PDF 7 December 2018 Army Public Health Weekly Update

7 December 2018

Army Public Health Weekly Update

Army Public Health Center

U.S. Military | Global | Influenza | Veterinary/Food Safety | Wellness | Contact Us USAFRICOM | USCENTCOM | USEUCOM | USINDOPACOM | USNORTHCOM | USSOUTHCOM

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Contents

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U.S. MILITARY

1 in 4 troops have an opioid prescription in a given year Cluster of vivax malaria in U.S. soldiers training near the demilitarized zone, Republic of Korea

during 2015 Everything you need to know about the new Army fitness test is right here More veterans are becoming obese. Are stressful military transitions to blame? Rising suicide rates among younger veterans trigger alarm bells at VA The U.S. Army is cracking down on potential recruits who can't pass the fitness test

GLOBAL

A prosthetic arm that decodes phantom limb movements ABCD study completes enrollment, announces opportunities for scientific engagement Amid spike in measles cases, health officials warn of `losing decades of progress' Analysis finds global antibiotic use varies widely in children Australian scientists develop '10-minute' cancer test Biohacker: Meet the people 'hacking' their bodies Changes in brain scans seen after a single season of football for young players Chemicals in cosmetics, soaps tied to early puberty in girls Early clinical trial data show gene therapy reversing sickle cell anemia 'Medical milestone' as first baby born from womb of dead donor Migrants tend to be healthier, live longer: study UK announces vaccine innovation center; Canada boosts CEPI coffers WHO looks at standards in "uncharted water" of gene editing

INFLUENZA

AFHSB: DoD Seasonal Influenza Surveillance Summary APHC: U.S. Army Influenza Activity Report BMI may matter in risk of hospitalization from severe flu CDC: Flu View ? Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report ECDC: Flu News Europe Four small cities may have played an outsize role in spreading deadly flu USAFSAM & DHA: DoD Global Respiratory Pathogen Surveillance Program

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VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY

EFSA identifies important foodborne parasites in Europe Machine learning to identify the attributes influencing zoonotic virus emergence More raw beef recalled after nationwide Salmonella outbreak More Saudi camels test positive for MERS-CoV Some dog food has toxic levels of vitamin D, FDA warns

WELLNESS

Blood markers suggest heart damage in amateur marathoners Essential oils from garlic and other herbs and spices kill "persister" Lyme disease bacteria Exposure to secondhand smoke among nonsmokers -- United States, 1988?2014 How much protein do you really need? Meeting the challenge of engaging men in HIV prevention and treatment Night shifts plus unhealthy lifestyle may be recipe for diabetes Nike Vaporfly 4% shoe may make some run faster Requests for emergency contraception could be an important sign of abuse Six to 8 hours a night may be the sweet spot for sleep Smoking bans tied to lower blood pressure in non-smokers Study: Dental painkillers may put young people at risk of opioid addiction Study takes stand on true health benefits of getting up out of your chair The health risks of being a night owl Zeroing in on long-term weight loss

USAFRICOM

Democratic Republic of the Congo: As Ebola outbreak spreads in Congo, concern grows over supplies of experimental vaccine

Democratic Republic of the Congo: In Congo, more women than men infected with Ebola Democratic Republic of the Congo: More Ebola in DRC as WHO says it has outbreak 'covered' Nigeria: Nine new deaths in Nigeria yellow fever outbreak as trial of new drug begins

USCENTCOM

Syria: WHO reports successful end to polio outbreak in Syria Yemen: Lack of preparedness and insecurity hampered response to cholera epidemic in Yemen Yemen: Yemen sterilizes Sanaa water supplies as cholera outbreak picks up again

USEUCOM

Europe: Gonorrhea in Europe becoming less susceptible to ceftriaxone United Kingdom: Faster diagnosis from 'transformational' gene project United Kingdom: Most adults living unhealthy lifestyles

USINDOPACOM

Australia: Medical report shows disastrous impact of Australia's offshore processing policy Philippines: Measles threat looms in Philippines as trust in vaccines declines ? health officials

