Topics in Clinical Biosecurity: Disease Transmission

Listed below are all CBN* articles on Disease Transmission published since 2005

• 05/11/2012. H5N1 Transmission in Ferrets: Two recent studies of genetically modified H5N1 influenza viruses in ferrets have sparked international debate about the biosecurity risks of increased mammalian droplet transmissibility. The first of the papers, summarized here, has now been published. 
• 02/17/2012. Genetic Susceptibility to Anthrax: A new study suggests that susceptibility to anthrax toxins may be genetic and variable. The results shed light on the relationship between anthrax toxins and human cell receptors, with potential implications for next generation countermeasure development. 
• 12/16/2011. Transmission of 2009 Pandemic Influenza to Healthcare Workers: A recent study reinforces the importance of droplet precautions, PPE, and other prevention measures during a flu pandemic and as standard practice for all HCWs in all healthcare settings where daily prevention of nosocomial infection is essential. 
• 01/20/2011. Airborne Transmission of Prions: The assumption that prion diseases spread exclusively by ingestion or direct inoculation has been challenged by results of a study by Haybaeck et al., who conducted experiments demonstrating airborne transmission of the prion disease, scrapie, to mice. 
• Cholera in Haiti and Beyond. December 3, 2010. 
• Hundreds of Cutaneous Anthrax Cases in Bangladesh. September 15, 2010. 
• Typhoid Fever: A Reemerging Threat? September 3, 2010. 
• Is Rift Valley Fever Virus a Real Risk for the United States? July 30, 2010. 
• Pertussis Resurgent in California. July 2, 2010. 
• Airborne Spread of Clostridium difficile. May 13, 2010. 
• Healthcare Workers at Risk for H1N1 Infection. June 19, 2009. 
• Can the Current Swine Flu Outbreak Be Contained? In A Word, No April 29, 2009 
• Border Restrictions: Not an Effective Means of Preventing the Spread of Swine Flu. April 28, 2009 
• Adenovirus 14: An Emerging Threat. April 17, 2009. 
• Is Airborne Spread of Influenza Possible? January 22, 2009. 
• Hong Kong Study Finds that Closing Schools May Not Have Helped Slow the Spread of Flu. September 26, 2008. 
• Learning from the XDR-TB Experience: Policy Priorities Going Forward. June 7, 2007. 
• OSHA Releases Pandemic Guidance for Healthcare Personnel. May 24, 2007. 
• CDC Issues Interim Guidance for the Use of Facemasks and Respirators in Non-Occupational Settings during an Influenza Pandemic. May 11, 2007. 
• WHO Releases Summary of Second Consult on Human H5N1 Infection. April 20, 2007. 
• Surgical Masks May Provide Significant Aerosol Protection. February 15, 2007. 
• Contrary to Prevailing Beliefs, Aerosol may be Significant Mode of Flu Transmission. September 28, 2006. 
• Recent Avian Flu News: Pay Attention to the People, Not the Cats. March 9, 2006. 
• Bad Bug II: Community Acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus [CA-MRSA]. February 7, 2006. 
• Bad Bug: The New Epidemic of Clostridium difficile. January 6, 2006. 
• Disease Control Measures for Flu. October 31, 2005. 
• Marburg Virus. May 2, 2005. 

                  
*Formerly The Clinicians' Biosecurity Network Report; title changed in July 2011