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 71, Issues 20-23 of the Centers for Disease Control’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series.
June 10, 2022 / No. 23 Featured Articles:
“Monkeypox Outbreak — Nine States, May 2022”
This report gives the latest update on the CDC’s monitoring of cases of Monkeypox. It gives guidance on symptoms to watch out for and prevention methods to use to mitigate spread. It also details where suspected cases have occurred in the United States and notes profiles of patients.
This article discusses the importance of public schools making ventilation improvements as another mitigation effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Importantly, they note that there are “substantial federal resources” available to schools in order to make these improvements.
June 3, 2022 / No. 22 Featured Article:
“Pediatric Melatonin Ingestions — United States, 2012–2021”
Melatonin use in adults and children has increased substantially, although studies of pediatric usage are limited. This article discusses the dangerous side effects that can occur in children, especially when accidental ingestion takes place in high doses. “Pediatric melatonin ingestions accounted for 4.9% of all pediatric ingestions reported to poison control centers in 2021 compared with 0.6% in 2012.” Out of the 260,435 cases reported to poison control centers, “[f]ive children required mechanical ventilation, and two died.”
May 27, 2022 / No. 21 Featured Article:
Post-COVID medical conditions have risen with the increase of COVID-19 infections. This report focuses on “pulmonary embolism or respiratory conditions” in survivors. Current studies show that “one in five COVID-19 survivors aged 18–64 years and one in four survivors aged ≥65 years experienced at least one incident condition that might be attributable to previous COVID-19” infection.
May 20, 2022 / No. 20 Featured Article:
This study focuses on “modifiable” risk factors found to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in adults aged 45 and above. It notes that “[p]revalence of SCD [subjective cognitive decline] increased from 3.9% among adults with no risk factors to 25.0% among those with four or more risk factors.” The following modifiable risk factors were evaluated: “high blood pressure, not meeting the aerobic physical activity guideline, obesity, diabetes, depression, current cigarette smoking, hearing loss, and binge drinking.”
For more information on COVID, visit our Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Resource Archive. You can also find pandemic-related resources in our HSDL In Focus on Pandemics and Epidemics, and public health statistical resources in our Research Tools.
