8 February 2013

Army Public Health Weekly Update

The Army Public Health Update is a collection of articles taken verbatim

from public sources to offer awareness of current health issues and the

media coverage given to them. The articles do not necessarily represent

US Army Medical Department opinions, views, policy, or guidance, and

should not be construed or interpreted as being

endorsed by the US Army Medical Department.

U.S. Army Public Health Command

U.S. Military | Global | Influenza | Veterinary/Food Safety | Wellness | Contact Us

USAFRICOM | USCENTCOM | USEUCOM | USNORTHCOM | USPACOM | USSOUTHCOM

Subscription or 

Comments

If you wish to be added to 

the APH Weekly Update 

mailing list, removed from 

the mailing list, or if you 

have comments or 

questions about the 

update, please contact us. 

We welcome your 

comments. Please feel free 

to share this update with 

others who may be 

interested.

Follow us!

Facebook

Twitter

 YouTube

Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.

Contents

U.S. MILITARY

 325 Army suicides in 2012 a record

 Confirmed malaria cases among active component U.S. Army personnel, January-September 

2012

 GAO: DOD needs policy to ensure confidentiality for sex assault victims

 Study seeks biomarkers for invisible war scars

 U.S. Army to build soldier "resilience" to fight suicides, violence

GLOBAL

 Got a superbug? Bring in the robots

 Improving mapping of infectious disease

 Ministers urge religious chiefs to oppose genital mutilation

 Pneumonia strain has spread

 Researchers discover key to cancer's spread

 WHO: One-third of all cancer deaths are preventable

INFLUENZA

 Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: DoD Influenza Surveillance Summary

 CDC: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report

 DoD Global Laboratory-Based Influenza Surveillance Program

 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview

 Flu patients can emit virus up to 6 feet away, study finds

 Google.org: Flu Trends

 Naval Health Research Center: Febrile Respiratory Illness Surveillance Update

 USAPHC: U.S. Army Influenza Activity Report

 PANDEMIC AND AVIAN INFLUENZA

 Cambodia: Avian influenza – situation in Cambodia – update

 CDC: Pandemic vaccine prevented 1 million cases, 300 deaths

VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY

 Ireland: Horse DNA found in burgers at second major Irish plant
International Day of 

Zero Tolerance to 

Female Genital 

Mutilation

The International Day of 

Zero Tolerance to Female 

Genital Mutilation is 

observed each year to raise 

awareness about this 

practice. 

Female genital mutilation 

of any type has been 

recognized as a harmful 

practice and violation of 

the human rights of girls 

and women. 

WHO is committed to the 

elimination of female 

genital mutilation within a 

generation and is focusing 

on advocacy, research and 

guidance for health 

professionals and health 

systems.

 Sales of antimicrobials for animals edged higher in 2011

 U.S.: As moose disappear, Minnesota cancels hunting season

WELLNESS

 Adults with mental illness smoke at higher rate, CDC

 Aging poorly: Another act of baby boomer rebellion

 Chain restaurants boost sales with lower-calorie foods

 Eat to dream: Study shows dietary nutrients associated with certain sleep patterns

 Sharp drop in drink deaths follows alcohol price rise

 Sperm counts lower with more TV time

USAFRICOM

 Nigeria moves to clean up lead pollution from gold mines

 Somalia: With increased security, healthcare improves in Somalia

 South Sudan: Hepatitis E outbreak escalating in refugee camps

 Uganda: Ugandan authorities concerned as HIV self-test kits hit the market

USCENTCOM

 Iraq looks to rebuild health care

 Pakistan: Another six children fall to measles, toll rises to 502

USEUCOM

 Measles transmission in Europe remains low, rubella is on the rise

 United Kingdom: Health service, pride of Britain, ravaged by hospital scandal

 Russia eyes crackdown on duty-free booze after brawls on flights

USNORTHCOM

 Canada: In Ontario, abuse of 'hillbilly heroin' being replaced by real thing

 U.S.: African-Americans still more likely to die from cancer

 U.S.: Climate change threatens public health, safety, economy along U.S. coasts

 U.S.: Experts debate CDC guidance in fungal meningitis outbreak

 U.S., Pennsylvania: Fracking wastewater can be highly radioactive

USPACOM

 India enacts tough new rape laws

 India, Jodhpur: Highly vulnerable to swine flu

 Japan Rubella outbreak spreading quickly

 Solomon Islands earthquake triggers tsunami

USSOUTHCOM

 Cuba - Investing in biotechnology to battle cancer

 Guatemala: Traditional herb water linked to smaller babies
COCA Call/Webinar

Emergency 

Preparedness: 

Understanding 

Physicians’ Concerns 

and Readiness to 

Respond

Date: February 12, 2:00 –

3:00 PM (EDT)

Call Number: 

888-233-9077

Passcode: 5070816

Join By Webinar

More information

Classified Version of 

the Weekly Update

An Army Public Health

Weekly Update is available 

with articles classified up to 

the SECRET level from the 

USAPHC SIPRNet site: 

http://phc.army.smil.mil

Look under Hot Topics & 

Current Issues.

To access this version, you 

will need a SECRET

clearance and a SIPRNet 

account.

