Brazil: Leishmaniasis deaths in Mato Grosso do Sul up 44% since 2010
The number of fatalities due to the parasitic disease, visceral leishmaniasis has increased by 43.75 percent in the Central-Western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, according to a Campo Grande News report More...
Study: Eight out of 10 people in Saravane district, Laos infected with Opisthorchis, hookworm
A new study published today in the journal, Parasites and Vectors, took a look at helminthiasis problem in Southern Laos to try to understand helminth infection and associated risk factors in relation to existing More...
Chagas disease in North America: An interview with Dr. Peter Hotez
At the end of October, there was an editorial published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, by founding dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Peter Hotez, which More...
Canada: Trichinosis outbreak sickens 15 in Nunavik
Nunavik public health officials are advising the public to thoroughly cook wild meat in light of an outbreak of trichinosis that has sickened some 15 people in Inukjuak, Quebec, with two requiring hospitalization, More...
Texas A&M doctoral student, Rachel Curtis, receives AAVP award for Chagas research
Texas A&M PhD student Rachel Curtis developed a way to educate the public while enlisting their help in tracking an emerging disease that threatens wildlife and humans. Chagas disease is caused by the parasite More...
New radio show, ‘Outbreak News This Week’ to premiere Saturday on the Tan Talk Network
The Global Dispatch is proud to announce its next media venture- a new, niche radio program geared toward news and information about infectious diseases. The show, Outbreak News This Week will feature the latest More...
Naegleria fowleri and amoeba awareness: Personal stories and the great work from ‘Kyle Cares’ and ‘Swim Above Water’
With the summer of 2013 quickly coming to a close, the news revolving around the “brain-eating amoeba”, Naegleria fowleri, has seen everything from the 3rd known survivor of this lethal parasite in Arkansas’ More...
WHO: 56 million people suffer from a foodborne trematodiases
At least 56 million people globally suffer from one or more foodborne trematodiases, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today in it’s current Fact Sheet. Foodborne trematodiases are caused by More...
Trichomonas: the sexually transmitted parasite
This little flagellated parasite is a very common sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide, mainly causing symptoms in sexually active women. Trichomonas vaginalisImage/CDC Trichomonas vaginalis is the most More...
Iowa’s ‘Top Doc’ warns about Tapeworm Diet: What are the risks?
It has been reported that the medical director for the Iowa Department of Public Health sent a warning against the “tapeworm diet” in her weekly email to public health workers. In the email, Dr. Patricia More...
Sabin to launch vaccine discovery program for parasitic worms
In a press release Monday, The Sabin Vaccine Institute Product Development Partnership (Sabin PDP) announced the launch of a soil-transmitted helminth (STH) vaccine discovery program. Two Ascaris lumbricoides nematodes, More...
Iowa health officials say ‘fresh vegetables, not fruit’ possible source of Cyclospora outbreak
The Iowa Department of Public Health, CDC and local public health agencies are investigating an outbreak of an intestinal illness caused by Cyclospora (a rare parasite). As of July 12, 45 cases of Cyclospora infections More...
Iowa Cyclospora outbreak rises to 39 cases
In a follow-up to the rapidly changing Cyclospora outbreak in the Hawkeye State, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting the number of cases of the parasitic infection to be 39 as of July 11. This More...
What is lymphatic filariasis?
Lymphatic filariasis is a parasitic disease that is transmitted to humans, like malaria and yellow fever, via a mosquito bite. However, unlike those acute infections, lymphatic filariasis may not manifest itself More...
Cook County Jail reports lice and scabies outbreak
Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart has ordered isolation within a Division of the Cook County Jail and a portion of Cermak Hospital after an outbreak of lice and scabies, according to a press release Friday. At More...
Karachi official orders health dept. to initiate a public awareness campaign over Naegleria
While addressing a combined meeting of KMC and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board about Naegleria, Karachi Metro-politan Corporation (KMC) Administrator Hashim Raza Zaidi directed Health Department to launch a public More...
What is Baylisascaris procyonis?
Baylisascaris procyonis is a roundworm found in the small intestines of raccoons. They excrete the eggs of this parasite in their feces. The eggs can survive in the environment for years under favorable conditions. More...
What is schistosomiasis?
Schistosomiasis, also referred to as Bilharzia and Katayama fever, is an infection with a type of Schistosoma parasite. The schistosomes or blood flukes are parasites that have been around since antiquity. It was More...
UK 2012 ‘Crypto’ outbreak linked to ‘ready-to-eat’ salad products: HPA
A May 2012 Cryptosporidium outbreak, which sickened some 300 people over a three day period, has been linked to eating pre-cut bagged salad products which are likely to have been labelled as ‘ready-to-eat’, More...
Frenzal Rhomb frontman, Jay Whalley, talks about his ‘tapeworm in the brain’ on Facebook
The lead singer of the Australian punk band explained why they had to cancel their recent tour on the bands Facebook page yesterday. Frenzal Rhomb’s Jay Whalley surgical scarImage/Frenzal Rhomb Facebook More...