Top in ID: Upward trend in tularemia cases; new warning for RSV vaccines
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According to CDC researchers, cases of tularemia in the U.S. increased by nearly 60% from 2011 to 2022 compared with the previous decade.
Tularemia, or rabbit fever, is a relatively rare zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. It can be spread through insect bites, exposure to infected animals, inhalation of contaminated aerosols or contaminated water.
Kiersten Kugeler, PhD, an epidemiologist in the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, stated that the underlying causes behind the increase are not clear and probably include a combination of factors such as improved methods for detecting cases, as well as more people being infected.
“Increasing incidence underscores the needs for clinical education regarding diverse clinical manifestations of tularemia, options for laboratory testing and important and early and appropriate treatment,” she told Healio.
It was the top story in infectious disease last week.
In another top story, the FDA observed a potential association between respiratory syncytial virus vaccines and Guillain-Barré syndrome after reviewing trial data, motivating a warning concerning the syndrome to be added to RSV vaccines manufactured by GSK and Pfizer.
Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:
Tularemia cases rise nearly 60% in US
Cases of tularemia — a relatively rare zoonotic disease — increased by nearly 60% in the United States from 2011 to 2022 compared with the preceding decade, according to CDC researchers. Read more.
FDA says RSV vaccines must come with Guillain-Barré warning
The FDA is adding a warning about Guillain-Barré syndrome to the respiratory syncytial virus vaccines manufactured by GSK and Pfizer based on data that suggest there may be a link between the shots and the rare disorder. Read more.
Louisiana health officials report first US death from bird flu
A person hospitalized last month with the first case of severe bird flu in the United States has died, Louisiana health officials announced. Read more.
Source of ‘unusual’ paper mill blastomycosis outbreak undetermined
The largest documented outbreak of blastomycosis in the United States occurred at a paper mill in Michigan from 2022 to2023. However, researchers could not identify the source of Blastomyces exposure, according to an investigation in MMWR. Read more.
EHR tool identifies 100% of TB cases
Researchers developed a computer-based tool to evaluate hospitalized patients for suspected tuberculosis that correctly identified 100% of cases, which could help prevent spread to other patients. Read more.