Poliomyelitis

• Polio (poliomyelitis) mainly affects children under 5 years of age.
• One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis. Among those paralysed, 5–10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.
• Cases due to wild poliovirus have decreased by over 99% since 1988, from an estimated 350 000 cases in more than 125 endemic countries, to just two endemic countries.
• As long as a single child remains infected, children in all countries are at risk of contracting polio. Failure to eradicate polio from these last remaining strongholds could result in a global resurgence of the disease.
• In most countries, the global effort has expanded capacities to tackle other infectious diseases by building effective surveillance and immunization systems.

Symptoms and risk

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. It invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. The virus is transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example, contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine. Initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness of the neck and pain in the limbs. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs). Among those paralysed, 5–10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.

Polio mainly affects children under 5 years of age. However, anyone of any age who is unvaccinated can contract the disease.

There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented. Polio vaccine, given multiple times, can protect a child for life. There are two vaccines available: oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine. Both are effective and safe, and both are used in different combinations worldwide, depending on local epidemiological and programmatic circumstances, to ensure the best possible protection to populations can be provided.

Eradication

The strategies for polio eradication work when they are fully implemented. This is clearly demonstrated by the successful eradication of the disease in most countries of the world.

The Polio Eradication Strategy lays out the roadmap to securing a lasting and sustained world, free of all polioviruses, and transition and polio post-certification efforts are ongoing to assure that the infrastructure built up to eradicate polio will continue to benefit broader public health efforts, long after the disease is gone.


Key to success is ensuring the Strategy is fully implemented in all areas and is fully resourced. Failure to implement strategic approaches, however, leads to ongoing transmission of the virus. Endemic transmission of wild poliovirus is continuing in areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Failure to stop polio in these last remaining areas could result in global resurgence of the disease. That is why it is critical to ensure polio is eradicated completely, once and for all.

Once polio is eradicated, the world can celebrate the delivery of a major global public good that will benefit all people equally, no matter where they live. Economic modelling has found that the eradication of polio would save at least US$ 40–50 billion, mostly in low-income countries. Most importantly, success will mean that no child will ever again suffer the terrible effects of lifelong polio-paralysis.

The global effort to eradicate polio has been declared a Public Health Initiative of International Concern, under the International Health Regulations, and temporary recommendations by an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations have been issued to countries affect by poliovirus transmission or are at high risk of re-emergence of the disease.

The polio effort continues to support broader public health efforts, including helping respond to natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies, droughts, earthquakes, outbreaks of other infectious diseases and supporting disease surveillance for broader public health initiatives.

WHO Response

WHO, together with its GPEI partners, continues to support countries which remain affected by poliovirus or are at high risk of polio re-emergence in implementing eradication strategies, focusing in the first instance on immunization and disease surveillance. Since the GPEI was launched, the number of cases has fallen by over 99%.

In 1994, the WHO Region of the Americas was certified polio-free, followed by the WHO Western Pacific Region in 2000 and the WHO European Region in June 2002. On 27 March 2014, the WHO South-East Asia Region was certified polio-free, meaning that transmission of wild poliovirus has been interrupted in this bloc of 11 countries stretching from Indonesia to India. In 2020, Africa became the fifth region to be certified wild poliovirus-free.

More than 20 million people are able to walk today who would otherwise have been paralysed. An estimated 1.5 million childhood deaths have been prevented through the systematic administration of vitamin A during polio immunization activities.

Website: International Conference on Infectious Diseases

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Rabies

Key facts

• Rabies is a serious public health problem in over 150 countries and territories, mainly in Asia and Africa. It is a viral, zoonotic, neglected tropical disease that causes tens of thousands of deaths annually, with 40% being children under 15.
• Dog bites and scratches cause 99% of the human rabies cases, and can be prevented through dog vaccination and bite prevention.
• Once the virus infects the central nervous system and clinical symptoms appear, rabies is fatal in 100% of cases.
• However, rabies deaths are preventable with prompt post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) by stopping the virus from reaching the central nervous system. PEP consists of thorough wound washing, administration of a course of human rabies vaccine and, when indicated, rabies immunoglobulins (RIG).

Overview

Dog-mediated rabies

Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease affecting the central nervous system. In up to 99% of the human rabies cases, dogs are responsible for virus transmission. Children between the age of 5 and 14 years are frequent victims.

