Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
How Much Is That Doggie In The Window? The One With Drug-Resistant Bacteria
CIDRAP: Highly Resistant Bacteria From Pet Store Puppies Continue To Cause Illness
A new study led by researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that strains of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria linked to pet store puppies have been circulating for a decade and continue to cause illness. The study, published this week in JAMA Network Open, identified 168 patients who had XDR Campylobacter jejuni infections with epidemiologic or molecular links to pet store puppies from 2011 to 2020. Analysis of bacterial isolates from the patients found resistance to seven classes of antibiotics, including antibiotics that are recommended for treatment of Campylobacter infections. (Dall, 9/17)
In other public health news —
Bloomberg: Facebook Rebuffs Journal Reports, Citing Policy Trade-Offs
Facebook Inc. pushed back on reports that the company was aware of the negative impact of its products, claiming that the allegations don’t tell the whole picture. The issues of content moderation, mental health risks and misinformation are complex and defy simple policy solutions, according to a statement from Nick Clegg, Facebook’s head of global affairs, posted Saturday. He said the series of articles published by the Wall Street Journal last week is based on incomplete information about difficult subjects. (Edgerton, 9/18)
CNN: Uncontrollable Vomiting Due To Marijuana Use On Rise, Study Finds
An unusual illness is on the rise in the United States, especially in states that have legalized marijuana. Habitual users of cannabis, including teenagers, are showing up in emergency rooms complaining of severe intestinal distress. "They are writhing, holding their stomach, complaining of really bad abdominal pain and nausea," said Dr. Sam Wang, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist and toxicologist at Children's Hospital Colorado, who treats adolescents with the condition. (LaMotte, 9/17)
Fox News: Study Suggests Microbiome Could Be Key To Losing Weight
Results from a new study indicate that a person's ability to shed pounds could have to do with what's in their guts – specifically, their microbiome.Microbiome are microorganisms that help us break down food, and each has an army of these tiny assistants. Researchers from the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle decided to take a look at what role microbiome might play when it comes to weight loss. The scientists tracked the baseline microbiome of 105 people who were trying to lose weight and found that despite the entire group implementing healthier diet changes, roughly half of them did not lose weight. In looking at the participants' baseline gut microbiome, the researchers discovered that the people whose bodies were resistant to weight loss had microbiome with lower bacterial growth rates than their now-thinner counterparts. (Dumas, 9/18)
CIDRAP: Pneumonic Plague Case Identified In Wyoming
One pneumonic plague case in Fremont County, Wyoming, was reported to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) Sep 15, according to a WDH notice. This marks the seventh human case in Wyoming since 1978, with the most recent being an imported case in 2008.The patient was in contact with sick pet cats and is reported to have serious illness. (9/17)
AP: Justice Department Reviewing Policies On Transgender Inmates
The Justice Department is reviewing its policies on housing transgender inmates in the federal prison system after protections for transgender prisoners were rolled back in the Trump administration, The Associated Press has learned. The federal Bureau of Prisons’ policies for transgender inmates were thrust into the spotlight this week after a leader of an Illinois anti-government militia group — who identifies as transgender — was sentenced to 53 years in prison for masterminding the 2017 bombing of a Minnesota mosque. (Balsamo and Ibrahim, 9/17)
CNBC: Need For Long-Term Care Among Retirees Varies Widely, Research Shows
One of the biggest unknowns for retirees may be whether they’ll eventually need long-term care — that is, help with daily living activities — and to what degree. Many people may end up requiring little care if they need any at all, according to new research from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. About 20% of 65-year-olds will not need any long-term care during the rest of their life, and another one in five will need only minimal support. At the same time, though, about 25% will need significant help for more than three years. Another 38% will fall somewhere in the middle, needing a moderate amount of care for one to three years, the study shows. (O'Brien, 9/17)
