This week’s selections include the Marburg outbreak in Tanzania, a federal freeze on public health communications, avian influenza threat prompting accelerated flu subtyping for hospitalized patients, H5N1 vaccine development updates, and the zoonotic potential of chronic wasting disease.
FEATURED
Tanzania Declares Marburg Outbreak: Africa CDC Mobilizes Immediate Response
Tanzania on declared (Jan 20) a Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak after confirming one case and identifying 25 suspected cases in the Kagera Region of Northwestern Tanzania. The country’s health minister had previously (Jan 16) stated there was no outbreak, citing negative sample results taken from a limited number of suspected cases. The WHO Director-General subsequently urged Tanzania’s government to send its samples for testing to international reference labs and to collect additional samples in accordance with normal protocols. To support Tanzania’s response, $ 3 million will be released from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies. This is in addition to the US$ 50,000 that WHO contributed earlier to support the initial investigation. Africa CDC, WHO, CIDRAP
Trump Administration Freezes Health Agency Communications
An “immediate pause” has been ordered on — among other things — regulations, guidance, announcements, press releases, and website posts until such communications had been approved by a political appointee. All travel has also been frozen. The order applies to HHS and its agencies, including the CDC and NIH. As a result (and just one example of the impact), the CDC canceled a call scheduled for this coming Monday with the entire clinical laboratory community — lab leaders, pathologists and laboratory scientists across the country, including at large health systems and hospitals — that had been intended to share updates about emerging threats and testing. “Viruses don’t care who the CDC director or HHS secretary is, or what spin newly appointed political leadership want to put on their agencies’ efforts.” AP, Washington Post, Science
Bird Flu Is a National Embarrassment
Bird flu has spread through all 50 states, affecting more than 100 million birds, most of them domestic poultry; nearly 1,000 herds of dairy cattle have been confirmed to be harboring the virus too. At least 66 Americans, most of them working in close contact with cows, have fallen sick. A full-blown H5N1 pandemic is not guaranteed—the CDC judges the risk of one developing to be “moderate.” But this virus is fundamentally more difficult to manage than even a few months ago and is now poised to become a persistent danger to people. The Atlantic
Accelerated Subtyping of Influenza A in Hospitalized Patients
In light of the ongoing avian influenza A(H5) virus animal outbreak in the United States, a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory was issued (16 Jan) to clinicians and laboratories recommending an expedited timeline for subtyping all influenza A specimens among hospitalized patients and increasing efforts at clinical laboratories to identify non-seasonal influenza. CDC
Vaccine Protective Against H5N1 Influenza from Cattle
An experimental vaccine designed against the H5N1 circulating in U.S. cattle was fully protective in research mice in a new study, which also evaluate the vaccine method for “cross protection.” Would it work if designed with components used in stockpiled vaccines from an older H5N1 virus (A/Vietnam/1203/2004)? They found that when the test vaccine used a design from the older H5N1 virus, protection was diminished. The findings suggest that the HPAI H5N1 circulating in the U.S. may be able to evade immunity from older H5N1 viruses. National Institutes of Health
Zoonotic Potential of Chronic Wasting Disease after Adaptation in Intermediate Species
Report on an increase in interspecies transmission capacity and zoonotic potential of a moose CWD isolate from Europe after passage in an ovine prion protein–expressing host. Those results indicated some CWD prions could acquire enhanced zoonotic properties following adaptation in an intermediate species. Emerging Infectious Diseases
POLICY + GOVERNMENT
Trump Withdraws U.S. From World Health Organization
President Trump moved quickly on his first day in office to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization, a move that public health experts say will undermine the nation’s standing as a global health leader and make it harder to fight the next pandemic. It will take some time for the United States to withdraw fully. A joint resolution adopted by Congress at the agency’s founding in 1948 addressed a potential withdrawal, and requires the United States to give a year’s notice and pay its financial obligations to the organization for the current fiscal year. New York Times, WHO Statement
Strategic Report on Research and Development in Biotechnology for Defense Innovation
Provides an overview of the current landscape of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML)-enabled biotechnology, the opportunities it presents, and the challenges it poses. The report makes recommendations to address long-standing challenges that have limited research, development, prototyping, testing and evaluation, and eventual use of biotechnologies. National Academies
Continuing Surveillance of Emerging Disease Threats is Vital for Public Health, National Security
Since Covid, the U.S. has broadened its routine surveillance tools. However, many of these programs are still being built and require supporting investment, and some funding for existing efforts will need to be renewed starting in 2025 for the programs to continue. Some of these efforts were launched with a one-time post-pandemic funding boost and could vanish if that support isn’t renewed. For example, wastewater surveillance was funded in fiscal year 2024 by remaining Covid supplemental funds, but there’s no appropriation line for these efforts, making it unfunded under the Continuing Resolution. STAT
Biden-Harris Administration Leaves Behind a Roadmap for Pandemic Preparedness and Response for Future Administrations
