveillance data for prevention and control of infectious disease. As part of a national wastewater surveillance system, strategic incorporation of sentinel sites is recommended as a mechanism for early detection. Such sentinel sites could include wastewater surveillance at major international airports with a large number of global travelers to detect emerging pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes. NASEM
Evaluating Saliva and Dried Blood Spot Surveillance Strategies in a Congregate Population
This study at the US Naval Academy assessed the concordance of antibody prevalence in longitudinally collected dried blood spots and saliva in a congregate setting of frequent PCR-based testing. Findings highlight the utility of salivary-based surveillance. Emerging Infectious Diseases
A Single-Molecule RNA Electrical Biosensor for COVID-19
The scanning tunneling microscopic-assisted break junction (STM-BJ) method can be utilized to detect individual nucleic acid molecules with high specificity and sensitivity in liquid samples. Here researchers demonstrate single-molecule electrical detection of RNA coronavirus biomarkers, including those of SARS-CoV-2 as well as those of different variants and subvariants. Biosensors and Bioelectronics
Superwettable Interface Towards Biodetection in Confined Space
Many current biomarker detection systems employ ex-situ methods and non-confined conditions. The construction of detection for target molecules in confined space has great significance for both theoretical research and practical application as it can better reflect the real in-vivo situation. Here the most suitable and widely employed detection methods for target molecules in confined spaces are introduced, and recent progress on related visual, optical, and electrochemical detection methods are presented. Nano Research
Japan Has Plenty to Offer in the Field of Detecting Threats
In Japan, following the sarin attacks in Tokyo and anthrax attacks in the U.S., public institutions like the National Research Institute of Police Science and the Japan Science and Technology Agency worked with a number of Japanese firms to develop detection devices. One such technology, BioBulwark, a briefcase-shaped biological agent detection system, can detect, in around an hour, roughly 20 types of pathogens that are likely to be used in bioterrorism attacks. The Japan Times
Interpretation of Molecular Detection of Avian Influenza A Virus in Respiratory Specimens Collected from Live Bird Market Workers: Infection or Contamination?
Interpreting rRT-PCR results for human avian influenza A virus (AIV) detection in contaminated settings like live bird markets without serology or viral culture poses a challenge. Detection of AIV RNA in respiratory specimens from symptomatic and asymptomatic live bird market workers without evidence of seroconversion or virus isolation suggests environmental contamination, emphasizing caution in interpreting rRT-PCR results in high viral load settings. International Journal of Infectious Diseases
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
CDC Health Advisory: Increased RSV Activity in Southeastern United States
The CDC issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory on 5 Sept to notify clinicians and caregivers about increases in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity across some parts of the Southeastern United States in recent weeks, suggesting a continued shift toward seasonal RSV trends observed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically, such regional increases have predicted the beginning of RSV season nationally, with increased RSV activity spreading north and west over the following 2–3 months. RSV can cause severe disease in infants, young children, and older adults. Two new vaccines are available to protect older adults from severe RSV disease. Monoclonal antibody products, including a new, long-acting product (nirsevimab), are available to protect infants and some young children at higher risk for severe RSV disease. CDC
E. coli Outbreak Linked to Calgary Daycares Climbs to 231 Cases, 25 Kids in Hospital
The number of E. coli cases linked to an outbreak at 11 Calgary daycare centers continues to rise. As of Monday afternoon, 25 children and one adult are hospitalized. Eleven patients have been discharged since the onset of the outbreak. Twenty-one patients, all of whom are children, have the severe illness hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Fewer than 10 of these patients are on dialysis. As a result of its investigation into the outbreak, health officials said it is “highly likely” that a central kitchen the daycare sites share is where the contaminated food came from. CBC News
Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak in Southeast Poland on Decline with Only 1 New Case
The latest fatality was registered on Friday, bringing to 19 the death toll since the outbreak in July. A total of 166 people have been infected in the region of Rzeszow. ABC News
ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE CRISIS
Battle Against the Fungal Apocalypse is Just Beginning
