Category: Vectorborne

Unveiling the Burden of Dengue in Africa

Mosquito sucking blood on human skin with nature background

Most travelers to Africa know to protect themselves from malaria. But malaria is far from the only mosquito-borne disease in Africa. Recent studies have revealed that dengue, a disease that is well recognized in Asia and the Americas, may be commonly misdiagnosed as malaria in Africa. Read More >

Posted on by Blog Administrator2 CommentsTags , , ,

Rabies Scare Leads to Quick Public Health Action

Bats

By Jacquelyn Lickness When a hospital in South Carolina spotted bats flying through its facility, officials sprang into action launching an investigation to prevent a possible rabies outbreak. Because bats are commonly infected with the virus, any contact with the flying mammals is taken very seriously. The hospital quickly involved state public health officials, who then reached Read More >

Posted on by Blog Administrator1 CommentTags , , ,

Coming (Back) to America? What 2013 Can Teach Us About Dengue in the United States

jumbled picture of words related to dengue fever

By Tyler Sharp 2013 was a banner year for dengue in the United States: an outbreak with 22 associated cases was identified in Florida; another outbreak was detected in south Texas along the U.S./Mexico border;  Aedes aegypti, the most efficient mosquito vector of dengue, was detected in central-California; a locally acquired dengue case was detected Read More >

Posted on by Leave a commentTags , , , , , ,

The Reality of Outbreak Investigations: Dengue in Angola

Aerial view of Angola

By Tyler Sharp and Ryan R. Hemme Wanna know a secret? Here it is. Chances are, the same reason you’re reading this blog is why many folks at CDC do what they do: a fascination with infectious diseases and a desire to help others. Although the work of CDC employees is frequently glamorized in movies Read More >

Posted on by Blog AdministratorLeave a commentTags , , , ,

West Nile Virus: Recent Surge in Cases Sparks Concern in Texas

up close picture of a mosquito biting a human

West Nile virus season is off to an early start this year, which doesn’t bode well for what’s to come. Most West Nile virus exposures in the United States occur from July through October, with a peak during the first two weeks of August. Peak season in Texas is under way, and there are already 336 cases Read More >

Posted on by Blog Administrator39 CommentsTags , , , , ,

Real-life Contagion: Part 2

By Tyler M. Sharp, PhD Before we left off in Part 1 I had just gotten on a boat to visit a small atoll in the Marshall Islands affected by the dengue outbreak… A few days earlier we had identified a small cluster of cases on Arno, a small atoll about 30 miles from Majuro. I Read More >

Posted on by 6 CommentsTags , , , , ,