Recent News

By Region: North America

Examining the Biology Behind the Popular Culture Phenomenon

(Daily Nexus) Unless you’ve been under a rock, you should be familiar with the zombie apocalypse hype these past few years. Shows and movies such as “The Walking Dead” and I Am Legend depict flesh-eating monster endemics in the modern world. I rarely give in to shows about zombies because I doubt that a decomposing Read More »

November 1, 2012
| Filed under North America, Public Health, and Research
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After Salmonella Outbreaks, FDA Names Mango a “High Risk” Fruit

(Food Safety News) This past summer’s Salmonella outbreak linked to mangoes and subsequent investigation have ended, but not before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared the fruit to be “high risk,” promising increased inspections at U.S. ports of entry. FDA has not shared the new high-risk status of mangoes with American consumers, but Read More »

November 1, 2012
| Filed under North America, South America, Agriculture, and Public Health
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New tick disease in Switzerland

(EurekAlert) Until now, we knew that ticks primarily transmit two pathogens to humans in Switzerland: the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi – which causes borreliosis – and the early-summer-meningoencephalitis virus, which can cause cerebral inflammation. Now, microbiologists from the University of Zurich confirm the existence of another tick disease in Switzerland – neoehrlichiosis. The pathogenic bacteria Candidatus Read More »

November 1, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, International, and Public Health
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Funding Increased to Combat Disease Threats

(The Poultry Site) FAO’s commitment to fight emerging disease threats in “hotspot” regions worldwide is getting a boost with new funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the UN agency has announced. The funding, totalling more than $20 million, will support the ongoing US-FAO partnership against H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Read More »

November 1, 2012
| Filed under North America, Agriculture, and Research
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USDA enforcement power has far reach

(Western Farm Press) The U.S. Department of Agriculture has enforcement teeth. The Office of Inspector General (OIG), Investigations, the USDA’s law enforcement branch, is authorized to conduct search and seizure operations; apprehend suspects; investigate fraud, animal abuse and agro-terrorism; and investigate nutrition program fraud, among other duties.