U.S. MILITARY

325 Army suicides in 2012 a record

2 February - The U.S. Army reported Thursday that there 

were 325 confirmed or potential suicides last year among 

active and nonactive military personnel. "Our highest on 

record," said Lt. Gen. Howard Bromberg, deputy chief of 

staff, manpower and personnel for the Army. The grim 

total exceeds the number of total U.S. Army deaths (219) and total military deaths (313) in 

Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, according to figures published by the 

military's Defense Casualty Analysis System. For all of last year, 182 potential active-duty 

suicides were reported, 130 of which have been confirmed and 52 of which remain under 

investigation, it said. And 143 potential not-on-active-duty suicides were reported (96 Army 

National Guard and 47 Army Reserve), 117 of which have been confirmed and 26 remain 

under investigation. CNN

Confirmed malaria cases among active component U.S. 

Army personnel, January-September 2012

Of 26 cases of malaria reported among active component U.S. Army personnel during 

January through September 2012, 16 were laboratory-confirmed according to electronic 

medical records. Medical records and responses on postdeployment health assessment 

questionnaires were used to assess demographic and clinical characteristics, adherence to 

malaria prevention measures, and compliance with prescriptions for chemoprophylaxis. All 

but two cases were confirmed by peripheral blood smears. Twelve cases were caused by 

Plasmodium vivax, one by P. falciparum, and three unspecified diagnoses were deemed

likely to be due to P. vivax. Fourteen cases were associated with deployment to Afghanistan. 

Adherence to Army malaria prevention measures during deployment and compliance with 

post-deployment primaquine chemprophylaxis were poor. Prescribed doses of primaquine 

oft en varied from current clinical or Department of Defense policy guidelines. Medical 

Surveillance Monthly Report

GAO: DOD needs policy to ensure confidentiality for sex 

assault victims 

4 February - Military medical providers may not understand their duties to maintain the 

confidentiality of sexual-assault victims because of outdated command policies that conflict 

with or fail to mention how to deal with “restricted” reports, according to a Government 

Accountability Office report. Service members and dependents who are sexually assaulted 

have the option of making a restricted report and, confidentially, getting physical and 

mental health care without triggering an intrusive investigation by law enforcement or the 

chain of command. However, the GAO “found that military health care providers do not 

have a consistent understanding of their responsibilities in caring for sexual assault 
Links

A-Z Index 

About USAPHC

Army Public Health and 

Health Information 

Weekly Update Archives

Medical Surveillance 

Monthly Report 

Medical Threat Briefings

(AKO)

Request USAPHC Services 

USAPHC Library

USAPHC Homepage 

USAPHC Training 

Contact USAPHC

victims.”... “These inconsistencies can put DOD’s restricted reporting option at risk, 

undermine DOD’s efforts to address sexual assault issues, and erode service members’ 

confidence,” the report said. “As a consequence, sexual assault victims who want to keep 

their case confidential may be reluctant to seek medical care.” Stars and Stripes

Study seeks biomarkers for invisible war scars

6 February - ... Though PTSD is hardly new, diagnoses still largely rely on self-reported 

symptoms. And while severe brain injuries are often clearly diagnosable, finding evidence of 

mild T.B.I.’s, particularly older ones, can be all but impossible. It means that for a soldier 

who, five years after duty in Iraq, still feels “not right,” with symptoms from headaches to 

sleeping problems to irritability, doctors can only guess at the cause. Maybe PTSD. Maybe 

T.B.I. Maybe both. Now, in one of the largest studies of its kind, a team of researchers based 

out of New York University’s medical school have begun a five-year study to find biological 

signals, known as biomarkers, that could provide reliable, objective evidence of those socalled invisible injuries of war. “We want to elevate mental health to standard physical 

health,” said Dr. Charles R. Marmar, chairman of the psychiatry department at NYU Langone 

Medical Center, and the lead investigator on the project. New York Times

U.S. Army to build soldier "resilience" to fight suicides, 

violence

4 February - The U.S. Army, grappling with a spike in military suicides, plans to take steps to 

improve soldiers' resilience to mental health problems to combat such deaths as well as 

depression, substance abuse, and violent behavior, Army Secretary John McHugh said on 

Monday. McHugh ordered Army officials to lay out detailed plans by February 15 to boost 

soldiers' "physical, emotional and psychological resilience," but did not reveal program 

specifics, such as estimated costs or goals. "Interventions are not coming as soon as I would 

like to see them," McHugh told a news conference at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 

Washington state. "Taking care of soldiers is one of our top priorities. It is not just a 

necessity but a moral imperative." Reuters

top of page...

GLOBAL

Got a superbug? Bring in the robots

3 February - Drug-resistant bacteria are a growing problem at hospitals across the country. 

The bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and Clostridium difficile, are difficult to prevent and 

impossible to treat... At Johns Hopkins, doctors have turned to a new technology to prevent 

the so-called superbugs: robots. The machines spray toxic doses of hydrogen peroxide into 

sealed hospital rooms, killing any bacteria. Before the robots can be switched on, the rooms 

are made ready by... closing off air vents and opening up drawers. "We want to get the 

hydrogen peroxide on all the surfaces," he said. The last step in the process is to tape the 

door to the room shut to keep the toxic hydrogen peroxide mist from getting out. For 30 
minutes, the robots spray a colorless, odorless vapor. If a person walked in, he wouldn't be 

able to breathe or open his eyes. When the robots are done infecting, the room looks the 

same, but is clean and safe for patients. Since Johns Hopkins started using the machines, it 

