epidemiology
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Latest on Monkeypox: Genetic Clues and How It Might Be Spreading
Cases of monkeypox continue to climb across the globe, with more than 200 confirmed and suspected cases documented in over 20 countries. Scientists are starting to gather their first clues about these outbreaks, including how the virus may have begun spreading farther than it ever has before.
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Monkeypox Outbreaks: Where They Are and What We Know So Far
Outbreaks of a seldom-seen disease called monkeypox are setting public health experts on edge. Several countries, including the U.S., have reported cases of the viral infection recently. No deaths are reported so far. Though the risk appears to be low to the general public for now, it’s possible something has changed about the virus or…
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A ‘Perfect Storm’ Could Make Measles a Nightmare in 2022, WHO and UNICEF Warn
The once nearly vanquished disease measles is making a worrying comeback. This week, the World Health Organisation and UNICEF reported that global cases of the viral illness have so far jumped almost 80% in 2022 compared to last year. Without immediate action, the conditions are “ripe” this year for a large-scale resurgence of the vaccine-preventable…
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Self-Spreading Vaccine Research Could Spin Out of Control, Experts Warn
Imagine a future scenario in which a dangerous new virus is detected in chimpanzees. To prevent this virus from spreading to humans, biologists decide to deliberately infect scores of wild chimps with a transmissible vaccine — an infectious, lab-grown virus that immunizes, rather than harms, its host. The chimps, now vaccinated, no longer pose a…