California Child Dies From Measles Complications Years After Illness
The school-aged child had measles as an infant, before they were eligible for vaccination. The complication, called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, shows up years later and is fatal in about 95% of cases. Also in the news: Iowa, Vermont, Missouri, Minnesota, Texas, and Wyoming.
CNN:
Los Angeles County Child Dies Of Rare Measles Complication Years After Infection
A school-age child in Los Angeles County who had measles as an infant has died of a rare complication, the county health department said Thursday. The child was infected before they were eligible to receive the measles vaccine, the agency says; the first vaccination is recommended between 12 months and 15 months of age, followed by a second dose between ages 4 and 6. They recovered from that infection but developed a condition called subacute sclerosing panenecephalitis, which affects about 1 in 10,000 unvaccinated people who get measles overall but up to 1 in 600 of those who catch the virus in infancy. (Dillinger, 9/11)
More outbreaks and health threats —
Iowa Public Radio:
Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak In Marshalltown Possibly Linked To Cooling Towers
Health officials have said an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Marshall County may be linked to cooling towers. The state has confirmed 34 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the county since the end of August, resulting in the death of one person. (Krebs, 9/11)
CIDRAP:
Vermont Reports Its First Human Jamestown Canyon Case
Vermont has reported its first human case of Jamestown Canyon virus, a mosquito-borne disease. According to the state’s department of health, the case was confirmed earlier this week in a person from Windsor County. (Soucheray, 9/11)
St. Louis Public Radio:
‘Kissing Bug’ Disease Has Been Found In Missouri
Scientists are calling on health authorities to classify Chagas disease – sometimes known as the "kissing bug disease" – as endemic to the United States. Chagas disease, a parasitic infection spread by bugs, mostly infects people in Central and South America. Still, human cases have been reported in Missouri and seven other states, and the bug that carries the parasite has been found in both Missouri and Illinois. (Fentem, 9/12)
AP:
West Nile Virus Cases Running Higher Than Normal, Prompting Health Warnings
West Nile virus infections are intense so far this year, with case counts running 40% higher than normal, health officials say. More than 770 cases, including about 490 severe cases, were reported as of early September, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted this week. About 550 cases — 350 of them severe — are usually reported by this time of year. Health officials are ramping up warnings to the public, because most cases of the mosquito-borne disease are reported in August and September. (Stobbe, 9/10)
CBS News:
California Bill To Ban "Forever Chemicals" In Cookware Pits Celebrity Chefs Against Environmental Advocates
California lawmakers are weighing whether to ban a group of chemicals known as PFAS, which are often called "forever chemicals," in cookware. The move has pulled in celebrity chefs on one side and environmentalists, including actor Mark Ruffalo, on the other. The proposal, Senate Bill 682, would prohibit PFAS in cookware, cleaning products, dental floss, ski wax, food packaging and certain children's products. (Metz, 9/11)
Bloomberg:
LA Homes Still Pose Health Risks From Wildfire Smoke
Months after the smoke from California’s destructive fires cleared from LA skies, residents are still reckoning with a toxic stew of smoke pollutants whose effects on human health are poorly understood. Without federal and local standards on how to deal with contaminants like arsenic and the carcinogen benzene, dozens of researchers and private specialists are combing through yards and homes, work that goes beyond authorities' post-fire testing. (Court, 9/11)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
Minnesota Public Radio:
Judge Says Law Allowing Jail Inmates Access To Prescriptions Can Continue For Now
A Ramsey County judge has denied a request to temporarily block a new law requiring jails in the state to continue to provide the medications people were prescribed before their incarceration. The law passed with bipartisan support last session as part of the public safety bill. Chief Judge Sara Grewing had paused the law earlier while she considered whether to grant an injunction. (Collins, 9/11)
The Texas Tribune:
Texas Schools Receive New Guidance On Student Health Care
Texas’ new parental consent law does not prevent nurses from administering basic health-related services like providing Band-Aids or checking a student’s temperature, according to updated state guidance sent to school district administrators on Thursday. (Edison, 9/11)
Wyoming Public Radio:
Millions Of Federal Dollars Are Up For Grabs To Prop Up Wyoming’s Rural Healthcare
Wyoming is eligible to receive between $500 to $800 million in federal dollars over the next five years. The funds are part of the new Rural Health Transformation Program created in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA). The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is asking for public input on how the funds should be spent. (Kudelska, 9/11)
