Natalie Jewell

Quick takes: Avian flu in Dutch cows, US birds; supplement-linked Salmonella; new polio cases Media reports say that antibodies against H5N1 avian flu have been detected in five cows in the Netherlands province of Northeast Friesland, although officials have yet to confirm the finding.

Quick takes: #Avian flu in Dutch cows, US birds; supplement-linked #Salmonella; new #polio cases

Media reports say antibodies against H5N1 avian flu have been detected in five cows in the Netherlands province of Northeast Friesland.

UK set to limit refugees to temporary stays Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.

I came to this country as a child refugee. No English, no certainty, no idea what my life could become. Britain gave me refuge.

Not on a timer, not with conditions attached, but with a chance to grow roots.

A thread 🧵 1/8
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Ecological impacts of anthelmintic usage on soil micro- and mesofaunal communities at The James Hutton Institute on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Ecological impacts of anthelmintic usage on soil micro- and mesofaunal communities at The James Hutton Institute, listed on FindAPhD.com

Exciting PhD opportunity on the ecological impacts of anthelmintic use on soil fauna, with a crack supervisory team and expertise from @hutton.ac.uk, @uofglasgow.bsky.social and @moredunfoundation.bsky.social!

More info here: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Are you interested in ecological restoration and rewilding? And how this may affect biodiversity and infectious disease risk? Apply for this PhD at the University of Liverpool to study how tick-borne disease risk will change in rewilding projects bit.ly/47YkQsI

I don’t know who needs to hear this but the CDC is being eviscerated right now. America is not going to have any kind of outbreak response capacity after tonight. Americans’ health data is no longer secure. Say goodbye to federal public health in any capacity. It’s a disaster. We won’t recover.

UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.

🧵🚨

The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.

Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...

1/11

Graph showing COVID-19 positive tests rising steadily from spring 2025 after a low in early 2025. Data from October 2024 to October 2025, England only.

Graph showing flu-positive tests peaking sharply in winter 2024–25 before declining and then beginning to rise again in autumn 2025. Data from October 2024 to October 2025, England only.

Graph showing flu-positive tests peaking sharply in winter 2024–25 before declining and then beginning to rise again in autumn 2025. Data from October 2024 to October 2025.

#UKHSAVirusWatch is back, a summary of our weekly winter surveillance report .🦠🧵
This week's data shows an increase in COVID-19 activity, which is circulating at medium levels. Flu activity has also increased, particularly in those aged 15 to 24, but remains at baseline levels.

Please RT!

📢 #Doctoral / #PhD position available with us at Leibniz-IZW for 4 years working at the interface of #wildlife + #disease #ecology, #veterinary sciences and #modelling.
🐗🐗🐗🐦🐦🐦
Training within #DFG #RTG 3069 led by @freieuniversitaet.bsky.social

▶️Apply here for P7: tinyurl.com/j2ehtz7m

Israel is deliberately depriving people of water in #Gaza.

The amount of water available for Palestinians is incredibly insufficient.

This is unacceptable: www.doctorswithoutborders.ca/palestine-is...

Donate to Help Kristina with Veterinary School, organized by Kristina Muise Hi everyone! As many of you know, becoming a veterinarian has always been a dr… Kristina Muise needs your support for Help Kristina with Veterinary School

It's 3 days until my 33rd birthday & all I want is to be able to go back to vet school

For those unaware, last year I needed to leave vet school at the RVC. Tuition rates were increasing & my student loans couldn't keep up. I created a GoFundMe in hopes to raise the money

gofund.me/9164dd5c

BVA urges vets, livestock owners and horse owners to take holistic approach to parasite control to counter environmental damage and drug resistance | British Veterinary Association

*NEWS* Our new policy position on the responsible use of parasiticides in grazing animals calls on vets, SQPs, and livestock & equine owners to take a holistic approach to parasite control to tackle increasing drug resistance & environmental concerns.

More info ⬇️
www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blo...

Online and open access in @conbiology.bsky.social since 1 June 2025: Emergence, spread, and impact of high-pathogenicity avian influenza H5 in wild birds and mammals of South America and Antarctica. doi.org/10.1111/cobi.... Many thanks to all involved! A thread 🧵 (1/25)

An announcement poster stating 'We have detected West Nile virus in mosquitoes collected in the UK for the first time', with a mosquito graphic.

