Meningitis: MenB strain may have evolved to be more transmissible, say experts As the meningitis outbreak in Kent continues, with 29 cases and two deaths reported, experts look at what might be behind this “unprecedented event” “This is the most fascinating question that has ar...

As the meningitis outbreak in Kent continues, with 29 cases and two deaths reported, experts look at what might be behind this “unprecedented event”
www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s549

Experts fear ‘unethical’ vaccine trial in Africa is ‘prototype’ for US studies under RFK Jr Danish researchers whose work on effects of vaccines has been called into question are at center of US vaccine policy

“We are fearful that this is a prototype for other studies,” said @cdelawalla.bsky.social. My latest on the unlikely researchers at the heart of US vaccine policy:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

"The destruction that Kennedy has wrought in 1 year might take generations to repair, and there is little hope for US health and science while he remains at the helm"

@thelancet.com

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Half the participants from placebo arm of HIV cure trial have prolonged viral load remission when given broadly neutralising antibodies In the second phase of the RIO HIV cure trial, participants originally given a placebo were offered the experimental therapy, the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) he...

More than half of participants in a small HIV cure trial maintained a low enough viral load to stay off treatment for 20 weeks.
One participant remains undetectable after a year.
Note: while this is encouraging, the different responses indicate the prospect of a cure for all remains distant.

Dirty Water on @channel4.bsky.social ⬇️ should be compulsory viewing. What’s happening to our rivers and seas is unacceptable.
Clearly extremely well researched but please, please stop calling E.Coli 0:157 a virus!!! 🤦🏼‍♀️
#DirtyWater #CleanUpBritain

France cuts funding for Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria by more than half France cut its contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 58 percent on Thursday, confirming a major reduction in funding that health organisations warn will cost lives...

France cuts its contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria by 58%.
After years of slow but steady progress towards ending the global HIV epidemic, recent cuts in international aid will almost certainly result in more HIV infections and AIDS deaths.

Voices from the frontline: how global funding cuts are reshaping the viral hepatitis response Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are among the world's leading infectious threats, together responsible for over a million deaths each year, but these infections remain neglected by...

Lots of focus on the impact of #funding cuts on #HIV but there are wider repercussions.
Here we report 'Voices from the frontline: how global funding cuts are reshaping the viral #hepatitis response' 🧪
@lancetgastrohep.bsky.social @worldhepalliance.bsky.social
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

One year on from dismantling of USAID, study projects that global aid cuts could lead to 9.4 million deaths by 2030 | CNN It’s been one year since the Trump administration dismantled the US Agency for International Development (USAID), with aid cuts leading to the closure of HIV clinics in South Africa, the termination o...

As a direct result of the obscene actions of Russell Vought and Elon Musk in destroying USAID, we can expect “at least 9.4 million additional deaths by 2030, if the current funding trend continues.

About 2.5 million of those deaths are projected to be children under the age of 5.”

Gaza death toll in early part of war far higher than reported, says Lancet study Research suggests more than 75,000 killed in the first 16 months of conflict, 25,000 more than announced at the time More than 75,000 people were killed in the first 16 months of the two-year war in Gaza, at least 25,000 more than the death toll announced by local authorities at the time, according to a study published on Wednesday in the Lancet medical journal. The research also found that reporting by the Gaza health ministry about the proportion of women, children and elderly people among those killed was accurate. Continue reading...

Gaza death toll in early part of war far higher than reported, says Lancet study

🤦🏼‍♀️

A valentine from Public Health of Seattle and King County. A man shivers in bed while a smiling lady in a red mask shows off her bandage on her arm. Text: Noses are red Ice packs are blue I'm vaxed so miss me with severe symptoms of flu.

A valentine from Public Health of Seattle and King County. Two lady scientists shrug lackadaisically. Text reads: My love for you can't be explained by science. Just like the new federal vaccine guidelines.

A valentine from Public Health of Seattle and King County. Protesters in Minneapolis wear thick clothes and hold signs of support for immigrant neighbors. Text reads: To the health departments in the Twin Cities: Love unites us. Our hearts are with you.

Oh my GOD King County Public Health is just wilding out for Valentines Day (and a lovely one).

Statement on the planned hepatitis B birth dose vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau WHO is aware of the proposed randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the hepatitis B birth dose vaccine in Guinea-Bissau. Based on questions raised in publicly available information and consultation with...

“Resource constraints cannot be used to justify withholding proven care in a research study involving people.”
@who.int with a much clearer and clearly argued statement than most of what I’ve seen on this.
🧪

www.who.int/news/item/13...

Exclusive: Key US infectious-diseases centre to drop pandemic preparation Staff members have been instructed to scrub this topic and ‘biodefense’ from the agency’s website.

Staff at NIAID have been instructed to remove the words “biodefense” and “pandemic preparedness” from the US institute’s web pages, according to e-mails Nature has obtained. Read more about the shift in direction for NIAID.

go.nature.com/4twztMV

WHO director-general calls plans for U.S.-funded vaccine trial ‘unethical’ The director-general of the WHO said a U.S.-funded study of the hepatitis B vaccine in Guinea-Bissau would be “unethical” if it proceeds as planned.

Director-General @drtedros.who.int minced no words today when asked about the proposal to run a trial of a hepatitis B vaccine birth dose in Guinea-Bissau. It would be "unethical to proceed with this study," he said. "Maybe it's better to say it bluntly & straight."
www.statnews.com/2026/02/11/h...

