One Health Biweekly Update

Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to share the sixth issue of the biweekly update from the One Health Secretariat, Bangladesh. This edition highlights key developments and news on diseases and conditions at the human-animal-wildlife interface.

We are also glad to share that all previous issues are now available in this archive. Thank you for your continued support and engagement. We welcome your feedback and thoughts.

Please feel free to share your comments and suggestions with us.

Dr. Sabbir Haider

Dr. Nure Alam

Dr. Farhana Rahman

One Health Secretariat, Bangladesh

Bangladesh

Antimicrobial Resistance in ICUs Reaches Alarming Levels

Antibiotic effectiveness is rapidly declining in Bangladesh, with 41% of Intensive Care Units (ICU) patients in hospitals no longer responding to available antibiotics. This alarming finding was shared by the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) on 24 November 2025 in Dhaka. IEDCR tested 71 antibiotics across five hospitals, assessing their effectiveness against five key pathogens. While 7% of patients carried pan-drug-resistant (PDR) organisms, the situation was far more severe in ICUs, where the PDR rate reached 41%, meaning nearly half of critically ill patients failed to respond to any available treatment. In contrast, the Rohingya population continues to show sensitivity to almost all antibiotics, attributed to stricter, registered doctor–guided antibiotic use.

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Dengue is on Rise Even in Winter 

Dengue cases continue to rise with 24,535 cases and 104 deaths in November, compared to 22,520 and 80 in October. As of 30 November 2025, the country recorded 94,396 dengue-related hospitalizations and 332 deaths. Men accounted for 62% of reported cases, while death showed a balance between males (52%) and females (48%).  Dengue remains geographically widespread, but Dhaka division continues to carry the heaviest burden with 44,618 cases and 247 deaths, followed by Barishal division (20,656 cases, 47 deaths).

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National Livestock Service Week Inaugurated in Dhaka 

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock inaugurated National Livestock Week 2025 on 26 November at the China–Bangladesh Alliance Convention Center in Dhaka. The session was opened by Wahiduddin Mahmud , Planning Adviser  who called for coordinated, evidence-based efforts to accelerate development of the country’s livestock sector. Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter, presiding over the event, noted the contributions of domestic entrepreneurs who support millions of livelihoods by rearing local livestock, ducks, chickens and goats Senior ministry officials, livestock agencies, and development partners also attended. The week also featured public awareness campaigns, service camps, and demonstrations of improved livestock technologies, reaffirming the government’s commitment to expanding quality livestock services nationwide.

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Seasonal and other influenza in Bangladesh

Influenza positivity remains notable this year. As of 16 November 2025, 4,272 of 19,335 samples (22.1%) tested positive. Nearly half of all positives were influenza B (Victoria) (49.2%), followed by A/H3 (34.6%) and A(H1N1) (16.2%), while A/H5 was rarely detected (0.05%). The latest update reflects slightly higher testing than the week before, but the overall number of positive detections remains unchanged. In the previous week, only three samples tested positive, two A/H3 and one influenza B (Victoria).

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Severe Rabies Vaccine Shortage in Chattogram

For 16 days, Chattogram General Hospital’s free rabies vaccination programme has remained suspended due to an acute shortage of vaccines. Patients with animal bites are now compelled to buy costly vaccines from private pharmacies. Acting Superintendent of the hospital Dr. Ekram Hossain noted that they receive only 300–500 vials per month against a demand of 2,000 vials, adding that supply may improve in early 2026. Chattogram Civil Surgeon Dr. Jahangir Alam stated that a development project proposal under the Communicable Disease Control programme of the DIrectorate General of Health Services (DGHS) is nearing approval, which is expected to improve vaccine supply to upazila health complexes.