🆕 Today, UKHSA and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have confirmed the first detection of West Nile virus in mosquitoes collected in the UK.
There is currently no evidence of wider circulation in birds or mosquitoes, and the risk to the public remains very low.
📰🔗 www.gov.uk/government/n...

My island of strangers: a poem | Michael Rosen The prime minister warns that immigration could turn Britain into an ‘island of strangers’. Author and poet Michael Rosen responds

"If ever you’re in need as I was may you have an island of strangers like I had"
@michaelrosenyes.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

David Attenborough’s Ocean reveals how bottom trawling is hurting sealife in horrifying detail Industrial fishing has caused immense damage to ocean life, but given the right protection, the sea has miraculous powers of recovery.

Industrial fishing has caused immense damage to ocean life, but given the right protection, the sea has miraculous powers of recovery.

Influenza of avian origin confirmed in a sheep in Yorkshire Influenza of avian origin (H5N1) has been confirmed in a single sheep in Yorkshire.

The UK has announced a case of avian flu virus #H5N1 detected in a sheep (on a farm with infected birds). I think some of the significance of this (and the wider picture) is being missed in a lot of the reporting. So a short thread...
🧪 #IDsky
www.gov.uk/government/n...

Some liver fluke resistance to triclabendazole has been reported in UK cattle so resistance status must be established before putting a parasite control plan in place. A Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) can be used if uncertain esp. on farms with sheep

Watch farm animal vet Robert Smith talking as he administers wormers in several different ways: subcutaneous injections, ear injections, intra-ruminal boluses, pour-on products or oral drenching bit.ly/3OL2iS3 #doitright

Lots of adult liver flukes in a ewe yesterday in our PM room in Carmarthen, West Wales

#IDSky: Infectious diseases & malnutrition exist within a vicious cycle.

The lowered immunity brought about by malnutrition makes people more vulnerable to disease, while the higher energy requirements and reduced appetite associated with many infectious diseases increase the risk of malnutrition.

PhD ALERT: One week left to apply!
research.reading.ac.uk/foodbiosyste...

Human case of avian flu detected in England UKHSA confirms rare case of bird flu (H5N1) in the West Midlands region.

🧪 UKHSA has confirmed a case of influenza A(H5N1) in a person in West Midlands region. #IDSky #EpiSky

🏥 Individual is currently well & was admitted to a High Consequence Infectious Disease unit

📰 Currently no evidence of onwards transmission from this case

🔗 www.gov.uk/government/n...

Saving the Ryukyu Rabbit Tick: The Posterchild of Parasite Conservation • The Revelator This endangered invertebrate is harmless to humans — and rabbits. Saving it from extinction might even benefit both species.

Parasite conservation sounds like a counterintuitive idea, but actually there are lots of reasons why this is important for the long term sustainability of biodiversity and ecosystem processes. #parasitology #ticks #ectoparasite 🪱🧪🌍
therevelator.org/ryukyu-rabbi...

"To turn off, go to Settings > Apps > Photos on iOS and turn off Enhanced Visual Search. On Mac, open Photos and go to Settings > General to do the same. You must do it on each of your Apple devices."

2 x PhD fully funded studentships

Are you interested in improving livestock health by developing evidence for disease control ? tinyurl.com/2tefe7u8, tinyurl.com/mw2rrm22

Join our group @liverpooluni.bsky.social, with funding from BBSRC NWD programme tinyurl.com/3jcn79dn

Photo of two sheep on a hillside with a model schematic

🚨#PhD opportunity!🚨

We're looking for a PhD student to work on modelling anthelmintic resistance in sheep flocks, working with our @daveewing.bsky.social, and supervisors at @moredunfoundation.bsky.social & @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social

📆Deadline: 17th Jan

More info: shorturl.at/xbHEy

H5N1 D1.1 severe case in USA/Louisiana.

"This is the first case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. that has been linked to exposure to a backyard flock."

CDC Confirms First Severe Case of H5N1 Bird Flu in the United States December 18, 2024-- A patient has been hospitalized with a severe case of avian influenza A(H5N1)

This patient was infected from birds in contrast to the other human infections (mild symptoms) which were linked to cows.

www.cdc.gov/media/releas...

SARS-CoV-2 detection in aerosol from community indoor environments Since its emergence, the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly and extensively affected global health and society. Numerous studies have focused on detecti…

SARS CoV2 is ubiquitous in indoor air. Highest risk settings are elderly care and healthcare. HT @mark-ungrin.bsky.social

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...