The Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL) maintains a collection of the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), which collects and analyzes data from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on epidemiology and public health. Each issue of the MMWR is packed with raw and analyzed public health data and scientific studies from some of the top minds in the United States. Below we highlight some of the most current and informative studies included in their weekly reports.
Here are some important articles you may have missed from Volume 73, Issues 3-5 of the Centers for Disease Control’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series.
Featured Article:
In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a higher dose of intranasal naloxone for treatment of an opioid overdose. This study analyzed 436 naloxone administration reports submitted by NYPD officers from March 26, 2022–August 16, 2023. Initial results indicate that higher doses seemed to cause more adverse reactions than benefits.
Featured Article:
Although not approved by the FDA for use in the U.S., an antidepressant known as tianeptine has become readily available on shelves, being termed “gas station heroin.” A specific product, Neptune’s Fix, was analyzed after several users in New Jersey experienced severe clinical effects. This investigation uncovered discrepancies between the product’s actual ingredients and what was advertised on the label.
Featured Article:
Vibrio vulnificus is a waterborne and foodborne pathogen. It can be spread via salt water, brackish water, or raw seafood either through contact with open wounds or ingestion. During June-August 2023, severe infections, some of which lead to death, were reported in Connecticut, New York, and North Carolina. There’s speculation that a heat wave contributed to these incidents as Vibrio vulnificus can thrive in warmer waters.
Featured Article:
This study followed 110 immunosuppressed patients of the Veterans Health Administration who were eligible for antiviral drugs but did not receive them. Discoveries made include: 1) 80 percent of patients were not even offered treatment with antivirals, and 2) the reason given for nearly half of patients not offered anti-viral drugs was that their symptoms were mild at the time.
Related resources may be found in HSDL’s Focus collections on Fentanyl and Opioids and Extreme Heat. For more information on COVID, visit HSDL’s COVID-19 Resource Archive. You can also find pandemic-related resources in HSDL’s Focus on Pandemics and Epidemics, and search our statistical resources related to public health.
