Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Adam Kucharski @adamjkucharski.bsky.social · Aug 19

Got a number in mind?

A new pre-print by @lshtm.bsky.social colleagues surveyed 13,000 participants, and found it's about 9 per day in the current era.

It also looks at how social mixing varies with age, ethnicity and social economic status. Link to paper:

Post-pandemic social contact patterns in the United Kingdom: the Connect survey

Close-contact and respiratory infectious diseases are spread through social interactions, which were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and wider demographic and cultural changes. To estimate post-pand...

www.medrxiv.org

4 8 20

NEJM.org @nejm.org · Aug 6

Data on treatments for bubonic plague are limited. In this open-label, randomized, controlled trial in Madagascar, ciprofloxacin monotherapy was noninferior to a standard aminoglycoside–ciprofloxacin regimen. Full IMASOY trial results: nej.md/3Ugs0kx

#MedSky #IDSky

A figure showing the primary efficacy analyses in the trial populations.

1 8 17

Respiratory Microbiomes @resp-micro.bsky.social · Jul 21

Early notice of NEW Wellcome Conference -
AIR 2026: Genomic and Systems Approaches to Respiratory Infection, Microbiomes and Immunity 11th-13th February, sign up below for notifications

coursesandconferences.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/our-events/c...

It's immunulogy AND it's microbiology 🫁

Conferences

coursesandconferences.wellcomeconnectingscience.org

1 5 6

Andrew Rambaut @arambaut.bsky.social · Jul 15

Some great new features and updates from the awesome Pathoplexus project. This is a new open pathogen genome database that can provide access to your sequences under a use-restricted license but also feed directly in to INSDC (EBI, Genbank etc) when you are ready. pathoplexus.org/news/2025-07...

Pathoplexus | Pathoplexus July Update

Pathoplexus is a new, open-source database dedicated to the efficient sharing of human viral pathogen genomic data, fostering global collaboration and public health response.

pathoplexus.org

1 24 45

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control @ecdc.europa.eu · Jul 1

🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4esZ0zr

▶️ Watch the explainer animation: youtu.be/DDNTOB8EsF8

#ECDC #GlobalHealth #HealthSecurity #Epidemiology #IDsky #EpiSky #Dengue #Chikungunya #Zika

New ECDC weekly reports and guidance to tackle mosquito-borne diseases across Europe

As Europe enters this year’s mosquito season, ECDC has launched a new series of weekly surveillance updates to help public health authorities monitor mosquito-borne diseases in a timely way, covering ...

bit.ly

1 3 5

The Global Vector Hub @globalvectorhub.bsky.social · Jun 10

📢 @who.int Risk evaluation of #Oropouche #virus and its reassortants 🪰 🦟

www.who.int/publications...

Risk evaluation of Oropouche virus and its reassortants

Risk Evaluation of Oropouche virus and its reassortants, 10 June 2025

www.who.int

2 6

NEJM.org @nejm.org · Jun 4

A new report describes the genetic epidemiology and antimicrobial-resistance patterns of a surge of cases of 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘯𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘥𝘪𝘱𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘦 infection that was identified in migrant populations in Europe. Read the full report: nej.md/3HEF3ZS

#MedSky #IDSky

Corynebacterium diphtheriae Outbreak in Migrant Populations in Europe | NEJM

A surge of cases of Corynebacterium diphtheriae infection was observed in reception centers for migrants in Europe beginning in the summer of 2022. Most of the cases were cutaneous, although some r...

nej.md

8 9

Jason Kindrachuk @kindrachukjason.bsky.social · Jun 2

Rolling clinical and epi updates for #mpox data from #SierraLeone. Watch for updated versions as additional data becomes available. Heartfelt thanks to our local colleagues in-country led by Dr. Jia Kangbai

t.co/D9QosVP1Bq

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.30.25328691v1

t.co

1 10 23

David Cleary @bacterioskeptic.bsky.social · May 29

Interested in pneumococci, genomics and metagenomics? Come and do a PhD with me, @alanmcn1.bsky.social and @meerac.bsky.social @ukhsa.bsky.social www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Leveraging genomics for improved metagenomic surveillance of Streptococcus pneumoniae at University of Birmingham on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Leveraging genomics for improved metagenomic surveillance of Streptococcus pneumoniae at University of Birmingham, listed on FindAPhD.com

www.findaphd.com

8 7

Kristian G. Andersen @kgandersen.bsky.social · May 27

Amazing work from our colleagues in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and elsewhere, making the first sequences available from the ongoing Mpox epidemic in Sierra Leone.

More to come - for now, head over to @pathoplexus.org:

pathoplexus.org/seqsets/PP_S...

Pathoplexus | SeqSets

Pathoplexus is a new, open-source database dedicated to the efficient sharing of human viral pathogen genomic data, fostering global collaboration and public health response.

pathoplexus.org

34 91

Andrew Rambaut @arambaut.bsky.social · May 25

A long thread about mpox and the context specific nature of outbreaks prompted by the large outbreak of MPXV Clade IIb happening at the moment in Sierra Leone:

2 46 89

Pathoplexus @pathoplexus.org · May 22

📢Today Pathoplexus announces the inclusion of 2 new viral pathogens: RSV (A & B) and HMPV.