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Deteriorating Water Safety and Rising Metal Contamination — Insights from MICS 2025

The Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2025 results reveal a mixed WASH picture for Bangladesh. While access to basic drinking water and improved sanitation continues to rise, water safety and hygiene practices are worsening. Microbial contamination has increased at both source and household levels, and fewer  now have handwashing facilities containing water and soap compared to 2019. Heavy-metal findings show lead as the dominant hazard, with 38.3% of children and 7.5% of pregnant women exhibiting elevated blood lead levels. Multi-metal exposure is more common in children (41.5%) than in pregnant women (12.3%). Elevated lead frequently co-occurs with anaemia (43.5% in affected children; 57.5% in affected pregnant women), with mean haemoglobin levels sitting near anaemia thresholds. The results call for child-centred environmental mitigation, stronger source-control measures, improved surveillance beyond self-reporting, and better integration with nutrition and anaemia programmes, while acknowledging the data show associations, not causation. 

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Rest of Asia 

Mass Mortality of Blackbucks in Karnataka Mini Zoo
Thirty-one blackbucks died within four days at the Kittur Rani Chennamma Mini Zoo in Belagavi, Karnataka, India. The deaths occurred between 13 and 17 November 2025, reducing the zoo’s herd from 38 to just seven. Laboratory results confirm  Hemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), a bacterial disease, as the  cause of the disease. Authorities have intensified sanitation, quarantine, and carcass-disposal measures to prevent spillover to other species or facilities. 

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Polio Eradication Challenges Persist in Pakistan’s Punjab Punjab continues to struggle with poliovirus circulation. The newest surveillance figures released by the Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) indicate that Punjab collected a total of 31 sewage samples across various districts, of which 11 returned positive. Officials say the detections reflect that the virus remains active in specific high-risk pockets, demanding sustained and targeted interventions to prevent further spread. Although national environmental surveillance data suggests a general decline in the number of positive samples, Punjab's continued detections highlight its vulnerability stemming from dense populations, large-scale urban mobility, and clusters of under-immunised children.

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Rest of the world: 

Wind-Borne Mosquitoes May Spread Diseases Across Long Distances

A first-of-its-kind study in Mali and Ghana revealed that tropical mosquitoes flying at altitudes up to 290 meters can carry a wide range of disease-causing pathogens over long distances. Using nets lifted by helium balloons from 2018 to 2022, researchers collected more than 1,000 mosquitoes, mostly female and egg-carrying, belonging to major disease-spreading genera such as Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles. Testing showed infections with Plasmodium (7.2%), parasitic worms (1.6%), and flaviviruses like dengue and West Nile (3.5%). In total, 21  pathogens affecting humans, livestock, and wildlife were detected, with several mosquitoes carrying  multiple infectious.The study suggests wind-borne mosquito migration, may significantly influence the spread of dengue, malaria, and other diseases, prompting calls for monitoring wind corridors, preparing downwind communities and strengthening early-response systems to contain outbreaks sparked by these long-distance travelers.
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Bacterial Toxin Linked to Rising Early-Onset Colon Cancer 

Early-onset colorectal cancer is rising worldwide, with more cases now appearing in people under 50. A new study of 981 tumour samples from UC San Diego found a strong genetic “fingerprint” linked to colibactin, a DNA-damaging toxin made by certain types of E. coli in the gut. Patients under 40 were three times more likely to show this pattern than older adults. The findings suggest that harmful gut bacteria, together with poor diet, obesity, and inactivity, may speed up cancer development in younger populations.  Future approaches may include testing for colibactin-producing bacteria and developing ways to block their effects. Meanwhile, healthy diets, physical activity, and early screening remain critical prevention strategies. 

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Simple, Proven Steps Can Save Mothers’ Lives

Maternal infection and sepsis remain major causes of preventable deaths in low- and middle-income countries. The APT-Sepsis program, combining WHO-standard hand hygiene, evidence-based infection control, and the FAST-M early detection-bundle, has shown remarkable impact. A large cluster-randomized trial across 59 facilities in Malawi and Uganda, involving more than 431,000 births, found that APT-Sepsis facilities saw 32% fewer infection-related deaths and severe infections (1.4% vs. 1.9%). Benefits were consistent across countries and facility types. The results show that simple, structured, and timely interventions can meaningfully reduce preventable maternal deaths, highlighting the importance of strengthening basic clinical practices.

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