News Scan for Jul 16, 2019

News brief

European measles vaccine coverage rising in wake of increased outbreaks

The World Health Organization (WHO) European regional office said yesterday that the region achieved 91% coverage for the second dose of measles vaccine, signifying the second consecutive year that the area has reached a record high.

Increasing vaccination levels might be fueled by a resurgence of measles in the region, where between Jan 1, 2018, and May 30, 2019, 49 of 53 countries reported more than 160,000 cases and more than 100 deaths.

"The dramatic increase compared to previous years has been a wake-up call that the disease is serious, highly infectious and a persistent health risk for any susceptible child or adult, no matter where they live," the WHO said in its statement.

Rising measles circulation, the result of a build-up in the number of susceptible people in communities with suboptimal measles vaccine coverage, prompted the WHO on May 6 to activate a grade 2 emergency response.

In its situation report, the WHO said 80,345 cases have been reported in 2019 through May, which isn't far behind the surge of 84,411 cases reported for all of 2018. It notes that because measles is so contagious, 95% coverage with 2 measles-containing vaccine doses is needed to prevent outbreaks, and so far progress in the region isn't sufficient.
Jul 15 WHO European regional office statement
Jul 15 WHO situation report

Biodefense panel airs tactics for defending against biological threats

The bipartisan Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense on Jul 11 held a meeting in New York City to discuss a "Manhattan project" for biodefense, a national public-private effort to defend the United States against biological threats including biological warfare, bioterrorism, and infectious diseases.

The event was streamed live, and the group has posted the video of the 6-hour event on YouTube. Topics included pursuit of a universal flu vaccine, local perspectives on biologic threats, the latest research from federal and military groups, and efforts from the private sector.

The event also spotlighted the group's partnership with author Max Brooks on a graphic novel, first released in April and available for free on the group's website, called "Germ Warfare: A Very Graphic History". Brooks is the author of World War Z and is a fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point.

In 2015, the panel released a blueprint for fixing biodefense gaps, which contained 33 urgent recommendations and 100 action items.
Jul 11 Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense event backgrounder
Jul 12 Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense meeting video
Graphic novel download link
Oct 29, 2015, CIDRAP News story "Panel report recommends blueprint for fixing biodefense gaps"

Stewardship / Resistance Scan for Jul 16, 2019

News brief

CDC reports uptick in Candida auris cases

The number of confirmed and probable cases of the multidrug-resistant fungus Candida auris in the United States rose to 716 as of May 31, reflecting an increase of 32, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its most recent case-count update.

The number of affected states remains at 12, with New York (340), Illinois (184), and New Jersey (147) reporting the vast majority of cases. Other states reporting cases include Florida (20), Massachusetts (8), California (5), Texas (4), Maryland (3), Oklahoma (2), Connecticut (1), Indiana (1), and Virginia (1).

Of the cases reported to the CDC, 30 are probable and 686 have been lab-confirmed. In its previous update, involving cases through April, the CDC reported 684 C auris cases. An additional 1,342 patients have been found to be colonized with C auris, as determined by targeted screening in 10 states with clinical cases.

Since it was identified in 2009 in Japan, C auris has triggered outbreaks in healthcare facilities in 23 countries, and 12 countries have reported single cases. C auris can cause serious invasive infections in immunocompromised patients, and has shown resistance to three major antifungal drug classes. The CDC has estimated that 30% to 60% of patients with infections have died.
Jul 12 CDC update

Welsh government releases AMR plan for animals and the environment

The government of Wales yesterday released a 5-year plan to address antimicrobial resistance in animals and the environment.

The plan, which aligns with the United Kingdom's 5-year national action plan on AMR, lays out how the government aims to reduce antimicrobial use in animals and contain the spread of resistance in the environment. The five major components of the plan included reducing the need for antimicrobials in farmed animals through better infection prevention and control; optimizing the use of antimicrobials in animals through improved stewardship; minimizing the amount of resistant bacteria and resistance genes in the environment; building stronger laboratory capacity and AMR surveillance in animals; and investing in innovation.

The government says it will establish a new body—the Animal and Environment AMR Delivery Group—to monitor implementation of the plan and ensure that the outcomes are achieved.
Jul 15 Welsh government 5-year plan