Rabies infects mammals, including dogs, cats, livestock and wildlife.

Rabies spreads to people and animals via saliva, usually through bites, scratches, or direct contact with mucosa (e.g. eyes, mouth, or open wounds). Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100% fatal.

The global cost of rabies is estimated to be around US$ 8.6 billion per year including lost lives and livelihoods, medical care and associated costs, as well as uncalculated psychological trauma.

Rabies is present on all continents except Antarctica. Globally there are an estimated 59 000 deaths from rabies annually; however, due to underreporting, documented case numbers often differ from the estimate.

Rabies, a neglected tropical diseases (NTD), predominantly affecting marginalized populations. Although effective human vaccines and immunoglobulins exist for rabies, these are often inaccessible or unaffordable to those in need.

As of 2018, the average estimated cost of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was US$ 108 (along with travel costs and loss of income), which can be a financial burden on those earning US$ 1–2 per person, daily.

Over 29 million people worldwide receive human rabies vaccine annually.

Rabies from sources other than dogs

In the Americas, where dog-mediated rabies is mostly controlled, hematophagous (blood-feeding) bats are now the primary source of human rabies. Bat-mediated rabies is also an emerging public health threat in Australia and parts of western Europe.

Human deaths following exposure to foxes, raccoons, skunks, and other wild mammals are very rare, and bites from rodents are not known to transmit rabies.

Contraction of rabies through inhalation of virus-containing aerosols, consumption of raw meat or milk of infected animals, or through organ transplantation is extremely rare.

Human-to-human transmission through bites or saliva is theoretically possible but has never been confirmed.

Symptoms

The incubation period for rabies is typically 2–3 months but may vary from one week to one year, depending on factors such as the location of virus entry and the viral load. Initial symptoms of rabies include generic signs like fever, pain and unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking, or burning sensations at the wound site. As the virus moves to the central nervous system, progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops. Clinical rabies in people can be managed but very rarely cured, and not without severe neurological deficits.

There are two forms of rabies:

• Furious rabies results in hyperactivity, excitable behaviour, hallucinations, lack of coordination, hydrophobia (fear of water) and aerophobia (fear of drafts or of fresh air). Death occurs after a few days due to cardio-respiratory arrest.
• Paralytic rabies accounts for about 20% of the total number of human cases. This form of rabies runs a less dramatic and usually longer course than the furious form. Muscles gradually become paralysed, starting from the wound site. A coma slowly develops and eventually death occurs. The paralytic form of rabies is often misdiagnosed, contributing to the under-reporting of the disease.

Diagnosis

Currently there are no WHO-approved diagnostic tools for detecting rabies infection before the onset of clinical disease.

Clinical diagnosis of rabies is difficult without a reliable history of contact with a rabid animal or specific symptoms of hydrophobia or aerophobia.

Accurate risk assessment is crucial for deciding on PEP administration.

Once symptoms emerge, and death is inevitable, offering comprehensive and compassionate palliative care is recommended.

Postmortem confirmation of rabies infection is done by various diagnostic techniques that detect whole viruses, viral antigens, or nucleic acids in infected tissues (brain, skin or saliva) (Laboratory techniques in rabies.

Where possible, the biting animal should be tested.

Prevention

Vaccinating dogs

Vaccinating dogs, including puppies, through mass dog vaccination programs is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in people because it stops the transmission at its source.

Culling free roaming dogs is not effective in controlling rabies.

Awareness

Public education for both children and adults on dog behaviour and bite prevention, what to do if bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal, and responsible pet ownership are essential extensions of rabies vaccination programmes.

Vaccinating people

Effective vaccines are available to immunize people both before and after potential exposures. As listed under the WHO - Prequalification of Medical Products, as of 2024, there are only 3 WHO pre-qualified human rabies vaccines available globally: RABIVAX-S by Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., VaxiRab N by Zydus Lifesciences Limited, and VERORAB by Sanofi Pasteur.

WHO response

Rabies is included in WHO’s 2021–2030 Roadmap for the global control of NTDs, which sets regional, progressive targets for the global strategic plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030 (see also: Zero by 30). This entails:

• improving access to human rabies vaccines through the efforts of the WHO and its partners, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which had included human rabies vaccines in its Vaccine Investment Strategy for 2021–2025. Despite pandemic-related delays, WHO now collaborates with Gavi to implement the program in 2024;
• providing technical guidance to countries in developing and implementing their national rabies elimination plans, focusing on strengthening surveillance and reporting;encouraging countries to build the capacity of their One Health workforce by using rabies elimination programs as a platform for multisectoral collaborations; and
• encouraging the use of United Against Rabies (UAR) multi-stakeholder forum, which was launched in collaboration with WHO, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE), to advocate for action and investment in rabies control.

