This Week in Public Health

Influenza Vaccination

Pete Hegseth has declared that US servicemembers will no longer be required to take the Influenza vaccine
Instead, Flu vaccination will be voluntary
This decision goes against the CDC’s recommendation for vaccinations for Americans
Of historical interest is that in 1918, the Flu killed more American soldiers than died in combat that year
There have been 149 pediatric deaths due to Flu A this year; 94% were among unvaccinated children
This year the US has seen 31 million cases of Flu, 380K hospitalizations, and 23K deaths – a moderate season

TEPHI wastewater data

Influenza A is disappearing; Influenza B is on the wane as well
Rotavirus and Norovirus are both up – they’re intestinal infections (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Oh my!)
Other respiratory virus (Adenovirus, metapneumovirus, RSV, and others) are still around at moderate levels

Measles

We’ve had 1792 cases thus far this year
92% of those affected were unvaccinated
New cases have been documented in UT, AZ, CA, TX, and FL – the greatest number have occurred in SC

New Studies

Use of the 988 suicide-prevention hotline seems to be associated with a decreased rate of youth suicides
BCM is part of a team of scientists who have sent C. elegans (microscopic worms) to the space station in order to study the effects of microgravity on the gut microbiome of these worms

More m-RNA vaccines

Despite RFK’s DHHS defunding of m-RNA vaccine research, Moderna has obtained approval for its combined Influenza and COVID vaccine
Moderna is also working on an H5N1 (bird Flu) vaccine anticipating the next pandemic – it is in Phase III trials
Moderna’s H5N1 vaccine development is being bankrolled by an international consortium that doesn’t include the US
Dr. Mary Estes, BCM virology faculty, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Personal Notes

I plan to get the Moderna combined Flu/COVID vaccine as soon as it becomes available here.
Our son, the Infectious Disease guy, studied with Dr. Mary Estes, and worked in her lab (and other ID faculty at BCM) a decade ago. He’s an associate professor of Infectious Disease at the University of Nebraska medical center, and we are understandably proud of him.