Serious fungal infections seem to be occurring more frequently, affecting more people, and are becoming harder to treat. By March of this year, Candida auris, an extremely drug-resistant yeast that invades health care facilities and kills two-thirds of the people infected with it—has risen to more than 10,000 cases since it was identified in the US in 2016, tripling in just two years. In April, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services rushed to investigate cases of a fungal infection called blastomycosis centered on a paper mill, an outbreak that would grow to 118 people, the largest ever recorded. And in May, US and Mexican health authorities jointly rang an alarm over cases of meningitis, caused by the fungus Fusarium solani, which seemed to have spread to more than 150 clinic patients via contaminated anesthesia products. By mid-August, 12 people had died. Wired
Rapid Emergence of Antifungal-Resistant Human-Pathogenic Fungi
Review of the global emergence and spread of three emerging antifungal-resistant fungi: Candida auris, driven by global health-care transmission and possibly facilitated by climate change; azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus, driven by azole fungicide use in agricultural and other settings; and Trichophyton indotineae, driven by the under-regulated use of over-the-counter high-potency corticosteroid-containing antifungal creams. Nature Reviews Microbiology
Pangenomic Analyses of Antibiotic-Resistant Campylobacter jejuni Reveal Unique Lineage Distributions and Epidemiological Associations
Campylobacter jejuni is a Gram-negative pathogen and the leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. Use of whole-genome sequencing and pangenomic analyses enabled a comprehensive assessment of the C. jejuni lineages linked to infections in patients from Michigan, USA. Risk factors for specific lineages and infection sources were identified with some lineages being associated with residence location, recent travel history, cattle or chicken sources, and carriage of clinically important antibiotic resistance genes. Identifying these high-risk lineages in circulation in different geographical locations is critical for guiding the development of more targeted prevention strategies. Microbial Genomics
Superbugs Catch a Ride on Air Pollution Particles. Is That Bad News for People?
It has long been suspected that particulate air pollution could transport antimicrobial-resistant bacteria that leak into the environment from farming, aquaculture, wastewater treatment and hospitals. New research set out to quantify the role of air pollution in the growing global AMR problem. The team found a strong association between particulate air pollution. NPR
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Scientists Continue to Debate the Pluses and Minuses of Extra Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine
On 12 September, a vaccine advisory group to the CDC once again will wrestle with the question of who in the United States should receive a booster shot to protect against COVID-19. As several new variants and an uptick in COVID-19 hospitalization fuel concerns among some health officials and the public, three companies have made new COVID-19 vaccines that can be used as a booster (or as primary doses for the unvaccinated). Science
FDA Approves New Covid Shots
The Food and Drug Administration approved a new round of Covid boosters on Monday. A nationwide rollout of the vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna should begin later this week, after the C.D.C. considers guidelines (today) to prepare Americans for this season when infections usually tick upward. In the last year, the updated Covid vaccine made it into the arms of only 20 percent of adults in the United States. New York Times
The Big COVID Question for Hospitals This Fall
With universal masking mandates almost entirely gone, hospitals now have to decide when—or if—to bring requirements back. A return to masking has a clear logic in hospitals. Sick patients come into close contact; medical procedures produce aerosols. Many moved away from most masking requirements in the spring with community transmission and hospitalization rates low. But much of the data that experts once relied on to monitor COVID in the community have faded away. In most parts of the country, COVID cases are no longer regularly tallied; people are either not testing, or testing only at home. Some hospitals have turned instead to in-house stats, but screening is no longer routine for patients, skewing positivity stats; even sniffly health-care workers are now less eager to test and report. The Atlantic
WHO Interim Recommendations for the Use of Protein Subunit COVID-19 Vaccines
Subunit vaccines contain fragments of proteins or polysaccharides of a pathogen which could elicit an immune response. Subunit vaccines do not contain live pathogens and are suitable for people who cannot receive live vaccines. This interim guidance, developed on the basis of advice issued by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization, reviews each of the currently available protein subunit vaccine composition, dosing and precautions. World Health Organization
SARS-CoV-2 Variant Risk Evaluation
This SARS-CoV-2 risk evaluation tool – which WHO will use in collaboration with experts from Member States – is designed to assist in evaluating the risk posed by emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants based on the available evidence and the level of confidence in the evidence. While the tool focuses specifically on the risk posed by SARS-CoV-2 variants in the human population, it also provides relevant information for the evaluation of any newly emerging coronavirus variants or other respiratory pathogens that demonstrate human-to-human transmission. World Health Organization