Website: International Conference on Infectious Diseases

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Stop germs in their tracks: 6 essential hygiene tips

1. Hand Sanitation: The Initial Line of Protection

Children are more likely to be exposed to pathogens during the monsoon because of damp surfaces, tainted water and an increased frequency of indoor activities. Establish a routine where you and your child wash your hands together. Show them the right way to scrub: use soap and water for at least 20 seconds, being sure to get under the nails and in between the fingers. Make the most of this time by having lively, instructive discussions or even by joining in on a handwashing song. Parent-friendly applications that monitor and remind users of their hygiene habits can help them stick to their routines by providing daily reminders and instructive information. This not only strengthens the habit but also transforms a routine activity into a bonding experience.

2. Bathing: More Than Just Cleanliness

Monsoon humidity can lead to excessive sweating, making the skin a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Regular bathing helps prevent skin infections and keeps your child feeling fresh and comfortable. Make bath time a fun and relaxing experience. Let your child choose their bath toys or favorite bath products, and educate them on the importance of thoroughly cleaning areas prone to sweat, such as armpits, groin, and feet. Modern apps can help parents track their child's hygiene habits and schedule bath times. These apps may also remind you when it's time to switch out bath products or book a grooming appointment, making it easier for parents to integrate these routines into daily life.

3. Foot Care: Fighting the Fungi

Children love to splash in puddles during the monsoon, but this increases the risk of fungal infections like athlete's foot. Wet feet, if not dried properly, can lead to discomfort and infections. Teach your child the importance of drying their feet thoroughly, especially between the toes, after coming in from outside. Make it a point to inspect their feet regularly for any signs of infection, like redness or itchiness.

4. Diet and Hydration: Internal Hygiene

A strong immune system is vital during the monsoon when infections are rampant. A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals, along with proper hydration, helps maintain overall health and resilience against illnesses. Involve your child in meal planning and preparation. Several apps offer individualised meal plans that are kid-friendly and nutrient-dense. These apps can also engage your child in the meal preparation process, allowing you to choose dishes that meet their nutritional needs and preferences while strengthening your bond. Turn cooking into a fun activity where you both can experiment with new recipes, especially those rich in immunity-boosting ingredients like ginger, turmeric and citrus fruits.

5. Clothing: Dressing for the Season

Wearing the wrong clothing during the monsoon can lead to discomfort and increase the risk of infections. Teach your child the importance of wearing appropriate clothing during the monsoon. Ensure they change out of wet clothes immediately after getting drenched.

6. Maintaining Clean Nails and Hair

Regular grooming, particularly during the monsoon, is essential for maintaining hygiene. Set up routine grooming times for your kids, teaching them the proper way to comb their hair and trim their nails. This is a great way to spend quality time together and emphasize the importance of personal grooming. Apps can turn grooming chores into fun, rewarding tasks for kids, helping them take charge of their hygiene. This approach not only makes grooming enjoyable but also strengthens parent-child bonds and encourages healthy habits.

Website: International Conference on Infectious Diseases

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Can the Kidney Microbiome Influence Stone Formation?

Is urine sterile? Investigating the urobiome

Normal bacteria levels in urine are very low, but they are rarely zero. Despite this, the urobiome – microbiome of different organs in the urinary tract including the bladder and kidneys – has been a controversial topic since its discovery in human urine less than 15 years ago.

First author and urologist José Agudelo, MD, had personally seen bacteria in the kidneys of his patients in the decade he spent treating patients in Venezuela. However, he explains that these observations and previous studies of a kidney microbiome gave compelling evidence but left enough room for doubt.

First author and urologist José Agudelo, MD, who has extensive experience in urinary stone disease, explains that previous indirect findings of a kidney microbiome gave compelling evidence but left room for doubt.

Bacterial communities need to meet three criteria to be considered a true microbiome: stability, consistency and reproducibility and being metabolically active. The team’s methods demonstrated each of these aspects for bacteria found in the urinary tract. Their research also showed that bacteria living in the urinary tract were not only there because of disease, since they found them in the urinary tract of people without evidence of urologic disease.

