Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Two more measles cases confirmed in Minnesota

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 10h

“Fifteen of the 20 cases have been from exposures within the United States, 4 have been imported cases, and 1 case-patient has an unknown exposure.” www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/two-...

Last year Minnesota reported 70 measles cases, but 0 in 2023.

HEPA purifiers not tied to less viral exposure in elementary classrooms, analysis finds

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 10h

“Viruses were detected in 98.5% of 532 bioaerosol samples (median, 3 viruses per classroom). The most common virus was rhinovirus (89.5% of samples), followed by RSV B (23.9%) and RSV A (12.4%), and influenza A and B (17.7% and 14.3%, respectively).” www.cidrap.umn.edu/influenza-ge...

WHO: Antimicrobial resistance is widespread globally and increasing

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 10h

“From 2018 through 2023, antibiotic resistance rose in more than 40% of the bug-drug combinations monitored, with an average annual increase of 5% to 15%.” www.cidrap.umn.edu/antimicrobia...

Chaos following mass firings, rehirings at CDC

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 10h

"The initial targeting of the CDC's core functions and scientific leadership will cripple the agency that keeps our country safe by monitoring and preventing disease and saving lives in every community across the country” www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-healt...

CDC battered by government shutdown firings, while some are rescinded

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 12h

“The people who should be brought back, the official said, include those who produce the MMWR publication, people working on the measles outbreak, people working on the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, and people in the Global Health Center and in the EIS.” www.statnews.com/2025/10/11/c...

The White House’s mass firing of CDC staff on Friday has decimated offices related to injury prevention, respiratory disease surveillance, and chronic disease, according to four people familiar with t...

www.statnews.com

Scientists Find Common Nasal Spray Lowers Risk of COVID and the Common Cold

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 16h

In this piece I’m quoted about how an anti-histamine spray may have viral infection blocking capacity. www.prevention.com/health/healt...

Research suggests it could shorten how long you’re sick, too.

www.prevention.com

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 17h

“hyaluronan’s levels can significantly fluctuate during pathological processes such as septic shock and pancreatitis.” bioengineer.org/hyaluronan-f...

Hyaluronan Focus in Septic Shock and Pancreatitis

In a groundbreaking study led by van der Heijden and colleagues, the intricate landscape of plasma proteomics has been explored in relation to two critical clinical conditions: septic shock and

bioengineer.org

Post-monsoon dengue outbreak risk high: Experts

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) confirmed that 5,874 people have been infected across 75 districts, while two districts” risingnepaldaily.com/news/69544

Experts have warned that the risk of post-monsoon dengue outbreaks remains high, despite the relatively few recorded deaths and infections. Although only a few deaths and infection cases were reporte...

risingnepaldaily.com

Bangladesh launches typhoid vaccination drive to combat drug-resistant threat

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“The month-long campaign aims to immunise around 50 million children aged between nine months and 15 years with a single dose of the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV).”
www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-a...

The deadly and increasingly drug-resistant disease poses a growing public health threat. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

www.straitstimes.com

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“Much of the crisis is being driven by methamphetamine use, unsafe sex, and a shocking blood-sharing practice known locally as "blue toothing."” www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Why Fiji has the world's fastest growing HIV epidemic - ABC listen

Fiji HIV

www.abc.net.au

Germany announces billion-euro investment to fight AIDS and malaria | dpa international

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“Every euro invested in the fund pays off. It strengthens the health systems of partner countries and makes the world more resilient. This way, we save millions of lives,"
dpa-international.com/general-news...

dpa-international.com

The pernicious infections infiltrating Ukraine’s front lines

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“Aided by European allies and the United States, Ukrainian health authorities are trying to tackle what appears to be the root cause of the multidrug resistance: a breakdown in infection control and prevention in overwhelmed casualty wards.” knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...

Doctors and scientists are waging a shadow war in the besieged nation: bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. The deadly bugs are now knocking on western Europe’s door.

knowablemagazine.org

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Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“While the administration has since rescinded more than half of the approximately 1,300 termination notices it sent, the upheaval from the layoffs that are still taking effect could undermine efforts to protect public health.” www.axios.com/2025/10/13/t...