has seen the number of untreatable infections fall by a stunning 64 percent. NPR

Improving mapping of infectious disease

5 February – Since the mid-nineteenth century, maps have helped elucidate the deadly 

mysteries of diseases like cholera and yellow fever. Yet today’s global mapping of infectious 

diseases is considerably unreliable and may do little to inform the control of potential 

outbreaks, according to a new systematic mapping review of all clinically important 

infectious diseases known to humans. The study recommends new tools to improve global 

mapping of infectious disease. Homeland Security Newswire

Ministers urge religious chiefs to oppose genital 

mutilation

4 February - Religious leaders must convince women carrying out female genital mutilation 

that it is not required by scripture and it can cause infection, infertility or even death in 

young girls, African ministers said on Monday. The practice is prevalent in 28 African 

countries and parts of the Middle East and Asia, notably Yemen, Iraqi Kurdistan and 

Indonesia. There are several types including partial or total removal of the genitalia and 

narrowing of the vaginal opening. It is usually arranged by other women in the family for 

girls between infancy and 15, and performed by traditional cutters who use anything from 

razor blades to scissors or tin can lids. The United Nations passed a resolution in December 

urging countries to ban the practice that an estimated 100 to 140 million girls worldwide 

have been subjected to, putting them at risk of serious physical and psychological 

problems. Reuters

Pneumonia strain has spread

4 February - Infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae is a serious danger to older hospitalized 

patients, with an estimated mortality rate as high as 40 percent. It has generally been 

treated with broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotics. Another class of antibiotics, 

carbapenems, is used as an antibiotic of last resort for the most persistent infections. But 

now carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella strains, or CRKP, are appearing across the nation, even 

outside of health care facilities. A study in the March issue of Infection Control and Hospital 

Epidemiology reports that the proportion of Klebsiella cases resistant to cephalosporins 

increased to 11.6 percent in 2010 from 5.3 percent in 1999. The proportion resistant to 

carbapenems increased to 4.5 percent in 2010 from less than 0.1 percent in 2002. New York 

Times

Researchers discover key to cancer's spread 

31 January - If cancer cells did not metastasize, says Georgia State University's Dr. Zhi-Ren 

Liu, many tumors would not be deadly. “Usually in many cases, it does not interfere with 

normal function," says the Atlanta-based biology professor. "But if you have metastasis, it 
interferes with multi-organ function and that kills a patient.” Liu and co-researcher Jenny 

Yang, a Georgia State biochemist, have discovered they can stop cancers from spreading by 

disrupting the interaction of two proteins within cells. Proteins, which act as switches to 

activate or stop cellular activities — including migration, or metastasis, around the body —

are necessary for healing and immune response. But when cancer cells metastasize, the 

disease can become deadly. VOA

WHO: One-third of all cancer deaths are preventable 

4 February - The World Health Organization reports one-third of all cancer deaths are 

preventable. But, a global survey prepared for World Cancer Day, Monday, finds more than 

half of all countries do not have a comprehensive cancer plan that could save lives. Cancer is 

a leading cause of death worldwide. The World Health Organization reports 7.6 million 

people died from cancer in 2008 and almost 13 million new cases of the disease are 

diagnosed every year. WHO says more than two-thirds of these new cases and deaths occur 

in developing countries and are continuing to increase at an alarming rate. The medical 

officer in WHO’s Department for Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion, Andreas Ullrich, 

says the future outlook is grim. VOA

top of page...

INFLUENZA

Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: DoD Influenza 

Surveillance Summary

 In Week 4 (through 26 January 2013), Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Pneumonia & 

Influenza (P&I) incidence rates decreased for the majority of US and PACOM 

populations. The proportions of all outpatient visits due to ILI and P&I continued to 

increase this week, except for P&I visits among US Other Beneficiaries (dependents) and 

PACOM populations.

 Across the overseas DoD laboratory surveillance network, influenza activity is at 

moderate levels except in East Africa, where influenza activity remains low; sites 

reported variable co-circulation of influenza A/H1, A/H3, and B. 

 The influenza vaccination coverage for the DoD (Active Duty component only) is 96%. 

AFHSC DoD Influenza Surveillance Summary

CDC: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report

During week 4 (January 20-26), influenza activity remained elevated in the United States, but 

decreased in some areas. 

 Viral Surveillance: Of 10,581 specimens tested and reported by collaborating 

laboratories, 2,701 (25.5%) were positive for influenza. 

 Pneumonia and Influenza Mortality: The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia 

and influenza (P&I) was above the epidemic threshold. 
 Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths: Eight pediatric deaths were reported. 

 Geographic Spread of Influenza: Forty-two states reported widespread geographic 

influenza activity; 7 states reported regional activity. FluView

DoD Global Laboratory-Based Influenza Surveillance 

Program

 During Week 4, 125 specimens were tested from 32 locations. There were 43 influenza 

A viruses (33 influenza A(H3N2) and 10 A(H1N1)pdm09) and 12 influenza B viruses 

detected. 

 To date, 2,064 specimens have been tested from 70 locations of which 687 were 

positive for influenza A (635 A(H3N2), 47 A(H1N1)pdm09, two co-infections of A(H3N2) 

& B, one co-infection of A(H3N2) and Parainfluenza, and two A/not subtyped); and 117 

were positive for influenza B (14 B/Yamagata, two B/Victoria, and 101 B/lineage 

undetermined). 

