Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Mexico
The CDC cautions travelers to Mexico about Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning people who are traveling to the Baja California region of Mexico to watch out for ticks that could spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The travel advisory comes after a person from San Diego died from the disease. Full Access: CDC
CDC Urges Doctors, Health Departments to Bolster Surveillance of More Severe Mpox Strain
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to notify clinicians and health departments about the occurrence, geographic spread, and sexually associated human-to-human transmission of Clade I Monkeypox virus (MPXV) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). MPXV has two distinct genetic clades (subtypes), and cases of Clade I MPXV have not been reported in the United States at this time (a clade is a broad grouping of viruses that has evolved over decades and is a genetic and clinically distinct group). However, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of Clade I MPXV in travelers who have been in DRC. Full Access: CDC
Appendicitis Risk Higher for Preterm Infants in First Year of Life
In this retrospective, multicenter, matched case-control study, researchers found that preterm infants have an increased risk of appendicitis during the first year of life. A preterm birth history may help improve the timely diagnosis of infantile appendicitis. Full Access: AAP
Flu, Respiratory Viruses Rise for 4th week, Pediatric Deaths up: 8 FluView Notes
For a fourth week in a row, the number of cases of respiratory illnesses are above average in eight of 10 CDC regions, and flu hospitalizations have also gone up again. There were 4,268 patients admitted to hospitals across the U.S. with confirmed flu cases, according to the CDC’s latest data for the week ending Nov. 25, up from 3,296 admissions the week prior. Full Access: Becker’s Hospital
New Syndrome May Be Affecting Babies Exposed to Fentanyl
Doctors report they are seeing what they think is a new syndrome in babies who are exposed to fentanyl while in the womb. All of the infants have cleft palates and unusually small heads, and all were born to mothers who said they had used fentanyl and other drugs while pregnant. Full Access: Healthday
Recommendations Developed for Sport-Related Concussion in Children
In a consensus statement issued by the International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport and published online Dec. 4 in Pediatrics, recommendations are presented for managing sport-related concussion among children and adolescents. The authors note that lower SRC rates are seen with prevention strategies, including use of mouth guards, policies disallowing bodychecking in ice hockey, and neuromuscular training in rugby among adolescents. Full Access: Healthday
5 Conditions MS Patients May Have Years Before Diagnosis
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to experience depression, sexual dysfunction, constipation, inflammation of the bladder, and urinary tract infection in the five years leading up to their diagnosis than those without the disease, a study found. These findings parallel growing evidence that there’s a prodromal phase, in which certain unspecific symptoms become evident, sometimes years before the classic symptoms of MS emerge. Full Access: Multiple Sclerosis
Venous Thromboembolism with Use of Hormonal Contraception and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: Nationwide Cohort Study
NSAID use was positively associated with the development of venous thromboembolism in women of reproductive age. The number of extra venous thromboembolic events with NSAID use compared with non-use was significantly larger with concomitant use of high/medium risk hormonal contraception compared with concomitant use of low/no risk hormonal contraception. Women needing both hormonal contraception and regular use of NSAIDs should be advised accordingly. Full Access: PubMed
