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Infectious Diseases
@infectiousdz.bsky.social
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Infectious diseases and their global story
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infectiousdz.bsky.social
Infectious Diseases @infectiousdz.bsky.social · Apr 6
Measles likely came from cows (via rinderpest) around the 6th century BCE.

For 2,500 years, we didn’t evolve superhuman resistance—children just died. Real protection only came in the 1960s, with vaccines.

Our superpower isn’t evolving into superhumans. It’s outthinking pathogens.
Measles virus and rinderpest virus divergence dated to the sixth century BCE
Measles virus diverged from rinderpest virus in the sixth century BCE, indicating an early origin for human measles.
www.science.org
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
madhupai.bsky.social
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 6h
Excited to visit Sweden for the first time next week & speak at @ki.se

news.ki.se/calendar/sym...
Symposia on Global Health and Tuberculosis
KI's Network for Tuberculosis Research (KI-NET4TB) invites you to A Symposium on Global Health and Tuberculosis. Tuberculosis remains a global health challenge with approximately 25% of the global pop...
news.ki.se
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infectiousdz.bsky.social
Infectious Diseases @infectiousdz.bsky.social · 8h
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
colincarlson.bsky.social
Colin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · 9h
oh wow look it's the exact thing every single person who works in public health ethics said was a risk with wastewater surveillance especially when we took it to the point where we had researchers trying to identify individual chronic infections using social media and crowdsourcing
dwallacewells.bsky.social
David Wallace-Wells @dwallacewells.bsky.social · 9h
"Senior officials at the EPA directed a team of scientists over the summer to assess whether the government could develop methods for detecting traces of abortion pills in wastewater." www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...
Under Trump, E.P.A. Explored if Abortion Pills Could Be Detected in Wastewater
www.nytimes.com
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infectiousdz.bsky.social
Infectious Diseases @infectiousdz.bsky.social · 8h
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
doritreiss.bsky.social
Dorit Reiss @doritreiss.bsky.social · 9h
ACIP Meeting Delayed Indefinitely; COVID-19 Vaccines Continue To Show Benefit in New Study www.biospace.com/policy/acip-...
ACIP Meeting Delayed Indefinitely; COVID-19 Vaccines Continue To Show Benefit in New Study
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was scheduled to convene Oct. 22 to 23, but this meeting has been postponed, with no new date specified. The delay comes as the VA published new ...
www.biospace.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
chrischirp.bsky.social
Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 14h
After a long pause, I've just done another England Covid & NHS update as we head into the autumn/winter season.

TLDR: we're in a significant Covid wave now, the NHS is stretched, get boosted if you're eligible.

christinapagel.substack.com/p/england-is...
England is now experiencing a significant Covid wave, after 10 months of relative quiet
The latest Covid situation in England and a look at where NHS services are as we head into winter
christinapagel.substack.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
boghuma.bsky.social
BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 11h
In clinic today only 1/8 folks agreed to flu vaxx. Some days are like this. The reasons for refusal:
" the shot makes me sick"
" I have weekend plans I don't want anything to mess that up"
" I don't think I need it"
" I have never had the flu"
" there are too many shot doc"
" Let's do it next time"
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
motherjones.com
Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 13h
NEW: Florida's surgeon general Joseph Ladapo isn't just guided by science—his beliefs are shaped by a wife who says she can speak to spirits and levitate, and an energy healer guru.

The latest from @juliannemcshane.bsky.social and @kieraevebutler.bsky.social:
From medicine to mysticism: the radicalization of Florida's top doc
Joseph Ladapo was a normie—until he met his wife and a guru into levitating and communicating with spirits.
www.motherjones.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
sarahkarlin-smith.bsky.social
Sarah Karlin-Smith @sarahkarlin-smith.bsky.social · 13h
Isn't this the opposite of what HHS leadership said their policies would do?
A new KFF poll shows public trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now at its lowest level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-va...
New poll: Public confidence in CDC for vaccine advice tumbles
www.cidrap.umn.edu
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
pandemiccenter.bsky.social
Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health @pandemiccenter.bsky.social · 13h
There were 25 #measles cases recorded this week, and 44 outbreaks so far this year. Stay up to date with measles and other outbreaks like #mpox, #chikungunya and more in our weekly Tracking Report.

📩 Subscribe now to get the next issue sent straight to your inbox:
mailchi.mp/brown/tracki...
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sciam.bsky.social
Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · 1d
New research shows how microbes use napping viruses to vaccinate themselves
These Bacteria Invented Their Own Vaccines—Using Viruses
New research shows how microbes use napping viruses to vaccinate themselves
www.scientificamerican.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
cidrap.bsky.social
CIDRAP @cidrap.bsky.social · 1d
Flurry of H5N1 activity noted in commercial poultry, wild birds

Over the last 30 days, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in 38 flocks.

www.cidrap.umn.edu/a...
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
ameshaa.bsky.social
Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 1d
“Measles was officially eliminated from Australia in 2014, but has resurged worldwide due to falling immunisation rates and pandemic-related disruptions” www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Measles cases from unknown source climbing in WA
Health authorities say they are not able to trace WA's latest measles cases to a source, meaning they cannot tell how far the virus has spread.
www.abc.net.au
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
dndi.org
Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) @dndi.org · 1d
‘What is already an innovation gap could become an innovation chasm.’

