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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

One confirmed case of botulism in #LACounty secondary to contaminated #baby #formula.

Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

PIDS @pidsociety.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

PIDS has issued a statement regarding the unprecedented firing of all 17 current members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices. "Removing vaccine experts from developing thoughtful policy will harm all Americans, particularly our children." #IDSky pids.org/2025/06/10/p...

pids.org

PIDS Deeply Troubled By Disregard for Science in ACIP Firings – Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

PIDS @pidsociety.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

2 days remain in the comment period for FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting; Establishment of a Public Docket; Request for Comments—2025–2026 Formula for COVID–19 Vaccines for Use in the United States #IDSky www.regulations.gov/commenton/FD...

regulations.gov

Regulations.gov

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

PIDS @pidsociety.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

Who amongst your amazing colleagues has stood out as a distinguished career physician, mid-career paper author, or young investigator? Help them get the recognition they richly deserve at this year’s IDWeek! Visit the PIDS Foundation for info and nomination. pidsfoundation.org/awards/socie...

pidsfoundation.org

Society Awards – PIDS Foundation

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

NPR @npr.org · 12/05/2025

The New World screwworm is endemic in parts of Latin America and the Caribbean — and its northward spread into Mexico has alarmed U.S. officials. It can kill a full-grown cow in one to two weeks.

npr.org

U.S. halts cattle imports from Mexico, citing fears of flesh-eating maggot

The New World screwworm is endemic in parts of Latin America and the Caribbean — and its northward spread into Mexico has alarmed U.S. officials. It can kill a full-grown cow in one to two weeks.

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

There are over 1,000 #measles cases in the US and 3 confirmed deaths. Most of the cases (96%) are unvaccinated. Just a reminder this summer that you should check your child's vaccine status and talk to your doctor about whether they should get any early #MMR doses. www.cdc.gov/measles/trav...

cdc.gov

Plan for Travel

Prepare for international travel with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Measles in the US, update —712 cases, 11% hospitalized, 3 deaths, 97% cases are unvaccinated —Now in 24 states —Actual cases must be multiple thousand to align with the number of hospitalizations and deaths reported www.cdc.gov/measles/data... www.cbsnews.com/news/measles...

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

As #Measles cases increase we can expect to see more hospitalizations, deaths, and #sspe. SSPE is a devastating late complication of measles occurring 4 to 10 years after infection, leading to neurological decline and ultimately death. #vaccines protect against #Measles and #sspe

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

It's #publichealthweek! Here are examples of what #publichealth does in your community: -ensure restaurants follow best practices to prevent foodborne illness -prevent lead toxicity in children -determine when our beaches are safe for swimming based on levels of harmful bacteria in the water

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

Saskia Popescu @saskiapopescu.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

A Michigan resident has died of rabies after receiving a transplanted organ in Ohio, the Toledo-Lucas County (Ohio) Health Department reported Wednesday.

cbsnews.com

Michigan resident dies from rabies after contracting virus from organ transplant, health officials say

A Michigan resident died of rabies after receiving a transplanted organ in Ohio, county health officials say.

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Great blog about what #petfood is #safe and clarifying some misinformation about the risk of #H5 in a recent #WashingtonPost opinion piece. TLDR: -Raw food is risky, cooked food including #canned food is safe www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2025/03/arti...

wormsandgermsblog.com

H5N1 Flu and Pet Food Safety

A recent opinion article in the Washington Post about how to protect cats from H5N1 influenza includes some good considerations, but alongside some bad

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

PIDS @pidsociety.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Measles can be especially dangerous for babies and young children. The MMR vaccine provides childre3n with safe, long-lasting protection. Please refer to this CDC infographic for more: www.cdc.gov/measles/imag...

Measles infographic produced by US CDC outlines the serious threat the disease presents to babies and young children. Protect your child through the MMR vaccine. Learn more at cdc.gov/measles

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

Carlos del Río, MD, FACP, FIDSA @docdelrio.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Cases of HPAI reported from California www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes... “38 persons received a positive test result for HPAI A(H5N1) viruses in California; 37 were dairy farm workers with occupational exposure to sick cows.”

cdc.gov

Human Cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A ...

