Background Articles

The H5N1 bird flu virus has recently been detected in Alaskan wildlife, primarily affecting species like geese, ducks, and eagles. No human cases have been reported, but it poses a significant risk to domestic poultry flocks.

Case counts for Oropouche virus are still low but rising dramatically. What's going on? And then there's a study that raises the possibility that insect bites aren't the only way the virus can spread.

Chukchi Sea polar bears show increased exposure to pathogens like canine distemper virus and Toxoplasma gondii, potentially due to changes in their diet and extended time on land.

In 2023, tularemia occurred in a wildlife volunteer after exposure to a deceased, infected harbor seal, the first known report of tularemia acquired through contact with a marine mammal, and the first detection of F. tularensis in a marine mammal.

As bird flu cases go underreported, health officials risk being slow to notice if the virus were to become more contagious. A large surge of infections outside of farmworker communities would trigger the government’s flu surveillance system, but by then it might be too late to contain.

The article discusses the rise in tick-borne illnesses in Canada, highlighting a case of Powassan virus and the challenges in diagnosis and treatment due to limited awareness among healthcare providers.

New U.S. regulations require all dogs entering from abroad to be at least 6 months old and microchipped to mitigate rabies risks.

For nine years, Alaska health officials have been aware of an unusual virus causing rare, relatively mild illnesses in the Fairbanks area. But a recent case in another part of the state — this one resulting in a man's death — has brought new attention to the Alaskapox virus.