Japan’s Institute for Infectious Disease has detected the nation’s inaugural instance of person-to-person transmission of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), typically spread by ticks.
A doctor in the emergency department contracted the virus in April 2023 after treating a patient suspected of having SFTS, who later succumbed to the illness.
The doctor tested positive for the virus 11 days post-contact, with no recent tick bites or exposure to pets, indicating human-to-human transmission.
In other health developments, the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision has urged actions to address a surge in global cholera cases.
The ICG advocates investments to improve access to safe water, sanitation, hygiene, testing, and swift outbreak detection.
They emphasize the need for better healthcare access and increased production of the oral cholera vaccine, currently in short supply.
The cholera crisis is particularly acute in nations such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Global oral cholera vaccine production is expected to range between 37 million and 50 million doses this year, falling short of demand, with no new manufacturers anticipated until 2025.
In related research, a UK study suggests a link between being ‘double jointed’ and developing long COVID.
Utilizing data from the COVID Symptom Study Biobank, the study found that individuals with generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) were more prone to fatigue and persistent COVID symptoms.
The study indicates that those with GJH were approximately 30% less likely to recover after initial COVID-19 infection.
The authors speculate that this association may be due to heightened fatigue levels, proposing GJH as a potential subtype of individuals experiencing prolonged COVID-19 sµymptoms.