Large pharma companies withdrawing from R&D for infectious disease therapeutics has a growing impact on non-profit medical research orgs like DNDi, writes our R&D director in @statnews.com.

www.statnews.com/2025/10/09/p...
Pharma’s shift away from infectious disease research could spell disaster for the world’s poorest people
The number of “innovation champions” in the pharma industry working on infectious diseases is dropping — and that’s troubling, writes R&D director for Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative.
www.statnews.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
ryanmarino.bsky.social
Ryan Marino, MD @ryanmarino.bsky.social · 1d
The MMR vaccine is one of the most stunningly effective medical therapeutics in existence. It’s also safer than most of your everyday activities. This is simply an attempt to stop people from vaccinating.
melodyschreiber.com
HELLody SchreiBOO @melodyschreiber.com · 1d
The acting director of the CDC called for new, separate MMR shots. That would be "remarkably complicated, time-consuming, costly, but more importantly unnecessary," @jasonlschwartz.bsky.social told me:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Alarm as CDC calls for separate MMR vaccines despite measles outbreak
Concerns that three separate shots would be more costly and time-consuming, and keep kids from being vaccinated
www.theguardian.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
boghuma.bsky.social
BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 2d
"The practice, in which users inject the blood of already intoxicated individuals, has fueled one of the fastest-growing H.I.V. epidemics in the Pacific and grown widespread in South Africa."
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/w...
‘Bluetoothing’: Blood-Sharing Drug Trend Fuels Alarming Global H.I.V. Surge
www.nytimes.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
abc-news.bsky.social
ABC News (Unofficial) @abc-news.bsky.social · Mar 13
How 'bluetoothing' fuelled HIV outbreak — and caught Fiji unprepared: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-14/hiv-fiji-pacific-drug-use-addiction-bluetoothing/105043402
How 'bluetoothing' fuelled HIV outbreak — and caught Fiji unprepared
Fiji health authorities are scrambling to stem an outbreak of HIV, as growing meth use and alarming needle-sharing trends accelerate the spread of the virus.
www.abc.net.au
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
maqsoodasi.bsky.social
Maqsood Asi @maqsoodasi.bsky.social · 5d
Fiji's #HIV cases surge due to bluetoothing, #chemsex and needle-sharing

Over the past 5 years #Fiji has become the locus of one of the world's fastest growing HIV #epidemics

In 2014 with fewer than 500 people with HIV, by 2024 that number was 5,900
share.google/2gPEckigdM3K...
Fiji's HIV cases surge due to bluetoothing, chemsex and needle-sharing
The small South Pacific nation is facing one of the world's fastest growing HIV epidemics.
share.google
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
avac.org
AVAC @avac.org · 2d
Important news from WHO! The 1st #lenacapvirs for #PrEP have been prequalified in just 36 days through a new abridged prequalification pathway, which is the 1st time this procedure has been used!

extranet.who.int/prequal/news...

An important step, but more to do: www.prepwatch.org/tracking-len...
First lenacapavirs prequalified | WHO - Prequalification of Medical Products (IVDs, Medicines, Vaccines and Immunization Devices, Vector Control)
Gilead’s Lenacapavir Tablet and Injection Products Prequalified by WHO
extranet.who.int
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
onisillos.bsky.social
🎃nisillos @onisillos.bsky.social · 2d
"Usutu, which mainly infects birds, was first detected in London blackbirds in 2020 and has been found in birds or mosquitoes every year since, making it now endemic to the UK … Usutu often establishes first, with West Nile following as temperatures rise."

theconversation.com/first-eviden...
First evidence in the UK of breeding aegypti mosquito – the main spreader of dengue, chikungunya and Zika
The first discovery of Aedes aegypti eggs in the UK shows how climate change and global travel are helping mosquitoes that spread dengue and Zika expand northwards.
theconversation.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
placentadoc.bsky.social
Dr. Genevieve Eastabrook, MD FRCSC (she/her) @placentadoc.bsky.social · 3d
A bold doctor sent her kids away & helped beat one of the world's deadliest viruses

I am in awe of Dr. Firew’s intelligence & bravery.
A bold doctor sent her kids away and helped beat one of the world's deadliest viruses
A year ago, Rwanda faced its first outbreak of Marburg virus. Dr. Tsion Firew remembers how scared she was — and how that didn't stop her from playing a key role in the remarkably effective response.
www.npr.org
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
boghuma.bsky.social
BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 2d
The number of deaths caused by antimicrobial resistance is predicted to rise from 1 millio to 2 million death per year by 2050. Reasons:
- Too few new drugs
- Excessive use of antibiotics in agriculture
- Antibiotics overuse in medical practice
- Lack of awareness
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The rise of ‘nightmare bacteria’: antimicrobial resistance in six charts
Data reveal how the global challenge to reduce deaths and infections from drug-resistant bacteria is not going according to plan.
www.nature.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
forbes.com
Forbes @forbes.com · 3d
The Department of Agriculture expects the recall to grow.
HelloFresh Meals May Contain Listeria-Contaminated Spinach, USDA Says
The Department of Agriculture expects the recall to grow.
www.forbes.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
onisillos.bsky.social
🎃nisillos @onisillos.bsky.social · 2d
"The administration wants to be able to do ‘ideological purity’ testing before helping after [a natural disaster, such as] a tsunami"

Given this is how Trump sees internal disaster relief, it's no surprise that this attitude would be turned outward.

www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
US ‘undermining global health’ by threatening to strip funding from aid projects that do not fit its political agenda
Trump administration reported to be planning expansion of ‘global gag rule’ to halt any initiatives promoting diversity, equity and inclusion
www.theguardian.com
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Reposted by Infectious Diseases
boghuma.bsky.social
BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 2d
"H5N1 virus can remain infectious for extended periods in raw-milk cheeses under specific conditions, underscoring the potential public health risks associated with consuming unpasteurized milk products "
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
H5N1 influenza virus stability and transmission risk in raw milk and cheese - Nature Medicine
The pathogenic avian flu H5N1 virus remains stable in raw milk and throughout the cheese-making process, but contaminated cheese fed to ferrets did not lead to infection, whereas raw milk did.
www.nature.com
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