Virus Hounder

31/12/2024

17/09/2024

Drug-resistant superbugs are estimated to kill 39 million by 2050

[Analysis by Virus Hounder]

A global analysis released on Monday predicted that over the next 25 years, infections with drug-resistant superbugs would kill around 40 million people.

The experts are demanding action to prevent this dire scenario. Superbugs, which are diseases or bacterial strains that have developed antibiotic resistance and are therefore more difficult to cure, are becoming an increasing menace to world health.

According to the research, this analysis is the first to analyze the global impact of superbugs across time and predict potential future developments.

Between 1990 and 2021, superbugs, commonly known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), claimed the lives of over a million people year worldwide, per the GRAM study published in The Lancet.

According to the study, the number of superbug-related deaths in children under five has decreased by more than 50% in the last three decades as a result of better methods for preventing and treating newborn infections.

Superbug infections in youngsters nowadays are more difficult to cure, though.

Additionally, as the population grew older and more susceptible to infection, the number of deaths among those over 70 increased by more than 80% throughout that time.

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Note: This Page was founded by Rome John B. Española before he left for this world.

Source:

https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/09/17/world/drug-resistant-superbugs-projected-to-kill-39-million-by-2050/1972075

Alternative source:

https://www.sciencealert.com/drug-resistant-bacteria-expected-to-kill-tens-of-millions-by-2050

14/08/2024

On August 15, 2024 - Declared a global emergency of monkeypox virus

The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called for the meeting last Wednesday to seek advice on whether the mpox – previously monkeypox – outbreaks are cause for international concern.

On Tuesday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared the situation a public health emergency.

“The Emergency Committee’s advice to me, and that of the [Africa CDC], which yesterday declared a public health emergency of regional security, are aligned,” Tedros said in a post on X.

Mpox cases have been spreading throughout many countries in Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The potential for further spread in Africa is worrying, said the WHO chief.

“In addition to other outbreaks of other clades of mpox in other parts of Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” Tedros said.

This year already saw over 14,000 reported cases of the virus with 524 deaths, a significant increase in reported cases from 2023.

Tedros previously mentioned that the mpox outbreaks have occurred due to different viruses called clades.

At Wednesday’s meeting he said there was transmission of the so-called clade 1b virus in the DRC last year which was caused “mainly through sexual networks.” This clade is reportedly deadlier and more easily transmitted from person to person.

Clade 1 has been circulating in the DRC for years while clade 2 was responsible for the global outbreak of 2022 which was declared an international public health emergency.

Tedros said in the past month that around 90 cases of successor clade 1b were reported in countries neighbouring the DRC which had not reported mpox cases before.

“Stopping these outbreaks will require a tailored and comprehensive response, with communities at the centre, as always,” he said.

The WHO chief said the UN agency is working with governments of the affected countries, the Africa CDC and other partners to “understand and address the drivers of these outbreaks.”

“For example, we are providing machines to analyze blood samples and confirm cases of mpox; We’re supporting laboratories to sequence viral samples,” he said.

He further mentioned “on the ground supporting case investigation and contact tracing”, training for health care workers and much more.

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Sources: https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1153176
World Health Organization (WHO)

22/07/2024

Prepares for the Next Pandemic?

The Hong Kong microbiologist Yuen Kwok-Yung has done battle with some of the world's worst threats, including the SARS virus he helped isolate and identify. And he has a warning.

Source:
https://hongkongfp.com/2024/07/21/hong-kong-microbiologist-yuen-kwok-yung-has-a-warning-another-pandemic-is-inevitable/

28/06/2024

: A new Virus from Japan

The NAIA announced that should wear face masks while inside the airport as protection from Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS), a virus that was first reported in Japan.

STSS is also unlikely to spread widely among the public, they say, as it is not an “airborne” infectious disease, unlike measles, tuberculosis and COVID-19, as per Japan times.

image credit: Manila times

08/05/2024

withdrawing Covid vaccine, months after admitting rare side effect

The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine is being withdrawn worldwide, months after the pharmaceutical giant admitted for the first time in court documents that it can cause a rare and dangerous side effect.

The vaccine can no longer be used in the European Union after the company voluntarily withdrew its “marketing authorization”. The application to withdraw the vaccine was made on March 5 and came into effect on Tuesday.

Similar applications will be made in the coming months in the UK and in other countries that have approved the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria.

AstraZeneca said the vaccine was being removed from markets for commercial reasons. It said the vaccine was no longer being manufactured or supplied, having been superseded by updated vaccines that tackle new variants.

Vaxzevria has come under intense scrutiny in recent months over a very rare side effect, which causes blood clots and low blood platelet counts. AstraZeneca admitted in court documents lodged with the High Court in February that the vaccine “can, in very rare cases, cause TTS”.

Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/07/astrazeneca-withdrawing-covid-vaccine/

04/04/2024

: What is B Virus?

B virus infection is caused by a herpes virus. B virus is also commonly referred to as herpes B, monkey B virus, herpesvirus simiae, and herpesvirus B. The virus is found among macaque monkeys, including rhesus macaques and pig-tailed macaques.