Other studies had shown that two species Drs. Miller and Agudelo had identified, E. coli and Lactobacillus crispatus, had been associated with the presence and absence of kidney stones, respectively. The researchers asked if the metabolic activity of their newly discovered microbial community played a role in kidney stone formation.

Low levels of Lactobacillus in urine, kidneys, are normal and prevent kidney stone formation

To see whether the kidney microbiome could influence stone formation, the researchers grew bacteria using a special chamber that mimics the movement of urine in our kidneys. They then added the “raw ingredients” of kidney stones, oxalate and calcium, to see what happened.

Several large, stone-like crystal structures formed in chambers growing E. coli. Chemical and X-ray analyses revealed these structures were indistinguishable from human kidney stones. No stones formed in the chambers growing Lactobacillus in this way. Growing the two bacteria together resulted in very small crystal structures that were structurally and chemically different from kidney stones, indicating that Lactobacillus somehow blocks E. coli’s ability to form kidney stones.

In preclinical models, the team also saw that antibiotic overuse shifted the balance of the kidney microbiome away from the healthy Lactobacillus towards the stone-forming E. coli. They believe their findings, taken together, may explain why individuals on long-term antibiotic courses are more prone to developing kidney stones.

“Antibiotics are one of – if not the – most miraculous inventions of the modern age, but they do not come without consequences,” Dr. MIller says. “Our findings about how antibiotics impact the renal microbiome and stone formation give us a critical piece of the puzzle we need to combat these consequences.”

Implications for kidney stones and other diseases

Dr. Agudelo says his team’s findings suggest that different bacteria produce pro- and anti- kidney stone molecules, which he wants to use in new therapeutic and diagnostic techniques. He is already working to understand which bacterial metabolites influence stone formation, and how.

“If the kidney microbiome can influence kidney stones, it can likely influence other kidney diseases as well,” Dr. Miller adds. “We are already looking at microbial signatures for other kidney diseases and have even submitted a grant to investigate how certain genetic variants influence the renal microbiome and kidney disease risk in different ethnicities.”

Website: International Conference on Infectious Diseases

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6 Tips for Patients to Avoid Healthcare-Associated Infections

Follow these 6 tips to help you and your loved ones prevent HAIs:

1. Speak Up and Ask Questions
Advocate for yourself and your loved ones by talking with the healthcare professionals caring for you. When a specific treatment is recommended, such as an IV or urinary catheter, ask why it is needed, what the risks are, and when it can be removed. Write down your questions in advance to help remember details. You should feel empowered to ask questions and share any concerns.

2. Keep Your Hands Clean
Make sure that everyone around you, including healthcare professionals, caregivers, and visitors, clean their hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers when they enter or leave your room and just before touching you or your devices, dressings, or equipment. If you do not see a healthcare professional clean their hands, simply remind them to “please clean your hands, thank you.” If everyone routinely washed their hands, countless deaths could be prevented. This video shows the right (and wrong) way to wash your hands: How to Wash Your Hands (nfid.org).

3. Be Antibiotics Aware
Antibiotics do not treat respiratory infections caused by viruses, like colds, flu, and COVID-19. Never demand an antibiotic if it isn’t prescribed. When antibiotics aren’t needed, they won’t help you, and the side effects can be harmful. Even when they are needed, antibiotics can still cause side effects and contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Talk with a healthcare professional about the best treatment for your illness.

4. Recognize the Signs and Symptoms of an Infection
Learn how to recognize early symptoms of an infection, such as a fever. If you have recently had surgery, look out for redness, pain, or drainage where the incision was made in your skin, without touching the site directly. Never touch IV lines. Keep cuts and wounds clean and covered until healed. If you had a urinary catheter, look for signs of a urinary infection, such as pain or burning when urinating. Talk with a healthcare professional about what signs and symptoms you should look for and what to do to ensure prompt and proper treatment if you do get an infection. If an infection isn’t stopped, it can cause sepsis, a life-threatening medical emergency. Healthcare professionals should immediately evaluate and treat people who might have sepsis.

5. Stay Up to Date on All Recommended Vaccines
Staying up to date on all recommended vaccines can help you stay healthy, avoiding the need for health care in the first place. Everyone ages 6 months and older should get an annual flu vaccine and stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Talk with a healthcare professional about other vaccines you may need.