These respiratory viruses cause a serious health burden, particularly in infants & the vulnerable, & Pathoplexus aims to support sequence sharing to improve understanding & response.

1/4

Screenshot of the homepage of Pathoplexus, showing tiles to navigate to the supported pathogens CCHF, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Zaire, HMPV, Mpox, RSV-A, RSV-B, and West Nile virus.

2 27 43

Nick Loman @pathogenomenick.bsky.social · May 22

Absolutely thrilled to announce the launch of ARTIC2 - a £5.5M 5 year project funded by @wellcometrust.bsky.social to build on the ARTIC approach of low-cost, globally accessible genome sequencing for surveillance of outbreaks, epidemics and endemic diseases: www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/am...

Ambitious project to develop low-cost genome sequencing for pathogens known and unknown - University of Birmingham

Project will build on research that helped diagnostic labs to adopt sequencing capacity for COVID-19 and permit characterisation of future infectious threats

www.birmingham.ac.uk

7 80 230

Eurosurveillance journal @eurosurveillance.org · Apr 17

Check out our new issue with a study describing and comparing 🦟 Aedes-borne disease (#dengue #chikungunya and #Zika) incidence from 2017-2023, and the surveillance systems and response measures operating in France, Italy and Portugal in 2023

🗞️ bit.ly/EUS3015

#IDSky #EpiSky #MedSky #PublicHealth 🦠

Image showing the table of content of issue 15 in 2025 featuring the following articles:

Surveillance
Increased incidence of human leptospirosis and the effect of temperature and precipitation, the Netherlands, 2005 to 2023

Description and comparison of national surveillance systems and response measures for Aedes-borne diseases in France, Italy and Portugal: a benchmarking study, 2023

Research
Seroprevalence of West Nile virus, Greece, 2020

Prevalence and risk factors for carriage of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in post-acute care hospitals, Israel, 2021

Letter
Letter to the editor: Statistical methodology critique and alternative approaches in H5Nx avian influenza seroprevalence study among French cats

Authors’ response: Statistical methodology critique and alternative approaches in H5Nx avian influenza seroprevalence study among French cats

5 10

Marion Koopmans @marionkoopmans.bsky.social · Apr 4

Mpox Clade I emerged in 2023 in South Kivu and since has spread sustained through direct human to human contact. Controlling this outbreak has turned out to be a major challenge. Through embedded outbreak research coupled with a local capacity building program, we first....

1 2 17

UK Health Security Agency @ukhsa.bsky.social · Apr 2

We need the help of academics, health & policy professionals, and people with lived experience of tuberculosis (TB) to shape our next TB Action Plan. Together we can improve how we prevent, detect, and control TB. 🛡️
🗓️ Deadline: 2 May
🔗 www.gov.uk/government/n...

Dr Esther Robinson, Head of the TB Unit at UKHSA, said:

"TB is curable and preventable, but the disease remains a serious public health issue in England. While England is still considered a low-incidence country for TB, the rise in cases over recent years means that we are now just below that threshold.

This call for evidence will help us develop an action plan that prioritises the most effective interventions to reverse this trend, focusing particularly on the needs of those most affected."

12 2

Marion Koopmans @marionkoopmans.bsky.social · Mar 26

Another arbovirus popping up in our enhanced surveillance pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40133068/ Not too surprising but a first for our country. No human disease noted, but first indication that we may need to start considering it. First step is to understand if this is a one off finding or not

Local Circulation of Sindbis Virus in Wild Birds and Horses, the Netherlands, 2021-2022 - PubMed

We report Sindbis virus circulation in the Netherlands based on serologic evidence found in 6 resident wild birds and 3 horses (2021-2022). Tested mosquitoes were molecularly negative, and humans were...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

1 11 17

UK Health Security Agency @ukhsa.bsky.social · Mar 25

Today we have published our first annual report on infectious disease trends. 📊

The report brings together all the key data from 2023 to early 2025 and outlines the steps our organisation is taking to tackle these threats.

Read the full report 🔗🔽
www.gov.uk/government/p...

15 22

Bloom lab @jbloomlab.bsky.social · Mar 12

In study led by @csimonich.bsky.social & Teagan McMahon, we quantify antigenic evolution of RSV F

Important because:

1️⃣ RSV top cause of infant hospitalization in USA

2️⃣ New antibodies & vax can prevent hospitalizations

3️⃣ Will virus evolution erode their efficacy?

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

RSV F evolution escapes some monoclonal antibodies but does not strongly erode neutralization by human polyclonal sera

Vaccines and monoclonal antibodies targeting the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion protein (F) have recently begun to be widely used to protect infants and high-risk adults. Some other viral pr...

www.biorxiv.org

2 26 68

Tom Peacock @peacockflu.bsky.social · Feb 24

Our analysis of the second incursion of H5N1 viruses (genotype D1.1) into dairy cattle in the US is now posted to virological virological.org/t/timing-and...

