Digest: Antibiotics, Outbreaks, and a Surging Covid Variant
Key updates across infectious disease news: some antibiotics can disrupt the gut microbiome for 4–8 years; the South Carolina measles outbreak neared 1,000 cases as the US total approaches 1,500; avian flu has hit farms in Pennsylvania with over 350,000 birds killed in Indiana and wildlife losses in California, while Europe reports its first H9N2 case; the Covid variant BA.3.2 is in 23 countries, differing from the JN.1 vaccine lineage, though wastewater and ER visits are down and vaccines do not raise sudden-death risk; severe infections may accelerate dementia; five children have been sickened by E. coli from raw milk; bacteriophage therapy shows promise for cystic fibrosis; glyphosate and drought may raise antibiotic resistance genes in soil; fewer than 25% of LMICs meet measles vaccination targets; the CDC needs a new director and Hepatitis C remains curable but treatment uptake is low; the post also includes fundraising notes for Daily Kos and an invitation to join the Infectious Information group.