Infection-Induced SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence among Blood Donors, Japan, 2022
A nationwide survey of SARS-CoV-2 antinucleocapsid seroprevalence among blood donors in Japan revealed that, as of November 2022, infection-induced seroprevalence of the population was 28.6% (95% CI 27.6%–29.6%). Seroprevalence studies might complement routine surveillance and ongoing monitoring efforts to provide a more complete real-time picture of COVID-19 burden. Emerging Infectious Diseases
How Covid Affects the Heart
During the first two years of the pandemic, from March 2020 to March 2022, there were approximately 90,000 more deaths in the United States attributed to cardiovascular disease than were expected for that span of time. The majority of these occurred in people 65 and older — the age group with the highest risk for cardiovascular complications. But heart-related deaths also increased dramatically in younger adults. In fact, a study found that the sharpest rise in deaths from heart attack during that period occurred in 25- to 44-year-olds. New York Times
Amid Another Rise in Cases, Covid’s New Normal Has Set In
“I see so many people say: ‘Remember, Covid’s not over,’” Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and director of Brown University’s Pandemic Center. “Covid’s never going to be over. You need to set expectations accordingly. It is never going to be over.” Epidemiologist Bill Hanage noted that already this year, there have been roughly 100,000 Covid deaths in the United States — and there are 3.5 months left in the year. If half that number of people were to die during a flu season, it would be deemed a disastrous flu year. STAT
HISTORICAL REFLECTIONS
Improvements and Persisting Challenges in COVID-19 Response Compared with 1918–19 Influenza Pandemic Response, New Zealand (Aotearoa)
Both pandemics were caused by respiratory viruses, but the 1918–19 pandemic was short, intense, and yielded a higher mortality rate. The 1918–19 influenza pandemic occurred in the final stages of World War I and is estimated to have killed 50–100 million persons worldwide, equaling >1% of the world’s population. The government and societal responses to COVID-19 were vastly superior; responses had a clear strategic direction and included a highly effective elimination strategy, border restrictions, minimal community spread for 20 months, successful vaccination rollout, and strong central government support. Compared with other high-income countries, New Zealand experienced decreased excess winter deaths, a net decline in overall deaths, and an increase in life expectancy during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging Infectious Diseases
SPECIAL INTEREST
ASPPH 2024 Annual Meeting Award Nominations, Call for Proposals
The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) is accepting nominations for the 2024 Excellence Awards through 13 October. The awards will be presented at the Annual Meeting for Academic Public Health in March 2024. A call for proposals due the same day seeks innovative ideas, promising and emerging practices, practical solutions, and experiences in addressing challenges and opportunities in academic public health. ASPPH
Apply Now for the ECDC Fellowship Programme
Embark on a two-year hands-on training that enables fellows to support prevention, preparedness and surveillance activities, outbreak investigation and control of communicable disease threats across the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) – and beyond. Apply for the ECDC Fellowship Programme (EPIET/EUPHEM) by 15 October 2023. ECDC
ALSO READING
Grand challenges in bioinformatics education and training. Nature Biotechnology
CSR Biodefense Scorecard: Highlighting Progress on U.S. Policies & CSR Recommendations. Council on Strategic Risks
Integrating Patient Metadata and Genetic Pathogen Data: Advancing Pandemic Preparedness with a Multi-Parametric Simulator. BioRxiv
A machine learning classifier using 33 host immune response mRNAs accurately distinguishes viral and non-viral acute respiratory illnesses in nasal swab samples. Genome Medicine
The Field Epidemiology Training Program’s Contribution to Essential Public Health Functions in Seven National Public Health Institutes. International Journal of Public Health
Enhancing the Predictive Power of Google Trends Data Through Network Analysis: Infodemiology Study of COVID-19. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Identifying a Causal Link Between Prolactin Signaling Pathways and COVID-19 Vaccine-Induced Menstrual Changes. NPJ Vaccines
Predicting Antibiotic Resistance in ICUs Patients by Applying Machine Learning in Vietnam. Dove Press
COVID-19 Epidemiology during Delta Variant Dominance Period in 45 High-Income Countries, 2020–2021. Emerging Infectious Diseases
Review of Quantitative Measurement of Influenza Virus Transmission in Animal Models. Biophysical Reviews
Infection of Feral Phenotype Swine with Japanese Encephalitis Virus. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
Synergistic manipulations of concurrent pathogen infections potentially enabling future pandemics. Drug Discovery Today