News

National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Colorado State University (CSU) scientists have provided experimental evidence supporting dromedary camels as the primary reservoir, or carrier, of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The study, designed by scientists from CSU and NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, involved three healthy camels exposed through the eyes, nose and throat to MERS-CoV isolated from a patient. Each camel developed a mild upper respiratory tract infection consistent with what scientists have observed throughout the Middle East.

On March 23, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) published formal notification of an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Guinea on its website. On Aug. 8, 2014, WHO declared the epidemic to be a “public health emergency of international concern.”

Nearly six months after the first case of Ebola in West Africa was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and the Security Council have approved resolutions creating the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) to contain the ongoing outbreak which has sickened more than 5,500 people and killed more than 2,500.

Influenza vaccination coverage estimates show an encouraging upward trend overall, but coverage among healthy 18- to 64-year-olds has yet to top 40 percent, according to new data announced at a news conference held last week by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).

Experts at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) Influenza/Pneumococcal news conference last week encouraged preventive measures be taken during the upcoming flu season to help reduce the spread of illness and infection.