 There have been 133 other respiratory viruses isolated (51 Parainfluenza, 37 Adenovirus, 

36 RSV, and nine Enterovirus). USAF School of Aerospace Medicine

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control:

Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview

 In week 4/2013, (21–27 January 2013), approximately two-thirds of the 29 countries 

reporting indicated medium-intensity transmission, wide geographic spread and 

increasing trends in a range of combinations, as reported for week 3/2013. 

 The proportion of influenza-positive sentinel specimens was high (52%), representing 

an increase on week 3/2013 (45%). 

 Among influenza A viruses, an increasing proportion of A(H1)pdm09 over A(H3) has 

been reported during the past two weeks. 

 71 hospitalised laboratory-confirmed influenza cases were reported by five countries, 

36 (51%) tested positive for influenza A viruses and 35 (49%) for type B viruses. 

Influenza activity continued to rise in week 4/2013 across Europe, although the epidemic 

may have passed its peak in some north-western countries such as Norway and the UK.

Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview

Flu patients can emit virus up to 6 feet away, study finds 

1 February - Even when flu patients aren't sneezing, they can 

still spread the virus as far as six feet away, according to a new 

study from the Wake Forest School of Medicine. The study also 

showed that some people, who researchers called "superemitters," emit more of the virus than others. The findings are 

hugely important for people working in the health and medical fields who have regular 

contact with flu-infected people -- and how they protect themselves from becoming 
infected... Researchers took air samples around the flu patients, and found flu virus present 

in the area up to six feet away from the patients' heads. Right now, health workers who care 

for flu patients wear masks to protect themselves when the patients engage in "aerosolgenerating procedures," such as CPR, intubation and bronchoscopy. But in this new study, 

researchers found that these health workers may want to wear a mask even when the 

patient isn't engaging in these aerosol-generating procedures. Huffington Post

Google.org: Flu Trends

6 February – Estimates of flu activity based on certain Internet search queries indicate that 

the level of flu activity in the northern hemisphere ranges from low in Bulgaria to intense in 

the France, Sweden, and japan and in the southern hemisphere ranges from minimal to low.

Google.org Flu Trends

Naval Health Research Center: Febrile Respiratory 

Illness Surveillance Update 

For the week ending 2 February 2013:

 Influenza: Among basic trainees, 14 new cases of A/H3 influenza were confirmed at the 

NHRC laboratory this week.

 Adenovirus: Type 14 adenovirus cases continue at MCRD Parris Island, though FRI rates 

remain low

 FRI surveillance at all eight U.S. military basic training centers indicated FRI rates were at 

or below expected values. NHRC Febrile Respiratory Illness Surveillance Update 

USAPHC: U.S. Army Influenza Activity Report

For the week ending 26 January 2013 (Week 4):

 Influenza-like illness activity remained elevated in most of the country. Key indicators

reflecting severity, such as hospitalizations and deaths, also remain elevated. 

Dependents were the most severely affected.

 ILI Activity: Army incident ILI outpatient visits in week 4 were 37% lower than the same 

week last year.

 Influenza cases: 8 hospitalized influenza cases were reported to USAPHC in week 4. 59 

hospitalized cases have been reported during this influenza season, 52 in dependents 

and 7 in Active Duty Service Members.

 Acute Respiratory Disease at BCT sites: While ARD rates remain low at all Army BCT sites 

after the initiation of the adenovirus vaccine in 2011, decreasing activity was noted at all 

sites.

 Viral specimens: During week 4, 458 of 1791 (26%) laboratory specimens tested were 

positive for respiratory pathogens. Influenza A accounted for 56% of positive 

specimens. Most of the influenza positive specimens were from SRMC (32%); 26% were 

from WRMC, and 22% from NRMC. USAPHC U.S. Army Influenza Activity Report
PANDEMIC AND AVIAN INFLUENZA

Cambodia: Avian influenza – situation in Cambodia –

update

1 February – The Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Kingdom of Cambodia reported five new 

human cases of avian influenza that were confirmed positive for the H5N1 virus in January 

2013... Four of the cases died, with 1 case, the 8 month old male, recovering after only 

experiencing mild ILI. Laboratory samples were tested by the National Institute of Public 

Health's laboratory and by the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge. Preliminary evidence does not 

support human-to-human transmission and four of the cases are known to have had close 

contact with sick/dead poultry. World Health Organization

CDC: Pandemic vaccine prevented 1 million cases, 300 

deaths

1 February - The influenza vaccine that was developed to fight the 2009 pandemic saved 

roughly 300 lives and prevented about 1 million illnesses and 6,000 hospitalizations, or 

under 3% of the estimated total burden in each category, according to new estimates from 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those benefits would have been 

substantially higher if the vaccination program had begun a week or two earlier, the authors 

calculated. Because of difficulties growing the vaccine virus in eggs, the vaccine supply 

didn't flow freely until after the pandemic peaked in the fall of 2009. CIDRAP

top of page...

VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY

Ireland: Horse DNA found in burgers at second major 

Irish plant

4 February - Burgers containing horse DNA have been discovered at a second major plant in 

Ireland, the country's agriculture department said on Monday, again pointing the finger at 

Poland as the country of origin for the raw materials... Results of tests on a Polish meat 

ingredient at Ireland's Rangeland Foods, a supplier of frozen burgers to restaurants, caterers 

and pubs including local fast food chain Supermac's, contained 75 percent horse DNA, the 

agriculture department said in a statement. Reuters

Sales of antimicrobials for animals edged higher in 2011

6 February - Total US sales of antimicrobials intended for use in animals increased about 

2.3% in 2011, according to data in an annual report released by the US Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA) yesterday. The total for the year came to about 29.9 million pounds 
(13.5 million kilograms), compared with 29.2 million pounds in 2010... To help the FDA track 

resistance to antimicrobials used in both humans and animals, the animal Drug User Fee 

Amendments of 2008 require drug companies to report to the agency the amounts of 

antimicrobials they sell each year for use in animals. CIDRAP

U.S.: As moose disappear, Minnesota cancels hunting 

season

6 February - Moose are missing — and the state of 

Minnesota doesn't want hunters to find them.

Minnesota officials banned moose hunting 

indefinitely on Wednesday because of a dramatic 

drop in the animal's numbers. The number of 

moose in the Gopher State has fallen by 52 percent since 2010, for reasons no one can 

figure out, although the Department of Natural Resources said hunting had nothing to do 

with it. It cited a variety of possible explanations, including a tick-borne disease and 

Minnesota's recent unusually hot summers, which moose don't handle well. "The state's 

moose population has been in decline for years, but never at the precipitous rate 

documented this winter," said Tom Landwehr, Minnesota's natural resources commissioner. 

NBC News

top of page...

WELLNESS

Adults with mental illness smoke at higher rate, CDC

5 February - Mentally ill adults in the United States smoke cigarettes at a 70 percent higher 

rate than adults without any kind of mental illness, according to a report released by federal 

health agencies on Tuesday. Statistics show smoking by the mentally ill is a "very serious 

health issue that needs more attention" and should prompt mental health facilities to ban 

the habit, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention. "We need to do more to help smokers with mental illness quit," Frieden told 

reporters during a telephone briefing. Reuters

Aging poorly: Another act of baby boomer rebellion

4 February – [Dana E. King and his colleagues] mined data from 

the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a big 

federal survey, to compare baby boomers — those who are now in 

their late 40s to 60s — with people from two decades ago who 

were in that age bracket... Baby boomers are healthier in some 

important ways. They are much less likely to smoke, have emphysema or get heart attacks. 

But in lots of other ways, the picture's not so great. "The proportion of people with diabetes, 
high blood pressure and obesity [is] increasing. And perhaps even more disturbing, the 

proportion of people who are disabled increased substantially," King says. Double the 

percentage of baby boomers, as compared with the previous generation, need a cane or a 

walker to get around. And even more have problems so bad that they can't work. NPR

Chain restaurants boost sales with lower-calorie foods

7 February - Lower-calorie foods are driving growth and profits for chain restaurants, 

according to fresh research, suggesting that people are making smarter choices when it 

comes to burgers and fries. We're still ordering the burger and fries, mind you. But we're 

going for smaller portions and shunning sugary drinks. French fry sales dropped about 2 

percent from 2006 to 2011, while sales of lower-calorie beverages rose 10 percent, the 

study found. That should make for happy restaurant chains, which have argued that 

Americans really don't want salads and other healthy offerings pushed by public health 

officials... Restaurants that offered more lower-calorie services saw a 9 percent increase in 

food and beverage sales from 2006 to 2011, while restaurants that didn't saw sales drop by 

16 percent. The researchers defined lower calorie as a main item with fewer than 500 

calories, a side dish with fewer than 150 calories, and a beverage below 50 calories for an 

eight-ounce serving. NPR

Eat to dream: Study shows dietary nutrients associated 

with certain sleep patterns

7 February - ...With the increasing prevalence of obesity and its consequences, sleep 

researchers have begun to explore the factors that predispose individuals to weight gain 

and ultimately obesity. Now, a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the 

University of Pennsylvania shows for the first time that certain nutrients may play an 

underlying role in short and long sleep duration and that people who report eating a large 

variety of foods – an indicator of an overall healthy diet – had the healthiest sleep patterns. 

Medical Express

Sharp drop in drink deaths follows alcohol price rise

6 February - Increasing the minimum price of alcohol by 10 percent can lead to immediate 

and significant drops in drink-related deaths and may also have long-term beneficial health 

effects, according to a study published on Thursday. Canadian researchers found that 

deaths caused by alcohol between 2002 and 2009 in the western province of British 

Columbia dropped when the minimum alcohol price was increased, while alcohol-related 

deaths rose when more private alcohol stores were opened. Reuters

Sperm counts lower with more TV time

5 February - Men who watch television for 20 hours per week have almost half the sperm 

count of those who watch very little television or none at all, a new study has found. US 

researchers recruited 189 young men aged between 18 to 22, questioned them about their 

exercise, diet and TV habits and asked them to provide a sperm sample. Men in the top 

quarter of TV-watchers — those who watched for 20 hours or more — had a 44-per cent 
lower sperm count than those who watched least, meaning they said they watched "none or 

almost none." Another big factor was exercise, according to the study, published online in 

the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Men who exercised for 15 or more hours weekly at a 

"moderate to vigorous" rate had a 73-per cent higher sperm count than those who 

exercised less than five hours per week. CBC News

top of page...