This report describes cases of highly pathogenic ...

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

Jeff Duchin @docjeffd.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

“Decades of research and hundreds of carefully designed and scientifically sound studies show no link or association between vaccines and autism.” www.idsociety.org/news--public...

idsociety.org

Statement on CDC Decision to Study Vaccines and Autism

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Second #Measles death in an adult in NM. State officials have not provided further details on the case. #getvaccinated if you or your loved ones are not up to date. Second death reported in growing measles outbreak www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

washingtonpost.com

Second death reported in growing measles outbreak

The death of a New Mexico adult comes after a 6-year-old died of the disease in Texas last week.

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

IDSA @idsainfo.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

IDSA and HIVMA are deeply concerned by the abrupt cancellation of 92% of USAID foreign assistance awards and the impact the action will have on many. Our statement: buff.ly/b2czy4r

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

CIDRAP @cidrap.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

H5N1 findings prompt another raw pet food recall The recall follows severe cat illnesses in Oregon and Washington, where the food was distributed. www.cidrap.umn.edu/a... Photo: Kerri Lee Smith/Flickr cc

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Hey it's still #flu season and there are reports of increased #pediatric flu hospitalizations in the US. Just a reminder that many #kids are not prescribed #antivirals even though they are recommended and may decrease symptom severity, especially if given early on. news.vumc.org/2023/11/13/s...

news.vumc.org

Study finds antiviral treatment is largely underused in children with influenza

Vanderbilt research finds antiviral medications are underused in young children diagnosed with influenza despite national guidelines supporting their use

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

#Measles deaths, #sspe, and post measles immune amnesia are all preventable by #vaccines. My heart goes out to this family and others affected by this outbreak. We need to continue to highlight the #vaccinesafety and risks of not being vaccinated.

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

1. It's Friday, which means FluView. Let's take a look. This has been a very full-on flu season — the worst since well before the #Covid pandemic. #CDC says 2024-25 is now classified as a severe flu season, the first since the very bad 2017-18 season. Red arrow this year, blue arrow 2017-18.

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

A woman in Wyoming has been hospitalized with #H5N1 #birdflu, WY's health dept announced Friday. Likely exposure was to backyard poultry. Wyoming said #CDC confirmed the infection, though CDC did not add it to its H5 page today. Not clear if this is B3.13 or D1.1. health.wyo.gov/wyomings-fir...

health.wyo.gov

Wyoming’s First Human Bird Flu Case Confirmed - Wyoming Department of Health

Wyoming’s first case of H5N1 avian influenza in a human has been confirmed in a Platte County older adult, according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH). The woman represents the third confirmed...

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Doing the unthinkable: The deep cuts to the #CDC's workforce today are expected to decimate the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a program that has trained public health rapid responders for decades. Envy of the world. Poof! www.statnews.com/2025/02/14/t...

statnews.com

CDC cuts expected to devastate Epidemic Intelligence Service, a ‘crown jewel’ of public health

Members of the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service were warned Friday that many of them were about to be fired

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

IDSA @idsainfo.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

The wide-ranging nature of the federal workforce cuts will leave all of us more vulnerable to disease and other safety threats, including from outside the United States, says IDSA President Tina Tan, MD, FIDSA, FPIDS, FAAP. Our statement: buff.ly/40UK0E8

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Know any kids who might be interested in having their #infectiousdisease related #artwork published on the cover of the Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases? Check out pids.org/jpids/cover-... for more information! @jpidsociety.bsky.social @idsainfo.bsky.social @pidsociety.bsky.social

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

IDSA @idsainfo.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

On IDSA’s and HIVMA’s Science Speaks blog: Daniel R. Lucey, MD, MPH, FIDSA, writes about the U.S. withdrawal from WHO and the implications for smallpox virus biosecurity and biosafety.

buff.ly

U.S. exit from WHO: Potential impacts for smallpox virus biosafety

The U.S. withdrawal from WHO raises questions about the implications for smallpox virus storage, experiments, lab inspections and reporting.

