• Pseudorabies has been detected in swine herds in Iowa and Texas, the first cases of the disease in commercial swine in the United States since it was eradicated in farmed swine in 2004, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced yesterday. The five infected boars, who lived in an Iowa swine facility, originally came from an outdoor farm in Texas that was also positive for the disease. Pseudorabies is a contagious viral disease affecting livestock and other mammals, but pigs are the sole natural hosts. It can cause tremors, scratching, fever, and death. The virus remains prevalent in feral swine and sometimes infects outdoor production herds through direct contact. People, horses, and birds are considered resistant. “This detection does not pose a risk to consumer health or affect the safety of the commercial pork supply,” the USDA said in a news release. 
• From April 2025 to March 2026 in Europe, 336 clade 1 mpox cases were confirmed in 15 countries, and 1,016 clade 2 infections were identified in 17 countries, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said yesterday in its new monthly surveillance report. Clade 1 mpox transmission has held steady, albeit across fewer reporting countries, while clade 2 cases began declining early this year.“The findings emphasise a need for enhanced vaccination coverage and targeted public health outreach to safeguard at-risk demographics, predominantly men who have sex with men,” the news release said.
• This week, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Nigeria each reported cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) said. Chad’s two cases originated in Ouaddai and Logone Oriental provinces, with paralysis onsets on February 21 and March 7, respectively. They were the first cases of 2026; last year, the country documented 31 infections. In the DRC, one case was recorded in Maniema province, with onset of paralysis on March 9, bringing the year’s total to five; the country had six cases in 2025. The infection in Nigeria was from Zamfara state, with paralysis onset on March 20, for a total of 14 so far this year; last year, the country reported 66 cases.

A multistate outbreak of a foodborne bacterium that hospitalized three people is over, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.) 

In total, the CDC identified nine people across three states who were sickened with Escherichia coli after eating cheddar cheese or drinking milk from Raw Farm, LLC, a dairy in California’s Central Valley that sells unpasteurized products.

The CDC said that half the people harmed in the outbreak were kids under 5. One person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.

The Food and Drug Administration recommended that Raw Farm voluntarily remove its products after a sample of its raw cheddar tested positive for E coli O157:H7, a particular strain of the bacterium. 

The dairy initially declined that mid-March request, only to issue a voluntary recall two weeks later, saying it was done under protest. On April 2, Raw Farm withdrew its first statement and instead said it “reserves its rights and disputes being the cause of this outbreak.”

Pasteurized is best

People sickened by E coli often experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, or vomiting roughly three to four days after swallowing the bacterium. Most recover without treatment. 

To avoid foodborne illness, the CDC advises that people wash their hands, utensils, and surfaces often and rinse produce under running water before eating, cutting, or peeling. Consumers are also advised to refrigerate perishable foods and separate cooked foods from raw foods.

The agency recommends that people choose pasteurized dairy products. Pasteurization removes disease-causing germs by heating milk to a high enough temperature for a certain length of time.

“This is especially important for children under 5 because they are more likely to get a severe foodborne illness,” says the CDC.