USAFRICOM

Nigeria moves to clean up lead pollution from gold mines

6 February - Finally, the Nigerian government is fulfilling its promise to help thousands of 

kids, who have been exposed to toxic levels of lead. After months of delay and red tape, the 

government has released $4 million to clean up lead in soil near illegal gold mines in 

northern Nigeria... For nearly a year now, [Ivan Gayton, who directs Doctors Without Borders 

in Nigeria] and his medical team have wanted to treat roughly 1,500 children in the town of 

Bagega for lead poisoning. But the doctors didn't have a safe place to set up clinics. Gayton 

also says it would have been useless to try to clear lead out of kids' systems only to send 

them back to a contaminated village. The release of the funds will allow soil remediation to 

begin around Bagega, and then kids will have a safe place to return to after treatment. 

Gayton says the contamination levels at Bagega are particularly high. "It may be one of the 

worst lead contamination sites in the world," he tells Shots. Lead poisoning in northern 

Nigeria has already killed more than 400 children and sickened thousands more. NPR

Somalia: With increased security, healthcare improves in 

Somalia

5 February – With security improved following the retreat of Al-Shabab insurgents from 

urban areas of south and central Somalia, aid agencies have increased health services and 

expanded emergency healthcare, reaching previously inaccessible areas. “Somalia has 

experienced a relatively increased humanitarian space, and this has helped aid agencies to 

increasingly [provide] health services to the population who were earlier inaccessible,” Omar 

Saleh, UN World Health Organization (WHO) emergency coordinator for Somalia, told IRIN. 

Epidemiological surveillance, too, has increased. “This has helped in detecting and dealing 

with possible disease outbreaks and putting adequate measures to control any outbreaks 

that might occur,” he added. IRIN

South Sudan: Hepatitis E outbreak escalating in refugee 

camps

6 February - An epidemic of hepatitis E is escalating across refugee camps in Maban County, 

South Sudan. So far, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has treated 3,991 patients in its health 

facilities in the camps and has recorded 88 deaths, including 15 pregnant women. Hepatitis 
E is a virus that causes liver disease. It can lead to acute liver failure and death, and is 

particularly dangerous for pregnant women. Its symptoms are treatable, but there is no 

cure. Medecin Sans Frontieres

Uganda: Ugandan authorities concerned as HIV self-test 

kits hit the market

6 February – The sale of HIV test kits to the public by private chemists in Uganda is causing 

concern among health officials, who feel that HIV testing should remain in the hands of 

professionals and be accompanied by counselling. A number of pharmacies in the capital, 

Kampala, are stocking HIV test kits imported from China, India and several European 

countries; they retail for as little as 3,000 Uganda shillings (US$1.12). ...However, while the 

Ugandan government is keen to have more people to know their HIV status – just 45 

percent of men and 66 percent of women have ever been tested and received results, 

according to the latest AIDS Indicator Survey – senior health officials say they have not 

approved the private sale of self-test kits and would prefer the public to continue to use the 

health provider- or client-initiated HIV counselling and testing model recommended by the 

country's national HIV strategy. IRIN PlusNews

top of page...

USCENTCOM

Iraq looks to rebuild health care

1 February - After years of economic sanctions and wars, the Iraqi healthcare infrastructure 

is tottering, but that also makes the sector ripe for investment. In the first three days of the 

38th Arab Health exhibition in Dubai, a delegation from the Iraqi ministry of health met 

more than 100 companies, including ones based in the United States, the United Kingdom, 

Germany, China and India, who have shown interest in doing business in Iraq, said the 

ministry spokesman Nazar Al Helaly... The US Agency for International Development is 

building 360 primary healthcare centres in 18 provinces as part of a $74m project. National

Pakistan: Another six children fall to measles, toll rises to 

502

6 February – The deadly measles outbreak has left at least six more children dead, mounting 

the death toll to 502 across the country with 463 casualties in Sindh only. According to 

reports from Sindh, two children died in Sukkur and three more in Kandhkot, while another 

died in an adjoining area. In Punjab, 19 children have died of measles since the outbreak 

gripped the province. Fifteen children died in Balochistan, and five died in the Federally 

Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Pakistan Today

top of page...
USEUCOM

Measles transmission in Europe remains low, rubella is 

on the rise

4 February - The latest ECDC report on measles and rubella shows that 8 326 cases of 

measles were reported by 29 EU and EEA countries from January to November 2012. France, 

Italy, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom accounted for 87% of all reported cases and 

there were measles-related deaths during this timeframe. However, seven cases were 

complicated by acute measles encephalitis. Although the number of reported cases was 

substantially lower in 2012 compared with the same period in 2011, measles transmission 

has continued at European level. 

28 536 cases of rubella were reported during the period December 2011 to November 2012 

by the 26 EU and EEA reporting countries. Poland and Romania accounted for 99% of all 

reported rubella cases in the 12-month period. Reported cases in 2012 are higher than for 

the same period in 2011 and the highest notification rate was among adolescents between 

15 and 19 year of age. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

United Kingdom: Health service, pride of Britain, 

ravaged by hospital scandal

6 February - The deaths of hundreds of hospital patients, left without food or water in filthy 

conditions, exposed an urgent need to change the culture of Britain's National Health 

Service (NHS), a report said on Wednesday. Between 400 and 1,200 patients are estimated 

to have died needlessly at Stafford Hospital in central England between January 2005 and 

March 2009 in one of the worst scandals to hit the NHS since it was founded in 1948. "There 

were patients so desperate for water that they were drinking from dirty flower vases," Prime 

