Tick Talk: The Rise and Spread of Babesiosis in America
A new report from the CDC says that a disease called babesiosis, which is spread by ticks, has become more common in the United States
Lyme disease
Lyme disease is an infection transmitted by the bite of ticks carrying the spiral-shaped bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease was named for Lyme, Connecticut, the town where it was first diagnosed in 1975 after a puzzling outbreak of arthritis. The organism was named for its discoverer, Willy Burgdorfer.
Local biosurveillance data can improve individual patient care
Think locally when treating individually — A population perspective can improve individual patient care and clinical decision making for communicable diseases – By taking local biosurveillance data into account when assessing patients for communicable diseases, doctors may be able to make better diagnostic decisions, according to researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston. For instance, in the case of strep throat, awareness of local epidemiology at the time of diagnosis could help more than 166,000 people avoid unnecessary antibiotic treatment in the United States every year and catch more than 62,000 missed cases.
Lyme disease is spreading in Canada
Lyme disease is spreading in Canada, and physicians are crucial in helping minimize its impact – Lyme disease is emerging in Canada, and is expected to increase with climate change, but effective, enhanced surveillance and clinician awareness will be key to minimizing the impact of the disease, write researchers in a review in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
$45 million for infectious disease research, UCI
UCI awarded $45 million for infectious disease research. Facility seeks to improve detection, treatment and vaccine development. – The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded UC Irvine $45 million over five years for infectious disease research.
12 diseases worsened by climate change
‘Deadly dozen’ reports diseases worsened by climate change – Health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society. – Health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society released a report that lists 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change, with potential impacts to both human and wildlife health and global economies.
Health effects of climate change in UK
Climate change is perhaps the most significant environmental problem which mankind will face in the coming century. Efforts to reduce the extent of climate change are of course important, but it is likely that we will have to deal with at least some impacts on health. – The possible health effects of climate change are set out in a report published by the Department of Health, UK (DH) and the Health Protection Agency (HPA).