Articles: disease.
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Birt-Hogg-Dube (BHD) is a rare cause of spontaneous pneumothorax caused by an autosomal-dominant mutation in the folliculin gene (FLCN). The syndrome can have widely variable presentations and is associated with recurrent pneumothorax, cystic lung disease, characteristic skin lesions, and renal tumors. Lung cysts have been described in over 80% of cases, and roughly 24 to 38% of patients have at least one pneumothorax and over 75% have multiple pneumothoraces. ⋯ This delay has clinical implications as screening for renal cancer is recommended in both the patient and affected family members. Increased recognition of this syndrome can lead to more patients receiving definitive treatment for their first pneumothorax, and being screened for renal cancers. We present a rare case of Birt-Hogg-Dubé with a never before described mutation in the FLCN gene, leading to spontaneous pneumothorax in an active duty male soldier.
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The international flight network creates multiple routes by which pathogens can quickly spread across the globe. In the early stages of infectious disease outbreaks, analyses using flight passenger data to identify countries at risk of importing the pathogen are common and can help inform disease control efforts. A challenge faced in this modelling is that the latest aviation statistics (referred to as contemporary data) are typically not immediately available. Therefore, flight patterns from a previous year are often used (referred to as historical data). We explored the suitability of historical data for predicting the spatial spread of emerging epidemics. ⋯ The use of historical flight data as a proxy in epidemic models is an acceptable practice, except in rare, large epidemics that lead to substantial disruptions to international travel.
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COVID-19 vaccination is estimated to have averted more than 2.4 million deaths globally. In the United States (U. S.) alone, more than 120,000 deaths and 700,000 hospitalizations are reportedly estimated to have been prevented during the first six months of the vaccine campaign. ⋯ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While tenure is designed to protect those with contrarian views, we believe that the University has an ethical obligation to condemn misleading statements that put public health at risk. Herein, we explore the challenges of managing misinformation disseminated by someone who is simultaneously a tenured professor at a public, state-supported university, and a politically appointed public health official.