CDC purge hits 600 workers in key offices despite reversals

The casualties include employees working on health statistics, injury and violence prevention, congressional outreach and human resources.

www.axios.com

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Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“Until now, the AMR narrative has focused rightfully on the overuse of antibiotics, but this isn’t enough. To avoid the tipping point, we must now also focus efforts on accelerating innovation and increasing their appropriate use.” www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Sharp global rise in antibiotic-resistant infections in hospitals, WHO finds

Experts describe findings as deeply concerning and predict 70% increase in related deaths by 2050

www.theguardian.com

CDC, its advisers quietly expand access to Covid-19 shot for pregnant women

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“It’s unclear whether all 12 panel members, who were handpicked by Kennedy, were aware that the move would undo his decision.” www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

The panel voted to undo an action by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. which removed the vaccine from the immunization schedule for pregnant women.

www.politico.com

They Fought Outbreaks Worldwide. Now They’re Fighting for New Lives.

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“Hundreds of infectious disease specialists have been let go by the Trump administration” www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/h...

www.nytimes.com

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Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“RSV-associated hospitalization was significantly reduced with clesrovimab, occurring in 9 infants vs 28 in the placebo group, for an efficacy rate of 84.2%” www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com/news/single-...

Single-Dose Clesrovimab Reduces RSV-Associated LRI, Hospitalization in Infants

Compared with placebo, single-dose clesrovimab 105 mg reduced the risk for RSV-associated LRI and hospitalization in healthy infants.

www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com

Global life expectancy is back to pre-pandemic levels, but deaths among teens and young adults are rising | CNN

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19h

“Covid-19 fell from the leading cause of death in 2021 to 20th place in 2023, with heart disease and stroke rising to again become the leading causes of death globally.” www.cnn.com/2025/10/12/h...

Humans are living 20 years longer than they were in 1950, according to new research with all 204 countries and territories studied reporting declines in their mortality rates since then. But vast ineq...

www.cnn.com

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 1d

“The flu season has started really early this year, but in the changing global environment this might become a more common scenario,” apple.news/A89bVydWwQn-...

As the Flu Surges in Asia, Could Getting Sick Year-Round Be the New Normal? — TIME

Here’s what medical experts say could be behind the recent rise of influenza cases in Japan, India, Singapore, Thailand, and more.

apple.news

Shakeup in public health presents headwinds for pharma, biotech

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 1d

In this piece I’m quoted about how pharmaceutical tariffs (i.e., taxes) threaten the resiliency of the US to infectious disease emergencies by causing potential supply issues and also how ceasing HHS mRNA vaccine research will also lower US resiliency substack.com/home/post/p-...

Threat of new tariffs, cuts to research funding muddy the waters

substack.com

Deep cuts made to CDC's flagship MMWR publication, a cornerstone of public health

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 2d

“What it really means is it is impossible to rapidly disseminate public health science for action,” www.statnews.com/2025/10/11/c...

CDC staff behind the agency’s flagship publication have been fired amid drastic cuts to the HHS promised by the White House due to the government shutdown, according to five people familiar with the s...

www.statnews.com

3

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 2d

“Last month, Trump demanded that covid-19 vaccine makers provide proof of their effectiveness.” triblive.com/news/health-...

White House: Trump gets covid shot in preparation for upcoming travel

President Donald Trump has received updated flu and covid-19 booster shots in preparation for upcoming travel, the president’s physician announced Friday. Sean P. Barbabella, a Navy captain, sha...

triblive.com

Canadian lawmakers urge the government to suspend imports of long-tailed macaques

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 3d

“Evidence now confirms that monkeys infected with tuberculosis… are entering North America through the international primate trade” www.statnews.com/pharmalot/20...

A half-dozen members of the Canadian parliament are calling for the suspension of imports of long-tailed macaques into the country over concerns about the threat to human health.

www.statnews.com

Study highlights substantial costs of treating norovirus in older adults

Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 3d

“Extrapolated annual cost of $884 million in older patients” www.cidrap.umn.edu/norovirus/st...

Researchers estimate the extrapolated annual cost of treating norovirus infections in Americans aged 65 and older is $884 million.