We are recruiting for a number of PhDs in the HPRU in Public Health Genomics, based at @unibirmingham.bsky.social, in collaboration with UKHSA. 🦠🧬 Apply below to work on cutting-edge science and public health priorities! (NB deadline of 9th January / UK only due to funding restrictions) (1/7)

Got a number in mind? A new pre-print by @lshtm.bsky.social colleagues surveyed 13,000 participants, and found it's about 9 per day in the current era. It also looks at how social mixing varies with age, ethnicity and social economic status. Link to paper:

Data on treatments for bubonic plague are limited. In this open-label, randomized, controlled trial in Madagascar, ciprofloxacin monotherapy was noninferior to a standard aminoglycoside–ciprofloxacin regimen. Full IMASOY trial results: nej.md/3Ugs0kx #MedSky #IDSky

Early notice of NEW Wellcome Conference - AIR 2026: Genomic and Systems Approaches to Respiratory Infection, Microbiomes and Immunity 11th-13th February, sign up below for notifications coursesandconferences.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/our-events/c... It's immunulogy AND it's microbiology 🫁

Some great new features and updates from the awesome Pathoplexus project. This is a new open pathogen genome database that can provide access to your sequences under a use-restricted license but also feed directly in to INSDC (EBI, Genbank etc) when you are ready. pathoplexus.org/news/2025-07...

🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4esZ0zr ▶️ Watch the explainer animation: youtu.be/DDNTOB8EsF8 #ECDC #GlobalHealth #HealthSecurity #Epidemiology #IDsky #EpiSky #Dengue #Chikungunya #Zika

📢 @who.int Risk evaluation of #Oropouche #virus and its reassortants 🪰 🦟 www.who.int/publications...

A new report describes the genetic epidemiology and antimicrobial-resistance patterns of a surge of cases of 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘯𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘥𝘪𝘱𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘦 infection that was identified in migrant populations in Europe. Read the full report: nej.md/3HEF3ZS #MedSky #IDSky

Rolling clinical and epi updates for #mpox data from #SierraLeone. Watch for updated versions as additional data becomes available. Heartfelt thanks to our local colleagues in-country led by Dr. Jia Kangbai t.co/D9QosVP1Bq

Interested in pneumococci, genomics and metagenomics? Come and do a PhD with me, @alanmcn1.bsky.social and @meerac.bsky.social @ukhsa.bsky.social www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Amazing work from our colleagues in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and elsewhere, making the first sequences available from the ongoing Mpox epidemic in Sierra Leone. More to come - for now, head over to @pathoplexus.org: pathoplexus.org/seqsets/PP_S...

A long thread about mpox and the context specific nature of outbreaks prompted by the large outbreak of MPXV Clade IIb happening at the moment in Sierra Leone:

Super exciting that we're now up to eight viruses supported on Pathoplexus - with lots of other exciting features in the pipeline too!

Absolutely thrilled to announce the launch of ARTIC2 - a £5.5M 5 year project funded by @wellcometrust.bsky.social to build on the ARTIC approach of low-cost, globally accessible genome sequencing for surveillance of outbreaks, epidemics and endemic diseases: www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/am...

Check out our new issue with a study describing and comparing 🦟 Aedes-borne disease (#dengue #chikungunya and #Zika) incidence from 2017-2023, and the surveillance systems and response measures operating in France, Italy and Portugal in 2023 🗞️ bit.ly/EUS3015 #IDSky #EpiSky #MedSky #PublicHealth 🦠

Mpox Clade I emerged in 2023 in South Kivu and since has spread sustained through direct human to human contact. Controlling this outbreak has turned out to be a major challenge. Through embedded outbreak research coupled with a local capacity building program, we first....

We need the help of academics, health & policy professionals, and people with lived experience of tuberculosis (TB) to shape our next TB Action Plan. Together we can improve how we prevent, detect, and control TB. 🛡️ 🗓️ Deadline: 2 May 🔗 www.gov.uk/government/n...

Another arbovirus popping up in our enhanced surveillance pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40133068/ Not too surprising but a first for our country. No human disease noted, but first indication that we may need to start considering it. First step is to understand if this is a one off finding or not

Today we have published our first annual report on infectious disease trends. 📊 The report brings together all the key data from 2023 to early 2025 and outlines the steps our organisation is taking to tackle these threats. Read the full report 🔗🔽 www.gov.uk/government/p...

In study led by @csimonich.bsky.social & Teagan McMahon, we quantify antigenic evolution of RSV F Important because: 1️⃣ RSV top cause of infant hospitalization in USA 2️⃣ New antibodies & vax can prevent hospitalizations 3️⃣ Will virus evolution erode their efficacy? www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Our analysis of the second incursion of H5N1 viruses (genotype D1.1) into dairy cattle in the US is now posted to virological virological.org/t/timing-and...

Neuraminidase reassortment and oseltamivir resistance in clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) viruses circulating among Canadian poultry, 2024 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Core-funded postdoc position at The Pirbright Institute, Surrey, UK (just outside London), in the group of Professor Ian Brown. Working on H5N1 avian influenza virus evolution and development of cross-reactive vaccines. www.pirbright.ac.uk/careers-and-...

