infectious 結果共12筆

Dr. Li Shang-chien from Landseed International Hospital alerts of a potential human metapneumovirus outbreak, highlighting its global prevalence and transmission methods. He details the virus’s symptoms, which vary by age, and stresses the importance of hygiene to prevent infection.

疾管署以台灣新冠疫情期間的資料分析疫苗保護力，打3劑高端疫苗預防中重症保護力達9成以上，與mRNA疫苗接近，研究預計於3月刊於美國疾病管制暨預防中心（CDC）期刊「新興傳染病」（Emerging Infectious Disease）。對此陳時中感嘆，「該停止不實的抹黑攻擊了！」

An adult masked palm civet tragically fell to its death after mistakenly entering a chimpanzee enclosure at the Taipei Zoo. The incident occurred on December 15 and was witnessed by onlookers. The civet was attacked and killed by a chimpanzee, leaving visitors shocked. Taipei Zoo spokesperson Eric Tsao explained that while precautions are taken to ensure animal safety, it is impossible to completely close off each area due to animal welfare considerations. Tsao emphasized that this event serves as a reminder that local wildlife species can occasionally wander into the zoo. Chimpanzees exhibit a group defense behavior pattern and will attack intruders until they show no signs of life. Upon being alerted about the incident, zoo staff followed the Standard Operating Procedure and managed to lure the chimpanzees inside before addressing the situation. However, the civet had already died. The deceased civet, considered a sensitive species in terms of communicable disease control, will be sent to a professional health institution for tests to determine if it carried any infectious diseases.

A pivotal study reveals that dengue fever can rapidly spread through a transmission method similar to needle-sharing in infectious diseases like HBV, HCB, and HIV. The study, conducted by Taiwan’s National Health Research Institutes in collaboration with the Department of Health and Kaohsiung City Government, analyzed the timing of infections during the 2015 outbreak. They found that in 85% of household cases, symptoms occurred within three days of each other, contradicting the previously believed incubation period for virus transmission. Using animal models, researchers confirmed that when mosquitoes bite an infected animal and then promptly bite another, the virus can transfer via the mosquito’s proboscis, bypassing the once-considered essential eight-day extrinsic incubation period. This finding explains the rapid spread of the 2015 dengue epidemic in Taiwan and raises concerns for the recent spike in cases. The study, published in the esteemed journal eBiomedicine, a Lancet subsidiary, in August 2023, also involved international researchers from the University of California, Nagoya University, Tsinghua University, and National Taiwan University.

A sheep farm in Pingtung County, Taiwan experiences its first outbreak of Brucellosis in 30 years, with three sheep testing positive for the disease. The infected sheep have been culled and the entire facility disinfected. Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease that can spread between people and animals, causing placentitis, infertility, miscarriage, and orchitis. The Pingtung County Animal Disease Control Center routinely monitors dairy cattle and sheep farms, with all dairy cattle farms testing negative in 2023. Further confirmation analysis and biweekly blood tests are mandated for the remaining sheep on the affected farm. Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture claims to have eradicated Brucellosis in dairy cows by 1989, and this is the first positive case identified on a sheep farm since surveillance began in 1986. Livestock farms are urged to avoid introducing animals from unknown sources and to enhance biosecurity measures, using proper personal protective equipment and reporting unexplained symptoms to animal health authorities.

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported the first case of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in a child detected during airport screening. A teenage boy developed a fever upon arriving from mainland China on December 4 and tested positive for the pathogen the following day. This detection has raised concerns amid an outbreak of respiratory illnesses in mainland China. The CDC has initiated targeted surveillance at the country’s four major international airports, urging travelers to undergo voluntary testing. Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections account for only 1.2 percent of the cases identified through airport screenings, indicating a downward trend overall. The current respiratory diseases in mainland China are predominantly attributed to influenza viruses, with Mycoplasma infections declining. Health officials have reassured the public that airport testing protocols will continue and are expected to be maintained through the Lunar New Year period to ensure monitoring of incoming travelers and the containment of potential infectious diseases.

Taiwan’s CDC warns that respiratory illness cases in China may peak around Lunar New Year due to multiple pathogens affecting the northern regions. The CDC emphasizes that the surge is not caused by a single agent and poses challenges across different age groups. In addition to mycoplasma, other infectious threats like influenza and COVID-19 should not be ignored. To prepare for increased cross-strait travel, the CDC urges vaccination against flu and COVID-19, especially for the elderly and young children with weaker immune systems. Non-essential trips to China are recommended to be postponed as a precautionary health measure.

Taiwan’s Health and Welfare Minister, Hsueh Jui-yuan, has announced the launch of a telemedicine project next week to meet the growing demand for virtual diagnosis and long-distance clinical services. The telehealth initiative, set to debut in April next year, will not only cover acute and long-term care but also extend to chronic treatments, serious accidents, infectious cases, and care for people with disabilities. The National Health Insurance Administration estimates that over seven million people will benefit from these telehealth reforms. However, concerns have been raised by Legislator Lai Hui-yuan regarding the overdue project and the NHIA’s plans to boost digital health in Taiwan. The NHIA Department of Medical Affairs Director, Liu Lin-yi, responded by stating that telemedicine services became accessible to general patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 460 thousand patients receiving diagnoses through video calls. To ensure a smooth digital transition, MOHW Health Division Chief Liu Yueh-Ping emphasized the need for standards and the completion of necessary setups within six months.

Legislators and veterinarian groups in Taiwan are calling for an expedited process to grant treatment approval for Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a highly fatal disease for cats. FIP is particularly prevalent in cats with weakened immune systems, such as older or younger cats, and has an almost 100% mortality rate. Diagnosing and preventing the disease is challenging, and currently, there are no legal medications for FIP in Taiwan. Legislator Kao Chia-yu, in collaboration with veterinarian groups, is working to provide hope for cats suffering from FIP. Research has shown that GS-441524 tablets have curative effects, but the application process for animal medication has been halted due to the COVID-19 outbreak. During a press conference, the president of the Taiwan Academy of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Chung Sheng-hua, highlighted that Remdesivir, a COVID-19 medication, and Molnupiravir from MSD have also demonstrated effectiveness against FIP. Chung urged relevant authorities to expedite the legalization of these drugs to obtain the necessary animal medication permits.

便利性增加使用意願，雖然稱不上「人人都在用」，但智慧型手錶的用戶確實有在增加，而如同鍵盤一樣，越是頻繁接觸的用品，其覆蓋的細菌量越是驚人；刊登於科學期刊《傳染病發展（Advances in Infectious Diseases）》的一篇研究中發現，95%的錶帶都沾有細菌，其中甚至包含葡萄球菌、綠膿桿菌等有害菌種，在不同的錶帶材質中又以布料、塑膠、橡膠的細菌含量最為驚人。

With the Lunar New Year holiday fast approaching, doctors in Taiwan are warning of a possible spread of COVID variants and the Norovirus during this time of family gathering. 

比利時研究人員在9日至12日舉行的「歐洲臨床微生物暨感染症會議」（European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases，簡稱ECCMID）中指出，國內一名高齡90歲的婦人在同時感染Alpha及Beta變種病毒後，不幸病逝。研究人員還進一步強調，像這樣的罕見案例，恐怕遭到「低估」，呼籲各界提高使用PCR快篩方式，來偵測已知的變種病毒株。