Well conducted study on COVID transmission dynamics:

'In an African population with high levels of infection-driven immunity & low vaccine coverage, we find high attack rates during SARS-CoV-2 waves, with a high proportion of asymptomatic infections & young children remaining…

Reminder: cluster of MERS cases in Saudi Arabia, likely associated wit hospital transmission. One person died, two others in ICU. This virus keeps trickling into humans. Source of initial infection here unknown who.int/emergencies/di…

Metformin induced a greater reduction in SARS-CoV-2 viral load than placebo in the COVID-OUT study -- now in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Carolyn T. Bramante, MD, MPH David Boulware, MD MPH doi.org/10.1093/cid/ci…
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With #measles spreading in every region of the world, vaccination is one of the best ways to help stop its spread.

Protect yourself & loved ones by staying up-to-date with your measles vaccine.

Learn more: toronto.ca/measles-fact-s…

Malaria is a major cause of illness worldwide. In a phase 2 trial in Mali, one subcutaneous dose of L9LS, a monoclonal antibody targeting Plasmodium falciparum, reduced the incidence of clinical malaria among children. Full Mali Malaria mAb trial results: nej.md/3Ug6MTr

NEW: Canada expanding surveillance, testing milk for #H5N1 avian flu amid U.S. dairy cattle outbreak, Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced Friday night.

Here’s the latest:
cbc.ca/news/health/h5…

Scientists have long warned #H5N1 has pandemic potential. And it wouldn’t be the first time a flu pandemic wreaked havoc on our world.

So how likely is that worst-case scenario now, as this virus circulates in yet another species?

My latest:
cbc.ca/news/health/h5…

While there have been no detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Canadian cattle, given the recent detections in the United States, the Government of Canada is enhancing testing and surveillance in Canadian cattle and milk.
bit.ly/4dpPsE7
#HPAI #CdnAg

Tick-borne infections are a growing issue in Canada.

1. ~20% of ticks have evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi (causes Lyme disease).

2. Much less common but still here: Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, other Borrelia spp, & Powassan virus.

🇨🇦

bit.ly/3bNb4Pz by C Wilson et al.

Out now on Virological Posts: preliminary report on the genomic epidemiology of H5N1 sequences in cattle. This complements the preprint Dept. of Agriculture put out yesterday.

There was a lot of data to work with, so it's split in two parts 👇🏼
virological.org/t/preliminary-…
virological.org/t/preliminary-…

BREAKING: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Public Health Agency of Canada jointly announce Canada will be expanding surveillance of #H5N1 , including cattle and retail milk testing, amid ongoing outbreak among U.S. dairy cattle.

More from their new statement:

Bictegravir Use During Pregnancy: A Multi-Center Retrospective Analysis Evaluating HIV Viral Suppression and Perinatal Outcomes

✅ Just Accepted
🔗 bit.ly/3UFE4N7

The challenging thing about communicating the risk of #flu pandemics is the risk is low — until it isn't. Then things happen really quickly. I talked to the head of the CDC 's flu division about that & the US response to #H5N1 #birdflu in cows. statnews.com/2024/05/03/bir…

Saw a lot of Anaplasmosis last year. Had never heard of it before but it's out there.

New data release from the FDA:

'...pasteurization is effective in inactivating highly pathogenic avian influenza'.

While this is comforting (and not surprising), it is still concerning to see the extent to which this pathogen is spreading.

tinyurl.com/y7bsevwb

That's a start, but they should be casting a wider net for H5N1...

tinyurl.com/mtz6njjt

H5N1 (avian flu): A good overview of what is known and remaining questions.

Most questions can be readily addressed through active screening of farm animals, food products, and humans in close contact, through wastewater testing, serology, and PCR testing.…