Top in ID: Marburg outbreak in Rwanda; Brazil ends lymphatic filariasis health crisis

The Rwanda Ministry of Health confirmed six deaths and 26 cases of Marburg virus, a severe viral hemorrhagic virus in the same family as Ebola that is spread by bats.

WHO has mobilized resources, including medical supplies and experts, to help manage the outbreak. This is the first Marburg outbreak that has occurred in Rwanda, although the virus has been identified in other African countries.

“People can continue with their daily activities,” Rwandan Minister of Health Sabin Nsanzimana, MD, PhD, said during a press briefing. “There is no ban on any activity as part of the Marburg prevention measures. People should not panic as we have identified all the hotspots of the disease and are taking the appropriate action.”

It was the top story in infectious disease last week.

In another top story, Brazil became the 20th country/territory in the world to eliminate the mosquito-borne parasitic infection lymphatic filariasis crisis after nearly 3 decades of work.

Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:

Rwanda confirms its first Marburg virus outbreak

Rwanda’s Ministry of Health confirmed 26 cases and six deaths in a growing outbreak of Marburg virus, a severe viral hemorrhagic virus spread by bats in some African countries. Read more.

Brazil is latest country to eliminate lymphatic filariasis

Brazil became the 20th country or territory in the world to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public health crisis after nearly 3 decades of efforts to stop the painful, disfiguring parasitic infection, according to WHO. Read more.

Flu vaccine uptake low in Southern Hemisphere, study finds

Vaccination reduced influenza-related hospitalizations by around one-third in the Southern Hemisphere this year, according to interim data published by the CDC. Read more.

Q&A: Bird flu threat still low after health care exposures, experts say

The threat from avian influenza remains low for the general public, the CDC reiterated in an update related to a human case in Missouri with no exposure to infected animals. Healio spoke with Andrew Pekosz, PhD, professor at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, to get his thoughts on the Missouri case and the ongoing outbreak. Read more.

Q&A: ED syphilis screening program doubles detection

An ED program flagging high-risk patients for optional syphilis testing more than doubled the number of infections the department detected, according to a study. Healio spoke with Carolyn Deal, MD, at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, about what the findings suggest as the U.S. battles rising syphilis rates. Read more.