India rushes to contain deadly Nipah virus outbreak after five cases confirmed Nearly 100 people have been asked to quarantine in their homes

Indian authorities are rushing to contain a #Nipah virus outbreak after five cases were reported and nearly 100 people quarantined in the eastern state of West Bengal

www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/i...

Help Denmark Buy California – Because Why Not? Buy it from Trump, the bigliest crowdfunding ever

💥 denmarkification.com?utm=.share.b...

Controversial US study on hepatitis B vaccines in Africa is cancelled $1.6m project drew outrage over ethical questions about withholding vaccines proven to prevent disease

Controversial US study on hepatitis B vaccines in Africa is cancelled. $1.6m project drew outrage over ethical questions about withholding vaccines proven to prevent disease. | Vaccines and immunisation | The Guardian www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

US plan for $1.6m hepatitis B vaccine study in Africa called ‘highly unethical’ Experts decry ‘neocolonialist’ Guinea-Bissau study after Trump administration changed advice for US babies

The CDC just announced a new study on hepatitis B vaccination on newborns in Guinea-Bissau – a move that researchers call “highly unethical” and “extremely risky”. Happy to team up with @katlay.bsky.social on this story:
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

On the same day he stripped AAP of millions in grant funding in retaliation, RFK Jr awarded $1.6M to Tracy Høeg's Danish friends for a grossly unethical study that will expose African babies to hep B for no reason than it's politically expedient.

Steal from American taxpayers, give to MAHA cronies.

A poster with branding for the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre fo Virus Research, labelled 'Virus Snowflakes.' The poster shows snowflake-like virus designs and song lyrics reading: On the twelfth day of Christmas, a virus gave to me, Twelve fights worth winning, Eleven Christmas dinners, Ten lunar landers, Nine childhood vaccines, Eight tools for teaching, Seven dogs a-barking, Six wasps a-laying, FIIIIVE TIIINY RIIIIIIINGS, Four vaccine platforms, Three genome segments, Two twinned capsids, and A world that is too small to see

Feeling festive?
Why not deck the halls with @cvrinfo.bsky.social's papercraft #VirusSnowflakes and celebrate the science of viruses and the fight against viral diseases.
Download for free: cvr-engagement.co.uk/virus-snowfl...
#scicomm #sciart #decorations

Risks of Revising Newborn Hepatitis B Vaccination Recommendation This Viewpoint from infectious disease experts cautions about the consequences of rescinding the ACIP policy to immunize all newborns against hepatitis B.

“Delaying the first hepatitis B vaccine dose beyond the newborn period introduces risks that have lifelong detrimental consequences and no measurable health benefit.”

Important and timely piece by an amazing team - Mike Abers, Angela Ulrich, & Rochelle Walensky. 👏👏

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Ethiopia confirms outbreak of deadly Marburg virus Africa CDC says at least nine cases have been detected of Ebola-like illness, which kills up to 80% of those infected

Not good at all

Ethiopia confirms first outbreak of Marburg virus disease Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health has confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the South Ethiopia Region, the first of its kind in the country, following laboratory testing of samples from a clus...

The deadly fever in Ethiopia has been identified as Marburg disease.
It’s the first time a Marburg outbreak has been identified in Ethiopia.
#IDsky 🧪

www.afro.who.int/countries/et...

Always shocking to see these kinds of data collected together. "[publishers made]US$12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024" - That's $12 billion diverted away from actual research or materially supporting the community - these are disgusting numbers.

UNAids is set to close in 2026 – four years early. Are experts right to be alarmed? The move to shut the agency comes as aid budgets are being slashed, leading to fears that global progress on HIV may be reversed

UNAids is set to close in 2026 – four years early. Are experts right to be alarmed?

CDC Panel Sidesteps Key Exposure Risk in Hep B Vax Debate The Trump administration is continuing its push to revise federal guidelines to delay the hepatitis B vaccine newborn dose for most children.

“The notion that hepatitis B is only confined to transmission for prostitutes, drug users, etc., is such an ignorant and uninformed way of approaching infectious disease” - Dr. Jason Goldman of @acpimphysicians.bsky.social.

Bingo... #MedSky + #IDSky

www.medscape.com/s/viewarticl...

Our new study shows HIV infections look set to significantly increase in sub-Saharan Africa, as a result of funding for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) being halted under the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

Published in Lancet #HIV

hpruebs.nihr.ac.uk/news/new-stu...

New paper from colleagues @bristoluni.bsky.social @hpruebs.bsky.social estimating the increase in #HIV infections across sub-Sahahran #Africa as a result of #PEPFAR cuts - showing key populations hardest hit
#LancetHIV #PrEP
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...

A new Ebola outbreak in Congo kills dozens as health officials warn of lack of funds As a deadly new Ebola outbreak kills dozens in southern Congo, health officials are warning that they lack the funds and resources to mount an effective response.

A new Ebola outbreak in Congo kills dozens as health officials warn of lack of funds. WHO says 57 cases and 35 deaths have been reported since outbreak was announced this month.
www.statnews.com/2025/09/25/e...

The lack of oversight from regulatory bodies on diagnostic tests was shocking during #COVID19 - and put many lives at risk.
Those in charge at the time should be held accountable.