Timing and molecular characterisation of the transmission to cattle of H5N1 influenza A virus genotype D1.1, clade 2.3.4.4b

Jonathan E. Pekar, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Thomas P. Peacock, The Pirbright Institute, Woking, UK, GU24 0NF; Department of Infectious Disease, Imper...

virological.org

1 53 110

Thelonevirologist @thelonevirologist.bsky.social · Feb 21

Neuraminidase reassortment and oseltamivir resistance in clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) viruses circulating among Canadian poultry, 2024
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Neuraminidase reassortment and oseltamivir resistance in clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) viruses circulating among Canadian poultry, 2024

We report the detection of a clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) reassortant virus with a neuraminidase surface protein derived from a North American lineage low-pathogenic avian influenza virus. This virus cau...

www.tandfonline.com

1 3

Duncan MacCannell @drm.bsky.social · Feb 13

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...

Notes from the Field: Seroprevalence of Highly ...

This report describes evidence of recent highly pathogenic avian influenza infection among three veterinary practitioners.

www.cdc.gov

4 17

Tom Peacock @peacockflu.bsky.social · Feb 8

Core-funded postdoc position at The Pirbright Institute, Surrey, UK (just outside London), in the group of Professor Ian Brown.
Working on H5N1 avian influenza virus evolution and development of cross-reactive vaccines.
www.pirbright.ac.uk/careers-and-...

Postdoctoral Scientist

The Pirbright Institute delivers world-leading research to understand, predict, detect, and respond to viral disease outbreaks. We study viruses of livestock that are endemic and exotic to the UK, inc...

www.pirbright.ac.uk

1 60 120

Andrew Rambaut @arambaut.bsky.social · Feb 3

First genome sequence from the Ugandan Ebolavirus outbreak with analysis: virological.org/t/990 and first filovirus genome submitted to Pathoplexus database: pathoplexus.org/seq/PP_0011C.... Great (and rapid) work from the National Health Laboratory, UVRI and partners.

Near Real-Time Genomic Characterization of the 2025 Sudan Ebolavirus Outbreak in Uganda’s Index Case: Insights into Evolutionary Origins

Introduction Case History: On January 30, 2025, the Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus (SUDV) Disease in Kampala, Uganda, following the death of a healthcare worker at Mula...

virological.org

3 65 100

Meera Chand @meerac.bsky.social · Jan 30

Great to be able to share this today - looking forward to working with partners all over the country for the next phase

Nick Loman @pathogenomenick.bsky.social · Jan 30

Our mSCAPE project has been formally announced to the world by @smhopkins.bsky.social at #FOG2025 today: www.gov.uk/government/n... - a really exciting academic-public health collaboration to build a surveillance platform leveraging NHS metagenomic diagnostic data. @meerac.bsky.social

UKHSA launches new metagenomic surveillance for health security

The UK launches mSCAPE, a world-first metagenomics initiative by UKHSA to enhance health security through rapid pathogen detection and surveillance.

www.gov.uk

2 13

Nick Loman @pathogenomenick.bsky.social · Jan 30

Our mSCAPE project has been formally announced to the world by @smhopkins.bsky.social at #FOG2025 today: www.gov.uk/government/n... - a really exciting academic-public health collaboration to build a surveillance platform leveraging NHS metagenomic diagnostic data. @meerac.bsky.social

UKHSA launches new metagenomic surveillance for health security

The UK launches mSCAPE, a world-first metagenomics initiative by UKHSA to enhance health security through rapid pathogen detection and surveillance.

www.gov.uk

4 51 100

Jason Kindrachuk @kindrachukjason.bsky.social · Jan 28

Please see the risk evaluation guidance docs on Clade Ia and Clade Ib mpox from the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (www.who.int/groups/techn...)
- excellent work from a great group of colleagues

www.who.int/groups/techn...

#mpox #PHEIC 1/2

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

lnkd.in

1 4 6

Amy Maxmen, PhD @amymaxmen.bsky.social · Jan 8

Since the USDA launched its Bird Flu milk testing strategy in December, 28 states have enrolled, representing nearly 65% of the nation’s milk production. And there's a dashboard.

This was a long time coming but an impressive start.
www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-po...

National Milk Testing Strategy | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

www.aphis.usda.gov

83 320

Adam Kucharski @adamjkucharski.bsky.social · Jan 7

Suppose a new flu pandemic were to emerge. How quickly could we get going with key epidemiological analysis and modelling?

To find out, I went back through the dozens of reports I was involved in for SPI-M for COVID and estimated where we currently stand: epiverse-trace.github.io/posts/covid-...

2 20 62

Tom Peacock @peacockflu.bsky.social · Jan 7

Really proud to share our preprint describing early adaptation of H5N1 to US dairy cattle, and showing how these mutations enhance the ability of the virus to infect other mammals, such as pigs and humans.

With @influenzal.bsky.social @vidhid.bsky.social @drclairesmith.bsky.social and many more!

Polymerase mutations underlie adaptation of H5N1 influenza virus to dairy cattle and other mammals.

In early 2024, an unprecedented outbreak of H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza was detected in dairy cattle in the USA. The epidemic remains uncontrolled, with spillbacks into poultry, wild birds...

www.biorxiv.org

9 160 350