Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Main Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Is Winding Down, But Others Are Emerging
While the largest cyclospora outbreak appears to be winding down, others with unknown sources keep popping up. Cyclospora, a parasite that’s now infamous for causing “explosive” diarrhea, among other symptoms, is often traced back to tainted produce. U.S. health officials are actively investigating five outbreaks that don’t currently have an identified source, so it’s not clear what food may be spreading the parasite around. (Martichoux, 7/30)
The number of cases in the Cyclospora outbreak that’s unrelated to the massive nine-state lettuce-related cluster has increased from 72 to 93, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shared yesterday. A trace-back investigation is ongoing to uncover the source of Cyclospora, a parasite that causes the diarrheal illness known as cyclosporiasis. Few details are known about the latest outbreak of Cyclospora, but some experts have noticed a growing number of cases in North Carolina and other southern states. (Holohan, 7/30)
On measles, CWD, and Ebola —
Ohio’s top doctor declared a measles outbreak Thursday, marking the state’s third this year. Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff said there are currently four confirmed cases: three in Ashtabula County and one in Tuscarawas County. The infected individuals were unvaccinated, according to a news release. (Williams, 7/30)
A recent study has drawn attention after it detected some limited interspecies transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions in a lab. But the authors and other experts caution that the findings don’t confirm that the fatal disease is a threat to people; rather, they provide important clues to what infection might look like in humans—which is key in recognizing cases. (Van Beusekom, 7/30)
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to move faster than the response amid “intense” community transmission, with government officials announcing the death toll has surpassed 1,500. (Dall, 7/30)
In related news about health threats —
The Trump administration’s plan to stop funding the Pan American Health Organization, which coordinates public health efforts across dozens of countries including the United States, will leave Americans more vulnerable to infectious disease threats, more than 100 U.S. leaders in health and national security warned in an open letter released on Thursday. They include former health secretaries, directors of health agencies, Pentagon and White House officials and surgeons general who have served in Democratic and Republican administrations. (Mandavilli, 7/30)
