From Dr. Klotman’s Week 235 video address, I offer the following highlights:
- The Boars Head plant whose contaminated liverwurst sausage caused an outbreak of Listeriosis has closed. I don’t know whether it is being remediated or permanently closed.
- H5N1 bird flu continues to cause concern. H5N1 has been around since 1996, and it has mutated to variants capable of affecting marine mammals (seals and sea lions), and more recently, cattle, and occasionally cats. It has now been documented in 14 states – most recently in California.
- Live poultry markets area a potential source of human infection with H5N1 bird flu.
- Influenza season hasn’t yet begun, but it is probably time for all of us geezers and folks with chronic conditions to get our flu shots ahead of this seasonal epidemic.
In other medical news, 50% or more of the new COVID infections are being caused by variant KP.3.1.1. The current vaccine should provide protection from that strain.