History:

B virus, also called monkey B virus or herpesvirus simiae, rarely infects people. From its discovery in 1932 to 2019, the virus sickened about 50 people, 21 of whom died of the infection, according to the CDC. Most of the affected people had been bitten or scratched by a monkey or were infected when the tissue or bodily fluids of a monkey had made contact with broken skin. There's only one known case of an infected person spreading the B virus onto another person.

The first known human case of B virus in China was reported in 2021, by a veterinary surgeon in Beijing who'd dissected two dead monkeys and died of the infection about a month later.

In the current case in Hong Kong, the infected 37-year-old man was admitted to Yan Chai Hospital on March 21 "due to fever and decreased consciousness level." As of Wednesday (April 3), he was being treated in the intensive care unit. A sample of the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord tested positive for B virus.

Symptoms

The initial symptoms of B virus are flu-like and include fever, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, and headache. Additional symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and hiccups. (Hiccups may potentially be related to the virus invading the nervous system.) People may also develop small blisters on the part of their body a monkey scratched or made contact with.

In its late stages, the infection can cause inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. This can lead to sensations of pain, numbness, or itching near the wound site, as well as muscle coordination issues and brain and nerve damage. Breathing problems and death can occur within one day to three weeks after initial symptoms appear. The infection is typically treated with antiviral drugs and supportive care to maintain a person's vital signs.

Advise

The public is advised to stay away from wild monkeys and avoid touching or feeding them. If a person is wounded by a monkey, they should wash the wound and then immediately seek medical attention.

As of April 4, has not yet released additional information about the ongoing case.

Source:
Center for Health Protection
Center for Disease Control and Protection

-Virus Chaser and Vaccine Developer

04/04/2024

: A man in critical condition after catching deadly 'B virus' from wild monkeys in Hong Kong, as per Health Officials Report.

As of April 3, the man infected with B virus was still being treated in the ICU, health officials said.

The infection was caused by the B virus, which is commonly found in the saliva, urine, and stool of macaques, monkeys that live in various locations in the city, according to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), an agency of the Department of Health in Hong Kong. The monkeys themselves usually are either asymptomatic or show only mild symptoms of infection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes.

According to the infected man's family, he'd encountered the monkeys during a visit to Kam Shan Country Park — home to an area nicknamed "Monkey Hill" — in late February. His case is thought to be the first human infection with B virus in Hong Kong, the CHP noted.

- Virus Chaser and Vaccine Developer

Source: Department of Hongkong

29/03/2024

Hey guys! It's just a simple reminder you must wear your facemask this time.

Here in the Philippines, pertussis has not yet been declared an outbreak, but the epidemic is in the following regions: Quezon City, Iloilo City, Cavite & Cebu.

The outbreak is still developing.

Here is the list of you must know about the outbreak here & other countries.

Pertussis
Anthrax
Dengue

27/11/2023

Breaking: Respiratory Illness and unexplained pneumonia are spreading in China, but not as severe as the COVID-19 Pandemic says WHO.

10/04/2023

AstraZeneca's Enhertu Cancer Drug Could Lead to More Innovative Treatments in the Future

Published on March 07, 2023
by AstraZeneca's Scientist

AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical company, has recently announced positive results from an ongoing study evaluating the effectiveness and safety of its cancer drug, Enhertu. The study focuses on patients with advanced or metastatic tumors that have previously been treated but cannot be operated on or receive curative treatment. According to Reuters, the study includes cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, and rare cancers.

Enhertu is an antibody conjugate that targets the protein HER2, which has already shown improved outcomes for patients with breast, stomach, and lung cancers where HER2 can be targeted. In a press release, AstraZeneca's chief medical officer and oncology development manager, Cristian Massacesi, expresses his enthusiasm for the positive initial results seen in the study for other tumor environments with great needs, such as those included in the ongoing phase 2 study.

The promising results of Enhertu are significant for cancer patients who have exhausted other treatment options, as well as for AstraZeneca's oncology portfolio. Enhertu's success could also increase AstraZeneca's competitiveness in the cancer drug market, which is estimated to be worth over $100 billion globally. However, further clinical trials will be necessary to fully establish Enhertu's effectiveness and safety in these tumor environments, as well as potential side effects and any necessary precautions. Nevertheless, these initial results have generated hope for a potential new option for patients with advanced or metastatic tumors that have previously been treated.

As the study continues, AstraZeneca will likely increase its investment in cancer research and development, potentially leading to more innovative treatments in the future. Additionally, positive outcomes from this study could increase investor confidence and lead to increased funding for AstraZeneca's ongoing cancer research efforts. With these results, AstraZeneca is well-positioned to continue making significant contributions to the field of oncology and improve the lives of cancer patients worldwide.







Source : https://www.theswedishtimes.se/articles/astrazenecas-enhertu-cancer-drug-could-lead-to-more-innovative-treatments-in

30/03/2023

Breaking News: 1st cases of Marburg Virus