French charity Surfrider warns of "alarming" E. coli levels in Paris's River Seine, just before it hosts Olympic swimming events. Despite £1.2 billion spent on sewage upgrades, concerns linger about water safety. Surfrider's tests reveal potential danger, prompting worries about athlete health. French authorities aim to make the Seine swimmable for the Olympics, but high bacteria levels persist. With no backup plan, event organizers face uncertainty. Read more here.

Pollution issues echo in the Thames during the Boat Race, emphasizing broader water quality challenges. The Oxford rowing team, defeated in the Boat Race, attributed their loss partly to an E. coli outbreak, expressing concerns about water pollution in the river. Leonard Jenkins disclosed sickness among his teammates, with some affected by vomiting and uncertainty about participating. Rowers in the historic Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race were cautioned against direct contact with the Thames due to concerning levels of E. coli, with some readings surpassing safety standards by nearly tenfold, as sewage spills by water companies have surged, exacerbating environmental and health risks. Read more about the Boat Race controversies here.

Explore Our Selection of E. coli Antigens and Antibodies Tailored for ELISA testing ahead of the swim season!

Ongoing yellow fever outbreaks in the WHO African Region continue to present a significant challenge, with documented cases reported in 13 countries since the beginning of 2023 and a concerning case fatality rate (CFR) of 11%. These affected countries include Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.

Despite concerted efforts to bolster surveillance and vaccination coverage, the situation remains complex, exacerbated by the potential for further transmission through travel and the urban proliferation of mosquitoes. Active transmission persists in eight countries, necessitating immediate response planning activities.

However, the challenge is compounded by inadequate surveillance capabilities, contributing to underreporting and heightened mortality rates. The WHO-coordinated global Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) initiative is actively engaged in addressing these challenges, with extensive vaccination campaigns already reaching millions across Africa. Maintaining vigilance and fostering collaborative efforts are imperative as the region continues to combat this preventable disease. Read more.

Discover our Yellow Fever products, including our best-selling VLPs, antigens, antibodies, donor vaccines, and sera here.

Did you know? Yellow Fever Outbreaks occurred in the northern hemisphere in 1793. A deadly epidemic struck Philadelphia killing 10% of its population. Scroll down to listen to a podcast with Bob Arnebeck, who wrote A Short History of Yellow Fever in the US

Do not look any further for your high-sensitivity ELISA raw materials!

Figure 1. High-sensitivity pairs for the detection of Yellow Fever

Discover more matched pairs developed by TNAC assay specialists here.

In 2023, New York City experienced a significant upsurge in leptospirosis cases, a pathogenic ailment transmitted via rat urine. Notably, the city documented an unprecedented 24 reported cases, representing a substantial escalation compared to historical data. The local Health Department issued a sobering alert, citing a worrisome trend with six cases reported thus far in the ongoing year.

Leptospirosis, commonly associated with exposure to contaminated materials, predominantly from the ubiquitous Norway rat population inhabiting the city's intricate urban landscape, manifests with a spectrum of clinical symptoms including fever and cephalalgia. However, untreated sequelae, such as renal failure and meningitis, are of paramount concern. This epidemiological anomaly underscores the enduring struggle against New York City's endemic rat infestations, presenting profound implications for public health and urban governance. Read more here.

Interestingly, in developing countries, leptospirosis disproportionately affects rural populations, especially those engaged in agriculture, due to limited sanitation infrastructure and diagnostic capabilities. Scroll down to the podcasts section to learn more!

Discover our Leptospira spp. portfolio here.

Holger Schuhmann, an employee at The Native Antigen Company, has a breadth of knowledge and experience in biochemistry. Holger writes:

While studying for my chemistry degree – the classic stuff, the one that stinks, smokes, and explodes – I took some courses in biochemistry and became fascinated by how humans can harness nature’s factories to create molecules and substances. This fascination never left me. I did a PhD and a postdoc producing and analysing proteases in Konstanz, Germany, at the shores of the beautiful Lake Constance, and then another postdoc on the production of lipids in microalgae in Brisbane, Australia. In 2013, I then joined the Native Antigen Company as a Senior Scientist for the development of protein purification strategies, something I had extensive experience in from my previous work. The work became more and more, and more sophisticated, so the team grew bigger and bigger. Then, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the Native Antigen Company was acquired by LGC. Now I am leading the Downstream Process Development team at the LGC site in Kidlington, where we develop purification strategies for many kinds of biomolecules from a huge variety of biological sources.

Outside of work, I am a keen scuba diver and support marine conservation by helping to record and assess the state of the seabed around the British Islands, with a focus on the South Coast. As a qualified Open Water Instructor, I’m also involved in training new and experienced divers at the University of Oxford’s scuba club. My wife joins me for dives in warmer waters, and if I am forced to stay dry, I enjoy gardening, hiking, and doing DIY around the house.

We keep our content up to date so that you can stay in touch with the news and resources that are the latest and greatest for everything "Antibodies and Antigens." Check out the latest below.

Podcasts:

TWiV 1105: All the T and B in China

Yellow fever in the US: A short history

Ep 103 Leptospirosis: Don't blame the rats

Products:

A Quick-reference Guide to Common Human Pathogenic Viruses is now available on our website.

Download the online version now or contact us to order your free copy at nac.contact@lgcgroup.com.