Minister David Cameron told parliament in a statement on the report. Describing events at 

Stafford Hospital as "a despicable catalogue of clinical and managerial failures", Cameron 

apologized to all the families affected on behalf of the government and the country. Reuters

Russia eyes crackdown on duty-free booze after brawls 

on flights

4 February - Russia may soon crack down to stop boozy flights after a spate of brawls 

involving drunken passengers. State television on Monday broadcast amateur footage of 

several drink-soaked punch-ups after a plane made a forced landing in Uzbekistan on the 

way to Thailand on Sunday because a Russian had attacked other passengers. The footage 

included shots of a man butting a steward during one flight and a fight among passengers 

queuing for the toilet during another. In a third incident, a man was tied to his seat and his 

mouth taped shut after passengers got fed up with him. A senior member of the State 

Duma, the lower house of parliament, said the assembly could soon draw up legislation to 

ban duty-free liquor and cigarettes being brought on board planes, even in sealed bags.

Reuters

top of page...
USNORTHCOM

Canada: In Ontario, abuse of 'hillbilly heroin' being 

replaced by real thing 

6 February - It was last March when the [Ontario] provincial government removed 

OxyContin, a prescription drug that had been the subject of reports of widespread abuse, 

from its drug benefit program... As hoped, delisting successfully limited access to the drug, 

often referred to as "Oxy" or "hillbilly heroin." Oxy prices shot up to as much as $20 a pill as 

supplies in the province dwindled. But police and social workers have expected something 

would come and fill the void among the province's drug users. And now it looks like the 

substitute for "hillbilly heroin" is the real thing...[Dr. Clement Sun] says that on average, in 

the last six months, his clinics are seeing one new case a week. Before that he might see a 

new patient seeking treatment for heroin once every 3 years. Christian Science Monitor

U.S.: African-Americans still more likely to die from 

cancer

5 February - Drops in smoking may have helped drive cancer death rates down among 

black men during the last decade, but they are still more likely to die of cancer than whites, 

according to a new analysis. "I think we see some really good news, but then we also see 

some trends that are going in the wrong direction," said Carol DeSantis, the study's lead 

author from the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Atlanta... The biennial analysis found that 

improvements in cancer treatments and care have avoided nearly 200,000 cancer deaths in 

blacks since 1990. But cancer death rates for blacks are still higher than whites, according to 

DeSantis and her colleagues, who published their findings in CA: A Cancer Journal for 

Clinicians on Tuesday. Reuters

U.S.: Climate change threatens public health, safety, 

economy along U.S. coasts

5 February – A new technical study from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency 

(NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reports that the effects of climate change will 

continue to threaten the health and vitality of U.S. coastal communities’ social, economic, 

and natural systems. All U.S. coasts are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change 

such as sea-level rise, erosion, storms, and flooding, especially in the more populated lowlying parts of the U.S. coast along the Gulf of Mexico, Mid-Atlantic, northern Alaska, Hawaii, 

and island territories. ...The authors also emphasized that storm surge flooding and sealevel rise pose significant threats to public and private infrastructure that provides energy, 

sewage treatment, clean water, and transportation of people and goods. These factors 

increase threats to public health, safety, and employment in the coastal zone. Homeland 

Security Newswire
U.S.: Experts debate CDC guidance in fungal meningitis 

outbreak

6 February - A debate emerged yesterday in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (AAC) 

about US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for treating 

people exposed to contaminated injections in recent months. David A Stevens, MD, a fungal 

disease expert from Stanford University Medical School, said the CDC should have 

recommended prophylactic treatment with oral antifungals for all exposed patients, 

according to a press release from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), which 

publishes AAC. He also aired concerns about the CDC's focus on only two drugs for 

treatment. Stevens wrote that, for patients who have been injected intrathecally or close to 

the intrathecal sac, fungal infection should be prevented with oral drugs that have known, 

uncommon, and usually inconsequential side effects. In the counterargument, four authors, 

including Tom Chiller, MD, deputy chief of the CDC's mycotic diseases branch, defended the 

CDC's recommendation against prophylactic antifungal drugs and described the decision 

model that an expert panel used in the deliberations. CIDRAP News Scan

U.S., Pennsylvania: Fracking wastewater can be highly 

radioactive

3 February – ...Studies from the U.S. Geological Survey, Penn State University and 

environmental groups all found that waste from fracking can be radioactive — and in some 

cases, highly radioactive. A geological survey report found that millions of barrels of 

wastewater from unconventional wells in Pennsylvania and conventional wells in New York 

were 3,609 times more radioactive than the federal limit for drinking water and 300 times 

more radioactive than a Nuclear Regulatory Commission limit for nuclear plant discharges. 

...A recent study by an undergraduate student and two professors in Penn State’s 

Department of Geosciences also found that fracking wastewater contains high levels of 

radium — and barium. Herald-Standard

top of page...

