Find information about the latest vaccines and infectious diseases that have been in the news.
H5N1 Influenza virus
A type of influenza virus, known as H5N1, has been infecting poultry and dairy cattle. These infections are troublesome for their direct effect on the animals as well as their ripple effects on the economy, given the commodities they contribute to the national marketplace and as exports. For example, in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), cattle and calves, poultry and eggs, and dairy accounted for about $220 billion of the $258.5 billion made in U.S. and international sales of animal-related farm products. Exports of related products in 2023 were valued at more than $34 billion.
Small numbers of cases have occurred in people infected with H5N1. As of mid-August, 13 cases have occurred in the U.S. Four individuals had worked with infected dairy cattle, and nine were around infected poultry.
Recently, a small number of isolated cases of people infected with H5N1 have been covered by the media. In the U.S. cases, each individual had worked with infected dairy cattle. However, after our collective experience with COVID-19, these reports have led to questions and concerns about whether this strain of influenza could cause a pandemic.
In this short video, Dr. Offit addressed the history and science related to H5N1 influenza viruses, including what we need to watch for when it comes to whether this virus could cause a pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to update their website.
Concerns about mpox and polio
Recent reports have highlighted infectious diseases causing concern in other parts of the world:
- On August 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern related to cases of mpox occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This declaration was due to the emergence of a new strain of mpox that appears to spread more easily and to be more severe. Find out more about mpox or the WHO’s declaration.
- Reports have also caused for a humanitarian pause in the conflict in Gaza to allow for children to be vaccinated against polio as the virus has been found in wastewater samples and three children have developed symptoms consistent with paralysis caused by polio. The samples have been sent for further testing to confirm whether the cases were caused by infection with polio. It appears that in at least one of the cases, polio was caused by vaccine-derived paralytic polio, which was a consequence of the oral polio vaccine. Find out more about polio or the calls for a humanitarian pause in the conflict.
COVID-19 during the summer
Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are seasonal viruses, meaning they tend to cause infections starting sometime in the fall or winter and throughout the spring. However, they tend to settle down during late spring through early fall throughout the U.S. On the other hand, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has not (yet) become seasonal, so over the summer people continued to be infected with the virus. While emergency room visits and wastewater samples showed increased spread of the virus, the related deaths during the summer were lower than during the fall and winter.
Updated COVID-19 vaccines should be available in the coming weeks.
In this video, Dr. Offit addressed the CDC recommendations for those 65 years and older, and he also discussed considerations for those younger than 65 years of age who are considered to be at high risk for severe disease if they get COVID-19, including people with chronic conditions of the heart, lungs or kidneys; those with diabetes or obesity; and those who are immune-compromised, such as from taking immune-suppressive medications.
Measles
More than 200 cases of measles have been diagnosed in the U.S. as of mid-August. Of these, about 4 of every 10 have been in children younger than 5 years of age, and almost 9 of every 10 have been in unvaccinated people or individuals whose vaccination status is unknown. See "Measles Cases and Outbreaks" from the CDC.
To find out more about measles and the vaccine, check these VEC resources:
- Why are we seeing measles outbreaks? — Video featuring Dr. Paul Offit, VEC Director
- Do People Need a Measles Vaccine Booster During an Outbreak? — Video featuring Dr. Lori Handy, VEC Associate Director
- Doctors Talk: Measles — Video featuring Drs. Paul Offit, VEC Director, and Katie Lockwood, CHOP Primary Care Physician and host of “Primary Care Perspectives” podcast
- Measles: What You Should Know (Q&A) in English | Spanish | Japanese
- Rash information (webpage) — Go to “Measles – viral” section of page
- A Look at Each Vaccine: Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine (webpage)
- MMR (infographic)
- Parents PACK Personal stories: Measles
Find information about the latest vaccines and infectious diseases that have been in the news.
H5N1 Influenza virus
A type of influenza virus, known as H5N1, has been infecting poultry and dairy cattle. These infections are troublesome for their direct effect on the animals as well as their ripple effects on the economy, given the commodities they contribute to the national marketplace and as exports. For example, in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), cattle and calves, poultry and eggs, and dairy accounted for about $220 billion of the $258.5 billion made in U.S. and international sales of animal-related farm products. Exports of related products in 2023 were valued at more than $34 billion.
Small numbers of cases have occurred in people infected with H5N1. As of mid-August, 13 cases have occurred in the U.S. Four individuals had worked with infected dairy cattle, and nine were around infected poultry.
Recently, a small number of isolated cases of people infected with H5N1 have been covered by the media. In the U.S. cases, each individual had worked with infected dairy cattle. However, after our collective experience with COVID-19, these reports have led to questions and concerns about whether this strain of influenza could cause a pandemic.
In this short video, Dr. Offit addressed the history and science related to H5N1 influenza viruses, including what we need to watch for when it comes to whether this virus could cause a pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to update their website.
Concerns about mpox and polio
Recent reports have highlighted infectious diseases causing concern in other parts of the world:
- On August 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern related to cases of mpox occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This declaration was due to the emergence of a new strain of mpox that appears to spread more easily and to be more severe. Find out more about mpox or the WHO’s declaration.
- Reports have also caused for a humanitarian pause in the conflict in Gaza to allow for children to be vaccinated against polio as the virus has been found in wastewater samples and three children have developed symptoms consistent with paralysis caused by polio. The samples have been sent for further testing to confirm whether the cases were caused by infection with polio. It appears that in at least one of the cases, polio was caused by vaccine-derived paralytic polio, which was a consequence of the oral polio vaccine. Find out more about polio or the calls for a humanitarian pause in the conflict.
COVID-19 during the summer
Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are seasonal viruses, meaning they tend to cause infections starting sometime in the fall or winter and throughout the spring. However, they tend to settle down during late spring through early fall throughout the U.S. On the other hand, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has not (yet) become seasonal, so over the summer people continued to be infected with the virus. While emergency room visits and wastewater samples showed increased spread of the virus, the related deaths during the summer were lower than during the fall and winter.
Updated COVID-19 vaccines should be available in the coming weeks.
In this video, Dr. Offit addressed the CDC recommendations for those 65 years and older, and he also discussed considerations for those younger than 65 years of age who are considered to be at high risk for severe disease if they get COVID-19, including people with chronic conditions of the heart, lungs or kidneys; those with diabetes or obesity; and those who are immune-compromised, such as from taking immune-suppressive medications.
Measles
More than 200 cases of measles have been diagnosed in the U.S. as of mid-August. Of these, about 4 of every 10 have been in children younger than 5 years of age, and almost 9 of every 10 have been in unvaccinated people or individuals whose vaccination status is unknown. See "Measles Cases and Outbreaks" from the CDC.
To find out more about measles and the vaccine, check these VEC resources:
- Why are we seeing measles outbreaks? — Video featuring Dr. Paul Offit, VEC Director
- Do People Need a Measles Vaccine Booster During an Outbreak? — Video featuring Dr. Lori Handy, VEC Associate Director
- Doctors Talk: Measles — Video featuring Drs. Paul Offit, VEC Director, and Katie Lockwood, CHOP Primary Care Physician and host of “Primary Care Perspectives” podcast
- Measles: What You Should Know (Q&A) in English | Spanish | Japanese
- Rash information (webpage) — Go to “Measles – viral” section of page
- A Look at Each Vaccine: Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine (webpage)
- MMR (infographic)
- Parents PACK Personal stories: Measles