Public Health in the News

(Photo from CDC, public domain)

Hantavirus is in the news because of a cruise ship outbreak. The South American Andes virus is the only hantavirus known to transmit person-to-person, primarily in health care settings. Human hantavirus infections have a high risk of death. Personal protection, particularly when cleaning up rodent droppings, is essential.

 Hantavirus: the risks, the science and what you need to know : Short Wave : NPR  

 Hantavirus update - by Katelyn Jetelina 

More details emerge on hantavirus patients on cruise ship | CIDRAP  

WHO’s response to hantavirus cases linked to a cruise ship 

 nmhealth.org/publication/view/help/887/ (Fact sheet with good protection summary)

 How to Clean Up After Rodents | Healthy Pets, Healthy People | CDC 

 National Park Service (Detailed rodent exclusion manual)

  Hantavirus in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Volume 206 Issue 6 (1995) (Article by MayaVerse author Millicent Eidson)

People often think of 'the flu' as only a human-to-human disease, but the reservoir for the virus is in animals. More exciting challenges for Maya Maguire with pigs and birds in the future "Influenza" book!

 Nevada dairy worker infected with new bird flu strain becomes state's first human case 

Avian flu strikes more poultry flocks in 7 states and more cats | CIDRAP 

7 things you can do to prevent getting bird flu - UChicago Medicine 

 20 big cats die amid bird flu outbreak in Washington sanctuary 

 Pet food recalled after testing positive for bird flu 

 Virus in Louisiana bird flu patient shows mutations that could increase transmissibility to humans, CDC analysis finds 

 Bird poop may be the key to stopping the next flu pandemic. Here’s why. 

 Why unprecedented bird flu outbreaks sweeping the world are concerning scientists (nature.com) 

(Photomicrograph from CDC, public domain)

The last US outbreak of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) was in 2003 from owners and veterinarians handling pet prairie dogs, exposed at pet rodent distributors by imported giant Gambian rats. Now we have a new wrinkle with human-to-human transmission. See links below and look forward to the "M" novel!

Third US clade 1 mpox case reported, in New Hampshire | CIDRAP

Mpox (World Health Organization) 

Mpox: The Next Pandemic? | Watch