Public Health Issues in the News
Foodborne Pathogens Flourishing
Higher temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns are creating prime conditions for foodborne illnesses to proliferate, researchers are warning. For every 1°C rise in temperature, the risk of bacterial infection from Salmonella and Campylobacter increases by 5%, found a systematic review published in October in eBiomedicine.
Among the impacts: Extreme heat makes food supplies vulnerable to pathogens including Salmonella spp., E. coli, and Campylobacter jejuni, per a review article published in June in Climatic Change. Meanwhile, runoff from more frequent flooding is contaminating agricultural produce meant to be consumed raw.
To Fluoride or Not to Fluoride?
According to public health officials, the fluoride in our water has passively protected the oral health of Americans for decades by reducing cavities, tooth decay, and dental health disparities. So much so, that the CDC has declared community water fluoridation one of the 20th century's greatest public health achievements.
But recently, concerns about the safety of fluoride—a naturally occurring mineral in soil, water, and rocks—have returned to the headlines. To read more about this issue, visit Why Is Fluoride in Our Water? | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health (jhu.edu)
AIDS at a Juncture
The AIDS epidemic is at a “historic crossroads.” The end of AIDS as a pandemic is in sight, with effective treatments and a revolutionary new vaccine on deck. Yet discrimination keeps lifesaving treatment out of reach for too many, and critical gains remain under threat. Those are findings of the new UNAIDS report released for World AIDS Day, which called for a “rights-based approach” to fighting the epidemic, per UN News.
“The fight against AIDS can be won,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed. “If leaders take a rights-based approach to ensure that everyone – especially the most vulnerable – can get the services they need without fear...We will overcome AIDS if the rights of everyone, everywhere, are protected. I call on all leaders to heed this year’s theme and take the ‘rights’ path,” he declared.
Confidential education, counseling, screening tests, exams and treatment for sexually transmitted illnesses are available through WPHD. Find out how to make arrangements.
Learn more about AIDS.
Behind the Child Mortality Reversal
Child death rates in the U.S. dropped for decades due to medical advances and public health policies. But a sharp reversal occurred from 2019 to 2021, with the mortality rate surging more than 10%. The driver: Injuries. Gun violence—now the leading cause of death among children—accounted for nearly half of the increase. Overdoses more than doubled, and fatal car accidents spiked 16%.
Disproportionately affected: Black and Native American children, who have been dying at much higher rates than white children. Behind the data: Studies into gun violence have stalled for years due to political interference. While congressional funding in 2019 brought about a resurgence of research, a shifting political climate could jeopardize that work. The New York Times (gift link)
Vax Rates Down Across the Board
- Public health experts are sounding the alarm about low vaccination rates against the coronavirus, flu and RSV as the holiday season approaches, The Washington Post reports.
By the numbers: As of this month, about 37 percent of adults aged 18 and older had received a seasonal flu shot, 19 percent had received the updated coronavirus vaccine, and 40 percent of adults aged 75 and older — the group at greatest risk — had received the RSV vaccine.
Why it matters: With gatherings and travel on the rise, experts worry that the unenthusiastic embrace of vaccines could spark outbreaks and increased hospitalizations. The respiratory illnesses typically peak from December to February.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control, fewer Virginia students are getting the required vaccines than in previous years.
The Virginia Department of Education says more than 85,000 kindergarteners are enrolled in public schools; however, the Virginia Department of Health says not all enrolled are vaccinated.
VDH says the southwest region of the state has the most vaccine exemptions. The CDC says that, as of fall 2023, the kindergarten vaccine exemption rate was 2.4%. 10 years ago in Virginia, the overall exemption rate for fall of 2013 was 1.2%. Fewer Virginia students getting vaccines required by schools (12onyourside.com)
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