Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Reports Measles Cases Are Nearing 1,100 As It Extends Air Travel Warning
CIDRAP: US Measles Total Nears 1,100 Cases As Colorado Reports Airline Cluster
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its weekly update today reported 42 measles cases, some tied to a large outbreak centered in West Texas and others linked to instances of community transmission or travel to other states or countries, lifting the nation's total to 1,088 infections. Two more states reported their first cases this week, Iowa and Nebraska, putting the number of affected jurisdictions at 33. The number of outbreaks remained at 14, and 90% of cases are linked to outbreaks. (Schnirring, 5/30)
CBS News: CDC Steps Up Measles Travel Warning After Spread In Airplane
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its warning about the risk of contracting measles while traveling, after the agency tallied dozens of cases so far this year in travelers who were infectious while flying on airplanes within the U.S. "Travelers can catch measles in many travel settings including travel hubs like airports and train stations, on public transportation like airplanes and trains, at tourist attractions, and at large, crowded events," the agency now says, in an update published Wednesday. (Tin, 5/30)
CIDRAP: Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Backyard Poultry Grows To 104 Illnesses, 1 Death
A multistate Salmonella outbreak has grown in just a few weeks from 7 to 104 cases, with 1 death now recorded, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an update yesterday. Since its previous update on May 5, the CDC has confirmed 97 new cases, and the number of affected states rose from 6 to 35. Twenty-five of the outbreak patients (30%) have required hospitalization. The death was in Illinois. The CDC says the true number of outbreak cases, however, is "likely much higher." (Wappes, 5/30)
In reproductive health news —
The Hill: Kansas Law Nullifying End-Of-Life Wishes During Pregnancy Challenged In Court
A Kansas state law that revokes a person’s decisions about end-of-life care if they are pregnant is now being challenged in court. Three women, one of whom is currently pregnant, and two doctors filed a lawsuit in Kansas over a clause in the state’s Natural Death Act that denies people who are pregnant with the ability to accept or refuse health care if they become incapacitated or terminally ill. The plaintiffs argue that the clause violates their rights to liberty and personal autonomy and infringes their right to privacy. (O’Connell-Domenech, 5/30)
AP: Lawsuit Challenging Kentucky's Near-Total Ban On Abortions Is Withdrawn
Attorneys for a woman who sued Kentucky seeking to restore the right to an abortion have dropped their challenge to the state’s near-total ban on the procedure. The attorneys filed a motion Friday to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit, but did not give a reason for seeking to drop the case. The lawsuit had been filed last year in state court in Louisville on behalf of a woman who was seven weeks pregnant at the time and identified only by the pseudonym Mary Poe to protect her privacy. (5/31)
AP: Abortion Pill Inventor Etienne-Emile Baulieu Dies In Paris, Aged 98
French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, best known as the inventor of the abortion pill, died on Friday aged 98 at his home in Paris, his institute said in a statement. Both a doctor and a researcher, Baulieu was known around the world for the scientific, medical and social significance of his work on steroid hormones. “His research was guided by his attachment to the progress made possible by science, his commitment to women’s freedom, and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives,” the Institut Baulieu said in the statement posted on its website. (5/31)
Also —
The Washington Post: Girls Report More Trauma Associated With Cyberbullying Than Boys
Cyberbullying in any form can cause symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and should be considered an “adverse childhood experience” (ACE), a recent analysis finds. Writing in BMC Public Health, researchers drew from a nationally representative sample of 13-to-17-year-olds in the United States, homing in on the 53.9 percent of the group that reported having been cyberbullied in the past. (Blakemore, 5/31)
KFF Health News: Role Reversal: Millions Of Kids Are Caregivers For Elders. Why Their Numbers Might Grow
High school senior Joshua Yang understands sacrifice. When he was midway through 10th grade, his mom survived a terrible car crash. But her body developed tremors, and she lost mobility. After countless appointments, doctors diagnosed her with Parkinson’s disease, saying it was likely triggered by brain injuries sustained in the wreck. At 15, Yang, an aspiring baseball player and member of his school’s debate team, took on a new role: his mother’s caregiver. (Fabel, 6/2)
CIDRAP: Woman Dies From Brain Ameba After Flushing Nose With RV Water
A previously healthy 71-year-old woman in Texas died within 2 weeks of using tap water from a recreational vehicle (RV) for nasal irrigation. She was diagnosed as having primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) a rare, often fatal brain infection caused by the ameba Naegleria fowleri, according to a report yesterday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC and Texas investigators said the woman developed severe neurologic symptoms, including fever, headache, and an altered mental state, within 4 days of using a nasal irrigation device filled with tap water from an RV's water system at a campground in Texas. (Wappes, 5/30)
NBC News: Why People On Protein-Heavy Diets Need To Eat More Fiber
Americans can’t seem to get enough protein. Typically the go-to fuel of bodybuilders and athletes, protein has become the wellness world’s ultimate nutrient for weight loss, energy and muscle maintenance. Nutritionists and gastroenterologists warn that the more we load up on protein, another vital nutrient is being left behind: fiber. (Syal, 5/31)
