Can Culex Mosquitoes Also Spread Zika? (The Scientist) At the International Congress of Entomology's annual meeting held in Orlando, Florida, this week, separate labs presented unpublished data suggesting that Culex mosquitoes can harbor the Zika virus, Science News reported. Scientists at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Recife, Brazil, and at Brock University in Ontario, Canada, shared their independent identification of Zika in the guts and saliva of Culex species. Go to article

The Science of Zika Revealed: Study Finds Killer Virus Infects Neural Cells Related to Skull Formation (Daily Mail) The Zika virus causing an epidemic in Brazil and spreading through the Americas can infect and alter cells in the human nervous system that are crucial for formation of bones and cartilage in the skull, a study has revealed. Go to article

See Also: Zika Virus Infection Induces Cranial Neural Crest Cells to Produce Cytokines at Levels Detrimental for Neurogenesis (Cell Host & Microbe) Zika virus infection during pregnancy is linked to microcephaly, which is attributed to infection of developing brain structures. ZIKV infects neural progenitor cells in vitro, though its effects on other developmentally relevant stem cell populations, including cranial neural crest cells, have not been assessed. Go to article

Zika Virus in Southeast Asia (CDC: Traveler's Health) Travelers have returned from certain areas of Southeast Asia with Zika virus infection. While our understanding of the complications of Zika virus infection continues to evolve, and pending broader international surveillance efforts for Zika virus infection, we are providing pregnant women and their partners updated recommendations on reducing their risk for travel related Zika virus infection. Go to article

Thailand Confirms Two Cases of Zika-linked Microcephaly (BBC) Thai health officials have confirmed 2 cases of microcephaly, a severe birth defect linked to the Zika virus. It is the first time in South East Asia that the disease has been linked to the condition, which causes abnormally small brains and heads. Go to article

Update: Interim Guidance for Preconception Counseling and Prevention of Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus for Persons with Possible Zika Virus Exposure--United States, September 2016 (MMWR) CDC has updated its interim guidance for persons with possible Zika virus exposure who are planning to conceive and interim guidance to prevent transmission of Zika virus through sexual contact, now combined into a single document. Guidance for care for pregnant women with possible Zika virus exposure was previously published. Possible Zika virus exposure is defined as travel to or residence in an area of active Zika virus transmission), or sex without a condom with a partner who traveled to or lived in an area of active transmission. Based on new though limited data, CDC now recommends that all men with possible Zika virus exposure who are considering attempting conception with their partner, regardless of symptom status,§ wait to conceive until at least 6 months after symptom onset (if symptomatic) or last possible Zika virus exposure (if asymptomatic). Go to article

Diphtheria Reappears in Venezuela After Long Absence: Another Symptom of a Broken Health System (Outbreak News Today) The governor of Bolivar state, Venezuela, Francisco Rangel Gomez confirmed this week that there are 13 cases of diphtheria in the town of San Antonio, Sifontes municipality, according to a El Diario de Guayana report (computer translated). The Venezuelan Society of Public Health says diphtheria was eradicated in Venezuela in the late 1940s. Go to article

Three More New Jersey Schools Infected by 'Unprecedented' Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak (H5N1) Three more schools infected by 'unprecedented' hand-foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. What some athletic officials have described as an "unprecedented" outbreak of hand-foot-and-mouth disease continues spreading across New Jersey. Go to article

Louisiana Flood Recovery: 11 Things to Know 6 Weeks Later (The Times-Picayune) Louisiana expects to receive around $420 million in flood recovery funding from the federal government over the next few weeks. Gov. John Bel Edwards has called the money a "down payment" on the state's full flood relief package. Edwards will be going back to Capitol Hill to ask to for more money -- a lot more actually -- when Congress convenes again in November. Overall, Louisiana is seeking more than $2.6 billion in federal aid for the floods in March and August. Go to article

