Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Scientists Worry 100% Fatal Bacteria Found In Chimps Will Jump To Humans
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New, 100% Fatal Disease In Chimps Raises Concern About Jump To Humans
A new and always fatal disease that has been killing chimpanzees at a sanctuary in Sierra Leone for years has been reported for the first time by an international team of scientists led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The disease, reported Wednesday in the journal Nature Communications, is caused by a newly discovered species of bacterium and comes as the world wrestles with a devastating pandemic caused by another novel foe, the new coronavirus. Although the chimpanzee illness has yet to be found in a human being, the two species share about 99% of their hereditary material, or DNA. (Johnson, 2/3)
Scientific American: Pathogen Discovered That Kills Endangered Chimps; Is It A Threat To Humans?
On a Friday evening in mid-January, Jackson, a five-year old chimp living at Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone, alarmed his keepers by ignoring his dinner. By Saturday, he was lethargic and having seizures. Jackson has improved since then—he’s eating and seems stable, despite lingering diarrhea—but his survival is by no means guaranteed. “The disease is very much like that, you see ups and downs,” says veterinarian Andrea Pizarro, the general manager at Tacugama. “One day they’re very good, the next, they’re very bad.” Jackson has epizootic neurologic and gastroenteric syndrome (ENGS), a mysterious ailment that has killed 59 of the 60 Tacugama chimps that have come down with it since 2005. After years struggling to pinpoint the cause of the disease, scientists and veterinarians finally have a possible culprit: a newly discovered species of Sarcina, a type of bacteria commonly found in the environment and occasionally associated with gastrointestinal disease in humans. (Nuwer, 2/3)
In other public health news —
Stat: Global Trends In Lung Cancer Show Continuing Disparities
With over 2 million new cases globally in 2018, lung cancer remains the most prevalent cancer in the world. And with tobacco use accounting for somewhere between 80% and 90% of lung cancers, depending on region, it’s unsurprising that the World Conference on Lung Cancer this past weekend devoted an entire oral session to the “end-game” of a tobacco-free world. (Haelle, 2/2)
AP: 'New Chance At Life': Man Gets Face, Hands In Rare Surgery
Almost six months after a rare face and hands transplant, Joe DiMeo is relearning how to smile, blink, pinch and squeeze. The 22-year-old New Jersey resident had the operation last August, two years after being badly burned in a car crash. “I knew it would be baby steps all the way,” DiMeo told The Associated Press recently. “You’ve got to have a lot of motivation, a lot of patience. And you’ve got to stay strong through everything.” (Renault and Ritzel, 2/3 )
The Washington Post: Bon Appetit Takes Down A ‘Dangerous’ Video On Canning Seafood After Experts Warn Of Botulism Risk
On his popular series for the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen video channel, “It’s Alive,” host Brad Leone walks viewers through the process of making foods that involve fermentation or preservation, such as kimchi, pickled onions and kombucha. But his latest installment on canned seafood proved to be a jar too far. Bon Appétit removed the video segment from its platforms over the weekend after experts pointed out that the method depicted on the show was dangerous and could result in the growth of the potentially deadly bacteria that causes botulism. (Heil, 2/2)
In pediatric news —
NPR: Is The Pandemic Fueling A Rise In Suicide Attempts Among Kids?
In recent months, many suicidal children have been showing up in hospital emergency departments, and more kids are needing in-patient care after serious suicide attempts. "Across the country, we're hearing that there are increased numbers of serious suicidal attempts and suicidal deaths," says Dr. Susan Duffy, a professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at Brown University. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between April and October 2020, hospital emergency departments saw a rise in the share of total visits that were from kids for mental health needs. (Chatterjee, 2/2)
CNN: Psychoactive Drugs Are Misused By One-Third Of Young Adults
Over one-third of young adults misuse their psychoactive prescription drugs, a new study has revealed. Some 34% of adults ages 18 to 25 misused their psychoactive medications, defined as opioids, stimulants, tranquilizers and sedatives, according to a study published Tuesday in the British Medical Journal. (Marples, 2/2)
North Carolina Health News: Teachers Vs Politicians, Parents In COVID Battle
A groundswell of parents across North Carolina are ready to relinquish their home-schooling roles and are pushing school districts that have yet to open their doors to get students in kindergarten through high school back into classrooms. They’ve caught the ears of elected officials. (Blythe, 2/3)
The Wall Street Journal: Advice On Raising Resilient Kids During The Covid-19 Pandemic
The pandemic has dealt a tough hand to kids and their parents, with social isolation, distance learning and the constant threat of illness. Child and adolescent psychiatrist Harold S. Koplewicz says even small steps can help parents foster resilience and self-reliance in their children. Dr. Koplewicz, the president and medical director of the Child Mind Institute in New York and California, lays out his parenting approach in “The Scaffold Effect,” which is being published today. Parents, he says, should think of their role as that of a scaffold for a building under construction: their child. The scaffold doesn’t control the shape or style of the building and it eases its support as the structure rises. (Petersen, 2/2)
Chicago Tribune: Palos Hills Teen On Rebound From Spinal Stroke
Meilita Pilkionis, 16, plays piano and dabbles in painting. She relishes a good meal from Chik-fil-A, and Starbucks’ Pink Drink. Although she’s not a big reader, she likes math, and she’s looking forward to hanging out with her friends when she is back on her feet — literally. Pilkionis suffered a spinal stroke in November that paralyzed her — all feeling and movement from the neck down was gone. (Rockett, 2/2)