In order to ensure that future Administrations are prepared for any threat that emerges, the Biden-Harris Administration left behind a three-step internal playbook with nearly 300 pages of guidance on how to rapidly and effectively respond to biological threats from all sources – naturally occurring, accidental and deliberate. The White House
The Importation of Zoonotic Diseases
With Congress’s recent passage of the One Health Act, a provision granting agencies significant authority to combat zoonotic disease outbreaks, this Note explores one of the several avenues through which the U.S. can monitor and curtail zoonotic disease spread: its customs regime. Harvard Law Review
Britain Must Build Own Vaccine Manufacturing Capability, Says Matt Hancock
Britain must build its own vaccine manufacturing capability as a “critical” part of preparing for a future pandemic, the former health secretary Matt Hancock has told the Covid inquiry, saying the pandemic demonstrated the “vital need” for a sovereign onshore facility to ensure the country was able to produce and distribute vaccine doses as soon as regulators gave the green light.” The Guardian
Memo to Trump: Invest in Global Health Security
To ensure American homeland security, it is critical for the United States to maintain a strong voice on biosecurity and pandemic prevention internationally. It’s important (and comparatively cheap) for the United States to support the Biological Weapons Convention, the Pandemic Treaty now under negotiation, and the WHO. Disease knows no borders, but some are inherently more porous, and investing in global health security means aiding other countries and protecting our homeland simultaneously. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES
Oral Obeldesivir Provides Postexposure Protection Against Marburg Virus in Nonhuman Primates
In this study with cynomolgus macaques, a 10-day regimen of once-daily obeldesivir, initiated 24 hours post-exposure, provided 80% protection against a thousand-fold lethal MARV challenge, delaying viral replication and disease onset. Nature Medicine
Ebola: How a Vaccine Turned a Terrifying Virus Into a Preventable Disease
“As a biologist and epidemiologist, I travelled to Guinea amid the chaos to coordinate the laboratory activities of the rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine trials. Almost 10,000 participants were enrolled in trials to make sure the drug was safe and effective to use. The trials would last two years and involved more than 500 scientists and healthcare workers.” Gavi
U.S. Pays $590 Million to Moderna to Speed Up Development of Bird Flu Vaccine
Since 2023, Moderna has been working to create a “pandemic influenza vaccine” which would help protect against certain viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu. The new funds build on the $176 million that HHS gave to Moderna last July. Moderna said the additional funding will help pay for late-stage development, licensure of the vaccines and expanding clinical studies for additional subtypes of pandemic influenza to prevent other potential public health emergencies. NPR
Administration of Antigenically Distinct Influenza Viral Particle Combinations as an Influenza Vaccine Strategy
One approach for developing a more universal influenza vaccine is to elicit strong immune responses against canonically immunosubdominant epitopes in the surface exposed viral glycoproteins. While standard vaccines typically induce responses directed primarily against mutable epitopes in the hemagglutinin (HA) head domain, there are generally limited or variable responses directed against epitopes in the relatively more conserved HA stalk domain and neuraminidase (NA) proteins. Here we describe a vaccine approach that utilizes a combination of wildtype (WT) influenza virus particles along with virus particles engineered to display a trimerized HA stalk in place of the full-length HA protein to elicit both responses simultaneously. PLOS Pathogens
A Surrogate BSL2-Compliant Infection Model Recapitulating Key Aspects of Human Marburg Virus Disease
MARV needs to be operated under strict biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) laboratory conditions. Therefore, accessible and practical animal models are urgently needed to advance prophylactic and therapeutic strategies for MARV. This alternative model is an effective tool for rapidly screening medical countermeasures against MARV GP in vivo under BSL-2 conditions. Emerging Microbes & Infection
NMRC CTC Seeks Volunteers for Staph Vaccine Trials
Naval Medical Research Command (NMRC)’s Clinical Trials Center (CTC) is seeking volunteers to participate in a phase 1 clinical trial for a vaccine aimed at reducing frequency and severity of infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. “Between January 2016 and September 2020, over 200,000 cases of skin and soft tissue infections affected 174,893 service members,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jaqueline Clerk, deputy director of the CTC. “A safe and effect vaccine to reduce the burden of Staph infections would significantly improve the lives of service members and reduce the amount of antibiotics used.” Navy Medicine
Building a Fast Response Capability for Emerging Infectious Diseases Within BARDA
Over the last 15 years, supplemental funding has repeatedly enabled BARDA to respond to EID outbreaks, including pandemic influenza, Ebola, and COVID-19, that could not otherwise be supported through annual appropriations. Reflections on these experiences, particularly pandemic influenza preparedness and the COVID-19 response, have highlighted technological, organizational, and budgetary successes and challenges in responding to an unfolding EID outbreak. Health Security
Funding Awarded to Advance Patch-Based RNA Vaccine Development
BARDA announced four Concept Stage winners of the Patch Forward Prize. Each winner received $2 million to advance microneedle patch-based RNA vaccines for COVID-19, seasonal influenza, and/or pandemic influenza. Medical Countermeasures
