Protecting your home and community

Posts in category Infectious Disease

Enterovirus D68: Prevention and Curre...

October 9, 2014 Written by Nicholas
Keep Your Child From Getting and Spreading Enterovirus D68
Enterovirus is a class of viruses with more than 100 members. Originally, enteroviruses were classified into three types: polioviruses, Coxsackie A viruses (CA), Coxsackie B viruses (CB), and echoviruses, but scientists realized that there was overlap and more complexity than previously understood. Poliovirus, as well as Coxsackie and echovir [...]
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WHO European Director Zsuzsanna Jakab...

October 8, 2014 Written by Nicholas
A micrograph of an Ebola virus
According to European press agencies, the Director said, “Such imported cases and similar events as have happened in Spain will happen also in the future, most likely, ” adding that “the continent should be well prepared to control the disease.”   As we have seen in Texas, although the United States has a well-fun [...]
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ACIP Recommends a Preference for Nasa...

July 16, 2014 Written by Nicholas
Photo of kid wincing while receiving nasal flu vaccine
Important notice from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)   For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 25, 2014 Contact: CDC Media Relations (404) 639-3286 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends a preference for using the nasal spray flu vaccine Today, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Pra [...]
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Traveling in West Africa: The Growing...

July 14, 2014 Written by Nicholas
image of plane flying around globe
Should travelers be concerned? A Growing Threat In its summary of the Ebola/Marburg outbreaks, The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) illustrates that the current outbreak (currently 626 confirmed cases) is more severe than any in history.   While previous outbreaks affected one small area at a time, the current pandemic is spread accross [...]
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Mapping the HIV Crisis in Nine Americ...

July 11, 2014 Written by Nicholas
Map of HIV in Boston by Zipcode
  Map of HIV/AIDS in Boston by Zipcode Using Geographic Information Systems to map HIV/AIDS infections is a useful tool for knowing where to put public health resources. The AIDSvu project, based at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, produces detailed maps of HIV epidemic.  Via Jonathan Cohn in The New Republic Sha [...]
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Treatment of MRSA

June 6, 2014 Written by Nicholas
a photo of an IV bag
There’s a possible solution at hand for problems associated with the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Antibiotic resistance and transmission of the nasty bacteria has come about because of treatment failure; as patients start feeling better, they stop taking their antibiotics, creating ideal breeding grou [...]
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CDC Adds Polio Vaccination Recommenda...

June 4, 2014 Written by Nicholas
photo of a vial of polio vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have just updated their advice to health care providers to include polio vaccine in recommended preparedness immunizations. Their news release, dated 2014-6-2, includes the following language: CDC routinely recommends that anyone planning travel to a polio-affected country be fully vaccinat [...]
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A Profile of the Arlington CERT progr...

April 9, 2014 Written by Nicholas
A photo of the sculpture "Menotomy Indian Hunter," by Cyrus Dallin
The First CERT Program in Massachusetts The success of the Arlington, Massachusetts CERT program is due to the vision and dedication of a few individuals who believed that citizens have an important role in community preparedness, response and mitigation. Sticking with their vision for decades, Joe Marshall and a few other individuals are cre [...]
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Preventing Norovirus Infection

March 29, 2014 Written by Nicholas
A photo of a toilet
It’s not just passengers on cruises that get sick with norovirus! Noroviruses are estimated to be responsible for 49 percent of all foodborne illness. It is miserable to have, easy to transmit, and requires a few simple actions to prevent.   Norovirus is a highly contagious virus. Norovirus infection causes gastroenteritis (inflammation [...]
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CDC Office of Preparedness Announces ...

February 18, 2014 Written by Nicholas
A photo of A child receiving an injection
The CDC and the Departments of State, Agriculture and Defense announced last week a $40 million expansion of an international partnership program. The program, which will add 10 countries to the existing pilot program with Vietnam and Uganda. Those programs enhanced the communications and information systems for outbreak response, strengthene [...]
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