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Loving. Loyal. Adorable. Infectious? In a story that broke last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that puppies purchased from the national pet store chain, Petland, were at the epicenter of a multi-state outbreak of a human diarrheal illness caused by Campylobacter bacteria. Understandably so, this is causing serious concern for the well-being… Continue reading Petland Puppies Linked to Causing Infections in Humans
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Category: Blog
Facilities Need Emergency Disaster Plans
Nursing Home Residents Die After Irma-Related Power Outage As details continue to emerge, families in Florida are mourning the loss of at least eight nursing home residents after a Hurricane Irma-related power outage. Local authorities were only alerted Wednesday morning as a slow stream of residents began to arrive at Memorial Regional Hospital, located next… Continue reading Facilities Need Emergency Disaster Plans
San Diego’s Public Health Crisis
The city of San Diego, California, has been battling an outbreak of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) since November of 2016. To date, the outbreak has taken 16 lives and has led to over 300 cases. On September 1, 2017, San Diego’s public health officials declared the current hepatitis A outbreak a public health emergency after… Continue reading San Diego’s Public Health Crisis
Harvey Aftermath: What Happens Now?
As the nation’s attention turns towards Hurricane Irma and the potential of another catastrophic storm hitting the United States, Houston and its residents have only just begun the massive clean up and damage assessment from Hurricane Harvey. The storm itself has subsided to a tropical storm depression and to prevent more severe flooding, Houston is partially draining two… Continue reading Harvey Aftermath: What Happens Now?
Dengue Bites: Southeast Asia and the Explosive Growth of an Emerging Disease
Last year, the sudden emergence of Zika virus stunned onlookers around the world. Now dengue [deng-gay] fever, a close relative of Zika, is infecting tens of thousands across Southeast Asia. This summer’s outbreaks are a result of decades of explosive growth: since 1970, dengue’s endemic area expanded from nine countries to more than 100, threatening… Continue reading Dengue Bites: Southeast Asia and the Explosive Growth of an Emerging Disease
The Dangerous (and Profitable) Business of Counterfeit Drugs and Medications
Imagine this: you’re traveling through Sub-Saharan Africa on a business trip and begin to develop terrible flu-like symptoms. You head to a local physician for anti-malarial medication and after taking the medicine, your symptoms become progressively worse. The symptoms resemble an allergic reaction and your overall medical condition is quickly deteriorating. In some areas of… Continue reading The Dangerous (and Profitable) Business of Counterfeit Drugs and Medications
Africa: Dead on the Road
When thinking about the leading cause of death in Africa, you may be surprised to learn it’s not malaria or cholera. In fact, seemingly inconsequential road traffic accidents are responsible for more deaths than malaria in some African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Africa and Sudan. As a continent, Africa has some of the… Continue reading Africa: Dead on the Road
Deadly Virus is Spreading in Hospitals in the UK
Hospital-acquired infections are a common cause of patient illness and death around the world, including in well-developed hospital systems. The United Kingdom recently reported on an outbreak in which over 200 patients were colonized with the fungus Candida auris (C. auris). Colonization occurs when the fungus is detected on a patient’s skin, and patients may… Continue reading Deadly Virus is Spreading in Hospitals in the UK
The Reappearance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases
Human beings have benefited from vaccinations for over two centuries. The introduction of medicine as a pathway to prevent diseases came in 1796 when Edward Jenner, a country doctor from England, discovered that milkmaids who had been infected with cowpox (the first vaccine) did not show symptoms of smallpox. Fast forward to the late 1800’s through the… Continue reading The Reappearance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases
Cholera Plagues East Africa
Africa is no stranger to cholera, with the continent accounting for 41% of the world’s reported cholera cases in 2015. Cholera is an easily preventable, acute diarrheal disease that is spread by ingesting food or water contaminated with feces. VIGILINT Staff Physician, Dr. Jason Pickett, highlights the dangers of cholera: “Most people infected have mild… Continue reading Cholera Plagues East Africa
This Summer’s Tick Boom Could Equal a Surge in Lyme Disease Cases
This year, experts have reported that tick danger is particularly scary due to last year’s warmer winter and a higher population of White-footed mice in the Northeast. More ticks equal a potential surge of tick-carrying diseases, such as Lyme Disease. In a recent interview with NPR, an ecologist couple from New York explained that the… Continue reading This Summer’s Tick Boom Could Equal a Surge in Lyme Disease Cases
Hong Kong’s Summer Flu Crisis Leaves 200+ Dead and Thousands more Infected
Hong Kong is experiencing a significant seasonal flu outbreak, with over 200 dead since May; this summer’s strain has infected thousands more and hospitals have been overloaded with new patients. According to the Hong Kong Center for Health Protection, over 2,000 new cases were reported in the last week, with cases predicted to rise. Aside from the… Continue reading Hong Kong’s Summer Flu Crisis Leaves 200+ Dead and Thousands more Infected