FDA Launches New Supply Chain Website Content
The FDA works with HHS and other federal and state partners to address shortages of FDA-regulated products. See how the FDA monitors, prevents, and mitigates shortages and supply chain disruptions for FDA-regulated products and then check out information for industry and the latest news on supply chain issues. FDA
BIOSECURITY + BIOPREPAREDNESS
NIH Implementation of the U.S. Government Policy for DURC and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (PEPP)
This notice provides researchers and research institutions funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants and cooperative agreements with information pertaining to NIH’s implementation of the U.S. Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential. NIH intends to implement the DURC/PEPP Policy effective May 6, 2025. NIH Grants
Preparing for Disease X
A well-functioning primary care system should include trained health professionals, access to all essential medications, and comprehensive vaccination programs to prevent outbreaks. Given the challenges in rural areas, including a lack of funding for health-care resources and scarcity of medical providers, innovative solutions are needed to improve access. Finding ways to effectively integrate telehealth with physical clinics can enhance diagnosis and care in out-of-hospital settings, preventing the spread of disease to more populated areas. Think Global Health
Why Scientists Say We are Fighting H5N1 Bird Flu With One Hand Tied Behind Our Backs
Gain-of-function research became highly controversial during the COVID-19 pandemic. But without it, “we’re just flying in the dark” when it comes to H5N1, said Felicia Goodrum, a molecular virologist at the University of Arizona. Michael Imperiale, a virologist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said past GOF experiments are extremely useful as blueprints of what to watch out for as the virus sweeps the globe. And he’s surprised more people aren’t talking about their value. Unless the scientific community stands up for the work and challenges its negative image, obtaining valuable research will be increasingly difficult. Los Angeles Times
How the Special Pathogen Unit Plays a Crucial Role in Combatting Infectious Diseases
Designed with state-of-the-art infection control and isolation, UI Health Care’s Special Pathogen Unit (SPU) is able to transform a portion of the Surgical and Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit into a secure biocontainment care space equipped to handle highly infectious diseases. “We’re the only Level 2 SPU in our region. That means we have the capacity to care for patients for the duration of their illness. This includes adults, pediatric and neonatal patients, and pregnant women.” Iowa Health Care
As Biolabs Multiply Globally, Some Experts Worry About Oversight
After the first waves of Covid-19, state and national officials in India announced ambitious plans to expand pathogen research. Since then, proposals to build at least 26 new BSL-3 and at least four new BSL-4 laboratories have been announced. More vaccine manufacturing facilities that work with live viruses are also under development. This adds to the existing 47 certified research laboratories rated to biosafety level 3 and one BSL-4 lab. Policymakers introduced new biosafety regulations in 2017, but interviews with more than two dozen scientists and biosafety experts suggest that implementation is still ongoing. Undark
COVID 5 Years Later: Learning From a Pandemic Many are Forgetting
Despite the flood of insights into the behavior of the virus and how to prevent it from causing harm, many at the meeting worried the world has turned a blind eye to the lessons learned from the pandemic. “I feel this massive gravitational pull to go back to what we were doing before. There’s no way we should be going back.” Even more concerning, many countries have actually become hostile toward pandemic prevention research, much of the anger stemming from an unproven assertion that SARS-CoV-2 leaked from a lab. Science
The Rising Threat of Deadly Diseases Jumping From Animals to Humans
The drugged macaque lying in the bed of a pick-up truck in Thailand’s Khao Yai national park is an unwitting but potentially crucial sentinel for the next pandemic. Thai veterinarians are taking vials of blood and swabs from the anaesthetised animal, to be screened for known and new pathogens that could infect people. “Even though we are dealing with wildlife, our work is for human beings,” says Supaporn Wacharapluesadee, a field virologist based in Bangkok, observing a collection of the samples she will later analyse. “It is a hard battle to win — but we hope to stay one step ahead of the diseases.” Financial Times
SELECT AGENTS + PRIORITY PATHOGENS
Infectome Analysis of Bat Kidneys From Yunnan Province, China, Reveals Close Relatives of Hendra-Nipah Viruses
meta-transcriptomic sequencing on kidney tissues from 142 bats, spanning ten species sampled at five locations in Yunnan province, China. This analysis identified 22 viral species, including 20 novel viruses, two of which represented newly discovered henipaviruses closely related to the highly pathogenic Hendra and Nipah viruses. These henipaviruses were found in the kidneys of bats inhabiting an orchard near villages, raising concerns about potential fruit contamination via bat urine and transmission risks to livestock or humans. BioRxiv (pre-print)
Marburg Virus Disease in Rwanda — Centering Both Evidence and Equity
In the East African country of Rwanda, a courageous, unified, and successful response to the global threat posed by a major outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) offers reason for hope, as well as lessons for everyone who seeks to safeguard health equity in a time of ascendant isolationism. New England Journal of Medicine
Chikungunya Virus and Armed Forces: Relevance and Vaccine Prospects
