Outbreak News This Week: Chikungunya in China, CCHF in Iraq, Brain-eating amoeba in South Carolina and more

Rapid data collection can provide an insight into causation, the socio-cultural reality, and complex social processes. This is especially important in disease outbreaks when information is quickly required on local needs that is essential for success. My guest today will discuss rapid data collection and how it is applied in a hantavirus outbreak in Argentina. He will also discuss its use within the contact of Ebola. Joining me today is Glenn Laverack, PhD. Dr Laverack is a professor at the College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Institute of Public Health at UAE University. He is also the author of a number of books on health promotion and outbreaks.   The Challenge of Rapid Data Collection and Health Promotion: A Quick and Easy Approach

In today's news cast, I look at the growing yellow fever outbreak in Tolima Department, Colombia.

In today's news cast, I look at the growing yellow fever outbreak in Tolima Department, Colombia.

In this end of week news cast, I look at some of the news I found most most interesting to includes news from Cambodia, south China, Vietnam, Bolivia and the United States, among others.

AMR Initiative Rwanda is a nonprofit organization implementing the One Health approach to prevent, mitigate, and control the spread of resistant microorganisms, while ensuring the availability of safe, effective, and high-quality antimicrobials, and promoting their prudent and rational use in Rwanda. Joining me today from Kigali, Rwanda is Marcel Ishimwe. Marcel is a pharmacist and the founder and CEO of AMR Initiative Rwanda.

Senegal has eliminated the blinding disease trachoma as a public health problem, the World Health Organization announced last week. This means that more than nine million people in the country are no longer at risk of losing their sight to the disease. Joining me from Nigeria to discuss trachoma and the milestone in Senegal is Dr Caleb Mpyet. Dr Mpyet is a trachoma specialist, epidemiologist and eye doctor. He is trachoma technical adviser for Sightsavers.

Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Nuisance blood-sucking insects known as kissing bugs spread the parasite to humans when exposure to their feces penetrates the mucus membranes, breaches the skin or gets orally ingested. Researchers from the University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute and Texas A&M University gathered their resources to investigate the potential of vector-borne transmission of Chagas in Florida.The 10-year-long study, published in the Public Library of Science Neglected Tropical Diseases, used data from Florida-based submissions, as well as field evidence collected from 23 counties across Florida. Joining me today to talk about the study and their findings is Norman Beatty, MD. Dr Beatty is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine. He is also a member of the Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida.     Field evidence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, diverse host use and invasion of human dwellings by the Chagas disease vector in Florida, USA

Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe since 1980, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa. From 1978-1980, Rhodesia experienced one of the largest anthrax epidemics in recorded history. This led to the deaths of hundreds and caused significant economic devastation. The epidemic happened during the Rhodesian Bush War. To this day, the origins of this devastating outbreak remain highly controversial- was it the result of an endemic outbreak or a case of biological warfare? Today I’m going to look at the history of the epidemic and the possible causes with Matthew Turner, MD. Dr Turner is with the Department of Emergency Medicine at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey Pennsylvania. He is also the author of an article on the topic published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.     The Rhodesian Anthrax Epidemic: A Case of Biological Warfare?

Chagas disease is a dangerous tropical illness caused by single-cell parasites known as Trypanosoma cruzi. In most cases, if not treated immediately, the infection becomes chronic: the immune system of the host greatly reduces the number of parasites present in the body yet fails to fully eradicate them. Current diagnostic approaches often fail to detect these low numbers of parasites. A research team from the University of Georgia and others aimed to develop a test for cure.  Joining me today is Rick Tarleton, PhD. Dr Tarleton ia a Regents’ Professor at the University of Georgia and a Distinguished Professor in Biological Sciences in the Department of Cellular Biology.     Serial ‘deep-sampling’ PCR of fragmented DNA reveals the wide range of Trypanosoma cruzi burden among chronically infected human, macaque, and canine hosts, and allows accurate monitoring of parasite load following treatment

Rat lungworm disease is on the rise in eastern Australia in dogs – and there have even been recorded cases in humans, including two known lethal incidents. Research by veterinary scientists at the University of Sydney has unveiled insights into what is behind the growth in the disease, also known as neural angiostrongyliasis. Their study, published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, highlights how climatic factors act as drivers for this potential public health issue. Joining me to discuss this is Professor Jan Slapeta, Dr Slapeta is a Professor of Veterinary and Molecular Parasitology at the University of Sydney and senior author of the paper.   Rainfall- and Temperature-Driven Emergence of Neural Angiostrongyliasis in Eastern Australia, 2020–2024