Top infectious disease stories: Twitter bots pollute vaccine ‘debate,’ new battery could solve resource challenges

The top story in infectious disease this week was a report that Twitter bots and Russian trolls pollute the vaccine ‘debate’ online.

Other top stories include research findings that a new type of battery made of paper and fueled by bacteria may help resolve resource challenges, a WHO announcement that measles cases hit a record high in Europe, an FDA approval of Grifols’ blood screening assay for Zika virus and the NIH announcement that the first-in-human trial started for live, attenuated Zika vaccine.

Twitter bots, Russian trolls pollute vaccine ‘debate’ online

Bots, Russian trolls and so-called “content polluters” are significantly more likely to tweet about vaccination than the average Twitter user, exaggerating the magnitude of the vaccination “debate” in the United States, according to newly published findings. Read more.

Bacteria-powered paper battery could solve resource challenges

According to researchers, a new type of battery made of paper and fueled by bacteria may help health care workers overcome challenges in remote areas of the world where power and resources are limited or too expensive. Read more.

Measles cases hit record high in Europe, nearly doubling 2017 total

More than 41,000 adults and children in Europe were infected with measles in the first 6 months of 2018, exceeding all 12-month totals in this decade, WHO announced today. Read more.

FDA approves Grifols’ blood screening assay for Zika virus

Grifols announced that the FDA has approved its Procleix assay for the detection of Zika virus in the U.S. blood supply. Read more.

First-in-human trial begins for live, attenuated Zika vaccine

The NIH announced the start of a clinical trial of an experimental live, attenuated Zika virus vaccine developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Read more.