CHIKV infections during U.S. military deployments in endemic areas are rare, however during local outbreaks, such as one documented case in Djibouti, the risk for servicemembers matches that of the local population. Given the prolonged disease courses in infected soldiers (cases include hospitalization and prolongued sequelae for over 12 months) leading to repatriation and lost workdays, preventive measures are necessary for deployments in chikungunya outbreak areas. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases
Two Human Infections with Diverse Europe-1 Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Strains, North Macedonia, 2024
Until 2023, North Macedonia had not reported a Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) case for >50 years. In 2024, increased clinical vigilance identified and characterized 2 novel CCHF cases. Genetic analysis and the identification of possible reassortment indicate North Macedonia as an interaction zone between CCHF virus isolates from Turkey and Kosovo. This detailed case studies illustrate the clinical variability and severity of CCHFV infections. Emerging Infectious Diseases
Multiple Cell Types Support Ebola Infection via Skin Contact
EBOV infection of human skin via basal media increases in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner. In the dermis, cells of myeloid, endothelial, and fibroblast origin were EBOV antigen–positive in this study, whereas keratinocytes harbored virus in the epidermis. Infectious virus was detected on the apical epidermal surface within 3 days, indicating that virus propagates and traffics through the explants. Science Advances
Characterization of Bacillus anthracis Strains from Animal Cases in Ethiopia
The prevention and control of anthrax in Ethiopia are constrained by several factors, including a poor understanding of the disease dynamics, weak infrastructure, and high-risk sociocultural practices. Only a few partial or draft genome sequences of B. anthracis strains from Ethiopia are available in public databases. Hence, there is an urgent need to better understand the extent of genetic diversity among B. anthracis strains in Ethiopia. Pathogens
Identification of Anthrax as the Cause of a Cluster of Unexplained Deaths, Uganda 2023
Between April and November 2023, 27 unexplained human deaths that presented with swelling of the arms, skin sores with black centers, difficulty in breathing, obstructed swallowing, headaches, and other body aches were reported in Kyotera District. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and target enrichment sequencing conducted on postmortem samples confirmed Bacillus anthracis. Applying mNGS to autopsy specimens is useful as a retrospective tool for identifying high-consequence pathogens during suspected outbreaks of unknown etiology. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Tularemia — United States, 2011–2022
During 2011–2022, 47 states reported 2,462 tularemia cases (0.064 per 100,000 population), representing a 56% increase in incidence compared with 2001–2010. Incidence was highest among children aged 5–9 years, older men, and American Indian or Alaska Native persons, among whom incidence was approximately five times that among White persons. Increased tularemia incidence might reflect changes in frequency of human infection or improved case ascertainment. MMWR
Nipah Virus Outbreak Trends in Bangladesh During the Period 2001 to 2024
This study provides a descriptive analysis of NiV outbreaks from 2001 to 2024, examining trends in infection and death rates and their correlation with climatic factors such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall. The findings highlight significant spikes in NiV cases during specific years, with environmental factors, particularly temperature and precipitation, showing solid correlations with outbreak patterns. Science in One Health
AVIAN INFLUENZA
B.C. Doctor Reflects on Treating Teen with H5N1 for 2 Months
Dr. David Goldfarb, a medical microbiologist and pediatric infectious disease physician at B.C. Children’s Hospital first saw the young patient on Nov. 8. She was in respiratory distress, but there was no “clear flag” that suggested she was infected with H5N1. Goldfarb sent diagnostic tests to the hospital lab to determine the type of influenza that had sickened the teen. They all came back negative. As Goldfarb took a closer look at the case, he started to notice symptoms associated with recent cases of avian flu, such as pink eye and wanted to test his theory as soon as possible. “I called my colleague at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and arranged for urgent testing for the H5N1 test, which is for the avian flu strain. CBC
Louisiana Reports First U.S. H5N1 Human Death
The death was reported on January 6. The patient was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds. “LDH’s extensive public health investigation has identified no additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission. This patient remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana.” CDC conducted sequencing on samples from the patient. Louisiana Department of Health, CDC
Fifteen More States Enroll with USDA Milk Testing Program
The USDA today announced that 15 more states have enrolled in its National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS), which boosts the number of participating states to 28 and covers 65% of the nation’s milk production. The USDA unveiled a national milk testing order on December 6, which began with 6 states and spelled out a broader strategy for testing milk in the wake of ongoing outbreaks on dairy farms. CIDRAP
Cambodian Man Dies from H5N1 Avian Flu, Possibly After Eating Sick Chickens
A 28-year-old man from Kampong Cham province in Cambodia has died from an H5N1 avian flu infection after being exposed to and possibly consuming sick chickens. CIDRAP
PAHO Launches Interactive Dashboard t Monitor H5N1in the Americas
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched an interactive dashboard to monitor avian influenza A(H5N1) cases in the Americas. This tool is designed to improve access to data on outbreaks of this disease in birds, mammals, and humans, providing key information for public and animal health authorities. Pan American Health Organization
