UK Ebola "relapse" case takes virus specialists to uncharted waters

The case of Pauline Cafferkey, the first person known to have recovered from Ebola and then suffer an apparently life-threatening relapse, is taking scientists into uncharted territory.

The Scottish nurse's critically ill situation, described as "staggering" by one British virologist, signals just how complex and formidable a foe the Ebola virus may turn out to be now that scientists have the chance to study its survivors.

Previous studies and preliminary data from research in survivors of the vast West African outbreak have detected Ebola virus in semen, breast milk, vaginal secretions, spinal fluid and fluids around the eyes.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/15/us-health-ebola-relapse-idUSKCN0S91ZN20151015

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Ebola lingers in semen for months, studies confirm

The Ebola virus can linger in a man’s semen for nine months or longer, researchers reported Wednesday, and in at least one case they’ve confirmed that a survivor infected someone else after seemingly being cleared of the virus.

The researchers don’t think it’s especially common, and they cannot say if the virus remains infectious in semen after months and months.

“We believe it’s rare,” said Dr. Barbara Knust, who helped lead CDC’s Ebola response team.

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/ebola-lingers-semen-months-studies-confirm

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More Ebola nurse close contacts identified

Health teams have now identified 65 close contacts of the Scottish nurse who is critically ill with Ebola complications in a London Hospital.

Pauline Cafferkey was readmitted to a specialist isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital last week.

Ms Cafferkey, 39, from Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire, contracted Ebola while working at a treatment centre in Sierra Leone last year.

From the contacts identified, 26 have been given a trial vaccine.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-34537159

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Ebola crisis:

Ebola crisis: Two new cases confirmed in Guinea, WHO says

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed two new cases of Ebola in Guinea, ending a two-week spell in which no new infections were reported.

One case was found in the capital Conakry and the other in Forecariah, a town in western Guinea.

Last week was the first week that the three worst-affected countries - Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia - had seen no new infections.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34550615

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Congo measles outbreak:

More than 400 dead in southeast Congo measles outbreak: U.N.

A measles outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo's copper-mining southeast has killed 428 people and infected about 30,000 since the start of the year, the United Nations said on Friday.

More than 100 deaths and 10,000 additional cases have been recorded since mid-August, when the United Nations committed $2.4 million to fight the outbreak in the former province of Katanga, which was recently divided into four.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/16/us-congodemocratic-health-idUSKCN0SA1UR20151016

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Ebola crisis: Two new cases confirmed in Guinea, WHO says

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed two new cases of Ebola in Guinea, ending a two-week spell in which no new infections were reported.

One case was found in the capital Conakry and the other in Forecariah, a town in western Guinea.

The week before last was the first week that the three worst-affected countries - Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia - had seen no new infections.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34550615

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Persistent virus in people recovering from Ebola virus disease

A growing volume of data from careful clinical observation and testing of people who have recovered from acute Ebola virus disease indicates that the Ebola virus can persist at various sites in the body for many months in some people. Such sites include the inside of the eye, semen, amniotic fluid, the placenta, breast milk and the central nervous system.

A preliminary study on Ebola virus persistence in the semen of male survivors in Sierra Leone, has found that some men still produce semen that test positive on real time – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), a test used to detect Ebola virus genetic material (RNA) - for nine months or longer.

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/virus-persistence/en/

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Ebola outbreak may enter third year after new cases discovered in Guinea

Two people have fallen ill with Ebola in Guinea, the World Health Organization said, dashing hopes of an imminent end to the worst recorded outbreak of the disease after a two-week spell without any new cases across West Africa.

The new cases mean the epidemic, which began when a 2-year-old boy who fell ill in a remote Guinean village on December 26, 2013, risks dragging on into a third year and into 2016.

The outbreak has already killed 11,298 people out of almost 28,500 known cases in Guinea and neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Liberia was declared free of Ebola transmission on Sept. 3 after 42 days with no new cases, and Sierra Leone is halfway to the same goal. But for Guinea, the end is not yet in sight.

http://www.tv360nigeria.com/ebola-outbreak-may-enter-third-year-after-new-cases-discovered-in-guinea/

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Study says:

Camels in Kenya infected by MERS virus, new study finds

A new study has found that nearly half of camels in parts of Kenya have been infected by the virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and calls for further research into the role they might play in the transmission of this emerging disease to humans.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20151019/Camels-in-Kenya-infected-by-MERS-virus-new-study-finds.aspx

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Good thoughts & prayers do work.

Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey's condition 'has improved'

The condition of a Scottish nurse who contracted Ebola while working in West Africa has improved, according to the hospital where she is being treated.

Pauline Cafferkey was readmitted to a specialist isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London this month.

She was being treated for complications after tests showed the infection was still present in her system.

Last week her condition was described as "critical", but the hospital said she was now "serious but stable".

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34574899

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Ebola Crisis Spurs New WHO Reform Program

GENEVA—

The World Health Organization chief said preparedness, awareness, and transparency are at the heart of the WHO reform process.

World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan said many lessons have been learned from the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and these will be incorporated in the reform process that is underway.

http://www.voanews.com/content/ebola-crisis-spurs-new-who-reform-program/3015141.html

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5 New Ebola Cases In Guinea

After two new cases came to light through WHO news on 16 October, the first after two weeks of no new cases, TVC news has now confirmed the numbers to be 5. The cases found on October 16 were from the capital Conakry and the second from Forecariah, a city in Western Guinea.

The Conakry case is being said to be a new infection whereas the one from the Western city is being said to be linked to an old chain of infection.

http://www.healthaim.com/5-new-ebola-cases-guinea/30242

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Ebola caused meningitis in nurse Pauline Cafferkey

A Scottish nurse who contracted Ebola while working in West Africa is recovering well after the virus caused her to develop meningitis.

Pauline Cafferkey, 39, was readmitted to an isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London earlier this month after suffering an apparent relapse.

Health officials confirmed she had been diagnosed with meningitis caused by Ebola and had a "long recovery ahead".

Ms Cafferkey, from South Lanarkshire, contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-34592132

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Texas Health Resources appeals judge’s order in Ebola nurse Nina Pham’s lawsuit

Texas Health Resources Tuesday appealed a judge’s decision in connection with a lawsuit filed by a Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas nurse who contracted Ebola while treating a patient.

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2015/10/texas-health-resources-appeals-judges-order-in-ebola-nurse-nina-phams-lawsuit.html/

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Riyadh MERS cluster grows; ECDC weighs Jordan risk

Saudi Arabia reported an asymptomatic MERS-CoV case in Riyadh that might be part of a cluster of infected janitor roommates, while the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said recent hospital-related cases in Jordan bear watching but pose little risk to Europe.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2015/10/riyadh-mers-cluster-grows-ecdc-weighs-jordan-risk

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Nurse Kaci Hickox who was quarantined over Ebola fears sues Christie

A nurse held for three days in quarantine at a Newark hospital last year after aiding Ebola patients in West Africa has filed suit against Governor Christie and members of his administration, saying they violated her constitutional rights by holding her against her will without due process.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/nurse-kaci-hickox-who-was-quarantined-over-ebola-fears-sues-christie-1.1438959

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World Closes In on Eradicating Polio

Never before have so few children in the world had polio. Yet, as World Polio Day is observed Saturday, those who are trying to rid Earth of the virus say it's time to step up vaccination campaigns. If this happens, said Rotary's Carol Pandak, director of the PolioPlus program, we could have a polio-free world by 2019.

http://www.voanews.com/content/world-closes-in-eradicating-polio/3021135.html

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World Closes In on Eradicating Polio

This is one disease that i thought was already wiped out or is that only in modern western country's ?

Thank's Lynn

ps i like your Blonde Raccoon i wonder if it has more fun being blonde ? :)

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World Closes In on Eradicating Polio

This is one disease that i thought was already wiped out or is that only in modern western country's ?

Thank's Lynn

ps i like your Blonde Raccoon i wonder if it has more fun being blonde ? :)

Glenn, you are welcome.

LOL, blonde racoon :-)

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SKorea: MERS death toll rises for first time in months

SEOUL – The 152nd South Korean MERS case closed with a tragic outcome Sunday, as a 66-year-old man was confirmed to have passed away — bringing the local death toll to 37 since the country’s first ever case in late May.

Having been diagnosed with MERS in June, the man subsequently tested negative for any trace of the flu-like illness.

http://news.videonews.us/skorea-mers-death-toll-rises-for-first-time-in-months-2538347.html

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