First genome sequence from the Ugandan Ebolavirus outbreak with analysis: virological.org/t/990 and first filovirus genome submitted to Pathoplexus database: pathoplexus.org/seq/PP_0011C.... Great (and rapid) work from the National Health Laboratory, UVRI and partners.

Great to be able to share this today - looking forward to working with partners all over the country for the next phase

Please see the risk evaluation guidance docs on Clade Ia and Clade Ib mpox from the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (www.who.int/groups/techn...) - excellent work from a great group of colleagues www.who.int/groups/techn... #mpox #PHEIC 1/2

Since the USDA launched its Bird Flu milk testing strategy in December, 28 states have enrolled, representing nearly 65% of the nation’s milk production. And there's a dashboard. This was a long time coming but an impressive start. www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-po...

Suppose a new flu pandemic were to emerge. How quickly could we get going with key epidemiological analysis and modelling? To find out, I went back through the dozens of reports I was involved in for SPI-M for COVID and estimated where we currently stand: epiverse-trace.github.io/posts/covid-...

Really proud to share our preprint describing early adaptation of H5N1 to US dairy cattle, and showing how these mutations enhance the ability of the virus to infect other mammals, such as pigs and humans. With @influenzal.bsky.social @vidhid.bsky.social @drclairesmith.bsky.social and many more!

Are you London ID trainee post-PhD & interested in an ACL. May be able to create posts in 2025. Opportunities in Syphilis & STIs (UK & Global), Group A Strep (Global), Leishmaniasis & NTDs. If interested get in touch. @gpollara.bsky.social @drneilstone.bsky.social @thushan-desilva.bsky.social

Today Pathoplexus announces the inclusion of a new viral pathogen: mpox (previously known as monkeypox). Within the context of the current mpox outbreaks and ongoing health concerns, Pathoplexus aims to support sequence sharing to improve both understanding and response. 1/7

Disease outbreak news on undiagnosed disease in #DRCongo bit.ly/3Zpj12M

Interesting follow-up on this. We're running automated analyses on H5N1 data on the SRA to look for potentially important mutations in the virus. Following the study 👇, we looked to see if we could find *any* evidence of the HA Q226L mutation. We did. In a mouse from June of this year. Short 🧵

The Rise of Mpox in a Post-Smallpox World wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/...

Applied Bioinformatics & Public Health Microbiology (21-23 May 2025) is open for registrations! Spread the word - @happykhan.mstdn.science.ap.brid.gy @pathogenomenick.bsky.social @ewanharrison.bsky.social @wvschaik.bsky.social @ksbakes.bsky.social @firefoxx66.bsky.social @katholt.bsky.social

What data should be reported to the public during an outbreak? That's the question my colleagues and I set out to answer in a new(ish) preprint. We developed consensus guidelines for situation reports to enable transparency 🧪https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.24.24315886v1

Latest update from a really amazing group on Clade Ia and monkeypox virus co-circulation in Kinshasa. Can’t speak highly enough of everyone www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...

Update and typing for British Columbian H5N1 patient. Virus is clade 2.3.4.4b/D.1.1. Genotype is not associated with the ongoing dairy cattle outbreak south of the border, but reminder of ongoing zoonotic risk of HPAI. www.canada.ca/en/public-he...

Update on the H5n1 case in a teenager. Unfortunately very severe. Source remains unknown. Wastewater testing ongoing www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influe.... Not clear which lineage yet

news.gov.bc.ca/releases/202... Still on X, but hear that many people mention bsky becoming more sciency. So will try to post every now and then. This one is something to keep an eye on. I am sure we will hear more from the Canadian public health office in the coming days

The UK has detected its first imported case of mpox clade Ib. Detected through alert patient, alert clinicians, diagnostic testing. Whole system response with @ukhsa and @nhse www.gov.uk/government/n...

From EID: Reemergence of Oropouche Virus in the Americas and Risk for Spread in the United States and Its Territories, 2024 #IDSky #EpiSky 🧪

Below is brief analysis of HA mutations in two recent cases of H5N1 influenza in humans w contact w dairy cattle in California. Summary is that while virus continues to evolve, nothing about HA mutations in these human cases is obviously alarming.

For those into clinical diagnostics, v comprehensive guide 👇 🩺 #MicroSky #IDSky www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

The Haemagglutinin Gene of Bovine Origin H5N1 Influenza Viruses Currently Retains an Avian Influenza Virus phenotype. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.27.615407v1

Our paper describing a new sequencing-based neutralization assay for influenza virus is now published in Journal of Virology: journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/... This new approach makes it possible to measure 100s (or even ~1000) neutralization titers in a single 96-well plate.

Up to date dashboard for surveillance of insect-borne viral infections. Good idea #virology #medsky #IDSky www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Eurosurveillance | Co-circulation of monkeypox virus subclades Ia and Ib in Kinshasa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, July to August 2024 Great work from an amazing team of colleagues👇 www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...