New Reports Sharpen Clinical Picture of Recent Human H5N1 Illnesses in US And Canada
Two groups of investigators today fleshed out fuller clinical understanding of North American patients recently infected with H5N1 avian influenza, one of them describing a Canadian teen who had a severe infection and the other reviewing illness features of 46 US patients, most of whom had mild infections following exposure to sick dairy cows or poultry. CIDRAP
What to Know About Protecting Your Cat From Bird Flu
Since 2022, more than 70 cats have been confirmed to have contracted H5N1. Many of these were barn cats and drank milk from infected cattle. A study published last summer found that about half of the infected cats on a dairy farm in north Texas died from the virus. Last month, the Oregon Department of Agriculture said that a house cat contracted the virus and then died after consuming a frozen turkey pet-food product. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last week it is now requiring cat and dog food companies to update their safety plans to protect against bird flu. Vets say the safest bet is conventional pet food, which uses heat cooking, canning and pasteurization processes. NPR
CHEMICAL + RADIOLOGICAL THREATS
Sudan’s Military Has Used Chemical Weapons Twice, U.S. Officials Say
The revelations about chemical weapons came as the United States announced sanctions on 16 Jan. against the Sudanese military chief, saying there was strong evidence of atrocities in the country. Two officials briefed on the matter said the chemical weapons appeared to use chlorine gas. The use of chemical weapons crosses yet another boundary in the war between the Sudanese military and the R.S.F., its former ally. By many measures, the conflict in Sudan has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with as many as 150,000 people killed, over 11 million displaced and now the world’s worst famine in decades. New York Times
Syrian Rebels’ Remarkable Call for International Help on Chemical Weapons
The rebel group leading the coalition now in charge in Damascus wants international help in safely dismantling the regime’s clandestine chemical weapons program. In its statement, the group said the “Assad regime has attacked the Syrian people with chemical weapons on dozens of occasions, causing the deaths of thousands…” It goes on to reassure the international community that it has “no intention or desire to use chemical weapons or any weapons of mass destruction” and that it will not allow chemical weapons “to fall into irresponsible hands.” RAND
Optimizing Triage in Chemical Disasters: Validation of Modified IGSA Criteria for Hydrofluoric Acid Exposure
This retrospective analysis of 16 patients exposed to hydrofluoric acid (HFA) aimed to develop and validate the modified irritant gas syndrome agent (IGSA) criteria, utilizing readily available triage information and epidemiologic data to efficiently segregate patients based on the severity of exposure. The modified IGSA (mIGSA) criteria offer a significant improvement in the triage of HFA exposure incidents, facilitating rapid identification and prioritization of patients with potentially severe outcomes. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Identification of Small Molecule Peptides Indicative of Novichok Nerve Agent Exposures
The identification of biomarkers indicating Novichok exposure in humans is crucial for prompt detection and response to potential incidents involving these banned chemical weapons. These additional biomarkers can improve laboratory preparedness for OPCW-designated biomedical testing laboratories as well as other clinical and investigative laboratories tasked with responding to emergencies involving these highly toxic chemicals. Chemical Research in Toxicology
SURVEILLANCE + DETECTION
Innovative Ricin Toxin Detection
Ricin toxin (RT) is a potential bioterrorism agent because of its high potency, extremely small lethal dose, ease of preparation, and notable stability. Therefore, a portable method is urgently required to efficiently detect and determine the presence of toxicity of RT and evaluate its potency for public health monitoring and counter-bioterrorism responses. Here the discovery of the AP lyase activity of RT and the development of FLFA represent novel approaches for studying the enzymatic profiles of other ribosome-inactivating proteins. Analytical Chemistry
Comparison of Two Field Deployable PCR Platforms for SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A and B Viruses’ Detection
RNA extracted from nasopharyngeal swabs of infected and uninfected individuals was tested on the Biomeme Franklin at Lackland Air Force Base and the Truelab RT-PCR thermocycler at Wright Patterson Air Force bases. Findings suggest that both platforms can detect SARS-CoV-2 and influenza in NP swabs, yet significant improvements are still needed to develop a deployable, rapid, and reliable point-of-care diagnostic test that the DoD can use to accurately identify respiratory pathogens. Key areas for improvement include enhancing sensitivity, enabling multiplexing, and integrating field RNA extraction capabilities. Pathogens
Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Bacterial Spores via SERS
This study introduces a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) approach for detecting Bacillus thuringiensis spores by targeting calcium dipicolinate acid (CaDPA), a biomarker uniquely associated with bacterial spores. ACS Sensors
FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Validation of In Vitro Diagnostic Devices for Emerging Pathogens During a Section 564 Declared Emergency
The FDA has issued the draft guidance, “Validation of Certain In Vitro Diagnostic Devices for Emerging Pathogens During a Section 564 Declared Emergency.” This guidance, when finalized, will provide recommendations for validating certain in vitro diagnostic devices (IVDs) intended to detect new or unusual biological agents during a declared emergency. FDA
