All articles tagged with #public health
Public Health – Seattle & King County confirms an active TB case connected to Rainier Beach High School and is evaluating about 130 people who were exposed, with on-site TB testing; the patient is being treated and is no longer contagious, and officials emphasize that TB is less easily spread than COVID-19 or flu.
California’s Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program sends handmade birthday cards to families of babies hospitalized for infant botulism, offering support months after treatment linked to ByHeart formula.
Moderna reported that its experimental mRNA-1073 two-in-one flu and COVID-19 vaccine elicited durable immune responses against matched influenza and SARS-CoV-2 strains for six months in a small 550-participant mid-stage trial, with no serious safety concerns; the briefing also covers ongoing Potomac River contamination concerns after a wastewater spill, a long-term MSU study showing college students rebounded emotionally post-pandemic, and other health news highlights.
Thai authorities say 72 tigers died at two Chiang Mai area tiger parks from canine distemper virus, not bird flu. Autopsies detected CDV and bacterial infections but no avian influenza, and there have been no reported animal-to-human infections; health officials will monitor exposed people and contact tracing if needed as the Tiger Kingdom parks remain closed and investigations continue.
Measles cases in South Carolina rose by six to 979, with 913 unvaccinated, 19 partially vaccinated, 26 fully vaccinated and 21 with unknown status. About 91 people exposed are in quarantine and one person is in isolation. The outbreak, which began in October and is centered in the northwest part of the state (Greenville–Spartanburg), is being managed with help from about a dozen infectious-disease specialists from the CDC Foundation, as vaccine uptake remains low and officials warn the outbreak could last weeks or months.
The CDC reports nearly 1,000 measles cases across 26 states in the first two months of 2026—more than four times 2025’s total—driven by unvaccinated individuals and gaps in vaccination coverage. With exposures traced in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, health officials urge two-dose MMR/MMRV vaccination to prevent severe complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis, and to curb the outbreak as parents’ vaccine hesitancy and misinformation continue to challenge public health efforts.
More than 30 swans have been found dead in London’s Docklands over the past week, with officials probing a suspected outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; the APHA warns the public not to touch dead or visibly sick birds and to wash hands, while the Canal and River Trust conducts tests and Defra/APHA monitor the situation. Public reporting of dead wild birds is encouraged, and volunteers say the losses are emotionally difficult as researchers seek more data.
In a small, not-yet-peer-reviewed study of 10 men with prostate cancer, researchers found microplastics in 90% of tumor samples and 70% of nearby noncancerous tissue, with higher concentrations in tumors. The findings are preliminary, the study took extensive contamination precautions, and larger studies are needed to determine any causal link or health implications.
A new study using climate models warns that Aspergillus fungi, including A. fumigatus, could expand their geographic range as temperatures rise, increasing risk of invasive infections in people and mycotoxin-related crop losses. The spread is amplified by azole resistance driven by overlapping use of antifungicides in agriculture and medicine. Experts call for coordinated monitoring, better diagnostics, and stronger climate action to limit spread and mitigate health and agricultural impacts.
As a leading US vaccines adviser hints at revisiting routine childhood immunizations, experts warn a polio resurgence is possible if vaccination rates fall, noting that polio has no cure and survivors face lifelong disability; with few clinicians experienced in post-polio care and vaccination skepticism rising, the article argues that maintaining high vaccination coverage is essential to prevent outbreaks and that ready vaccine supplies and rapid response are crucial.
A Sorbonne-led study of 105,260 adults tracked detailed dietary records over about 7.5 years and found modest cancer risk signals for higher intake of several non-antioxidant preservatives (notably potassium sorbate, sulfites, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, acetates, and acetic acid), while total preservative intake showed no overall cancer link. Antioxidant preservatives (erythorbates) showed fewer signals. The results are observational and do not prove causation, but researchers say the findings warrant closer scrutiny and could inform potential regulatory review and a push toward less-processed foods.
Some scientists are exploring whether avoiding environmental exposures before conception and in early life—the so‑called 'trimester zero' window—could lower autism risk in some children. While still in early stages, obstetricians like Jeanne Conry point to a 1,300‑day window (from preconception through a child’s second birthday) during which nutrition and lifestyle may influence autism risk, suggesting potential, non-guaranteed prevention rather than definitive outcomes.
Georgia health officials confirm the state's second measles case of the year in an unvaccinated Bryan County resident who recently traveled out of state; exposed individuals are being notified and should contact a healthcare provider before visiting. Measles is highly contagious and can linger in the air for up to two hours; vaccination with the MMR vaccine is the best protection. CDC data show 982 U.S. cases in 2026 as of Feb. 19, underscoring ongoing outbreaks in unvaccinated communities.
A UCLA physician argues that RFK Jr.’s first year as HHS Secretary—firing the vaccine advisory panel, replacing it with vaccine skeptics, cutting NIH funding, pausing certain mRNA research, and downgrading the childhood immunization schedule—undermines scientific consensus and risks a measles resurgence, eroding public trust in health institutions and demanding urgent accountability.
FSIS announced a recall of about 9,462 pounds of Rosina Food Products’ ready-to-eat frozen meatballs due to possible metal fragments. The products are Bremer FAMILY SIZE ITALIAN STYLE MEATBALLS, 32-ounce bags, produced on 7/30/2025 and bearing EST. 4286B; they were shipped nationwide to Aldi stores. No injuries have been reported. Consumers who bought these products should discard them or return them to the place of purchase. Recall number 006-2026. FSIS is conducting recall checks and providing contact information for inquiries (Rosina and FSIS).