February 2015

Reports of measles cases in a suburban Illinois infant care center have added to concerns the preventable but highly contagious illness is spreading.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to spend $2.7 billion in emergency funds to counter the spread of Ebola. Spending categories range from over a half billion dollars for international projects to a half million dollars for regulatory work that includes monitoring for fraudulent Ebola products.

Although some meta-analyses have called into question the efficacy of antiviral treatment, the Centers for Disease Control recommends empirical use of antiviral medications in patients with symptoms suggestive of influenza.