Here is Dr. Klotman’s Week 261 video address. The highlights are:
Measles
- Texas has 279 cases of measles with 1 childhood death.
- Of the known Texas cases, only 2 were vaccinated against Measles. So, the vaccine was 99% effective (historically, the effectiveness is 97%).
- We have already exceeded last year’s total cases – we’re at 301+ cases nationally.
- The vaccination hesitancy problem is worldwide. Europe has already had >127K cases of Measles just this year – 40% under the age of 5 with 38 deaths.
- Romania, with less than 80% of its people vaccinated, has had >30K cases this year.
- Kazakstan, with the second lowest vaccination rate, has had >28K cases.
Other Respiratory Viruses
- Influenza season is winding down.
- There is still some COVID activity, but it is waning.
- The FDA has approved the composition of next year’s Flu vaccine which will include H1N1, H3N2, and the most prevalent Influenza B strain (a variant of Victoria B).
TEPHI Data
- TEPHI wastewater data shows ongoing Flu A and B activity.
- Metapneumovirus seems to be increasing while Echovirus 11 and Enterovirus D68 are waning.
- RSV A&B levels are falling.
- Levels of Rotavirus (a cause of diarrheal disease in infants) are increasing.
H5N1 Bird Flu virus
- Among an infected dairy herd, 89% of the cows showed blood evidence of infection, but 76% were asymptomatic.
- Milk production was significantly decreased in symptomatic cows.
- You will recall that domestic pets (dogs and cats) can contract H5N1 from cattle as well as birds.
On a lighter note, today was Match Day at US Medical Schools. This is the day that graduating medical students learn which graduate training program (aka Residency) has accepted them. Students interview at several programs and submit their preferences to a third-party broker as a ranked list. The programs themselves submit a similar ranked list of all their applicants to the same broker. I have no idea how the matching algorithm works, but I suspect that it is a total clusterfuck.
I myself matched with my #1 pick. Susan came to my program in mid-term where she was welcomed with open arms. Some of our colleagues matched with their top two choices. One of our number didn’t match at all and was left scrambling for a surgical residency. I do not know what happened to all of our medical school classmates, but those with whom I have maintained some form of contact all had very productive and successful careers in medicine. It’s a testament to our training as students and residents – and to our teachers, of course.