USNORTHCOM

U.S.: About 1% of NW Missouri population hosts antibodies to Heartland virus U.S.: Company recalls infant ibuprofen sold at Walmart, CVS U.S.: FDA faulted for lapses in orphan drug program U.S.: Fishermen sue big oil for its role in climate change U.S.: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson hospital suffers millions of dollars in damages from

earthquake

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U.S.: UCSF-led study finds 10% lag time for heart attacks in nation's poorest neighborhoods U.S.: With 18 more cases, CDC says AFM may have peaked

USSOUTHCOM

Argentina: Hantavirus alert issued in Chubut province, Argentina Venezuela: Venezuela gold rush feeds a growing malaria epidemic

U.S. MILITARY

1 in 4 troops have an opioid prescription in a given year

4 December - Nearly 1 in 4 active-duty service members had at least one prescription for an opioid at some point in 2017, according to Defense Department research. There's not a lot of variation between the services in terms of the percent of active-duty members who are receiving opioid prescriptions, although the Marine Corps numbers are slightly lower, said Zachary J. Peters, a researcher with the Defense Health Agency's Psychological Health Center of Excellence. ... About 1 in 4 retirees also had at least one opioid prescription. Military Times top of page...

Cluster of vivax malaria in U.S. soldiers training near the demilitarized zone, Republic of Korea during 2015

November 2018 - This report describes a cluster of 11 soldiers with vivax malaria among U.S. military personnel who trained at Dagmar North training area, near the demilitarized zone (DMZ), in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in 2015. Two cases were diagnosed in the ROK in 2015, one of whom subsequently experienced a relapse, and nine other cases were diagnosed in 2016, 8?11 months after the soldiers had returned to the U.S. Vivax malaria poses a health threat to U.S. Forces Korea operating near the DMZ in the ROK. Continuing and enhanced focus on force health protection measures in endemic zones is warranted. Medical Surveillance Monthly Report top of page...

Everything you need to know about the new Army fitness test is right here

30 November - The Army's physical readiness program is poised to get a bit more complicated over the next couple of years with the roll-out of the new Army Combat Fitness Test. On Friday, the Center for Initial Military Training launched an official site with descriptions, training tips and video demonstrations to help soldiers prepare for the shift, which could come as early as Oct. 1, 2019. The sites walks users through an implementation timeline, then lays out all six events. ... The Army is in the midst of a pilot with 63 battalions to determine scoring standards or any tweaks needed to make the test more feasible.

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Cold Weather Injury Report

During 2014-2017, the occurrence of cold weather injuries (CWI) among Army Active Duty Service Members (SMs) was varied, but an overall decreasing trend was noted; total injuries decreased from 2014 to 2015 by 30%, then increased slightly from 2015 to 2016 by 5%, before decreasing again by 22% in 2017.

A reverse in trend was noted when examining CWI-related hospitalizations; total hospitalizations increased from 2014 to 2015 by 73%, decreased by 58% from 2015 to 2016, and slightly increased again by 12.5% from 2016 to 2017.

Leaders can choose to implement the program Army-wide as soon as October of next year, but as late as October 2020. Army Times top of page...

More veterans are becoming obese. Are stressful military transitions to blame?

4 December - The number of disabled veterans is rising. And so, too, is their weight. A new study, based on a survey of more than 33,000 post-9/11 service members and veterans, found that 51.7 percent of wounded warriors have a body mass index that qualifies them as obese -- up from 48.6 percent two years ago. Of those, 6.2 percent are morbidly obese. Even more grim? The percentage of vets who are overweight in 2018 is nearly seven times greater than the percentage of those who are not, according to the study released today by Wounded Warrior Project and the nonprofit's research partner, Westat. Military Times top of page...

