Emerging Zoonotic Threat? Mystery Illness in Congo Raises Concerns for Veterinary and Medical Experts
A recent outbreak of an unidentified hemorrhagic fever in northwestern Congo has drawn global attention, particularly from veterinarians, epidemiologists, and public health officials concerned about zoonotic disease transmission. The illness, first detected in three children who consumed a bat, has resulted in over 50 fatalities within just five weeks, with a rapid disease progression leading to death within 48 hours in most cases.
Backyard poultry face HPAI risk when migrating mallards stop to rest
Knowing where, when and for how long mallard ducks – natural carriers of avian influenza – stop and rest as they migrate can help predict the probability that they will spread bird flu to backyard poultry flocks, according to a Cornell University study.
How This Vet School Mum Juggles 3 Kids, Vet School, and Still Finds Time to Read—Her Secret Revealed!
Imagine balancing the intensity of vet school with the demands of raising three kids. Sounds like an impossible task, right? Well, for Jessica Soanes, second-year veterinary student at the University of Central Lancashire, it’s just another day in the life of a supermum in training.
Canine parvovirus finding adds to Baker Institute’s legacy
In 1978, parvovirus – then common to cats – started infecting dogs in Europe. The virus spread quickly around the globe, killing hundreds of thousands of dogs, mostly puppies – until a team of Cornell researchers led by the late Leland “Skip” Carmichael developed a vaccine, the derivatives of which are still used today.
Cornell’s Transdisciplinary Project Aims to Prevent the Next Pandemic
Most pandemics in the past century were sparked by a pathogen jumping from animals to humans. This moment of zoonotic spillover is the focus of a multidisciplinary team of researchers led by Raina Plowright, the Rudolf J. and Katharine L. Steffen Professor in the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Public and Ecosystem Health.
Bird Flu’s Hidden Threat: How Humans May Be Transmitting the Virus to Their Cats
In May 2024, two Michigan households experienced an alarming and tragic link between humans and their pets—one that underscores the potential dangers of avian influenza beyond its traditional hosts. According to a recent study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bird flu, or H5N1, can spread from humans to domestic cats, with often fatal consequences.