zoonoses
-
Scientists Discover Vampiric Viruses That ‘Bite’ Other Viruses for Survival
Viruses are somehow even weirder than we thought. In a recent study published last month, scientists say they’ve discovered two new viruses that hijack the machinery of other bacteria-infecting viruses in order to replicate themselves. One of these vampiric viruses even acts the part, appearing to “bite” and latch onto their helper virus so that…
-
UK Man Gets Gnarly, Newly Discovered Infection From Stray Cat Bite
A man in the UK has become a medical first, though not in a great way. In a recent paper, scientists say he’s the first known person to have caught a newly discovered bacteria from a stray cat’s bite. Though the feline encounter resulted in a gnarly infection of his hands, the man was eventually…
-
Tanzania Reports Its First Outbreak of the Deadly Marburg Virus
At least eight people have been infected and five are dead (including one healthcare worker) in a new outbreak of the Marburg virus in Tanzania, according to a Monday statement from the World Health Organisation. It is Tanzania’s first-ever confirmed outbreak of the deadly disease.
-
A Bite From a Kitten Led to a Man’s Death Four Years Later, Family Says
An unlucky kitten bite appears to have led to a Danish man’s death four years later. He reportedly contracted a serious infection following the bite that hospitalized him for a month, caused the amputation of his finger, and left him in ever-declining health. The man’s family disclosed his recent death in hopes of raising awareness…