Rising suicide rates among younger veterans trigger alarm bells at VA

4 December - Suicide rates among veterans 34 and younger have spiked in the last two years, leading the Department of Veterans Affairs to focus more on the 18-to-34-year-old age group than civilian programs for suicide prevention do, a top VA official said Tuesday. The number of suicides by veterans of all generations averages 22 each day. ... [Dr. Keita Franklin, the VA's national director of suicide prevention said,] "... The 18-to-34-year-old rate has increased by 10 percent over the last two years -- five percent each year over the last two years." ... Franklin, who previously served as the Pentagon's Defense Suicide Prevention Office director, also noted that her civilian counterparts in suicide prevention are not facing the same rates of female suicides. "The fact that the female [veteran] rate is 1.8 times higher than their non-veteran counterpart is something we're concerned about." top of page...

The U.S. Army is cracking down on potential recruits who can't pass the fitness test

4 December - ... The military recently announced a new microsite aimed to help potential recruits master the latest reiteration of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). There, they can access training information, video tutorials, and proper safety technique tips for the rigorous physical test meant to weed out less-combat-ready candidates. ... All exercises, as the site points out, strengthen an area necessary for the battlefield. ... [T]his more challenging and strenuous ACFT will go into effect in October 2020. ... The Army decided to overhaul its test following reports of recruits' low fitness aptitude, which poses a threat to military readiness and, therefore, national security. A research study released by the Citadel in collaboration with the U.S. Army Public Health Center and the American Heart Association found that 27% of American 17- to 24-years olds were too overweight to qualify for military

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service. Obesity was the second highest disqualifying medical condition. Fast Company top of page...

MEDCOM Policy 18-067

On 01 NOV 2018, the Chief of Staff signed MEDCOM Policy 18-067, "Requirements for Water Potability during Commercial Food Plant Veterinary Sanitation Audits" (posted on AKO ? access restricted.) This policy corrects problems with the 2008 issue of MIL STD 3006C, which issued ambiguous and unenforceable requirements for water potability during Commercial Sanitary Audits conducted under the authority of AR 40-657. This policy affects approximately 2500 commercial suppliers of food worldwide, and constitutes a significant change in Veterinary policy, putting more control in the hands of the Veterinary auditor and leveraging increased scientific understanding of water testing and laboratory methods. This policy further aligns Veterinary audits to be able to address public water distribution infrastructure shortfalls.

GLOBAL

A prosthetic arm that decodes phantom limb movements

29 November ? About 75% of amputees exhibit mobility of their phantom limb. Using this information, in collaboration with physicians, researchers ... have developed a prototype capable of detecting these movements and activating a prosthetic arm. The prosthesis does not require any surgery and patients do not need training. ... In the tests, two transhumeral amputees used this type of control to act with a prosthesis not worn but placed near their arm stump. The results were very encouraging. They showed that the participants could control the prosthesis and achieve the task after only a few minutes of familiarization with the system. ScienceDaily top of page...

ABCD study completes enrollment, announces opportunities for scientific engagement

3 December ? The National Institutes of Health announced today that enrollment for the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study is now complete and, in early 2019, scientists will have access to baseline data from all ABCD Study participants. There are 11,874 youth, ages 9-10, participating in the study, including 2,100 young people who are twins or triplets. All will be followed through young adulthood. The ABCD Study is a landmark study on brain development and child health that will increase understanding of environmental, social, genetic, and other biological factors that affect brain and cognitive development and can enhance or disrupt a young person's life trajectory. ... The studybeing conducted at 21 research sites around the country-will use advanced neuroimaging to observe brain development in children throughout adolescence, while tracking social, behavioral, physical and environmental factors that may affect brain development and other health outcomes. NIH top of page...

Amid spike in measles cases, health officials warn of `losing decades of progress'

30 November ? ... From 2000 to 2017 ... the annual number of measles-related deaths dropped 80 percent -- from a toll of over half a million to just under 110,000 last year. But ... [t]he report found that cases of the highly contagious disease spiked by more than 30 percent from 2016 to 2017. The WHO and CDC say there were 173,330 officially reported cases worldwide last year alone -- though they believe that those numbers represent just a fraction of the actual number. ... Regions that do not have a high rate of vaccine coverage,

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