From the Front Lines of the Anthrax Investigation to Pre-staging Our Future Health Response (ASPR Blog) Fifteen years ago this month, anthrax was used as a terrorist weapon against our nation. As a microbiologist with experience in dealing with Bacillus anthracis, the bacteria that causes anthrax illness, I was called in to be on the front lines of the investigation into the attack. Today, I help ensure our nation is best prepared for and can respond to a future one. Go to article

For Bioterrorism Preparedness, HHS Sponsors Inhaled Chlorine Antidote (HHS.gov) The first potential antidote to treat the life-threatening effects of chlorine inhalation, a potential terrorism threat, will advance in development under a contract between the US Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and Radikal Therapeutics, Inc. of Beverly, Massachusetts. Go to article

Winning the Battle Against the Scourge of Poliomyelitis in the African Region (Vaccine) Recently we have recorded some progress against the transmission of poliovirus in the African Region. This is attributable to a number of factors, including commitment of global partnerships against polio, improvement of existing strategies as well as a number of innovations in response to the disease in the Region. Go to article

US Officials Hope for Improved Flu Vaccine Uptake (CIDRAP) In an annual push to build awareness and support for seasonal flu vaccination today, US health officials said they hoped the absence of the inhaled flu vaccine doesn't erode steadily rising immunization rates in kids and noted rising uptake in healthcare personnel, especially those working in long-term care settings. Go to article

WHO Switches H1N1 in Southern Hemisphere Flu Vaccine (CIDRAP) World Health Organization vaccine advisors today recommended changing only the 2009 H1N1 component for the Southern Hemisphere's 2017 flu vaccine, the first change in the H1N1 component since the former pandemic virus became a globally circulating seasonal flu strain. Go to article

Coming to a Doctor's Office Near You: Live-streaming Your Exam with Google Glass (Washington Post) Jim Andrews is in a medical office wearing just a hospital gown, staring at his doctor of 11 years, who is staring back at him through the sleek, metallic lens of Google Glass. As the doctor examines Andrews, a new kind of medical scribe is watching the examination, transcribing everything he sees. The scribe, named Rahul, is thousands of miles away in India, and he is viewing the office visit live through the pint-size, WiFi-connected camera attached to the doctor's glasses. Go to article

A Field-Deployable Reverse Transcription Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay for Rapid Detection of the Chikungunya Virus (PLOS: Neglected Tropical Diseases) Chikungunya virus is a mosquito-borne virus currently transmitted in about 60 countries. CHIKV causes acute flu-like symptoms and in many cases prolonged musculoskeletal and joint pain. Detection of the infection is mostly done using RT-RCR or ELISA, which are not suitable for point-of-care diagnosis. Go to article

Experts Warn Home 'Gene Editing' Kits Pose Risk to Society (The Guardian) The simplicity and low cost of tools to edit the genetic code means "garage scientists" - or amateurs with some skill - can now perform their own experiments, posing a potential risk from the release of GM bugs, a new report suggests. Go to article

See Also: Genome Editing: an Ethical Review (Nuffield Council on Bioethics) This review considers the impact of recent advances in genome editing, which have diffused rapidly across many fields of biological research, and the range of ethical questions to which they give rise. It was carried out by an interdisciplinary Working Group that included expertise in science, law, philosophy, ethics, sociology and industry. In coming to its conclusions, the Working Group invited contributions from a wide range of people, including through an open call for evidence that ran from November 2015 until February 2016. Go to article

Combating Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Bacteria with Structurally Nanoengineered Antimicrobial Peptide Polymers (Nature: Microbiology) With the recent emergence of reports on resistant Gram-negative 'superbugs', infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria have been named as one of the most urgent global health threats due to the lack of effective and biocompatible drugs. Go to article

Amnesty Accuses Sudan of Using Chemical Weapons in Darfur (Reuters) Sudan's government has carried out at least 30 likely chemical weapons attacks in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur since January using what two experts concluded was a probable blister agent, Amnesty International said on Thursday. The rights group estimated that up to 250 people may have died as a result of exposure to the chemical weapons agents. Go to article