Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Links Air Pollution To Increased Risk Of Alzheimer's, Dementia
Newsweek: Study Of 27.8M Americans May Have Revealed Direct Alzheimer’s Cause
Scientists have just found a direct link between air pollution and Alzheimer’s disease—suggesting that improving air quality could be an important way to prevent dementia and protect older adults. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, which affects about 57 million people worldwide, and there is currently no cure for it, making prevention is crucial. (Azzurra Volpe, 2/17)
MedPage Today: Alzheimer's Sex Gap: Similar Biomarkers, But Faster Decline For Women
Women had worse outcomes than men at similar levels of Alzheimer's disease pathology, data from a multi-cohort analysis suggested. (George, 2/17)
On social media and mental health —
AP: Mark Zuckerberg Set To Testify In Watershed Social Media Trial
Mark Zuckerberg will testify in an unprecedented social media trial that questions whether Meta’s platforms deliberately addict and harm children. Meta’s CEO is expected to answer tough questions on Wednesday from attorneys representing a now 20-year-old woman identified by the initials KGM, who claims her early use of social media addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which TikTok and Snap have settled. (Huamani and Ortutay, 2/18)
The Baltimore Sun: Excessive Social Media Use Contributes To Loneliness
More than half of college students say they are lonely, but those who spend 16 to 20 hours a week on social media are most likely to feel isolated, research shows. (Hille, 2/18)
News about salmonella, covid, and chikungunya —
CBS News: FDA Investigating Salmonella Outbreak Connected To Moringa Powder
Public health officials are investigating a Salmonella outbreak linked to Rosabella-brand moringa powder, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC, Food and Drug Administration and state public health officials are looking into drug-resistant Salmonella infections linked to some lots of the product. Seven illnesses, three of which resulted in hospitalizations, across seven states could be linked to the Rosabella capsules, according to the FDA, which said it continues to investigate the outbreak. At least one Salmonella case has been reported in Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Washington. (Cerullo, 2/17)
CIDRAP: COVID Survivors May Be At Higher Risk For Obstructive Sleep Apnea For Up To 4.5 Years Post-Infection
Patients with both severe and nonsevere COVID-19 infections are at higher risk for both new-onset obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and related serious complications than their uninfected peers, Albert Einstein College of Medicine researchers report in a study published this week on the preprint server medRxiv. (Van Beusekom, 2/17)
CIDRAP: Study: SARS-CoV-2 RNA Found In 39% Of Hospital Air Samples During Outbreaks, Despite Good Ventilation
COVID-19 genetic material was frequently detected in hospital air during community outbreaks, even in well-ventilated settings, according to a new study published in Respiratory Medicine. A team led by Kirby Institute researchers conducted air and surface sampling in the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU) of a large metropolitan hospital in Sydney, Australia, during two COVID-19 waves between November 2023 and July 2024. Their testing found that 39% (20 of 51) of aerosol samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. (Bergeson, 2/17)
The Guardian: Excruciating Tropical Disease Can Now Be Transmitted In Most Of Europe, Study Finds
An excruciatingly painful tropical disease called chikungunya can now be transmitted by mosquitoes across most of Europe, a study has found. Higher temperatures due to the climate crisis mean infections are now possible for more than six months of the year in Spain, Greece and other southern European countries, and for two months a year in south-east England. Continuing global heating means it is only a matter of time before the disease expands further northwards, the scientists said. (Carrington, 2/18)