USPACOM

India enacts tough new rape laws 

4 February - In India, the government has passed tough new laws to tackle sexual violence 

against women. Demand for new legislation was sparked by a brutal gang rape of a 23-

year-old woman in India’s capital in December. Women’s rights activists say the laws do not 

go far enough in addressing the pressing issue. A harsher punishment for rape will for the 

first time include the death penalty in cases where the victim dies or is left in a vegetative 

state. The minimum sentence for gang rape, rape of a minor or rape by a person in 

authority has been doubled from 10 to 20 years. Trafficking of women and children will also 

be punished by longer jail terms. Voyeurism and stalking have been defined as new 

offenses. VOA
India, Jodhpur: Highly vulnerable to swine flu

3 February - With the death of 22 persons in January, the city has become highly vulnerable 

to the H1N1 virus. According to the data available with the S N Medical College, as many as 

17 persons died of swine flu from September till December. And in January, the flu cases 

increased significantly. S N Medical college principal Dr Arvind Mathur said majority of 

patients had died within two to 48 hours after being brought to hospitals and even before 

their swab testing report being issued... Mostly, pregnant women are getting infected with 

the virus. Out of the 45 deaths reported in the recent past, 20 were pregnant women. Times 

of India

Japan Rubella outbreak spreading quickly

8 February - The fresh rubella outbreak spreading quickly nationwide poses the greatest 

threat to fetuses, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. If a woman 

catches rubella in the early stages of pregnancy, her child can suffer hearing, heart and eye 

defects. Five such cases were reported during last year’s epidemic and one has already been 

reported this year, the institute said. On Jan. 29, the health ministry issued a nationwide 

alert about the potential for another epidemic and recommended that prefectures and 

other local governments start promoting vaccinations. The case count in January has 

already surpassed the yearly average... The 254 cases in January are more than 13 times 

higher than a year ago and higher than the annual average of 224 logged from 2008 to 

2011, the institute said. Japan Times

Solomon Islands earthquake triggers tsunami

6 February - A powerful earthquake off the Solomon Islands generated a tsunami up to 1.5 

metres (5ft) high that damaged dozens of homes and left several people missing, presumed 

dead. Authorities cancelled tsunami warnings on more distant coasts in the Pacific. Officials 

on the chain of islands reported two 1.5-metre waves hitting the western side of Santa Cruz 

island on Wednesday, damaging 70 to 80 properties, said George Herming, a spokesman 

for the prime minister of the Solomon Islands. Many villagers had headed to higher ground 

as a precaution. The islands' police commissioner, John Lansley, said there were unverified 

reports from local patrols that several people were presumed dead. "At the moment we 

potentially know of four, but there may of course be more." Guardian

top of page...

USSOUTHCOM

Cuba - Investing in biotechnology to battle cancer

4 February - The Cuban government has made a substantial investment in biotechnology in 

a drive to battle cancer, the country's second leading cause of death, after cardiovascular 

disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 31,000 new cancer diagnoses 

are made in Cuba each year, and that 21,000 patients die of the disease annually. Dr José 
Luis Di Fabio, the head of the WHO Country Office in Cuba, said: "Cancer is one of the major 

killers in Cuba. This is partly because people live longer but also because many have 

adopted unhealthy lifestyles. Too many people use alcohol harmfully, eat unhealthily and 

use tobacco. Among men, prostate and lung cancers are the most common types of cancer, 

and among women breast and cervical cancer are at the top of the list." WHO says that 

Cuba followed up its recommendations by setting up a "comprehensive national cancer 

plan" to make sure all Cubans have access to all levels of health service - from prevention, 

diagnosis, to palliative care. According to Cuban health authorities, their anti-cancer plan is 

based on a strong primary health care system that allows patients to see their GP (general 

practitioner, primary care physician) regularly, so that health problems, including cancer are 

spotted early on during the disease. Medical News Today

Guatemala: Traditional herb water linked to smaller 

babies

4 February -Infants given a traditional Guatemalan drink in the first month of life are almost 

twice as likely to have stunted growth than other children, according to a new study. "We 

believe that aguitas may be part of the explanation for the high child stunting prevalence in 

Guatemala," lead author Colleen Doak told Reuters Health by email. The herbal infusions 

known as aguitas come in many forms, including cinnamon, chamomile and mint. 

Indigenous Guatemalans believe the drinks help ease colic and diarrhea and improve 

general health. Doak, of VU University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and her colleagues 

surveyed about 450 mothers with children under two years old. Nearly 80 percent of their 

babies had been given aguitas, and a quarter of those were first given the drink before the 

age of three weeks. Half of the babies who had been given aguitas within the first three 

weeks of life had stunted growth, compared to 35 percent of all other children, according to 

results in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Reuters

top of page...
U.S. Military | Global | Influenza | Veterinary/Food Safety | Wellness | Contact Us

USAFRICOM | USCENTCOM | USEUCOM | USNORTHCOM | USPACOM | USSOUTHCOM

The Army Public Health Weekly Update does not analyze the information as to its strategic or tactical impact on the US Army and is not a medical 

intelligence product. Medical intelligence is available from the National Center for Medical Intelligence.

External Links: The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Army of this Web site or the information, products, 

or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and MWR sites, the U.S. Army does not exercise any 

editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this product.

Although Health Information Operations avoids links to sites that may be blocked, all sites may not be accessible from all locations. While we verify the 

links at the time of publication, we cannot guarantee that they will be active in the future.

Articles appearing in the Update do not necessarily represent US Army Medical Department opinions/views, policy, or guidance, and should not be 

construed or interpreted as being endorsed by the US Army Medical Department.

The Army Public Health Weekly Update is published by the Health Information Operations Program, Deputy Chief of Staff for Communication, United 

States Army Public Health Command.