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By Region: North America
Texan tracking down disease outbreaks around the world
(States Man) Joel Montgomery spends most of his time working with his team of epidemiologists to suppress outbreaks of dengue fever and Rift Valley fever in Kenya. “Both are mosquito-borne diseases that can be fatal,” Montgomery said. “We’re concerned about Rift Valley fever getting to the U.S., because it can infect cattle.” But on a Read More »
- December 11, 2012
- | Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, North America, South America, Agents & Toxins, International, Public Health, and Research
Bag BioWatch because of its bugs? Bad idea
(LA Times) BioWatch, the Homeland Security-led effort to provide early warning if biological pathogens are released against the American people, has fallen into disfavor in some corners. The Times produced a series of highly critical articles, and the editorial board has chimed in, suggesting that the program be “squashed.” But calls to bag BioWatch, while Read More »
- December 10, 2012
- | Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, Countermeasures, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
Bugs without borders
(EurekAlert) Researchers show that the global epidemic of Clostridium difficile 027/NAP1/BI in the early to mid-2000s was caused by the spread of two different but highly related strains of the bacterium rather than one as was previously thought. The spread and persistence of both epidemics were driven by the acquisition of resistance to a frontline Read More »
- December 10, 2012
- | Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, International, Public Health, and Research
Countries to Examine Options for Strengthening Bioweapons Convention
(Global Security Newswire) Nations are set at a yearly gathering next week to consider means of bolstering compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention and building on its ability to impede the creation or employment of arms-usable disease agents and toxins, the United Nations said. The meeting of treaty signatories would examine advancements since the 2011 Read More »
- December 10, 2012
- | Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, North America, South America, Agents & Toxins, Biological Weapons, International, and Policy & Initiatives
US health security research not balanced enough to meet goals, study suggests
(Medical Xpress) Federal support for health security research is heavily weighted toward preparing for bioterrorism and other biological threats, providing significantly less funding for challenges such as monster storms or attacks with conventional bombs, according to a new RAND Corporation study. The findings, published in the December issue of the journal Health Affairs, come from Read More »
- December 7, 2012
- | Filed under North America, Policy & Initiatives, and Research