Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Studies Link Red Meat Allergy To Two More Types Of Tick
Two Emerging Infectious Diseases studies link bites from black-legged (deer) and western black-legged ticks to potentially life-threatening alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), or red meat allergy. In the United States, AGS is usually associated with bites from the lone star tick. (Van Beusekom, 3/20)
Electronic reminders to encourage older adults in Denmark to get vaccinated against flu may have unintentionally lowered uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine slightly, but not enough to hamper clinical outcomes, according to a research letter published in JAMA Network Open. (Van Beusekom, 3/20)
Do you ever wonder what it was like to be a baby? But no matter how hard you try, you can’t remember any of the details? It’s not that you don’t have memories from infancy — it’s that you simply can’t access them later in life, new research shows. (Bragg, 3/20)
On dementia, Alzheimer's, and Down syndrome —
Increased daytime sleepiness could raise the risk of dementia among women in their eighties, neurologists have warned. A study found that female octogenarians who experience increased daytime sleepiness over a five-year period may have double the risk of developing dementia. (Patrick, 3/20)
As more people with Down syndrome age into their 40s, 50s and 60s, the vast majority will develop Alzheimer’s disease. Their risk of them getting it increases with each decade after 40 years of age, and their overall lifetime risk is more than 90%, according to the National Down Syndrome Society. (Byrnes, 3/20)