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

The CDC reports that we have had over a dozen deaths secondary to #pertussis or whooping cough. This is the most number of deaths due to whooping cough since 2017. www.cbsnews.com/news/whoopin... If you are a parent, make sure you and your child are up to date with #pertussis #vaccines.

cbsnews.com

U.S. records most whooping cough deaths since 2017

Pertussis cases are on the rise again, after a dip following the winter holidays.

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Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH @adestmaumd.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Measuring the severity of a #flu season is challenging because there are so many different measures to look at (outpatient, inpatient, ED, mortality, test positivity) but it does seem like this year #flu is intense. apnews.com/article/us-f...

apnews.com

Flu season in the US is the most intense it's been in at least 15 years

The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in about 15 years.

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Reposted by Annabelle de St. Maurice MD MPH

Ilan Schwartz @germhuntermd.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

I am deeply disappointed by the subdued response of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (@idsainfo.bsky.social) to the dismantling of public health structures, both in the US & globally Here's what I wrote in the closed listserv (response: 🦗) in hopes of stimulating discussion here #IDSky

Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, the administration continues to charge ahead, running roughshod over norms, laws, and the dignity of and most basic protections for the people most vulnerable to infections. Many of the changes are summarized here, up to date as of Feb 4. Who will speak up, or better still, ACT UP for these individuals?

The National Science Foundation has reportedly shared with program officers a list of forbidden "DEI"-related words that will result in grants being flagged. These include routinely used terms like "female", "biased", "systemic", "inclusion" and "exclusion" along with other words that specifically target vulnerable populations. While few clinical researchers rely on NSF grants, it can be reasonably expected that similar censorship with grants from NIH, CDC, etc is inevitable.
USAID funding remains frozen, and in fact there are reports of efforts underway to eliminate the entire agency. The effects have already been devastating for programs dedicated to controlling TB, malaria, and HIV, among others. Despite claims that these would be exempt, distribution of antiretrovirals remains frozen.
The Senate Finance committee advanced RFK Jr for confirmation as HHS Secretary. Kennedy's disdain for evidence-based medicine is no secret. He is a conspiracy theorist who engages in dangerous race-based pseudoscience. The IDSA has fallen short of other professional societies (e.g. the American Public Health Association, which represents 25,000 public health professionals) in calling for the outright rejection of RFK Jr's nomination.
The CDC and NIH remain muzzled, unable to communicate with interstate or international agencies or the public. They have been instructed to recall submitted or accepted manuscripts to scrub objectionable language. They remain barred from traveling until at least the end of April. How will these actions affect our ability to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks?

Meanwhile, our members are experiencing significant moral injury, and some have expressed levels of morale that rival the nadirs felt during the worst of COVID19. Every day it is a new insult, the cumulative effect being the disassembly of public health protections and further marginalization of the most vulnerable in society.

Reticence to call attention to ourselves, potentially putting our work in the administration's cross hairs, is entirely understandable. After all, we don't want to imperil existing and ongoing advocacy efforts, including those related to bolstering the ID workforce. A sober analysis would concede that the likelihood of any potential actions moving the needle on any of these issues is low. I would argue, however, that standing up for what is right is the most important thing we can do to reinforce our commitment to social justice and to our members and the patients in our care.

What we can do and how we can do it is up for debate; some bold ideas have already been presented in the IDea exchange forum and I welcome further input from colleagues. What is certain is that as rank-and-file individuals, our voices can easily be dismissed, but as a trusted, bipartisan professional organization that represents >13,000 infectious diseases experts, we cannot be ignored, and we must not allow ourselves to cower in silence. The reality is that things are going to get worse, and standing up to the assault on public health will only get more difficult as the administration becomes further emboldened and the actions set in motion gather steam.

In the words of John Lewis, "If not us, then who? If not now, then when?"

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