The Elusive Goal of Nationwide Disease Prediction
The federal government has bet big on the concept with a new nationwide network called Insight Net, which links academic disease modelers with public health practitioners. The network comprises 13 research consortia with participants in 24 states and is funded with up to $262 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Insight Net members are piloting analytical techniques that combine novel data sources to guide surveillance and inform decision-making during outbreaks. The end goal is to create something akin to a National Weather Service for disease. Undark
Development of Rapid Diagnostic for Pertussis from Respiratory Secretions
In preliminary studies, nasopharyngeal (NP) aspirate, swab, and wash specimens were compared. The specimen of choice was found to be the NP aspirate, for which 100% positive results were found in the assay. Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Recent Developments and Future Directions in Point-of-Care Next-Generation CRISPR-Based Rapid Diagnosis
This review examines the current state of CRISPR-based diagnostics and their potential applications across a wide range of diseases, including cancers, genetic disorders, and infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, malaria, Zika virus, and human papillomavirus). Additionally, the integration of machine learning and AI to enhance the accuracy, scalability, and efficiency of CRISPR diagnostics is discussed. Clinical and Experimental Medicine
WHO Prequalifies Diagnostic Test to Support Safer Administration of P. Vivax Malaria Treatments
On 18 Dec. the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified the first diagnostic test for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency which can help to safely deliver WHO-recommended treatments to prevent relapse of Plasmodium vivax infection. Some 500,000 people die each year from malaria, most of them children. World Health Organization
AI + CYBERBIOSECURITY
What Will Viruses Do Next? AI is Helping Scientists Predict Their Evolution
AI models require vast amounts of data to be able to predict viral evolution. The mass sequencing of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has made this possible, says Jumpei Ito, a bioinformatician at the University of Tokyo. Researchers now have close to 17 million sequences they can use to train their models. Nature
The US Government Takes Actions to Protect Vital Biological Datasets
There are rising bipartisan efforts between the executive and legislative branches to protect US biotechnology and biological data from exploitation by actors outside the country. This has included recent efforts to limit access to bulk personal datasets of the American public, especially multiomic data, by nations that raise concerns regarding potential uses that are adverse to US security or international biological and business norms. Council on Strategic Risks
Challenges and Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance
It is important to also recognize that, despite the advancements of cutting-edge algorithms, limitations in data accessibility still present challenges, impacting their ability to perform effectively across diverse patient populations and clinical scenarios. Particularly, ethical concerns such as informed consent, data privacy, and algorithmic bias must be addressed. NPJ Antimicrobials and Resistance
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Sin Nombre Virus as Unlikely Reverse Zoonotic Threat
The original aim of this study was to create a reliable method to isolate hantaviruses from clinical materials from confirmed hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) cases by using natural reservoirs. However, after attempting that approach with samples from 10 unique HCPS case-patients and material from 5 NHPs experimentally infected with an Sin Nombre virus strain originally isolated from the deer mice colony founders, developing that method does not seem possible, at least not as outlined here. Genomic comparisons between rodent reservoirs and human disease may provide insight into hantavirus evolution and genetic determinants, but reverse zoonosis of Sin Nombre virus appears unlikely. Emerging Infectious Diseases
Pakistan’s Polio Count Hits 67 for 2024 as 2 Other Nations Confirm New Cases
Pakistan this week confirmed three wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) infections, and two African nations reported more vaccine-derived cases. The new WPV1 cases in Pakistan are in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, with onset of paralysis in November and December. They bring Pakistan’s 2024 case count to 67. CIDRAP
NIH Researchers Discover Novel Class of Anti-Malaria Antibodies
A novel class of antibodies that binds to a previously untargeted portion of the malaria parasite could lead to new prevention methods. The most potent of the new antibodies was found to provide protection against malaria parasites in an animal model. The researchers say antibodies in this class are particularly promising because they bind to regions of the malaria parasite not included in current malaria vaccines, providing a potential new tool for fighting this dangerous disease. National Institues of Health
FDA Publishes Prevention Strategy for Hepatitis A, Norovirus in Berries
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has published a new commodity-specific prevention strategy for norovirus and hepatitis A virus contamination of fresh and frozen berries. Key factors to consider in preventing berry-associated enteric virus outbreaks include proper hygienic practices of field workers, management of sanitary facilities, measures to prevent cross-contamination of fruit in the field and processing operations, and measures to monitor and limit viral carriage of farm and facility workers. Food Safety Magazine
Borrelia, Leishmania, and Babesia: An Emerging Triad of Vector-Borne Co-Infections?