6. Don’t be a Dreaded Spreader
Don’t share your germs when visiting someone in a hospital, nursing home, or other healthcare facility. Do not visit a healthcare facility if you don’t feel well. Wash your hands often. Stay home when sick and use precautions, such as wearing a mask where and when required. Masks can help reduce the spread of some germs.

Website: International Conference on Infectious Diseases

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liver cancer

Liver cancer is cancer that begins in the cells of your liver. Your liver is a football-sized organ that sits in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath your diaphragm and above your stomach.

Several types of cancer can form in the liver. The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which begins in the main type of liver cell (hepatocyte). Other types of liver cancer, such as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatoblastoma, are much less common.

Cancer that spreads to the liver is more common than cancer that begins in the liver cells. Cancer that begins in another area of the body — such as the colon, lung or breast — and then spreads to the liver is called metastatic cancer rather than liver cancer. This type of cancer is named after the organ in which it began — such as metastatic colon cancer to describe cancer that begins in the colon and spreads to the liver.

Symptoms

Most people don't have signs and symptoms in the early stages of primary liver cancer. When signs and symptoms do appear, they may include:Losing weight without trying

• Loss of appetite
• Upper abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• General weakness and fatigue
• Abdominal swelling
• Yellow discoloration of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
• White, chalky stools

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if you experience any signs or symptoms that worry you.
Causes

Liver cancer happens when liver cells develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell's DNA is the material that provides instructions for every chemical process in your body. DNA mutations cause changes in these instructions. One result is that cells may begin to grow out of control and eventually form a tumor — a mass of cancerous cells.

Sometimes the cause of liver cancer is known, such as with chronic hepatitis infections. But sometimes liver cancer happens in people with no underlying diseases and it's not clear what causes it.

Risk factors

Factors that increase the risk of primary liver cancer include:

• Chronic infection with HBV or HCV. Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) increases your risk of liver cancer.
• Cirrhosis. This progressive and irreversible condition causes scar tissue to form in your liver and increases your chances of developing liver cancer.
• Certain inherited liver diseases. Liver diseases that can increase the risk of liver cancer include hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease.
• Diabetes. People with this blood sugar disorder have a greater risk of liver cancer than those who don't have diabetes.
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. An accumulation of fat in the liver increases the risk of liver cancer.
• Exposure to aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are poisons produced by molds that grow on crops that are stored poorly. Crops, such as grains and nuts, can become contaminated with aflatoxins, which can end up in foods made of these products.
• Excessive alcohol consumption. Consuming more than a moderate amount of alcohol daily over many years can lead to irreversible liver damage and increase your risk of liver cancer.

Prevention

Reduce your risk of cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver, and it increases the risk of liver cancer. You can reduce your risk of cirrhosis if you:

• Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit the amount you drink. For women, this means no more than one drink a day. For men, this means no more than two drinks a day.
• Maintain a healthy weight. If your current weight is healthy, work to maintain it by choosing a healthy diet and exercising most days of the week. If you need to lose weight, reduce the number of calories you eat each day and increase the amount of exercise you do. Aim to lose weight slowly — 1 or 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilograms) each week.

Get vaccinated against hepatitis B

You can reduce your risk of hepatitis B by receiving the hepatitis B vaccine. The vaccine can be given to almost anyone, including infants, older adults and those with compromised immune systems.

Take measures to prevent hepatitis C

No vaccine for hepatitis C exists, but you can reduce your risk of infection.

• Know the health status of any sexual partner. Don't engage in unprotected sex unless you're certain your partner isn't infected with HBV, HCV or any other sexually transmitted infection. If you don't know the health status of your partner, use a condom every time you have sexual intercourse.
• Don't use intravenous (IV) drugs, but if you do, use a clean needle. Reduce your risk of HCV by not injecting illegal drugs. But if that isn't an option for you, make sure any needle you use is sterile, and don't share it. Contaminated drug paraphernalia is a common cause of hepatitis C infection. Take advantage of needle-exchange programs in your community and consider seeking help for your drug use.
• Seek safe, clean shops when getting a piercing or tattoo. Needles that may not be properly sterilized can spread the hepatitis C virus. Before getting a piercing or tattoo, check out the shops in your area and ask staff members about their safety practices. If employees at a shop refuse to answer your questions or don't take your questions seriously, take that as a sign that the facility isn't right for you.

