Infectious Disease

Latest

Mosquito Biologist Dr. Bart Knols, points to an Anopheles mosquito larvae as he speaks on the use of drone technology in the fight against malaria, in a rice field near Zanzibar City, on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, October 30, 2019. Picture taken October 30, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner

As Malaria Spreads, Africa Needs Data on Gene-Edited Mosquitos

by

Gene drives could be transformational for the malaria response, but countries need evidence to weigh the benefits over the risks

A mother waits to admit her measles‑affected child at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on May 23, 2026.

Visualizing Bangladesh's Massive Measles Outbreak

by

Policy failures in Bangladesh dismantled decades of progress toward eliminating measles, creating the conditions for the explosive 2026 outbreak

How Industry Can Help Prevent the Next Cruise Ship Outbreak

by

Critical disease-outbreak intelligence sits inside private firms, and an outbreak escrow system could securely hold that data to be shared in an emergency

A passenger of the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, looks on from inside a bus as it leaves the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife, Spain, on May 11, 2026.

Charting Ebola Responses: How 2026 Stacks Up After Aid Cuts

by , ,

An Ebola outbreak circulating undetected for weeks or months is a collective failure of global health security, regardless of cause

A map titled "Where the 2026 Ebola Outbreak is Spreading" shows confirmed and suspected cases of Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda as of June 1, 2026. Affected regions are shaded in salmon/orange-red, and affected cities are marked with black dots. Ituri Province in northeastern DRC is labeled as having seen the most cases and is the largest highlighted region. Additional affected areas in DRC include militia-controlled Goma in North Kivu and areas near Bukavu in South Kivu. In Uganda, Kampala is marked as having confirmed nine cases. A small inset map shows the location of the outbreak region within the broader African continent. Source: Ministry of Health, Democratic Republic of Congo.

How NYC Practices for Ebola and Special Pathogen Outbreaks

by ,

NYC Health + Hospitals has added virtual reality training to reinforce its readiness for high-consequence infectious diseases

A volunteer is guided through the full donning sequence for special pathogen personal protective equipment during a training seminar led by Syra Madad, chief biopreparedness officer for NYC Health + Hospitals, on February 2, 2026.

The World Health Assembly Reacts to the Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak

by

A Chatham House fellow reports from WHA79 about how the new Ebola emergency has advanced conversations about actionable health reform

The regional supply chain lead for emergencies at the World Health Organization's Regional Office for Africa pastes stickers on shipment pallets that are being sent in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 18, 2026.

Hantavirus Outbreak Tests Global Health Law Amid WHO Crisis

by

As international negotiations stall around pathogen access and benefit sharing, the Andes virus outbreak exemplifies why the system is needed

Civil guard members approach the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, on a motorboat, at the port of Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, Spain, on May 11, 2026.

London Opens New Clinic for Tuberculosis Survivors

by

Many TB survivors are thrust back into the world with ongoing medical problems and little support to manage them

The x-ray scan is shown on a computer after a screening for tuberculosis, in London, England, on January 27, 2014.

Sustaining Tuberculosis Innovations to Counter Foreign Aid Cuts

by

A new World Health Organization policy allows for portable TB testing, which could help close massive gaps in disease surveillance

A man is treated for tuberculosis, at the Muniz public hospital, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on January 11, 2019.

New U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule Creates Legal Peril

by

A law professor weighs the legal protections for pediatricians and states following the rescheduling of certain childhood vaccines

An empty classroom at CIS 303: Leadership and Community Service Academy in the Bronx borough of New York City, U.S., on October 8, 2024.

Around the World, Chronic Diseases Are Rising

by

A new iteration of the Global Burden of Disease Study charts how 25 leading health risks have improved or worsened

Six small line charts show global disease burden trends, measured in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) per 100,000 people, from 2000 to 2023. The top row—diarrheal diseases, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis—shows steady declines. A vertical line in 2020 marks the COVID-19 pandemic. The bottom row—ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and depressive disorders—shows ischemic heart disease remaining high with slight fluctuation, while diabetes and depression rise modestly. Infectious diseases fall sharply as noncommunicable diseases rise.

America First in Global Health: How Africa Should Respond

by

A new U.S. strategy reframes health assistance from a global public good to a strategic asset for national advantage

Scientific officer Anathi Nkayi works in the research lab at the University of Cape Town's Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, in Cape Town, South Africa February 17, 2025.