Canine leishmaniosis (CanL), caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum and transmitted primarily by phlebotomine sand flies, poses significant challenges for zoonotic disease management, with dogs serving as reservoirs, facilitating transmission to humans. Host exposure to sand fly vectors, as well as ticks carrying other pathogens, increases the risk of co-infection with Leishmania, Borrelia, and Babesia. These co-infections may exacerbate CanL progression due to synergistic interactions between pathogens that manipulate host immune responses. Pathogens
Certain Groups at Increased Risk for Severe Health Outcomes from Parvovirus B19
New data from three MMWRs show that the percentage of positive human parvovirus B19 results in clinical specimens more than doubled in 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels. Parvovirus B19 infection can lead to serious health complications for certain groups, including those with a weakened immune system, chronic hemolytic blood disorders (like sickle cell disease), or who are pregnant. A sickle cell disease clinic in Atlanta, GA, found that the rate of severe anemia due to parvovirus B19 infection in children with sickle cell disease more than tripled during the first nine months of 2024 compared to the overall rate for the previous 14 years. MMWR
Lack of Competence of US Mosquito Species for Circulating Oropouche Virus
Given recent outbreaks of Oropouche virus in Latin America and >100 confirmed travel-associated cases in the United States, this research evaluated the competence of US vectors, including several mosquito species. Results with historic and recent isolates suggest transmission potential for these species is low. Emerging Infectious Diseases
Barinthus Bio Announces Promising Results From Phase 2b Hepatitis B Trial
VTP-300 is an immunotherapy combined with low-dose nivolumab for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Out of 121 participants, 8 achieved HBsAg loss, with 2 meeting the functional cure criteria. Infection Control Today
Shorter TB Treatment Recommended for Kids, Adults
“There has been a quest and concerted effort to develop shorter treatments for TB, after decades of little drug development,” Jussi Saukkonen, MD, of the Boston Veterans’ Administration Health Care System and a lead author of the guidelines, said in a statement. “With recent studies we have been able to shorten the regimen durations for both drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB for most patients, down to 4 and 6 months, respectively.” MedPage Today
FDA Publishes Long-Term Strategy to Increase Resiliency of U.S. Infant Formula Market
Since the 2022 formula criss, FDA has taken several actions to improve the safety and availability of infant formula, such as entering a consent decree with Abbott Nutrition, meeting inspection targets for infant formula production facilities in 2023 and 2024, issuing warning letters to three formula manufacturers, implementing its commodity-specific prevention strategy for C. sakazakii contamination in powdered infant formula, updating the compliance program for infant formula, and participating in reviews of FDA’s processes related to infant formula oversight. The new strategy builds on these actions. Food Safety Magazine
A Maryland Prison Inmate is Hospitalized with Legionnaires’ Disease
A Maryland prison inmate has been hospitalized after testing positive for a serious form of pneumonia caused by the bacteria Legionella, state officials said. The contamination may stem from showers in two buildings. Washington Post
Bat Feces Used to Fertilize Cannabis Is Linked to 2 Deaths
Two men in Rochester, NY, died after they contracted a rare fungal infection from exposure to guano, that they were using to grow cannabis plants. “Exposure to bat guano among cannabis growers appears to be a recent trend that can lead to histoplasmosis cases and outbreaks,” the researchers wrote. “It is crucial to raise awareness among physicians and patients to reinforce personal preventive measures and establish timely diagnosis.” New York Times, Open Forum Infectious Diseases
These Are the 20 Most-Studied Bacteria — The Majority Have Been Ignored
Just ten bacterial species account for half of all publications, whereas nearly three-quarters of all named bacteria don’t have a single paper devoted to them. Nature
ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE CRISIS
Ceftazidime-Resistance in Pediatric Melioidosis
Report on the first case of ceftazidime-resistant pediatric melioidosis involving a previously healthy seven-year-old boy. Although it is uncommon, all melioidosis patients should be carefully monitored during treatment with ceftazidime (or other β-lactams) for development of acquired antimicrobial resistance. Ceftazidime should remain the initial antibiotic of choice in the intensive treatment phase, and routine use of carbapenems in patients not requiring intensive care should be discouraged. IDCases
FDA Requests Public Comments to Inform Development of National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System Strategic Plan
NARMS is a collaborative national public health surveillance system which tracks changes in the antimicrobial susceptibility of enteric bacteria found in ill people (CDC), retail meats (FDA), and food animals (USDA) in the United States. FDA
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
SARS-CoV-2 Test Scale-Up in the USA: Analysis of the Number of Tests Produced and Used and Their Impact on the Pandemic
Approximately 6.7 billion SARS-CoV-2 tests, including over 1.5 billion laboratory-based, 1.9 billion point-of-care (POC), and 3.2 billion over-the-counter (OTC) tests, were produced, and approximately 2.7 billion tests were performed between Jan 1, 2020, and Dec 31, 2022. The Lancet Public Health, ASPR