Seek treatment for hepatitis B or C infection

Treatments are available for hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections. Research shows that treatment can reduce the risk of liver cancer.
Ask your doctor about liver cancer screening 

For the general population, screening for liver cancer hasn't been proved to reduce the risk of dying of liver cancer, and it isn't generally recommended. People with conditions that increase the risk of liver cancer might consider screening, such as people who have:

• Hepatitis B infection
• Hepatitis C infection
• Liver cirrhosis

Discuss the pros and cons of screening with your doctor. Together you can decide whether screening is right for you based on your risk. Screening typically involves a blood test and an abdominal ultrasound exam every six months.

Website: International Conference on Infectious Diseases

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Health ministry urges caution as flu cases rise nationwide

Japan is grappling with a sharp rise in seasonal influenza cases, prompting health authorities to urge people to take heightened precautions as the year-end holiday period approaches.

Data that the health ministry released Friday highlights a troubling spike in infections. From Dec. 9 to 15, there were 94,259 cases of the flu reported across some 5,000 hospitals and clinics nationwide.

This brings the estimated total of cases nationwide to 718,000, more than double the figure recorded the previous week.

The national average of reported cases per medical institution jumped to 19.06, up from 9.03 the week before. All 47 prefectures saw increases, with Oita leading, at 37.22 cases per medical facility, followed by Fukuoka at 35.40, Kagoshima at 29.00, Ehime at 28.90, and Saga at 28.55.

Oita and Fukuoka surpassed the warning threshold of 30 cases per institution, while 40 prefectures exceeded the alert level of 10.

Tokyo has also seen a steep rise in infections, recording 17.36 cases per medical facility as of Dec. 15, a sharp increase from 8.19 the prior week. This figure breaches the city’s advisory threshold of 10, signaling a high likelihood of a large-scale outbreak within the next four weeks.

The flu has even reached the Imperial Household. Princess Aiko contracted the virus and is expected to remain absent from official duties until at least Friday, the Imperial Household Agency announced Monday.

Outbreaks in schools and care facilities are intensifying, with cluster outbreaks doubling to 211 in Tokyo from Dec. 9 to 15 compared to the week before. Nationwide, 2,759 schools and other institutions implemented partial or full closures from Dec. 9 to 15, also twice the previous week’s total.

Hospitalizations have risen in tandem, with 1,316 patients nationwide admitted for influenza during the same period, up from 628. Of these, 58 required intensive care, up from 43.

The rise in hospitalizations has prompted concerns among officials about potential burdens on the health care system, as the flu outbreak comes in combination with a rise in COVID-19 cases.

“We predict high case counts this season because people were less exposed to the flu virus during the pandemic and so lack immunity,” Tadashi Ishida, head of the influenza panel at the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, told NHK.

Dr. Norio Sugaya, an honorary adviser at Keiyu Hospital, noted a return to prepandemic flu patterns.

“Before COVID-19, flu cases typically surpassed alert thresholds in late December and peaked in January,” he said in an interview with the Asahi Shimbun, adding that stringent COVID-19 measures between December 2020 and spring 2022 largely suppressed influenza outbreaks.

In contrast, flu cases began surging unusually early in September 2023, with waves of infection continuing into May 2024. During this period, an estimated 18 million people — 1.8 times the usual number — were infected.

With restrictions now lifted, both Ishida and Sugaya expect cases to peak in January, consistent with current ministry and prefectural data.

In response to the outbreak, health officials are urging the public to adopt rigorous preventive measures, including regular handwashing, use of hand sanitizers, and practicing proper cough etiquette.

Vaccination also remains the most effective way to prevent severe flu symptoms, particularly among vulnerable groups.

Website: International Conference on Infectious Diseases

#InfectiousDiseases, #ICID2024, or relevant year, #GlobalHealth, #DiseasePrevention, #InfectiousDiseaseConference, #PublicHealth, #Epidemiology, #DiseaseControl, #HealthInnovation, #VaccinationMatters, #PandemicPreparedness, #PathogenResearch, #OneHealth, #InfectionPrevention, #GlobalDiseaseOutbreak, #ViralResearch, #EmergingInfectiousDiseases, #HealthSecurity, #MedicalConference, #ICIDSummit

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