The Omicron Variant of SARS-Cov-2 Drove Broadly Increased Seroprevalence in a Public University Setting
This seroprevalence study of 1397 participants from Arizona State University was conducted in March 2022. Researchers investigated the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among individuals aged 18 years and older after the Omicron outbreak. The seroprevalence of anti-receptor binding domain antibodies was found to be 96.3%. The near doubling of anti-nucleocapsid reactivity, a proxy for history of infection, reflects the contagiousness of the omicron variant, but may also have been influenced by a more relaxed approach to precautions in the spring of 2022. PLOS Global Public Health
Phenotypic Evolution of SARS-Cov-2 Spike During the COVID-19 Pandemic
SARS-CoV-2 variants are mainly defined by mutations in their spike. It is therefore critical to understand how the evolutionary trajectories of spike affect virus phenotypes. Here researchers generated a panel of recombinant viruses carrying different spike proteins from 27 variants circulating between 2020 and 2024 in the same genomic background, and assessed several of their phenotypic traits both in vitro and in vivo. Spike of post-Omicron variants maintained enhanced tropism for the nasal epithelium and large airways but displayed, over time, several phenotypic traits typical of the pre-Omicron variants. Nature Microbiology
Shortened SARS-CoV-2 Viral RNA Shedding in Saliva During Early Omicron Compared to Wild-Type Pandemic Phase
This study compared the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding in saliva between wild-type virus-infected and Omicron-infected household cohorts. Pre-existing immunity in participants likely shortens the viral RNA shedding duration and lowers viral load peaks. Frequent saliva sampling can be a convenient tool to study viral load dynamics. The Journal of Infectious Diseases
INFODEMIC + DISINFORMATION
Fauci’s Pardon: It’s a Shame It Was Necessary to Protect a Lifelong Public Servant
Members of the public health community are relieved that the pardoning of Anthony Fauci, MD, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), protects him against inappropriate legal battles — but they’re disappointed it had to come to this. “It speaks to the corrosive impact of misinformation … on the well-being and safety of a man who has done nothing but work to save lives his whole professional career,” said Georges Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American Public Health Association. MedPage Today
SPECIAL INTEREST
Want to Start a Fight Among Virus Experts? Ask About HIV’s New Name
Where scientists once counted a couple thousand known viruses, they now know there are likely billions, leading to some rather jolting changes in taxonomy in recent years. The international body governming taxonomy standards (ICTV) is giving viruses new, two-part names — as have long existed for cellular organisms — that indicate both the specific species and its position in the broader viral world. STAT
A Look Back And New Beginnings in 2025
Coverage in 2024 included the largest autochthonous outbreak of dengue fever thus far in Europe (199 cases in Italy), Luxembourg and Spain reporting an encouraging positive impact of the nirsevimab prophylaxis in reducing severe paediatric RSV, and case reports on imported cases of clade Ib MPXV in Europe, in Sweden and Germany, and the ensuing public health responses. Eurosurveillance
Painting Through the Pandemic: A Lifeline in Linseed Oil
“Working on the frontlines during the pandemic was akin to emotional whiplash. The days on service in the ICU were chaotic and relentless, and I barely had time to meet my most basic physiologic needs, let alone emotionally process the horrors I was seeing play out in front of me…I had taken formal art classes as a child and continued until I moved away to start college. Since then, the skillset had largely languished… Nevertheless, in my moment of desperation I was able to return to it, and it provided the solace I desperately needed.” MedPage Today
Covering an Mpox Outbreak in Congo: Mile After Mile of Muck
A reporter made a long journey, much of it spent fighting through mud on a motorbike, to reach the epicenter of a viral outbreak in Africa. New York Times
ALSO READING
Age of the panzootic: Scientists warn of more devastating diseases jumping between species. The Guardian
The complexities of global health negotiations: Power dynamics and the politics of the pandemic agreement. PLOS Global Public Health
Derailment of the Fifth Working Group of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. Council on Strategic Risks
Small interfering RNAs generated from the terminal panhandle structure of negative-strand RNA virus promote viral infection. PLOS Pathogens
First detection of alphacoronavirus in bats from the world’s largest wetland. Pathogens
Dengue virus structural proteins are expressed on the surface of DENV-Infected cells and are a target for antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis. Open Forum Infectious Diseases
Monkeypox in an immunocompromised patient: A case report. Cureus
Excess mortality due to COVID-19 in Thailand between the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Scientific Reports
A randomized, blinded, vehicle-controlled dose-ranging study to evaluate and characterize remdesivir efficacy against ebola virus in rhesus macaques. Viruses
The body of chagas disease vectors. Pathogens
Variable effects of transient Wolbachia infections on alphaviruses in Aedes aegypti. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Human neuroinvasive Toscana virus infections in Italy from 2016 to 2023: Increased incidence in 2022 and 2023. Eurosurveillance
A pan-orthohantavirus human lung xenograft mouse model and its utility for preclinical studies. PLOS Pathogens